Despise not the day of small things.

Wisdom is with the well-advised.

running elsewhere, and only resorting with difficulty
to the channel prepared for them, we may be equally
sure we have taken a wrong turn. We cannot be
earnest about anything which does not naturally and
strongly engage our thoughts.

PRINCIPAL TULLOCH.

IMPORTANCE OF LITTLE THINGS.

HE dictionary definition of Business shows how large a part of practical life arranges itself under this head. It is, "Employment; an affair; serious engagement; something to be transacted; something required to be done." Every human being has duties to be performed; and, therefore, has need of cultivating the capacity for doing them; whether the sphere of action be the management of a household, the conduct of a trade or profession, or the government of a

nation.

Attention, application, accuracy, method, punctuality, and dispatch are the principal qualities required for efficiently conducting business of any sort. These, at first sight, may appear to be small matters; and yet they are of essential importance to human

Life is made up of trifles.

Be earnest in all things.

The foolishness of fools is folly.

The wise man's eyes are in his head:

happiness, well-being, and usefulness. They are little
things, it is true; but human life is made up of com-
parative trifles. It is the repetition of little acts
which constitutes not only the sum of human cha-
racter, but which determines the character of nations;
and where men or nations have broken down, it will
almost invariably be found that neglect of little things
was the rock on which they split.

It is related of a well-known Manchester manu-
facturer that, on retiring from business, he purchased
a large estate from a noble lord; and it was part of
the arrangement that he was to take the house, with
all its furniture, precisely as it stood. On taking
possession, however, he found that a cabinet, which
was in the inventory, had been removed; and on
applying to the former owner about it, the latter said,
"Well, I certainly did order it to be removed; but I
hardly thought you would have cared for so trifling a
matter in so large a purchase." "My lord," was the
characteristic reply, "if I had not all my life attended
to trifles, I should not have been able to purchase
this estate; and-excuse me for saying so-perhaps if
your lordship had cared more about trifles, you might
not have had occasion to sell it."

SAMUEL SMILES.

The prudent are crowned with knowledge.

But the fool walketh in darkness.

Where no counsel is, the people fall

Be not among wine-bibbers;

FRANKLIN'S VIRTUES.

1. TEMPERANCE.-Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. SILENCE.-Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER. Let all things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION.-Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY.-Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION.-Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries as much as you think they deserve.

IO. CLEANLINESS.-Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

II. TRANQUILLITY.-Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents, common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY.

13. HUMILITY.

Among riotous eaters of the flesh.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever.

Glorify God in your body and in your spirit.

Be ye doers of the word.

POINTS OF MANLINESS.

RUE manliness is power to say to the solicitations of evil, come in what form they may, "Get thee behind me, Satan." George Washington showed himself a man at the age of thirteen. Among the rules he then adopted for his conduct through life, we find these: "Learn to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience." "Let your recreations be manful, not sinful." And to show his regard for a sincere piety, he wrote thus: "When you speak of God, or His attributes, let it be done seriously, and with reverence."

Next to devotion to God, true manliness demands fidelity to our race. To maltreat any human being is to insult the image of God. The more truly we honour all men-the labourer no less than the capitalist, the humble equally with the most exalted -the more ready we are to act well our part as neighbours, citizens, patriots, and philanthropists— the greater is our manliness.

The youthful period of life is interesting for the strength of will it usually exhibits. That strength may, it is true, be given to the service of sin. It is melancholy to observe how juvenile offenders have

He that refraineth his life is wise.

He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely.

He that perverteth his ways shall be known.

A wise man will hear,

increased in our courts of justice; the annals of
crime in our time, and in many cities, are crowded
with youthful names.

We never contemplate the mighty forces of youth
without joining in the sentiment, "Precious is youth-
ful energy, may it be preserved till the temple of
virtue and truth is reached!" But, alas! all along he
must advance through an avenue of tempters and
demons, all prompt to touch him, and draw away
that divine, electric element with which he is charged.

Another characteristic of young men is independence. They think for themselves, in the main, more than childhood can, more than manhood generally does. They may, and often do, make mistakes; but we sometimes feel that it is better to fall into a little error occasionally, when thinking for one's self, than to keep mechanically and imitatively right. "As a living dog is better than a dead lion," so he who has a root in himself is likely to recover from his errors and follies.

An independent man is a real man, and real men
are what is required in this world. It is easy for a

man to lose his soul in the forms around him. To
know any of these as realities, we must begin by
being real in our own will, conscience, and personal
energy. Then we may go on through eternity,
gradually deeper and deeper, into endless diversities
of direction, and into a region of inexhaustible realities.

And will increase learning.

In the way of righteousness is life.