EVENING CHAT.

BY WILLIAM HOWITT.

"You are but a little fellow, Frank," said the philosophical Philip, to his younger brother," and yet you live in a better and more commodious house than a king had formerly. There are ships crossing the seas in every direction, to bring what is useful to you from all parts of the earth. The elephant-hunter in Ceylon has dug his traps, and with difficulty and danger taken his prey, that you may have a cup and ball, and play with ivory dominoes. By the shores of the frozen rivers in the uninhabitable regions of the north, traders have taken the industrious beaver, and the little arctic fox, that you may have a cap or hat made of their fur. The seal-fisher, in the same dreary sea, wrapped up in skins, has gone on his hazardous voyage, that you may wear shoes made

of fine and elastic leather.

gathering the tea-leaf for you.

In China, they are

In America, they

are planting cotton for you. In the West India islands, the poor slave is toiling in the sun, to provide you with sugar, and rice, and coffee. In Italy, they are feeding the silk-worm for you. In Saxony, they are shearing their sheep to make you a nice warm jacket. In Spain, they have grown and dried various kinds of fruits, that you may enjoy a plumpudding or a mince pie; and merchants, coming from the same country, have brought over oranges and nuts for your eating. And at this very time, travellers and voyagers are exploring new and wonderful regions, that you may know all respecting them, and benefit by their productions, without you, yourself, stirring one mile from home. In England, powerful steam-engines are spinning and weaving for you, and pumping the mines, that minerals useful to you may be obtained. Protecting fleets are stationed round our happy country, that you may sleep and wake without fear of invasion. And, little boy as you are, no one could injure you, or steal you from your parents, without lawyers, judges, and even the king himself, if it were necessary, interfering on your behalf. Beside all this, at this very moment, men of learning and talent are employed in writing you delightful and instructive books; and printers, engravers, and book-binders,

are all in your service, scheming how they can contrive best to please and surprise you!"

"Well, master Philip," said his sister, who had been listening to his harangue, "may I inquire where you gained all this learning?"

"Not out of my own head, I assure you, Katy," replied Philip, modestly; "but I heard papa read some remarks, a great deal like what I have said, from the introduction to Dr. Arnott's clever new book, and because I was much pleased with them, I wanted to make Frank feel the same pleasure."

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