are never wanting. Events, as trifling as the falling of an apple from a tree, will lead a thinking person to great moral, as well as scientific discoveries; and happy are they who have a wise and understanding heart, to profit by the first hint that offers. But the most awful lessons are too frequently neglected. In company with some students, Mr. Hale was one day dining and making merry, when, from excessive drinking, a young man of the party fell down to all ap pearance dead. All those who were present were much terrified: some of them, it is to be hoped, felt lasting good effects from the impression which that moment made upon their hearts. Mr. Hale was deeply affected: he went into another room, and on his knees most fervently besought God to restore his friend, and to pardon the intemperance of which they had been guilty. For himself, he vowed that he would never keep company in that free manner again, nor drink even a health for the future. His friend was restored to life, and Mr. Hale, as

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long as he lived, religiously kept his vow. In extreme distress, when all our hopes are fixed on the special interposition of Heaven, we are very ready to promise extraordinary goodness on our own part; as if that were - a condition which it became us to propose, or depended on us to fulfil: but our inability to do any thing that is right without divine assistance, the worthlessness of our best actions in the sight of God, and the consciousness that we have no merits of our own, let us live ever so virtuously, should make us humble, patient, and apprehensive, full of supplication, with fear and trembling, and too well aware of our own nature to place any confidence in our own strength. Prayers are a much better preservative than Vows. These, however, are frequently made by persons in Mr. Hale's situation, who have not the grace to keep them with the same fidelity. In all such cases it would be much better, silently to resolve, and yet as steadily to execute, and to avoid imposing any more restraints on ourselves than are absolutely ne

cessary to some good end. Mr. Hale was placed in disagreeable and even dangerous situations, from his vow to drink no healths. It caused his loyalty to be suspected, during the civil wars in the reign of Charles the First, and, but for uncommon prudence, it might have cost him his life. Dilemmas like these it is better to avoid, when the object for which they are encountered is no more than an innocent custom; and that Mr. Hale himself thought so afterwards, may be inferred, from his modest unwillingness to give pledges to the world, even for the maintenance of his religious practices,

Reclaimed from the error of his youth, by the reflections which these accidents produced, and encouraged by the advice of the learned counsellor, Serjeant Glanvil, Mr. Hale commenced that vigorous course of study in the profession of the law, which laid the foundation for his future greatness. He was in his twenty-first year when he was admitted into Lincoln's Inn. His constitu

tion was naturally a good one; and he could endure severe application for a longer time than most men; but it is almost incredible what fatigue he underwent, in the prosecution of his undertaking. For many years, he devoted sixteen hours a day to reading. He always rose early in the morning, and would never allow himself to be idle during the day. He held no correspondence or conversation upon trifling subjects, conceiving Time to be God's gift, who did not bestow upon us more than was strictly necessary. And certainly we should think that miller a foolish man, who stopt his mill to talk about news, while all the water was running to waste yet we are guilty of this absurdity every day; and what is worse, we draw from a reservoir which can never be replenished.

By means of unwearied diligence, Mr. Hale attained to such a depth and variety of knowledge as is seldom equalled. Law and divinity formed the principal subjects of his studies: when he was tired of these, he had

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recourse to experimental philosophy, and the mathematics, which to him were diversions. His readiness in arithmetic was very uncomHe was profoundly skilled in chronology, and well acquainted with the writings of the Greek philosophers. In physic, anatomy, and surgery, he possessed as much knowledge as could be obtained without actual practice; and as a reason for such acquisitions, he used to say, that "no man could be absolutely a master in any profession, without having some skill in other sciences,"

But next to the study of the law, divinity engaged his chief attention. In this pursuit, not only his mind but his heart was occupied. He delighted in that most profitable part of it, contemplation-" to commune with his own heart, and in his chamber, and be still;" and at these times he would endeavour to conceive such exalted ideas concerning God, as might purify his thoughts, and invest his soul with a holy calmness, not