than with his open honest countenance, which bore strong marks of health, cheerfulness and spirit.

Mr. Johnson, who was on a journey, and somewhat fearful from the appearance of the sky, that rain was at no great distance, accosted the Shepherd with asking what sort of weather he thought it would be on the morrow.—“ It will be such weather as pleases me," answered the Shepherd. Though the answer was delivered in the mildest and civilest tone that could be imagined, the gentleman thought the words themselves rather rude and surly, and asked him how that could be. "Because," replied the shepherd, "it will be such weather as shall please God, and whatever pleases him always pleases me."

Mr. Johnson, who delighted in good men and good things, was very well satisfied with his reply. For he justly thought that though a hypocrite may easily contrive to appear better than he really is to a stranger; and that no one should be too soon trusted, merely for having a few good words in his mouth;

yet as he knew that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," he always accustomed himself to judge favourably of those who had a serious deportment and solid manner of speaking. "It looks as if it proceeded from a good habit," said he, “and though I may now and then be deceived by it, yet it has not often happened to me to be So. Whereas, if a man accosts me with an idle, dissolute, vulgar, indecent, or profane" expression, I have never been deceived in him, but have generally on inquiry found his character to be as bad as his language gave me room to expect."

He entered into conversation with the shepherd in the following manner. "Your's is a troublesome life, honest friend," said he. "To be sure, sir," replied the shepherd, "tis not a very lazy life; but 'tis not near so toilsome as that which my GREAT MASTER led for my sake, and he had every state and condition of life at his choice, and chose a hard one-while I only submit to the lot that is appointed me."" You are exposed to great cold and heat," said the

gentleman:-"true, sir," said the shepherd; "but then I am not exposed to great temptations; and so throwing one thing against another God is pleased to contrive to make things more equal than we poor, ignorant, short sighted creatures are apt to think. David was happier when he kept his father's sheep on such a plain as this, and employed in singing some of his own psalms, perhaps, than ever he was when he became king of Israel and Judah. And I dare say we should never have had some of the most beautiful texts in all those fine psalms, if he had not been a shepherd, which enabled him to make so many fine comparisons and similitudes, as one may say, from a country life, flocks of sheep, hills, and valleys, fields of corn, and fountains of water. 92

"You think then," said the gentleman, "that a laborious life is a happy one." "I do, sir, and more so especially, as it exposes a man to fewer sins. If king Saul had continued a poor laborious man to the end of his days, he might have lived happy and honest, and died a natural death in his bed at last,

which you know, sir, was more than he did. But I speak with reverence, for it was divine Providence overruled all that, you know, sir, and I do not presume to make comparisons. Besides, sir, my employment has been particularly honoured-Moses was a shepherd in the plains of Midian.-It was to shepherds keeping their flocks by night,' that the angels appeared in Bethlehem, to tell the best news, the gladdest tidings, that ever were revealed to poor sinful men: often and often has the thought warmed my poor heart in the coldest night, and filled me with more joy and thankfulness than the best supper could have done."

Here the shepherd stopped, for he began to feel that he made too free, and had talked too long. But Mr. Johnson was so well pleased with what he said, and with the cheerful and contented manner in which he said it, that he desired him to go on freely, for that it was a pleasure to him to meet with a plain man, who without any kind of learning, but what he had got from the Bible. was able to talk so well on a subject in which all

men, high and low, rich and poor, are equally concerned.

"Indeed I am afraid I make too bold, sir, for it better becomes me to listen to such a gentleman as you seem to be, than to talk in my poor way; but as I was saying, sir, I wonder all working men do not derive as great joy and delight as I do from thinking how God has honoured poverty! Oh! sir, what great, or rich, or mighty men have had such honour put on them, or their condition, as Shepherds, Tent-makers, Fishermen, and Carpenters have had? Besides, it seems as if God honoured industry, also. The way of duty is not only the way of safety, but it is remarkable how many in the exercise of the common duties of their calling, humbly and rightly performed, as we may suppose, have found honour, preferment, and blessing, while it does not occur to me that the whole sacred volume presents a single instance of a like blessing conferred on idleness. Rebekah, Rachel, and Jethro's daughters, were diligently employed in the lowest occupations of a country life, when Provi

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