.

was dirtied. I just remembered, when I got up to the top of the stairs." (It is very evident, if Lucy did remember the handkerchief she forgot herself. Might there not be a little unconscious eagerness to "tell after another" in the case?) "The day before yesterday, after dinner, while you were washing up, Jim came running in for his nicker. Says he, Lucy, where's my nicker? I want to play with Rivis.' 'I dont know,' says I, 'where did you put it last?' 'I know,' says he, and so he runs to the candle-box and pulls out the nicker. 'This side is all green,' says he, as he cut out. I saw him stop a moment opposite the drawers, and I dare say he wiped his nicker on the handkerchief, mother."

"Its just like him," said Mrs. Wake, "that's what it is; when Jim wants to do anything he dont care what it is he takes, so it does for what he wants. Well, all I can say is, that when he goes on short commons, which will happen soon if you can't go to work Wake, he'll have himself to thank for it."

"Come, now," said her husband, "dont let us imagine evil before it comes. Jim will be sorry to find, I know, that he has caused me pain; however, here he is to answer for himself; he did not think any harm when he did it, I dare say."

"Didn't think any harm! said Mrs. Wake indignantly, "he had no business at all to wipe his nicker on the handkerchief, or on anything without asking me. If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times, not to meddle with things that dont belong to him. Jim," asked his mother, "did you wipe your nicker on this here handkerchief, the day before yesterday?"

"Well, I think I did, mother," answered Jim, "I thought it were no use."

"Hav'nt I told you," said Mrs. Wake, "often and often, not to touch anything that dont belong to you?"

"I was in such a hurry to get to Rivis," replied Jim, "and besides, I thought you had put that out for a duster for Lucy."

"Dont try to defend yourself Jim," said his father, "endeavour to get out of that habit of self-defence, or it will lead you some day to lying."

Mrs. Wake then broke in-" silk handkerchief a duster, surely!"

"Mother," said Wake, turning to his wife, "dont say anything more about it. I'm sure Jim will be sorry enough

to know that I have suffered for his carelessness."

"Have I made your hand bad, father? said Jim, the tears coming into his eyes. Has the verdigris got into your hand? Has that made it bad? I am very sorry, father,' said he, fairly crying, 66 can I fetch the doctor for you, or do anything to make it better?"

"Mr. Sanford has seen it, Jim," said his father, "and he is afraid it will keep me from work for some weeks. Ah, well, that's enough of it! come and have your tea, boy: Lucy, go and take your things off."

Jim could not eat his meal after what he had heard; he tried one mouthful of bread and butter, but it almost choked him, so he begged to be allowed to take his little brother's tea to him, and sat with Tom for some time, his eyes full of tears, a fact that did not escape the notice of his brother.

“What is the matter?" said little Tom, "tell me all about it, that's a good fellow."

Jim told accordingly, and Tom essayed his powers of consolation. "Father wont starve, there's the Benefit Club, he'll have something from that."

"I'll g

"Ah, so he will!" said Jim, "I forgot that; but think of the pain I've put poor father to," continued he. down now, Tom ; you had better get to sleep."

go

Jim

So kissing his little brother he went down stairs. was very quiet all the evening; he sat looking into the fire in a state of meditation, which presented a great contrast to the active way in which he generally spent his leisure time. His books, his favourite companions, stood on the shelf; his thumbed mensuration lay untouched, and the lively cheerful Jim was for the hour the prey of " dainty melancholy." (To be continued.)

Hotices of Books.

ROMEWARD AND HOMEWARD. (J. H. and J. Parker.) Is the second part of Perdita and Angelina; an Anglo-Roman Dialogue. By the Rev. C. E. Kennaway, M.A., Vicar of Camden. We have already

noticed the first part of this most useful dialogue between two intimate friends. Perdita had been decoyed into a convent by the transparent sophistry of Escobar, which is a name, under which the author seems to point at Mr. Manning. But divine grace operated on her mind, which had become uneasy, under the impure realities of Romish doctrines and practices, which, when too late, she discovered to be very different from the cup of sorcery which had deceived her; and as soon as she had been convinced of her error, she had the moral courage to leave the Roman schism and to return to the Church of England. The conversation between the ladies, relate to the arts that had been practised for her seduction, and the arguments which occurred to her own mind to convince her of her sin, and to strengthen her resolution to "come out of" the heretical communion of Rome. This excellent manual ought to be in the hands of all ladies, who are liable to meet the blandishments of these very subtle and innocent-seeming wolves in sheeps' clothing, the Jesuits.

THREE PLAIN ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND? (Bell and Daldy.) This short but excellent Tract is a third edition, compiled by Rev. Thomas Fenton, Perpetual Curate of Ings, in the parish of Kendal. It is nicely calculated to train the young to sanctify the Lord God in their hearts: and to be always ready to give an answer to every Dissenter, that asks a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness and fear. The price is only three-halfpence, or ten copies for a shilling, and a shilling's worth may be sent by post for a penny stamp; and we would earnestly recommend its circulation gratuitously, by those who can afford to bestow their charity on their poorer brethren, who will never think of purchasing any such commodity; but who will read, mark, learn and peradventure, inwardly digest it when given to them. It is worthy of the attention of the clergy.

