cate flowers, which open their leaves only to catch the direct solar ray, closing them often even when a cloud intervenes, and certainly, when the chills of night approach. On the sunny side of a hill, or in the sheltered crevice of a rock, or on a garden wall with warm exposure, there may be produced grapes, peaches, and other delicious fruits, which will not grow in situations of an opposite character, all acknowledging heat as the immediate cause, or indispensable condition, of vegetable life. And among animals, too, the effects of heat are equally remarkable. The dread silence of winter, for instance, is succeeded in spring by one general cry of joy. Aloft in the air the lark is everywhere carolling; and in the shrubberies and woods, a thousand little throats are similarly pouring forth the songs of gladness; during the day, the thrush and blackbird are heard above the rest, and in the evening, the sweet nightingale ; for all birds, it is the season of love and of exquisite enjoyment. It is equally so for animals of other kinds; in favoured England, for instance, in April and May, the whole face of the country resounds with lowing, and bleating, and barking of joy. Even man, the master of the whole, whose mind embraces all times and places, is far from being insensible to the change of season. His far-seeing reason, of course, draws delight from the anticipation of autumn, with its fruits; and his benevolence rejoices in the happiness observed among all inferior creatures; but independently of these considerations, on his own frame the re turning warmth exerts a direct influence. In his early life, when the natural sensibilities are yet fresh, and unaltered by the habits of artificial society, spring, to man, is always a season of delight, The eyes brighten, the whole countenance is animated, and the heart feels as if new life were come, and has longings for fresh objects of endearment. Of those who have passed their early years in the country, there are few, who, in their morning walks in spring, have not experienced, without very definite cause, a kind of tumultuous joy, of which the natural expression would have been, how good the God of nature is to us! Spring, thus, is a time when sleeping sensibility is roused to feel, that there lies in nature more than the grosser sense perceives. The heart is then thrilled with sudden ecstacy, and wakes to aspirations of sweet acknowledgment. IT is one of the brightest characteristics of Catholic morality, one of the grandest results of its autho L rity, that it has anticipated every sophism of the passions, by a precept, and by an express declaration. So when it was disputed, whether men of a different colour from Europeans, should be considered as men or not; the Church, by pouring on their heads the water of regeneration, put to silence, as far as in her lay, these shameful discussions, and declared them to be brethren in Christ Jesus; men called to partake of his inheritance. More than this, Catholic morality even removes those causes, that opposed an obstacle to the fulfilment of these two great duties, the hatred of error, and the love of men; for she forbids all pride, attachment to earthly things, and all that tends to destroy charity. She also furnished us with the means of fulfilling both; and these means are all those things that lead the mind to the knowledge of justice, and the heart to the love of it; meditation on our duties, prayer, the sacraments, distrust in ourselves, and confidence in God. The man who is sincerely educated in this school, elevates his benevolence to a sphere far beyond all opposition, interests, or objections, and this perfection, even in this life, receives a great reward. To all his moral victories there succeeds a consoling calm; and to love in God, all those whom we would hate according to the reason of the world, becomes, to a soul that was born to love, a sentiment of ineffable delight. He who gave the first example of this was certainly higher than the angels, but was at the same time a man; and in his designs of mercy, he de sired that his conduct should become a model for every one of his followers to imitate. The Redeemer prayed for his murderers as he was expiring. That generation still continued, when Stephen entered the first on that career of blood, which the God-Man had opened. Stephen, with divine wisdom seeking to illuminate his judges and the people, and to call them to saving repentance, oppressed with blows and ready to seal his testimony with his blood, yielding his spirit to the Lord, makes no other prayer in reference to those who slew him, than, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having so said, he fell asleep." Such was the conduct of the Christians throughout those ages, in which men persisted in the unaccountable perversity of worshipping the idols they had made with their own hands, and killing the just; and such has ever been the conduct of all true Christians; the horrid repose of paganism they never disturbed; no, not even by their groans. What more can be done to preserve peace with men, than to love them, and to die? That this doctrine was consistent with itself, and very dear to Christian understandings, we shall be forced to admit, when even children found it intelligible; for, faithful to the instructions of their mothers, they even smiled at their executioners; those who sprung up, imitated those who fell before them— first fruits of the saints-flowers that blossomed beneath the sickle of the reaper. MANZONI. LESSON XII. HYMN OF A CHILD AT WAKING. FATHER! before whose majesty They say yon radiant orb of light They say the little birds of song, They say, 'tis thou that makest fair The fruits that teem in autumn's hour, Thy bounty spreads a rich repast, |