"In speculative wickedness; in representing and acting those sins in their thoughts which they want power or opportunity to put into outward act; in recalling, revolving, and reviewing past sinful actions with pleasure and delight."

a very forcible manner, the effects of temper upon the disposal of time, and urges a constant watchfulness of that faculty or passion of human nature which exercises so great a control over our actions.

In times of sudden distress or danger, the first aim of a child of God should be to collect his thoughts, as one desirous to honour his Heavenly Father by faith and calmness, and "to do the right thing" for himself, and for others who may be in want of succour. All these considerations and purposes may be the work of a single moment in his mind. Instant prayer, instant faith, instant composure, instant resolution, all lie within his reach, if only he exercise grace habitually to turn towards the mercy-seat.

Christian self-possession is the genuine effect of faith and love, aided by experience; for the saint, who lives by these, feels that he does not so much keep himself, but it is God who keeps him. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.

But there are many inconsiderate persons who, besides the infirmity of natural nervousness, know very little of the efficacy of direct, believing, silent prayer; who, consequently, if sudden danger approaches them, are at their wits' end. Either they are bewildered with extreme terror, and hurry from place to place without meaning, or they are struck dumb and motionless, and leave all to the bystanders. They can only yield to their feelings; they lose themselves, sometimes even when safety was close at hand. If they attempt to help others out of accidents of fire, drowning, or similar dangers, they are so agitated that they

"If a man should write down his thoughts but of one day, and read them night, he would reckon himself half-distracted, and be greatly amazed at himself.

even increase alarm, and peril those whom they should quietly aid.

"These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination to him: "A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.

"An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief.

"A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." -PROVERBS vi. 16-19.

Mark the seventh abomination, for the Holy Spirit condescends to use the language of emphasis; and this abomination is to be found, not in the world only, but also in the professing Church-" among brethren." The word is not a little expressive, "He that soweth !" The mischievous troubler of religious society does not foresee all the evil that will in due season spring from his meddling; but he sows the seed. He drops a few hints here and there-suspicions and evil surmisings-significant doubts and questions-half-told tales-low whispers and ambiguous insinuations. These are the seed. Wormwood and gall are not more bitter, thistles not sharper, nightshade not more deadly, than the fruits of that seed which he scatters up and down.

-Let

In his introductory remarks, Mr. Jowett says:me briefly press on you the necessity of reducing good rules to practice. If any of the excellent passages contained in this volume had been the production of some of your own most revered relatives or friends; if they had been handed to you in manuscript, with permission, as a particular favour, to copy some of them for your own private use, I can well imagine how you would have prized the possession of such a Gallery of Portraits, such a Treasury of Counsels.

"And many a person would even blush, and be quite ashamed to speak what he loved to imagine and muse upon. These idle and evil thoughts are they that jostle and shut out serious and savoury thoughts and

meditations."

With what delight, at intervals, would you have looked over them carefully, showing them occasionally to a few particular friends! Yet, a portfolio thus enriched would be valueless, unless practically used; and, for the same reason, this little volume, now and then read, will be of no use at all, unless the spirit of the work be wrought into your daily conduct and temper. One good rule, well kept, excels ten thousand beautiful hints and sketches merely admired in theory. Nay, theory without practice is positively injurious; it powerfully aids self-deception; the very familiarity of the mind, with rules neglected and resolutions broken, paralyzes the heart in its most vital functions!

I entirely endorse these remarks of the reverend gentleman, and would be supposed personally to address them to the readers of "Life Doubled by the Economy of Time." I make this appeal to each and to all of them: if, after reading this volume, which has been written with the utmost earnestness of one man for the good of all men, you do not feel inclined to spur your sluggish energies, and to be henceforth the constant doer of good works as far as lies within your power, pay not to the author of this work the disregard of putting his book upon your shelf, to lie like a dead, a forgotten, and a worthless thing. Give it to some one whom it may serve; some one who may catch a spark that will kindle into a flame of happiness; some "youth to fortune and to fame unknown," or "mute inglorious Milton," who may be inspired to draw aside the veil of oblivion, and to achieve deeds of greatness, or to sing pæans that shall gladden the heart of humanity.

"Vain thoughts too commonly lodge with us. They come into our minds just as travellers go into an inn, who boldly take up their chamber there, and command and call for what they would have.

LOVE.

Beware, young man, beware the allurements of Wantonness, and let not the wicked tempt thee to forget the precepts of thy father.

"The madness of folly shall defeat its own pursuits; from the blindness of its rage thou shalt rush upon destruction.

"Therefore give not up thy heart to the enticements of the wicked, neither suffer thy soul to be enslaved by enchanting delusions.

"In the prime of thy life, old age shall overtake thee; thy sun shall decline in the morning of thy days.

"But when Virtue and Modesty enlighten her charms, the lustre of a beautiful woman is brighter than the stars of heaven, and the influence of her power is like sunshine to the soul.

"The whiteness of her bosom transcendeth the lily; her smile is more delicious than a garden of roses.

"The innocence of her eye is like that of the turtle; simplicity and truth dwell in her heart.

"The kisses of her mouth are sweeter than honey; the perfumes of Arabia breathe from her lips.

"Shut not thy heart to the tenderness of love; the purity of its flame shall ennoble thy nature, and teach thee to prize the sanctity of thy dwelling."-The Ancient Bramin.

XIII. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, when working as a journeyman printer at Watts's in London, contrived to save time and money by a simultaneous process. He says:

"I lodged at the house of a widow lady, opposite the Catholic chapel in Duke Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields; to her I at first paid 38. 6d. per week, but being intent upon the acquisition of money, although I found her society very agreeable, and she desired mine on the score, as she said, that it was a kind of protection to the house to have a steady man residing in it, I told her that I had resolved to leave her; that I had seen a room which would suit me as well, and was moreover nearer to my work, for 2s. per week. She

"Whereas thoughts should be suffered to come into our minds only as men are permitted to go into a garrison, who are first strictly examined, who they are, whence they came, and what is their business."

begged me to stay at even 1s. 6d. per week, because she said that Iwas so regular and kept such good hours." Franklin adds:"I continued, therefore, to lodge with her as long as I remained in London."

Franklin's success, after first setting up as a printer on his own account, is ascribed by him, in his memoirs, to his being seen by observant eyes to work when others sought recreation of an evening, or while they slept of a morning.

:

Upon this point he quotes the words of Dr. Baird:"The industry of this Franklin," says the Doctor, "is superior to anything I ever saw of the kind; I see him still at work when I go home from club, and he is at work again before his neighbours are out of bed."

His Economy of Time, indeed, appears to have been a sertiment born with him. A remarkable anecdote is related of him, when quite a child. His father, a conscientious Presbyterian, was in the habit of saying very long extemporaneus graces before and after meals. These, doubtless, were very different things to the brief formulary now in use, and appear to have struck the youthful philosopher as being needlessly lengthy. One day after the winter's provisionshad been salted, "I think, father," said Benjamin, "if you were to say grace over the whole cask—once for all-it tould be a vast saving of time."

Franklin had observed that when he went to an American inn every individual in the house had a question or two to propose to him, relative to his history, and that till each was satisfied, and they had conferred and compared together their information, there was no possibility of procuring any