CHAP. XXVI.

Comments on Mr. Williams's Story.---A Visit to St. Paul's Cathedral.---First Erection of that Edifice. Present Building by Sir Christopher Wren.

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N the following morning, Mr. Richardson and his children returned to town, where Mr. Williams, with his nephew and niece, were to follow in a few days, in order to embark for India.

They conversed, in their way to town, on the events Mr. Williams had related, the young people expressing their warmest approbation of his conduct, and their detestation of that of Heider Cawn.

Unhappy Heider!" replied Mr. Richardson. "He was suffered to go on in his "wickedness till it attained its summit, "when the Almighty crushed him like a worm. It was his will that he should go thus far, and no farther; and I leave

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you to judge what must have been the "feelings of this bloody tyrant, when they "could force him to stoop to intreat the attendance of Mr. Williams,"

"Indeed, my dear Sir," replied Charles, "I fear I should not have acted like Mr. "Williams: I should have dreaded to "have again encountered him."

"Mr. Williams's conduct bespoke at "once the goodness of his heart, and his

reliance on God. If there were one "spark of virtue in the bosom of Heider, "he perhaps hoped to awaken it. God "had protected him in his flight with Ali,

which was a far more dangerous enter

prise; for Doual Saab knew the tyrant "sufficiently not to trust him, without hostages of the greatest importance."

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Though Ali appears very amiable, papa," said Mary, "I cannot but say I "am sorry that poor Frank and Patty are going to a country where the manners. 66 are so different from ours; and were I in their place, though I might say no

thing, it would make me very un"happy.

"Mr. Williams is their nearest relation, "and appears both able and willing to sup

ply the loss of their father; it is there

"fore a duty incumbent on them to love

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him as such, and to be satisfied in any "situation where his inclination or duty may place him. For example, Mary; suppose I was necessitated to go to India, "I must either leave you behind, or take you with me in a melancholy, dissatisfied "state."

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My dear Sir, how can you be so cruel "to speak, thus," said she, throwing her arms around him. "I could be cheerful "and happy to travel all over the world "with you.'

"Then why should not Frank and

3.66 Patty ? There hearts are, I hope,

equally susceptible of kindness and gra

“titude; and I truly believe they will owe "both those sentiments to their uncle."

This discourse continued uninterrupted until they came within sight of St. Paul's cathedral,

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cathedral, when Charles said, Some "morning, Sir, will you favour us with a sight of the interior of that building "

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Willingly; and as I am not busy, if you choose, we will take this opportunity."

The children both expressed their thanks, and leaving their carriage, they walked round the cathedral.

"The best account we have of this

building," said Mr. Richardson, "is "from Sir Christopher Wren, who, in "searching the foundation for his own de

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sign, was confirmed in an opinion he "had formed, that a Christian church had "been built on the spot in the time of the "Romans, by the chancel of the old

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church, which was constructed and con"solidated with a peculiar hard mortar, "after the Roman manner. The first "church is supposed to have been demo

lished in the Dioclesian persecution, but rebuilt in the reign of Constantine. It was again destroyed by the Pagan Sax

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INSTRUCTIVE RAMBLES.

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ons, but restored by Sebert, who ruled "under Ethelbert, king of Kent, the first "Christian monarch of the Saxon race and who appointed Melitus the first bishop of London. The city of London being destroyed by fire in 1086, this "church was burnt. Bishop Mauritius.

began to rebuild it, and laid the foundation, which remained until its second "destruction from the same cause in the Mauritius lived twenty years after he began this great work, "and Bishop Beauvage enjoyed it twenty

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more; yet such was the extent of the design. that it remained unfinished, though both had large grants and emo"luments bestowed on them by Henry the First, towards accomplishing their pur66 pose; and we are told that it was one "hundred and fifty years before the whole "of the edifice was completed. This ca"thedral has sustained too many misfor"tunes and repairs for me to enumerate: "but the great fire of London, in 1666, "made way for the present noble building, A a 3 which