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UNLOCK THE PUMP.

load of faggots. He crossed and accosted him. While he was doing so, the two friends burst out laughing, and one of them said, 'There he is again; the pump is loose!'"

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Aye, the old fellow knows well how to get the pump loose,' and bursting out laughing as my uncle returned, continued, 'why, Mac, the old man will get drunk before he gets home; the pump of your heart is "aye ganging.'

แ "Better that, George, than aye craving!' said my uncle, sarcastically; 'if you had as few friends as that poor old man you would want help yourself.' Then turning to me, he added, 'There are some men, my boy, who have a vacuum where a heart should be-receive all, and are always jealous of other recipients. I do not mean you, my dear boy, for that act of giving the poor man your loaf, which I chanced to see, is deeply cherished. You must not heed such men as my friend here, who prefers borrowing to giving. The poor man may have been seen tipsy, which is a pity; but man IS A BAD JUDGE, my boy; he too often sums up on weak evidence. If aged humanity suffer, and is seen tottering on the brink of the grave, he that has it in his power to help, and who withdraws his hand, may, when he himself thirsts for the pump, find, to his sorrow, the HANDLE FASTENED.'"

"Aye," said Mrs. M'Clellan, that gives me an IDEA. Alexander is very kind; his workers have all free cottages. The print mills are only on half work, and the whole town is in a very sad state."

The stranger saw his cousin, found him in low spirits, but left him happier than he was when he first saw him.

Seated at a London fireside, and ruminating upon Scotland, upon his early impressions, and his matured opinions of his native land, the stranger musingly said, "Scotland is lovely ; but much may be done for the social improvement of her children! In youth the muses inspired me to sing of the 'Rightful Pen,' as conquering tyranny, bigotry, and oppression; may some 'Rightful Pen' lend its influence to extirpate those wynds of disgrace from the face of fair Scotland-may'

THE IDEA-NOBLE EXAMPLE.

THE IDEA.

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"A letter and a paper for you," said the servant, entering. The stranger opened the letter, and read, "MY DEAR COUSIN,-I am happy to tell you that I am entirely convalescent. As the play says, 'Richard is himself again.' I think I am indebted to your story of the pump for the change. My dear wife told me you had given her an idea. The accompanying paper will inform you how she has realized it."

"NOBLE EXAMPLE!

"Set a stone rolling, and who knows where it will stop? So we trust it may be with the good example set by Mrs. M'Clellan. For several months past the inhabitants of the pretty and once prosperous village of have suffered the greatest distress from the stoppage of the cotton and print mills at which they earned their chief support. Families are suffering the severest penury, which is observable in the squalid aspect of the half-clothed children. In the most praiseworthy manner Mrs. M'Clellan has come forward to render material alleviation by the establishment of a soup-kitchen, where she is seen daily superintending the serving out of the soup; and it is truly gratifying to see that good-hearted lady, with smiles and words of encouragement addressing the poor ragged urchins, while they hold up with anxious looks their cans for their daily supply. It affords a splendid subject for an artist, for a more distressing, yet strongly interesting group is seldom witnessed-the picture of a noble example, which, we trust, will secure its followers."

"Ah!" said the stranger, "Let the pump loose' no doubt gave Mrs. M'Clellan the idea of the soup-kitchen. Cousin, Cousin, the doctor failed; but thy good and worthy wife has triumphed over physic! It will be well for us all, when we are indisposed, and when physic cannot dispel the gloom that hovers round us, to try a change, not of place, but of occupation. JUDICIOUSLY occupy ourselves in LETTING THE PUMP LOOSE."

CHAPTER IX.

CONTINGENCIES ARE INIMICAL TO HAPPINESS-A TEMPERATE LIFE IS A HAPPY LIFE-CONSTANCY OF MIND-THE TRIAL OF VIRTUE-ROBERT HALL.

E that sets up his rest or peace of mind upon contingencies shall never be quiet.