THE NUPTIAL BOND INDISSOLUBLE. (J. H. and J. Parker.) The Rev. John Keble here presents the members of the legislature with a powerful "Argument, for not proceeding immediately to repeal the laws which treat the nuptial bond as indissoluble." The principle taught by the Church of England is, that marriage once lawfully contracted is indissoluble, except by the death of one of the parties; and this position Mr. Keble illustrates by the most powerful arguments. drawn from the decisions of our Blessed Lord, and from the epistles of His apostles; accordingly, he sets down all the sayings of the New Testament which bear directly on the question of divorce, in the order of the times in which they were spoken or written. Through these we cannot now follow him; but they will readily present themselves to the minds of our readers. That St. Paul decided for the permanence of the marriage bond is evident, from his declaring the previous marriages of the faithful with heathen husbands or wives, to have been indissoluble; for he said the faithful party sanctified the heathen; and their children were made clean and holy through the sacrament of bap

tism. Marriage represents the mystical union of Christ with His church, and as that union must continue for ever, so, by analogy, must the union of husband and wife. Some parts of the church have been guilty of idolatry, which is spiritual adultery; yet Christ has not "put away His spouse," even although she has been guilty of spiritual adultery; because, "from the beginning it was not so." Therefore, to make the analogy complete, neither ought a man to put away his wife, even if she has been guilty of the commandment. It appears to us, that Mr. Keble is of the same opinion; for, he says, "In like manner, those who deny the indelible character imprinted by matrimony in this world, may be expected to deny also that imprinted by baptism, which will last, we know, through this world to the next; the carnal instinct in each case revolting at the restraint, which belongs of course to a very high supernatural condition." This valuable pamphlet requires no recommendation of ours, his own well known name will be amply sufficient to guarantee a satisfactory circulation for it; and we wish it good speed.

CONVERSION; (J. H. and J. Parker,) is the subject of a sermon by the Rev. George Nugee, at St. Matthias, Stoke Newington, in aid of the London diocesan Penetentiary, preached on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. It is a most eloquent and impressive sermon, on a most important and humane subject; providing penitentiaries for the homeless outcasts that nightly traverse the streets of London; of whom it is said there are about 20,000. "Their average life is only from five to seven years; therefore 3000 of them die yearly in this city, while 2500 applications at the doors of existing penetentiaries in London had been refused the year before last, from want of means to receive and maintain them." Our space will only allow us to give a short extract from this most affecting discourse; and it is while speaking of the deplorable deaths of 3000 of these poor victims of the most heartless treachery, he says, "God alone is witness of their last sufferings. What harrowing recollections of home and of faces still dearly loved, last seen in anguish. What thoughts of early years, of country, childhood, of hopes and joys, once pure as the air they breathed, but now all scared and blasted. How do they come back upon them in the hours of death to be their mockery and torment. No eye but His can read the visions of happy days which rise upon their desolate hearts, at such a moment of sickness or death. He alone can fully know what unutterable agony goes up by day and by night from those chambers, in which these homeless, hopeless, wasting creatures hide themselves in misery to die. And what a death is their's at the last! O, shudder you that have added one pang to such a deathbed! when the baffled heart wanders, in dreams of death, to die in the home of its birth, when the eye strains itself in vain for the vision of a mother's pitying face-and the ear'is sick with listening for a brother, husband, or child whose footfall shall be heard, never, never, never again." We cannot go on; but recommend our readers to buy the sermon, and, above all, to contribute to so good an institution by remittances to R. Twining, Jun., Esq., the Treasurer, 215, Strand, and great will be their reward in heaven,

THE EIGHTEENTH REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOCIETY is now before us; and we regret to observe, that their funds are still deficient even from last year's deficient receipts. "The receipts of the year ending 1855, as compared with the receipts of the year ending 1854, exhibit a deficiency. This fact taken in connection with the withdrawal of the Parliamentary grant, called the Regium Donum of £600, a portion of which had always been applied to the assistance of poor incumbencies, cannot fail to cause anxiety on the subject of the future resources of the Society, and consequently of its future efficiency." It is very deplorable, that the wealthy members of the Scottish church should thus suffer her honour to be laid in the dust; whilst, at the same time, it is a common brag among them, that all the wealth of the kingdom is to be found in that communion. This is not to worship God with their substance; but to spend their wealth on the pomps and vanities of the world. But the secret lies here, "that the Scottish Episcopalians who give such inadequate support to their own church society, contribute liberally in many cases to kindred societies in England;" but "refuse to extend their liberality to their own country." Yet, notwithstanding their niggardliness, the number of congregations have more than doubled within these twenty years: and would go on increasing, but that it is checked by the want of maintenance for the worship of God. The land is tithed for the maintenance of the Presbyterian establishment, which serves as a convenient excuse for withholding any support from the true church of God, which alone has the divine right to receive tithes of all that they possess. Although Government have been so oppressive to the church in Scotland, which teaches every soul in her communion to be subject unto the higher powers; yet they pertinaciously persist against the fixed resolve of the great majority of the people to lavish £30,000 per annum nominally on Maynooth, but really on Rome and for Roman purposes; and that seminary teaches every species of disobedience to the powers that be, with all manner of idolatry, heresy, schism and every species of the sins of the flesh; with the effects of which we are daily disgusted in Christian London, by the rabble of Irish Papists, who are in a lower state of degradation than New Zealand savages. As the English Government have robbed the Scottish Episcopal Church of £600 per annum, we would earnestly beseech the English people to contribute that sum at least by their subscriptions, which might be paid to their clergyman, who, perhaps, would kindly receive and transmit it to the Society's Treasurer, Hugh James Rollo, Esq., 16, Dundas-street, Edinburgh.

A CONFIRMATION MANUAL, (I. F. Hope,) is edited by Rev. Charles Hinxman, Incumbent of St. Andrew's, Dunmore. It is an appeal to the hearts of Catechumens, who have been sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of redemption; and who have received the earnest of the spirit in their hearts, to hold fast their profession without wavering. There is a beautiful address to candidates for Confirmation, and some excellent prayers suitable to the subject, many of them from Bishop Andrew's Devotions.