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was a yew-tree. The horses were of considerable value. The snow covered the ground, and there was nothing green to be seen but the yew-tree. In about three hours from the time the horses were turned out in perfect health, and full play, two of them were dead. Messrs. Bright and Son, veterinary surgeons in this town, were immediately sent for, and presuming that the sudden death of the animals must have proceeded from something they had eaten, very quickly discovered the poisonous tree; and, upon further investigation, a great quan., tity of the poisonous leaf was found in each of their stomachs. The other horse which had been turned out, although some-. what affected, was saved by quickly applying the proper antidotes. We have stated these particulars, that so poisonous. a plant may be removed, in due time, from all situations within the reach of such valuable animals.—Chelmsford Chronicle.

A fire broke out on Sunday night, at the house of Mrs. Blisset, Chelsea, owing to the imprudence of a servant-girlallowing a boy of four years old to carry a candle, by which the bed-furniture was set on fire. The interior of the house and the greater part of the furniture were destroyed.-New Times.

A most dreadful accident lately took place at Ashby-de-laZouch. A young man, named Nathanial Pickard, having taken up a gun, to shew it to a friend who called upon him, it unfortunately went off, and lodged the contents in his wife's bowels, who died in a few hours afterwards. The unfortunate husband, who, it seems, was not aware of the gun being loaded, on finding what had occurred, shewed a feeling of misery too great to be described. He had only been married, twelve months; and his wife, to whom he seemed much attached, had brought him a child only a month before the melancholy event took place. We can hardly imagine a case. of more severe distress than the above.—Leiçester Journal.

Surely the very first thing, after taking a gun in hand, should be to examine whether it be loaded or not. It is not enough for a man to think that it is not loaded, he should be sure of it.

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Lately, a boy, whilst sliding at Loone, fell through the ice, and, fearful of going home in that state, he remained out in the air for a considerable time; the consequence of which was, that one of his feet became frozen, and he was obliged to have it cut off.-Kentish Chronicle.

The above account is a very important lesson to parents. Whilst it becomes parents to maintain due discipline oyer their children, it is a most dreadful thing to excite in them such a terror, as shall make them afraid of confessing any fault which they have committed, or any accident which has

occurred. This terror generally leads children to falsehood, and often to very serious distress, as in the instance which we have recorded.

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CURED FISH.-Dr. M'Culloch, of Edinburgh, has ascer tained that the antiseptic quality of sugar is sufficient to preserve fish in the most excellent condition. He stated that this substance is so active, that fish may be preserved in a dry state, and perfectly fresh, by means of sugar alone, and even with a very small quantity of it. He has thus kept salmon, whiting, and cod, for an indefinite length of time; and by this simple means, fresh fish may be kept in that state some days, so as to be as good when boiled as when just caught. It is added, that if dried and kept free from mouldiness, there seems to be no limit to their preservation; and they are much better in this way than when salted." The sugar. gives no disagreeable taste. This process is particularly valuable in making what is called kippered salmon; and the fish preserved in this manner are far superior in quality and flavour to those which are salted or smoked. If desired, as much salt may be used as to give the taste that may be required; but this substance does not conduce to their preservation. In the preparation it is merely necessary to open the fish, and to apply the sugar to the muscular part, placing it in an horizontal position for two or three days, that this substance may penetrate. After this, it may be dried; and it is› only necessary to wipe and ventilate it occasionally to prevent mouldiness. A table-spoonful of brown sugar is sufficient, in this manner, for a salmon of five or six pounds weight; and, if salt be desired, a tea-spoonful or more may be added. Saltpetre may be used instead, in the same proportion, if it be desired to make the kipper hard.”—Durham County Chronicle.

Turnpike Roads.-By the last general Turnpike act, it was enacted, that, if any "horse, ass, sheep, beasts, or cattle of any kind, shall, at any time, be found wandering, or lying about any Turnpike road, or across any part thereof, (except on such parts thereof, as pass through some common or waste) it shall be lawful for any surveyor of the roads, or any other person to seize and impound any such horse, ass, sheep, swine, &c., in the common pound of the parish, there to be detained until the owner shall, for every such beast, pay five shillings to the person impounding the same, together with all reasonable charges for impounding and keeping, and in case of non-payment for four days, the surveyor of the roads may sell such stray cattle, and apply the receipts in discharge of such penalties." No windmill can be erected within two hundred yards of any Turnpike road, under the penalty of five pounds per day, so long as the same is continued. Children,

under the age of thirteen, are not allowed to drive carts, under the penalty of ten shillings.-New Times.

