they may perform their journey safely, and, "if the Lord will," they may again return home in peace. October 24, 1822. Your's, &c. 8. x. 8. SABBATH MORNING. Welcome, thou peaceful dawn! O'er field and wooded lawn The wonted sound of busy toil is laid. And hark, the village-bell, Whose simple tinklings swell, Sweet as soft music, on the straw-roof'd shed; And bid the pious Cottager prepare, To keep th' appointed rest, and seek the house of pray❜r. How goodly 'tis to see The rustic family Duly along the church-way path repair! The mother trim and plain, Leading her ruddy train, The father pacing slow with modest air: With honest heart and humble guise they come To serve Almighty God, and bear his blessing home.. O Sabbath bell, thy voice Makes hearts like these rejoice; Not so the child of vanity and power: He the blest pavement treads, Perchance to gaze away a listless hour, Perchance as custom bids; Then crowns the bowl, or scours along the road, Nor hides his shame from men, nor heeds the eye of God. O would th' Eternal Spirit bless With faith and holiness The laggart people of our favour'd isle! But if too deep and wide Have spread corruption's tide, O might be deign on me and mine to smile! So shall we ne'er with due devotion fail So shall we still resort To Sion's hallowed court, And lift the heart to Him who dwells above, On sweet and solemn views Or fill the void with acts of holy love; Then lay us down in peace to think we've given BISHOP MANT. LETTER FROM A GROOM. (No. 2.) We are much obliged to John C. for sending us the following copy of his letter to a young friend.John C. is the most sensible groom we have met with for a long time. DEAR WILLIAM, Mews, December 5, 1822. I AM glad you was lucky enough to be engaged at the place I told you of; because Sir John is a kindhearted, good master; and I am sure, if you behave yourself, and keep steady, getting into such a sober, quiet family, will be the making of you. But it is too true, that more young men are ruined than made in our line of life, for want of starting upon a good plan, and then of keeping to it. Now I take up my pen to send you a few hints worth minding and observing and I do so, because you seemed to make a friend of me at your first coming to town, in search of a situation; and because you begged so hard to hear from me, as we were not likely to see one another again, soon. When and I talked the matter over at our stables, that Sunday evening, we agreed, readily enough, that the sure way of doing well in this world, was to begin with God, and to take him for the guide of our youth: we settled, that no one could hope to serve an earthly master to his satisfaction, if the great Master in Heaven were put you out of mind; and we reckoned up some of those snares from which we should be saved, by " minding religion young," as the hymn says. But William, it is one thing to own that all this is true with the mouth, and another so to feel it in the heart, as to live and behave accordingly. If you mean to be a sincere Christian (and nothing short of that will please God, or satisfy your own conscience) you must set the pleasure and profitableness of godliness ever before you; this will help you in time of temptation, and incline you not only to receive and approve good advice, but also to remember and follow it; otherwise, the best counsel will do you no good now, and only rise up in judgment against you another day. A groom may fix who shall be his close friends and intimate acquaintances, as well as any body else; but at the same time, he is almost sure to meet with many of a différent stamp. Remember then, if you are brought to places, and amongst people, who tempt you to sin, and plague you because you will not be like them, to beg earnestly for God's special grace, that you may be kept from falling-Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. Never let a nick-name, or the laugh of a wicked, thoughtless, young fellow, shame you out of your religion, or make you endeavour to hide it. "Tis no disgrace to be the only man in the room who prays to Almighty God night and morning; no disgrace to avoid cursing, swearing, and indecent talking, though others indulge it freely; no disgrace to hate and shun those deeds of darkness, and works of uncleanness, which many of those about you delight in, boast of, and would fain make you believe to be harmless from such companions turn away; have no more to say to them than your business requires-be kind, civil, and ready to serve them in any thing within your power; but if you take them for your bosom friends, or find any real pleasure in their conversation and company, you are in the high road to ruin. At present, you think drunkenness a very bad thing, and resolve to keep the good character you brought from the country, of being " a sober lad;" then let me say one thing, never drink for company's sake. Some people can hardly get out, "How d'ye do," but "Will you drink," follows. 'Tis a great advantage to be able to answer, "No thank ye."-Many a good-humoured, pleasant young man, will invite, you, in a hearty kind of way, just to join him in a single pint, and you may see no harm, and fear no danger but there is both; and therefore, William,. beware of "single pints," and "just a glass," and such like. When I come back, I will lend you the Cottager's Monthly Visitor; there you will see the evil of running after pleasure-fairs, play-houses, and places of that sort-Every body wants some amusement; but I think, playing for hours together at Put, and All-fours, and Cribbage, is the wrong way, to seek it, and none but the cruel and idle-headed will find sport in a badger-bait, or diversion in a cat-hunt. A love for sinful pastimes, has brought many to lament over loss of character and place, loss of health and friends, when lamentation could do little good; sometimes, even an untimely death comes of following these foolish, wicked amusements. If, however, William, we would be kept from doing these things, if we would not tempt others to tempt us, we must try to get rid of a secret love for what is bad. A man easily shews his inward delight in a wanton song, a loose story, or an indecent jest, by listening with attention, even if he should not speak a word. Remember, then, upon such occasions, he shares the sin, who joins in the laugh. But you will begin to say, you have told me a great deal about what I should not do, what is it I ought to do? how am I to fill up my time? what amusement should I have? To give you my mind, freely, there is often more leisure made, than found, in a stable. A thorough groom takes great delight and pleasure in his horses; his eye will be upon them continually; be is always on the watch, to see if they feed well, and look well, and he is constantly anxious about their keeping in good condition, and doing credit to his carefulness and attention-his pleasure is to have every thing about them " right and tight;" all their tackling in prime order, no rust, no dirt, no slovenliness to be seen any where; in short, he wishes always to have the horses, stable, and saddle-room, 'just in the trim he would like his master to find them in, if he paid the stable an unexpected visit. Sometimes, no doubt, there is littering work to be done, which will put the neatest stable in the world into confusion, but it is easy to see whether a place is always untidy, or untidy only upon occasions, when it can't be helped. Besides, how much sooner is a place" put to rights, that is not always at wrongs :" So you see your in-door work will require some time, to say nothing now about exercising and the likeYou will find too, that it is not the work of a few minutes to be fit for mounting a good horse, and riding after a first-rate gentleman. I cannot help thinking William, that a dandy groom is a very foolish looking sort of fellow; but, I am sure a dirty, slovenly one, is ten times worse; many a man owes his good place to his clean and tidy appearance. Our way of dressing is no doubt very neat and becoming; but some never cut a creditable figure, because they are too lazy to keep their clothes decent, or too much in a hurry, to put them on properly. We have dirty work to do, and cannot do it as it should be, without getting dirty ourselves; but what I find fault with is, people continuing in a mess, after the work is done. There can be no excuse for this, where water is plenty, and soap cheap, and proper stable-dresses allowed. "Tis not a heap of gold seals, gay brooches, or ever so many fancy under-waistcoats, that make what ger 5 |