THE following excellent, and we may say awfully instructive Verses, are from the same correspondent who favoured us with those in Page 152, Vol. VII, on the Funeral of Ralph Sparks.

PAUL BEFORE FELIX.

And Felix trembled.-Acts xxiv. 5.

THE Roman eagle was blazon'd in gold,
High o'er the canopy's purple fold.
Underneath, on a throne of state
The lordly governor, Felix, sate;
And, by his side, in beauty's pride,
And glittering splendour, his Jewess bride.
Hebrew chiefs and Rabbis proud
Mingled with the jewel'd crowd,
That in mute attendance wait
Round the shrine of imperial state.

And now in captive bonds they lead,
Within the gorgeous audience hall-
Before the noble throng to plead

His righteous cause, the preacher, Paul.

But when the prisoner enter'd nigh
There was not a glance of beauteous eye,
Not a frowning or gentle look
Other direction or object took
Except to dwell on the captive's face
Its meaning lines of thought to trace.
Calm in his inward strength he stood,

Like a mountain unmov'd that o'erlooks the flood;
Which idly chafes at its base, to mock

With its impotent surges the heaven-rais'd rock.

A minute's space, the apostle's eye
Was lifted above to the lofty sky;
The next, its glance of might was bent,
And round the costly throng was sent ;
And then in the light of its lofty thought
The Roman governor's presence sought;
That lordly man its power confest,

And his loud voice falter'd as he addrest

Paul before Felix.

The captive before him in fetters bound,
And bade him his doctrine and faith expound.

Then Paul uprais'd his manacled hand
In the awful grace of high command;
And the voices of men the sign obeyed

And the murmuring breath of the crowd was stay'd―
Then he began-and he reason'd long,

And he reason'd deep, to the awe-struck throng;
He spoke of" temperance," spoke of truth
To the earnest ear of list'ning youth;-
And he spoke of the law of "righteousness"
Given the councils of man to bless;
And of the fearful "judgment to come,"
And of the sinner's direful doom;-

Of the deathless worm, and the quenchless fire;
Denounc'd by the Lord in his terrible ire.-
The preacher's voice is more awful grown,
Darker his words and deeper his tone,
And it heavily sunk on each trembling ear
And the bravest hearts are thrill'd with fear;—
And starting eyes did seem to sce

In his form the spirit of prophecy-
And rapt minds imag'd the fearful tomb
Yawning amidst eternity's gloom,
With the flare of hell all over it thrown,
And its horrid secrets to eye-sight shown!

The solemn harangue was now o'er-past

Yet those ears seem'd to list for the trumpet's blast;
The awful signal for judgment to come

That should summon each spirit to hear its doom;-
Now Felix, the Roman, who proudly sate

On the canopied throne in imperial state,
Was one who had heard the fearful rattle,

With untroubled ear, of the crimson battle;-
Fear had not chill'd his generous blood

At danger by fire, at danger by flood;

But his eye look'd wild-and his cheek turn'd pale,
His white lips trembled, his limbs did quail
As he bade the holy preacher delay

His awful harangue to another day,
When further and deeper of that same strain
He could yield him attentive audience again.

O Felix!-the fire that supplyeth thy breath,
E're another day's dawn, may be quench'd in death,
Or to-morrow's hopes-and to-morrow's cares,
Or to-morrow's joys-or to-morrow's tears,
Or to-morrow's bliss-or to-morrow's pain,
Or, its cheating phantoms of earthly gain,
May from thy softened soul efface

The blessed impression of heavenly grace

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The tempter is watchful-he asks but delay,
He gains it and chilleth the life-stirring ray ;
Oh, Felix!-to pride's and to pleasure's control
Thou hast yielded;-and-yielding-hast lost thy soul!

February 21, 1828.

M.

A FEW WORDS TO WIVES AND MOTHERS ON TIDINESS.

NOTHING is more conducive to comfort, than habits of cleanliness and neatness; nothing more strongly recommends a person than a clean and decent appearance; for we generally find, that where there is neatness, there is also industry. Avoid filthiness, it is commonly found in the abode of the vile. A pure and honest man naturally likes to see every thing clean and neat about him; but that man who has gone into a course of guilt, sin, and wretchedness, soon becomes indifferent to every thing like order and neatness, and shews, by his dirty and miserable appearance, something of the neglected and foul state of the soul within him. In this sense we may therefore see some meaning in the common saying, that "cleanliness is next to godliness."

The evils that untidiness alone has occasioned are of more serious consequence than you would perhaps at first be inclined to think.

Untidiness at home has driven many a poor man to the ale-house. A wife, who is slovenly in her appearance, and careless about her house and her children, cannot be surprised, if her husband, always finding his home uncomfortable, should begin to lend a willing ear to those, who invite him to join them at the ale-house. Believe me, then, when I tell you, that merely owing to untidy and dirty habits, many a family has been brought to misery and ruin; for I think you must all know the dreadful

Questions from the Psalms.

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consequences of visiting an ale-house. I would earnestly advise all mothers to be particularly careful to teach their children, from their very cradle, to be neat and clean; remember, that early impres sions are never forgotten; and, at the same time that you are teaching your child to be neat, remember that example is better than precept, and, if your child constantly sees you dirty and untidy, all that you say to her about the necessity of being clean and neat will be quite useless.

If any person, mother or wife, should happen to read these lines, who has never in her youth been taught the necessity of acquiring tidy habits, let me intreat her to begin to alter her ways immediately; she will soon find how greatly it will conduce to her own and her family's comfort; and, though, at first, it will be difficult, yet she may hope to be amply repaid, by seeing her husband joyfully return to his own fire side, her children neat, and herself enjoying that comfort which always arises from an endeavour to promote what is good, and to prevent what is bad.

VERITAS,

QUESTIONS FROM THE PSALMS.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

THE want of some easy explanations of the Psalms for the use of children, in Sunday and other schools, has long been felt, as no parts of the Scriptures are more useful in the conduct of life, or more important to be impressed on the minds of youth. I can think of no better method than by question and answer. Should the following specimen meet with your ap probation I shall think my time usefully employed

in making a selection for your insertion (if you will admit it) into your very useful little work, of which I am a constant reader.

PSALM I.

C. K.

Q. Who is blessed?

A. He who does not walk with the ungodly.
Q. In what should he have delight?

A. In the law of the Lord; and in these he should meditate day and night.

Q. What will he then be like?

A. A tree which flourishes by the water-side; and whatsoever he doth it shall prosper.

Q. What are the ungodly like?

A. The chaff which the wind scattereth away, and which comes to nothing.

Q. Where will sinners not be able to stand? A. Neither in the general judgment, nor in the happy assembly of the righteous.

Q. What does the Lord know?

A. The way of the righteous.

Q. But does not God know the way of the wicked too?

A. Yes. For He knoweth all things.

Q. What then do we mean here, in particular, when we say that God knoweth the way of the righteous ?

A. We mean that he approveth it, he marks, and observes it, and knoweth it for their good. Q. Whose way shall perish?

A. The way of the ungodly,-for them will God punish.

C. K.

INFINITY OF SPACE; AND DIVISIBILITY OF

MATTER.

It is said that space is infinite (that is) without end or limit. We know, that, if we look through a tele