Never pronounce that man happy who depends upon fortune for his happiness, for nothing can be more preposterous than to

place the good of a reasonable creature in unreasonable things. He that sets his soul upon gold is ever fearful, and it is not the loss itself, but the idea of the loss, that troubles him. To lose anything is often to our advantage. What shall come to pass we know not; but what may come to pass we can conjecture; so that we despair of nothing, but expect everything, and whatever Providence remits is clear gain. We hope for the best and provide for the worst.

To lament the death of a friend is both natural and just; but profuse sorrow and clamorous lamentations are not so much the effects of grief as of vainglory. Time cures all; but it were better done by moderation and wisdom. Wishing oneself dead, wringing of hands, and running into foolish practices which never lead to anything that is good, is the sign of weakness— the forsaking of nature. Death is inexorable, and will come, and will keep what he takes away!

We cannot forbear weeping, and we cught not to forbear; but let us not overstep the bounds of affection-let the tears of wisdom flow, for they do not derogate from the dignity of a wise man. A fresh grief meets pity and comfort; but to mourn without measure is folly-the greater the loss the greater is the virtue to overcome it.

Friends may be taken away, but not the comfort of the friendship-the loss is sweetened by the contemplation of their virtues.

To draw good out of evil-to change misfortunes into blessings, is Virtue's masterpiece.

To weep, lament, and groan is the renunciation of our duty, and danger lurks in the rejoicings of sudden prosperity. It is better to make a fortune than to expect one, being neither depressed by Fortune's power nor dazzled by her favours.

When Zeno was told that all his goods were lost by shipwreck, he quietly replied, "Why, Fortune has a mind to make me a philosopher."

When a man has once advanced his mind above the powers or flatteries of Fortune, he has then secured for himself peace and safety. To arm ourselves against the insidious attacks of Fortune is never to be found DOZING or taken by surprise. That which befalls any man may befall every man, and it breaks the force of a present calamity to provide against the future.

The empire of Fortune is imaginary, and he who serves her makes himself a voluntary slave.

Too MUCH HOPE AND TOO GREAT FEAR ARE INIMICAL TO HAPPINESS.

No man can be said to be perfectly happy that runs the risk of disappointment, which is the case of every man who is full of fear and over-hopeful; for they are passions that look forward, and are ever solicitous of the future. It is foolish to be miserable beforehand, for a man loses the present, which he might enjoy, in expectation of the future. Nay, the fear of losing anything is as bad as the loss itself.

It is unmanly to be doubtful, timorous, and uncertain, to set one step forward and another back-the VICTIM of IRRESOLUTION. Is it not better to FALL ONCE than to be FOR EVER HANGING IN SUSPENSE, for if we fear all possibilities, our life is miserable indeed.

Qualify FEAR with HOPE, which may serve to palliate a misfortune, though it cannot cure it.

IT IS TIME ENOUGH TO BEAR A MISFORTUNE WHEN IT ARRIVES, WITHOUT ANTICIPATING IT.

A weak man fancies misfortunes, and makes himself wretched without a cane. He torments himself with what may never occur-night-fancies which become ridiccions by day.

A TEMPERATE LIFE IS A HAPPY Life.

A humble fare to a temperate man is as good as a feast. It is not by choice of meats and drinks that the philosophers of old recommend themselves, but by virtuous actions honesty, integrity, and manly labours.

Happy is that man that eats only for hunger, and drinks only for thirst; that stands upon hislegs, and lives by reason—who provides for USE and NECESSITY-D01 for OSTENTATION and POMP.

There is not, says an old philosopher, anything that is mecessary for us but we have it either cheap or gratis. Tis true,” he continues, that the belly craves and calls upon us; but a small mamer comments in He that Eves according to reason shall never be poor; and he that governs his life by opinion shall never be rich, for manure is Emited, but fancy is boundless. So that if mankind would only be reasonable, without grasping at superstites, we should have our necessaries upon easy terms. and our desires being insatiable become a disease. To be intemperate in our desire for wealth is to lose sight of true happiness—a well-regulated MIND.

Our great troubles are our excesses;

The man that would be truly rich must not increase his fortune, but retrench his desires; for the destres of avarice are so boundless, that whatever we get leads the way to getting more, and so long as we are solicitons for the increase of wealth, we lose the true use of it, and spend our time without any substantial banoft other so the world or to ourselves.