and desolate rocks of poverty; and you have to endure the humiliation of seeking relief from those who have been more provident than yourselves. Protect yourselves, then, as much as lies in your power, against so lamentable a result.

"For age and want, save while you may;

No morning sun lasts the whole day."

I will presently propose a plan which will be easy for you to adopt, and which, if adopted, will not only shield you from want, but may ensure you plenty and respectability. Another and great economy would result, if you abstain from frequent visits to the alehouse. Total abstinence I think, in most instances, a mistake: but temperance is certainly a profitable virtue. I can see no harm in taking, if you can afford it, as much as cheers yet not inebriates:-the error is in the excess. Sir F. F. Kelly says-if that degrading vice, intemperance, could be removed from society, an amount of innocence, and virtue, and general happiness would follow, such as no man can at present foresee. Four-fifths of erime results from intemperance. I have from the Bench seen most lamentable instances-young men blighting their career in their very first step in independent life; young women lost to all virtue; married men with haggard looks of poverty and dissipation, cruelly imposing upon their innocent wives and children the weight and consequences of their own misconduct; wives even, utterly depraved, and therefore doubly disgusting; the confirmed profligate, the hardened villain, the ever-cunning thief:all brought to disgrace through the influence of strong drinks. Beware, then, of the first indulgence beyond moderation. It is easier to suppress the first desire, than to gratify all that follow it. Parents especially -let me urgently entreat you to set such an example to your children, that you may delight to see them follow it. Do your best to educate them; remember

that "as the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined;" and that their future advancement and happiness in their career, will depend much upon the extent and nature of the education you cause to be given them. The small cost of education is now within the reach of almost all of you; and its expenditure is true economy,-for the sooner and the better will your children be able to support themselves. But whatever the education be, let it be religious as well as moral; let your children understand that they have duties of more consequence even than their duties to their neighbour. As a class of society you do not sufficiently comprehend or appreciate the real value of education. I know that your bodily and mental energies are absorbed in the natural desire to obtain your daily bread: I know that the cares of work press so heavily upon you, that it is really dif ficult for you to estimate the value of any occupation which does not make a speedy return for the labour you expend on it. But education, though it may not yield monetary profit for some years, will in time give abundance in proportion to the attention it has received. And although you, of all classes, can the least afford the cost, yet it is of as much importance to you as to any other class of society.

My own opinion is, that you have special claims upon the Government for aid and assistance in the education of your children; and that you are well entitled to the protection and the care of the State, and of the wealthy classes who are enjoying the profits of the labour of past ages. Ignorance is the parent flower of crime. Root out that parasitical weed, which chokes the growth of all good seed, and then thousands of such as now become criminals and inmates of our reformatories and gaols, because the better portions of their nature have been stifled and undeveloped, will feel the light of intelligence,—the fear and the love of GOD,-the power of knowledge, --and the soothing comfort of religion influencing

all their actions. Not a single child should be allowed to run about our streets or highways destitute of mental culture; for the powers of the mind as well as of the body will increase in strength, and if not trained to virtue and to innocence, will extend to vice and crime. I think, then, the State should, in its parental character, charge itself with the education of all children whose parents are not able to discharge that duty; and to such as are partly able, it should afford its fostering and helping aid; and to such as would be unwilling to educate their offspring, it should say-Unnatural parents! we will take your children from you, and educate them; we will not recognise you as good citizens; we will treat you as insolvents, liable always to pay the debt we incur on your account.

I know that the difficulty in the way of establishing a general system of education, is the solution of the problem-"How to combine a religious and secular education." It is engaging the earnest attention of many eminently good men: and I hope a satisfactory result may soon follow. You may, however, accomplish much by your own efforts, and with the opportunities afforded you; I can testify to what I know of the teaching under this roof; and I trust equally good may be had elsewhere. For having at times been present when the Government Inspector has examined the various classes, and having myself examined one or two,-I can declare not only my own, but the Inspector's extreme satisfaction with the knowledge and intelligence displayed by the pupils, who thereby reflect so much and so well-deserved merit upon their master, Mr. Wheeler. I hope the Rector will pardon me for saying in his presence, that such pleasing results could not but follow the thoughtful and constant care he evinces for the wellbeing of his flock.

The hearts of the young are susceptible to all kind emotions, and the impressions then made are lasting

through life. Teach them to be kindly affectioned to each other; to honour you(and give them good reason) as their parents; to be influenced by their conscience in the trifling relations of life; to bear in mind that an all-seeing eye notices all their actions, and for which they must one day give an account. Teach them to do unto others as they would be done unto, and you will then have done much for their happiness here and hereafter.

Mothers with you rests the most important duty; for it is by you that the kind affections should be first roused and made habitual,-the early sentiment of piety awakened and rightly directed,-the sense of duty and moral responsibility unfolded and rendered practical. Impress upon your daughters especially, that love of virtue and self-respect, which if acquired, will guard them against dangers they are so peculiarly exposed to. Do not encourage that love of dress and finery so unbecoming to their position, for it only engenders vanity, extravagance, and envy. Make your homes in every way as comfortable to your husbands and your children, as your circumstances will permit.

Young people!-acquire knowledge while you are young. Do not lose valuable time in idly and unprofitably sauntering away hours every day, as many I regret to say, do. Avoid all rudeness of speech and conduct. Discontinue all filthy and profane language in your pastimes among yourselves, which you indulge in more, I believe, from habit, than from wickedness. Seek the society of the well-behaved and the industrious. Always endeavour to improve, and you will succeed. Respect your employers do not suppose they wish to oppress yousuch is not their interest; but should any so maltreat you, then seek others more honourably disposed— (you will find plenty); and you will have no great difficulty in obtaining good employment, with a fair day's wage for a fair day's labour, provided you seek

such employment in the character I have recommended you to adopt.

I know that very many of you, both fathers and mothers, fully realise the advantages I have recommended; and that you do, both by wise counsel and good example, exert an influence productive to your families of much happiness. Of such exemplary characters there is one of your own class whose benevolent head, hoary now with increasing years, and whose calm and placid countenance, I-and many others, as I know-delight to see every Sunday; his entire appearance is expressive of outward respect for himself and for others, and of peaceful, quiet, holy happiness within. No violent passions, no ruinous propensities, no vicious course, have marred bis visage with hard lines; no dissipation has dimmed the brightness of his eye. Content to do his best,-to follow out unaffectedly the simple duties he delights in, he walks among the young, gently rebuking one, benignly advising another, kindly superintending all. He is, so far as I can form an opinion, the pattern of a good and happy man. will not mention his name: many of you will know probably to whom I allude; and if those who do not will go and judge for themselves, I am sure they will agree with the character I have described. Such men are gentlemen, in every true and natural sense of that term: and such you may all be-without extra cost of money, without pain, and without any discomfort-if you will earnestly improve the means you possess. I trust many more of you will now believe that, however poor you may be, there is a wise economy within your reach, of time, money, health, and comfort. With a desire to help forward the theory I advocate, I will now describe the two or three plans I think will prove beneficial.

I

The first is, to establish a penny bank. The title is modest and unpretending, but the results, if encouraged by you, will be productive of benefits at