spot in a considerable degree resembles the Niagara river, on a small scale, from the falls to Queenstown. On the left bank the rocks descend perpendicularly to the water, and their tops are crowned by a few groups of aged hemlocks and spruces. The right bank is also steep and rocky, and would be equally inaccessible but for the bushes, which thrust their roots into every crevice, and afford a hold by which adventurous boys ascend the precipice in search of flowers and birds' nests.

15. Fifty years ago, this beautiful ravine was in a state of nature. Now, the rapids are obstructed by dams, and mills and manufactories have been built at its upper and lower extremities. Man, however, cannot wholly deface the beauties of such favored spots. To the eye of the philanthropist, indeed, it may be doubted, whether such mingling of the works of art with those of nature, should not rather add to, than destroy their interest.

16. "Well, which way shall we go now?" said John Darling. "There are some fine flowers among those rocks, which we can't get any where else. Shall we go there first, and then go down through the meadow? What say you, Grace?"

17. "I should like to get some of the plants you speak of," replied Grace. "But I am willing to go wherever the rest of the company think best."

18. "Oh, let's go first to the meadow, said Helen." We, girls, can do nothing up there; and I don't want to stand looking at the boys climbing all the afternoon."

19. "I think it would be as well to leave the climbing among the rocks till we come back," said William Turner. "The girls will be tired, then, and more willing to rest while we go after the flowers.'

20. "That's true," replied Grace. "But you forget that you will be tired then, too, and not so fit to climb. Indeed, when I look up there, it seems as if it were too dangerous for you to go at all. I don't think it is right to run the risk of breaking a leg or a neck for a few flowers."

It

21. The company laughed, and Helen said, "That's just like sister Grace. She's always afraid of others getting hurt, and yet she's the most heedless creature herself. was only t'other day, that she ran out and caught hold of a horse that was running away with little Jane Turner. They would both have been killed, probably, had not father been close by, and come to their assistance."

22. "You don't do justice to your sister there," said William. "It was to save sister Jane's life that she endangered her own. I have often seen her in dangerous situations, and have ever found her remarkably careful, and on her guard. Many of the heedless girls that you speak of would

only have screamed in Grace's place, and so made the matter worse, by frightening the horse still more. I am sure sister Jane and all our family can never be sufficiently grateful for her goodness.'

23. "Oh, you don't owe me any gratitude for what I did," said Grace, "for indeed, I could not help it. I did not even know that it was your sister who was in the wagon; I merely saw that it was a little girl."

24. That makes not the slightest difference," replied William. "But we must not

lose all the afternoon in talk. Those that are in favor of going down the river had better be jogging, and so we will see how the majority wish to go."

25. The Somervilles and Darlings turning their faces down stream, and the rest of the party following their example, the ravine was left unexplored for the present. A number of flowers were found in the meadows, but the sun being at this season high in the heavens, the young folks soon found it uncomfortably warm, exposed as they were without the slightest shade. It was accordingly proposed to spend the rest of the afternoon in the woods on the opposite side of the river.

26. "We can cross easily enough," said John Darling, "but how shall we get the girls through the water? The bridge at the

lower mill has all rotted down, and it's too far to go round by the other."

27. "There's a place a little below," replied William Turner, "where the water will hardly reach above the ancle, and there is excellent footing, as the bottom is of fine gravel. We can easily carry the girls over there by making seats for them with crossed hands."

28. This expedient being adopted, the whole party crossed the stream without accident, and soon reached the woods, where abundance of plants were found in flower.

Repeat the substance of this lesson. Was Helen right, or wrong, in making her friends wait for her? Is it right, or wrong, to be tardy in going to school? Do we injure nobody but ourselves by doing so? Are all the members of a class injured, or not, by one of them being irregular, or neglecting his studies? Has any one a right to injure his class so, or not? Is it right, or wrong, to be late in going to meeting? Has any one a right to disturb the worship, or not? If a person finds he has come too late. should he go in, or not? What does the Bible say of punctuality? "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Eccl. iii. 1. Wha is the cause of want of punctuality? See sections 5 and 6. Who are the happiest, those who habitually think of the feelings of others, or those who think of, and care for, nobody but themselves? Which will be most beloved by God and man? What is the golden rule of Christianity on this subject? "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matt. vii. 12. Which of the two sisters had the most lovely character, Helen or Grace? Which of them would you prefer for your sister? Which had the happiest disposition for herself?

LESSON XXVII.

Content, Mercy and Cruelty.

[Repeat the substance of the last lesson before you begin to read this.]

29. "How much more agreeable it is to botanize here," said Grace Somerville to her cousin John, "than in the hot sun, along the bank of the river.”

30. "Yes," replied he, "and see these beautiful woods too! These large sugarmaples are really superb trees."

31. "I begin to feel somewhat tired," said Helen. "Wouldn't it be well to rest a little?"

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32. "There is a fine spring a little way farther on," said John. said John. I think we had better go there before we sit down."

33. At the mention of a spring, all the party eagerly called on John to point it out; and when they arrived there, they found two old logs, on which the girls were soon commodiously seated. Some of the young men distributed the cakes which had been provided for the occasion, while others handed round water from the spring in tin dippers.

34. "I wish we had brought some sugar and lemons," said William Strong. 66 А little lemonade would have been rather more pleasant than pure water."

35. "Lemonade would have been rather