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The gentle child that tries to please,
That hates to quarrel, fret and teaze,
And would not say an angry word,
That child is pleasing to the Lord.

Great God! forgive whenever we
Forget thy will and disagree;
And grant that each of us may find
The sweet delight of being kind.

Hymns for Infant Minds.

LOVE BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

THERE is hardly a child in any National School who cannot repeat the following hymn of Dr. Watts. I hope they will attend well to what it teaches them. Every child in every family should learn it, and earnestly offer up the petition in the last verse.

Whatever brawls disturb the street
There should be peace at home;
Where sisters dwell, and brothers meet,
Quarrels should never come.

Birds in their little nests agree,

And 'tis a shameful sight,

When children of one family

Fall out, and chide, and fight.

Hard names, at first, and threatening words,
That are but noisy breath,

May grow to clubs and naked swords,
To murder and to death.

The Devil tempts one mother's son
To rage against another;
So wicked Cain was hurried on,
"Till he had killed his brother.

The wise will make their anger cool
At least before 'tis night,
But in the bosom of a fool
It burns 'till morning light.

Pardon, O Lord, our childish rage,

Our little brawls remove;
That, as we grow to riper age,
Our hearts may all be love!

METHOD OF COOKING POTATOES.

MR. VISITOR,

I HAVE with pleasure observed you very frequent, of late, in your recommendations of that most useful vegetable the potatoe; and I hope a word in its favour from one who makes it a staple article of food in his family, will not be undervalued. There was an attempt, some short time since, by one of those who set themselves up as friends to the labouring classes, and the poor, to cry down this valuable root. How far it succeeded in the South I cannot say, but I am sure it had no effect in the North. We had too good experience of the nourishing qualities of the potatoe, and laughed at the man's ignorance. We need only look at the Irish peasantry they have little else besides potatoes for their food; and, when they can get these, where is there a stronger or hardier race? The Lancashire and Cheshire farmers live much in the same way. I have known a family of this sort sit down to a dinner where the only dish was potatoes, and the only drink milk, a basin of which was placed by every plate, and more commonly, I believe it is butter-milk which they use. If the South countrymen are not fond of potatoes, I apprehend it is because they do not have them cooked properly. This is the main business; and, as I have made some particular inquiries on the subject, I will beg leave to communicate what I have learned, for the benefit of such of your readers as may need information in this matter. I have been told that the appearance

of potatoes at table in the South is heavy and watery, as if they had been soaked instead of boiled: when this is the case, they are neither good in the eating, nor are they nutritious. are they nutritious. They should be light, dry, and mealy: the latter quality is the characteristic of a good potatoe: the market women, in these parts, to recommend them to their customers, call out, "Meal in a dish." One method of cooking is to steam them; when they are put in a pan, the bottom of which is punched full of holes; this is fixed in the top of another pan in which the water is kept boiling, and the steam passes through the potatoes, and they are cooked as effectually as if boiled in water. This method is useful when an additional pan is wanting for boiling a pudding or other matter. Indeed, I have heard it said, that it is the best way, nay further, that it is the only good method of cooking this vegetable: but I have seen enough to say positively that this is by no means the case. As the potatoes are peeled, those of a larger size should be cut into pieces corresponding with such as are smaller, that they may boil equally; they should be boiled in a proper quantity of water; and, when they are done thoroughly, the water should be poured from them; the pan should then be placed a few moments on the fire, taken off, and shaken a little; this should be repeated two or three times, and in such a manner that the potatoes which were at the bottom may be brought to the top. This process is with us called drying" them; and when it is done well, they are fully enti tled to the name which our market women give them. Of course, some will be a little broken, but this need not be done to any great extent where sufficient care is used; and if it is the case, it is of little consequence when they are for a plain family dinner; and if the occasion is more particular, a sufficient quantity may be selected with a fork to make a handsome dish. If a little salt is thrown

into the water before it begins to boil, none will be required at table, and the potatoes have a better flavour. The same observation will apply to other vegetables. I would remark that potatoes, whether boiled or roasted, should never be cut; they should invariably be crushed. Let a fair trial be made of potatoes, well cooked, and there is little doubt of their being preferred to turnip-greens, and every thing of the kind.

It is proper to mention that the cooking of potatoes, as well as other kinds of food, admits of va riety. They are very excellent baked under a joint of mutton or beef. They are very good in a pie. With us they form the chief ingredient, and it is called a potatoe-pie. A few pieces of meat aré scattered amongst them, with a sliced onion, and other seasoning. The crust may be omitted, and in this case, when baked in a deep dish; it forms an excellent hash. This, too, is a very economical plan, as it furnishes an opportunity of using up meat left at former meals, and such as is very fat, which there is reason to fear is sometimes wasted. In the last place, potatoes roasted with the skins on them are a very nice dish for supper; they should be first very well washed, and then there is no occasion to throw their skins away; they are quite as good as the inside.

As you do not disdain the help of friends, if what I have sent meets your approbation, it will be very gratifying to your faithful servant,

Lancashire.

HUMAN LIFE COMPARED TO WALKING
THROUGH THE STREETS OF A TOWN.

HAVE you ever walked through the crowded. streets of a great city? What numbers of people coming from different parts! You would think it

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impossible for them to get through; yet all pass on their way, without stop or hindrance. Were each man to proceed exactly in the line in which he set out, he could not move many paces without encountering another full in his track. They would strike against each other, fall back, push forward again, block up the way for themselves and those after them, and throw the whole street into confusion. All this is avoided by every man's thinking of the convenience of others, which is, in fact, promoting his own. stead of advancing square, stiff, with arms stuck out, every one who knows how to walk in the streets goes along gently, with his arms close, leaving a small space on each side so as to pass and be passed without touching or hurting any one. He pushes no one into the kennel, nor goes into it himself. By mutual accommodation, the path, though narrow, holds them all. If any accidental stop arises, he waits patiently for its removal."

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From this we may derive a good lesson in our walk of life, and whilst we keep in view the great end of our journey-the home to which Christians are travelling, the pleasantness of our journey may be greatly increased, if we think of the happiness and accommodation, and benefit of our fellowtravellers, as well as of our own;-this does not require us to give up the great business of which we are in pursuit, for the sake of pleasing those idlers who are seeking no object of importance;-it does not require us to surrender to any one those principles which duty requires us to retain,-but, in matters of mere accommodation and convenience, it inculcates a disposition well calculated to make us happy ;-it exercises the feelings of kindness and Christian forbearance ;-it teaches us to yield to the prejudices of others, when their principles are right, and thus tends to produce a spirit of mutual benevolence which ought to belong to us all, as fellow travellers and fellow Christians,

C.

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