ROAD MAKING.

1. Complete the business of lifting the road so as to gain the proper form, and get out all large stones.

2. Make the whole breadth of eighteen feet, in the middle of the road, of sufficient strength, by digging out the earth, and putting on thick layers of broken stones, and also strengthen the sides.

3. Fill the ruts with stones broken very small, as fast as they appear, never suffering a rut to get more than two inches deep without filling it.

4. Have all the heaps of road materials piled on the earthbanks that are outside the boundary line of the road, when formed to thirty feet in breadth, with proper side-drains.

5. Keep the drains which are formed by the angle of the slope of the road, and the side of the fence or foot-path, which are called the side-drains, at all times free from dirt, so that the water may pass along them without being forced over the surface of the road.

6. Secure a sufficient stock of well prepared materials before the commencement of every winter; so that all ruts may be filled up as fast as they appear.

7. Remove all banks of earth or road drift, all hedges and other fences, and all trees that in the smallest degree prevent the sun from shining on the road, or obstruct the free circulation of air. From the Report to the House of Commons.

A short time since, at Ravebrig, a fine child, just beginning to walk, was killed by a cart wheel passing over its head. It was playing in the road opposite to its mother's door, from whose sight it had been absent only a few moments.-New Times.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received N. C. H.; A Friend; A Lover of Truth; M. H.; A West Riding Clergyman; Veritas; L.; R. S.; 0. D.; W. D.; L. L.; A Dream in a Mail Coach; and Advice to Young Women going to Service.

The remarks to which " A Friend of Truth" alludes, were not admitted without examination. As a criticism, we saw them in the same light that he does; they were however particularly marked as intended not for explanation, but for improvement, in which view we thought them likely to be of much use. Our Correspondent will not expect that we should agree with him in the general spirit of his Letter.

We return our best thanks to I. S. Z. for his Letter.

We have found the Account mentioned by M. H. Want of room obliges us to be very negligent to many of our Correspondents. We had however put the Letter into our approved bundle.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

APRIL, 1823.

A SHORT SERMON.

EXODUS Xxiii. 2.

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. WE frequently hear persons excuse themselves for doing what is wrong, by saying that such things are very common, and that other people do the same. But consider, for a moment, my Readers, how can that excuse you? Are there any texts in the Bible which say, If others do wrong, you may do so too? No, you cannot find one to that effect. On the contrary, the Bible says, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." Exod. xxiii. 2. "If sinners entice thee, consent thou not." Prov. xxiv. 11. and again 1 Tim. v. 22. "Be not a partaker of other men's sins.-Keep thyself pure." ̄At the day of Judgment, which must come to every one of us, when the hearts of all men shall be laid open, and every secret thing made known; at that great and terrible day, the question that will be asked of you, will not be what others have done, but what you yourself have done? Whether you have carefully avoided whatever you knew to be wrong, and sincerely endeavoured to do what was right? At that awful hour, your plausible excuses will be of no use. All your actions, words, and thoughts are registered on high, and will then be brought forward to your view; then every sin you have comNO. 28. VOL. III.

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mitted, however trifling you may have thought it, will be inquired into. Then numberless sins, by you unperceived perhaps, or long since forgotten, will be presented to your view; every opportunity you have had of improving your religious knowledge which you have neglected, will then rise up in judgment against you. Every Sermon you have heard without attending to it; every good book you have read without profiting by it; every opportunity of learning your duty which you might have had, but which you neglected; all and each of these things you must then account for. And, now, tell me, if you can, of what use will it be to you to say, that you are not worse than others? Will that save you from the wrath to come? No,— the command is positive, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil;" and if you, with your eyes open, run into sin, and do that which the Lord God has said, thou shalt not do, then are you indeed condemned by the law of God.

Some people are very much inclined to comfort themselves in the midst of their sins, by talking of the mercy of God, of his long suffering, and great kindness but such persons have no right to expect mercy. It is only to the truly penitentthose who with the most bitter repentance lament their past sins, and stedfastly and sincerely resolve, by the grace of God, never to return to them-it is to such, and such only, that He has promised pardon and forgiveness. As for those, who pretend to be sorry, and fancy they are so, because they form a few cold and empty resolutions, such persons are not truly penitent: if they think they are, they deceive themselves, but God they cannot deceive; for He can see into the very inmost corners of the heart; his eye is always over us, by night as well as by day, and nothing can be hid from Him.

Here we must observe, that persons are too apt, when they make resolutions of amendment, to make

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