the high authorities now recommended will not, I know from experience, prevent a due estimation of the same as soon as it may be expected by their juvenile readers; as I read the book of Deuteronomy myself when I was a child, and there is no book in the world that I now prefer to it except the Gospel. The curate to be the immediate Ruler and Recorder of these and all other public schools in this common sphere throughout the parish. It cannot be expected, that a curate should be able to teach in these schools farther than dropping a word by the way; but it will be his duty to see that they are taught, and also to keep a pretty exact account of their proficiency: while in return, or by way of recompense, he might have the pleasure of hearing the Psalms, &c. in his rounds repeated by the little Huns, like St. Jerome, as he fondly signifies "Hunni Psalterium discunt." This should be the young rotist's chief employment while under the discipline of his class; as that eminent curate but no saint, any more than you, or I, or Origen,— the forecited St. Jerome, advises: "Discat memoriter Psalterium, et usque ad annos pubertatis libros Salomonis, Evangelia, Apostolos, et Prophetas sui cordis thesaurum faciat." It is a great thing to be a saint indeed and what I do not own of any myself beside the apostles; own others who will. But with regard to these exercises-it is the practice in some schools for the pupils to repeat selections from dramatic and other profane writers at their yearly exhibitions, a practice not to be blamed, when the subjects are well selected, and due precautions taken against the access of vanity, which is rather to be apprehended on such occasions: and why may not matters for repetition be as well extracted from Scripture, which would bear their own antidote for vanity, and for every other chance of abuse? as here, for example. If you can find among the dramatis personæ some little dismal looking fellow, one terribly abashed and dejected, one-who, whether from the effect of oppression, or of constitution, looks nipped both in stature and spirit, and not overpaid in incidentals either, you may give him this soliloquy of David's to repeat-and if you can, get him to come forward too. SOLILOQUY. "Lord, I am not high-minded; I have no proud looks. I do not exercise myself in matters which are too high for me. But I refrain my soul, and keep it low; like as a child that is weaned from his mother: yea, my soul is even as a weaned child." (Ps. cxxxi. 1-3.) And after this short lesson on humility, perhaps you might have one on some other subject with a moderate chance of vanity; as for example, the following dialogue between two young rotists, a boy and a girl, on Charity. DIALOGUE. (The boy begins.) Boy-" Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Girl" And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity,-I am nothing. Boy-" And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Girl" Charity suffereth long, and is kind: charity envieth not charity vaunteth not itself,-is not puffed up Boy" Doth not behave itself unseemly Girl" Seeketh not her own Boy" Is not easily provoked Girl-"Thinketh no evil Boy-" Rejoiceth not in iniquity; but rejoiceth in the truth Girl" Beareth all things- Girl-" Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. Boy-"When I was a child, I spake as a child,—I understood as a child,-I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is CHARITY." (Cor. I. xiii.) These two selections may serve for a specimen. And see, if the young actors do not enjoy this sort of exhibition as much as any of the audience, except perhaps their fond mothers. And may all the little ones henceforward as they grow up both understand and experience what is charity-in a more perfect state of society than it has been your lot and mine to enter, dear curate! Desiring and promoting such a state with all one's heart and might, is more like the thing itself, more like St. Paul, and more like his master-to my mind, than aught that these young folk have mentioned, or aught that can be: do not you think so, dear curate? It is also by such a becoming interest and generous excitement well sustained, that young people are most agreeably forwarded in the road to perfection. But let us beware of one silly phrase, “A good child ;” if there be more good children than men for want of better discipline. Neither, on the other hand, will it be advisable to lower your children too much in their own estimation, -or to cuff their ears, or daunt them with dreadful apprehensions of "the old black man," and of "the wicked place" that they will go to when they die, if they tell stories: which, however well meant, is like Satan casting out Satan, or like casting out one lie by another, and confirming rather than curing a bad habit in the end. Better tell the little anxious creatures a word of truth-as much as their little minds will take: which is building on a sure foundation. Tell them, that it is not the way to please God-the God of truth. Child-And who is he? I do not know who he is. Mistress-Why he is the best of beings, and only likes what is good who sees every thing without being seen, and HEARS TO0-I can tell you. You may tell them in smoother times, how God will love them, if they love him above all things; how much he will do for them, if they love one another, and sincerely endeavour to keep his commandments which they have learned and are bound to keep by their baptismal engagement, as they may learn from the invisible curate : what happiness it will be for them every way, if they honour and obey their father and mother, if they be kind to the animals and household, and to strangers likewise: that love is the enjoyment of life, if we love one another "with a pure heart fervently," (Pet. I. i. 22,) as the apostle says. And if at the same time, or at any other time, you have a mind to dwell on the antithesis of love and innocence, you may tell the young people very clearly what all that belongs to, and what they will belong to themselves if it belongs to them, which they must as far as they are addicted to it; as liars to the father of lies, the envious and malicious, to one who "was a murderer from the beginning:" (John, viii. 44 :) while instead of one "wicked place," every place will be wicked and miserable for them, even heaven itself would, if they could possibly get there with such dispositions. This were more solid teaching for the little men and women, and enough too perhaps that way for them. "Nothing too much" says Solon. Not too much praise for the little ones; not too much indulgence, not too much chastisement, not too much blame, nor yet too much preaching. For now, as I promised before, and St. Paul likewise," shew I unto you a more excellent way than either of these alone. Ours is the discipline of counterpoise-the discipline of the rod and staff: its elements being correction and encouragement, its parts-faith and practice, its stations-heaven and earth, as the Psalmist observes, "The Lord hath prepared his seat in Heaven, and his kingdom ruleth over all." (Ps. ciii. 19.) He also tells him, "Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever: the sceptre of thy Kingdom is a right sceptre ;" (Ib. xlv. 7;) meaning, I presume, on account of the two necessary elements aforesaid; as he says elsewhere," The Lord is my shepherd therefore can I lack nothing. He shall feed me in a green pasture; and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. He shall convert my soul, and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me." (Ib. xxiii. 1, &c.) These two elements or instruments therefore, the rod and the staff, are the two main arms, branches, or methods of that universal Kingdom or discipline which hath its seat in heaven and “ruleth over all;" that is to say, not only every present interest whether in church or state, but over the future likewise; and all, as it is said from one seat or throne, and by one sceptre. For, as it has been also signified, there are these two several spheres or modes of existence, the present and the future above mentioned; which several as they are, will yet mutually comprehend or include each other by the identification of their subjects as the subjects of both: and, under suitable direction, they will also mutually help each other as a mean to sound discipline, the present by its performance, the future by its restraints and rewards. So will the two means of correction and encouragement also |