the refractory, and even fascinated the brutal and obdurate. To an inquiry, what was the secret of this magic power, he replied, "in dealing with these unfortunate beings, I ever keep uppermost in my mind, that "God is love."

This was the perfection of good manners,founded on love to the human race-a love, not baffled by the most intricate and perplexing duties,—not daunted by violence, not discouraged by stupidity, but patiently cementing the fragments of the broken mind, and changing even the fierce glance of the maniac, to confidence and gratitude.

"Be courteous," said an inspired apostle. "When ye enter into a house, salute it," was the command of our blessed Redeemer. We perceive that true politeness is allied to piety. It teaches to avoid giving causeless pain to the humblest being. It respects the feelings of all whom God has made.

Good manners owe a part of their power to the perception of beauty, which our Maker has implanted within us. Food for this perception, is scattered among the wild flowers by the wayside, on the bosom of the blue stream,-in the waving forest, and amid the vaulted sky:

"It warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,-
Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees."

True politeness is moral beauty. We spontaneously yield it our love. Those who are devoid

of it, are able to admire it. It imparts happiness. It makes glad the heart of him who cherishes, and him who shares it. Let us strive to obtain it, for it is a form of benevolence, cheering to our fellow-creatures, and acceptable to our Father in Heaven.

WEALTH.

"FATHER," said a little boy, "I wish you was a rich man ?” "Why do you wish so, my dear? Have you not proper clothing, and comfortable food, and a good home to shelter you? Are you not sent to school? and have you not books, from which to gather knowledge ?"

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Now, there are dangers in being rich, especially to children. Among these, are the dangers of growing up idle, and selfish, and proud. Perhaps, your Heavenly Father, who knows your heart better than you do, saw that you would not be able to withstand such temptations, and so protected you from them."

The child acknowledged that he had not thought of all these things before. He promised to be contented with the lot, in which he had been placed, and thankful for his opportunities of gaining instruction. So, he put on a happy face, and a happy temper, and was beloved by all who knew him.

We see that wealth purchases costly raiment, and a showy equipage, a luxurious table, and the attendance of many servants. These things

strike the senses, and we might be so dazzled, as to consider them essential to happiness, if our senses governed us.

But why should we permit our senses to govern us? Have we not other means of judging? Can we not look deeper than the surface? When we form our estimate of any man's character or happiness, there are other things to be taken into view, beside the contents of his purse, or the magnitude of his estate.

We should inquire, is he amiable? Is he well-educated? Does he seek the improvement of society? Does he set a good example? Is he pious? Then his wealth is a blessing, for it will enable him to do good, on a larger scale.

But if he trusts to his possessions, for his respectability, if he seals up his sympathies from those around, if he despises the industrious in humble stations, and forgets the God who made them to differ, "verily, a poor, wise man, is better than he."

It is a pity for the young, to form too high an estimate of wealth, for if they possess it, they will be prevented from labouring after higher excellencies; and if they do not, they will be led to show that attention and reverence to the rich, which should be reserved for the virtuous.

In communities, where wealth is counted the chief good, high intellect and learning,-even morality and piety, hold but a secondary place.

Matter is elevated above mind, and the perishable, prized more than the imperishable. The pyramid is reversed, and the "bag of deceitful weights," is adopted as a true standard.

In governments, this leads to corruption. It was after the degeneracy of Rome, when virtuous poverty ceased to be respected, that the statesman who sought to apply a remedy to the growth of evil, said, that the very first step must be, to take away the undue estimation of riches.

The Romans, before they had become debased by luxury and vice, taught their young people, a high moral lesson, when they built the temple of Virtue, in advance of the temple of Honour ; im-* plying, that he who would enter one, must first pass through the other.

Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, said, "let every man beware of three things:-in youth, of his appetites,-in middle life, of his passions,-in age, of covetousness." We perceive, that the sage of China, had looked beyond the surface of things.

In the morning of life, when the senses and appetites bear sway, it is natural that we should highly value whatever affords them gratification. As we pass on, stronger ambition takes us by the hand, and leads us into different paths, still magnifying the importance of wealth.

Both these dynasties, which the wise man of China acknowledges, seem to be founded