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frequently misshapen, and the whole very much weak ened: besides, the spirits, when under a confinement, are generally in a dull and languishing state. The best exercise in the world for children, is to let them romp and jump about, as soon as they are able, according to their own faney. This in the country, is best done in the fields; in a city, a well aired room is better than being sent into the streets under the care of a servant, very few of whom are able so far to curb their own inclinations, as to let the children follow their's, even where they may do it with safety. As to free air, there is nothing more essentially necessary to the strength and growth of animals and plants. If a few plants of any kind are sown in a close confined place, they commonly grow up tall, small, and very weak. Í have seen a bed of beans in a garden, under the shade of a hedge or tree, very long and slender, which brought to my mind a young family of quality, trained up in a delicate manner, who, if they grow at all, grow to length, but never to thickness. So universal is this. that I believe a body of a sturdy or well-built make, is reckoned among them a coarse and vulgar thing.

There is one thing with regard to servants, that I would particularly recommend to your attention. All children are liable to accidents; these may happen unavoidably; but do generally arise from the carelessness. of servants, and to this they are almost always attributed by parents. This disposes all servants, good or bad, to conceal them from the parents, when they can possibly do it. By this means, children often receive hurts in falls or otherwise, which, if known in time, might be easily remedied, but not being known, either prove fatal, or make them lame or deformed. A near relation of mine has a high shoulder and a distorted waist, from this very cause. To prevent such accidents, it is necessary to take all pains possible to acquire the confidence of servants, to convince them of the ne

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cessity of concealing nothing. There are two dispo sitions in parents, which hinder the servants from making discoveries; the first is, when they are very passionate, and apt to storm and rage against their servants for every real or supposed neglect. Such persons can never expect a confession, which must be followed by such terrible vengeance. The other is, when they are tender-hearted, or timorous to excess, which makes them shew themselves deeply affected or greatly terrified upon any little accident that befalls their children. In this case, the very best servants are unwilling to tell them, through fear of making them miserable. In such cases, therefore, I would advise parents, what, ever may be their real opinions, to discover them as little as possible to their servants. Let them still inculcate this maxim, that there should be no secrets concerning children, kept from those most nearly interested in them. And, that there may be no temptation to such conduct, let them always appear as cool and composed as possible, when any discovery is made, and be ready to forgive a real fault, in return for a candid acknowledgment.

[To be continued.]

Letter from the Rev. Mr. HOLMES, employed by the New-York Missionary Society, as a Missionary to the SENECA and TUSCARORA Tribes of Indians, in the State of New-York.

Fort Niagara, October 9, 1800.

REV. AND DEAR SIR,

THROUGH
HROUGH the goodness and mercy of the Lord,

my health is recovered; I have not had a fit of the fever and ague for better than a fortnight.

I have preached to the Indians four times this week. Every one of the chiefs, and a great part of the rest of

the tribe, appear very anxious to hear, and very attentive when they do. Their conduct towards me, from the first day that I came among them to the present, has been as kind and friendly, and more so, than I could expect from such real Pagans; for they were really so, as much, if not more, than any of the Indian tribes in this part of the world.

Cusock informs me, that their ancient forms of marriage (and what used to be observed by other Indian nations) they have omitted for near one hundred years, and now they have no form of marriage among them -A man takes a woman without any ceremony, and they cohabit together as long as they can agree, and separate when either of them can suit themselves better-Their children (if they have any when they part in this manner) are often left to suffer; no notice is taken of it by the chiefs, or any of the nation. They have no laws to punish any crime whatsoever among them, except murder; the nearest of kin to the murdered, will kill the murderer; but if that is not done, no one else will concern himself about it. Furthermore, Cusock, who is one of the nation, tells me, that there is not a married couple in this village (which consists of better than two hundred souls) nor a legitimate person, old or young. For two or three years past, many of them have begun to reform, especially Sacaresa, the chief sachem; he, with several others, will not work or hunt on the Sabbath: and I expect that they will enter into a covenant before I leave these parts, to observe the Sabbath day in both the villages, in this part of the nation. I understand there are about a hundred of the nation that live at Grand River, and about seventy at the Oneida.

One thing more, which I think is to their praiseThey are, perhaps, more industrious than any Indian tribe in these parts; many of the men work in the field (as well as the women) by planting, hoeing, and harvesting their corn, &c. which (I am informed) is not the custom of the Senecas or any of the western tribes,

for among them the women do all the work in the

field.

I am more encouraged than ever I was, to preach the gospel to the poor creatures--I see more necessity to do it, than ever I did my soul pities them, and my prayer to God is, that ministers of the gospel, and christians in general, may be more engaged and encouraged to help them, and enlighten them, poor dark benighted souls-poor mortals, they are perishing for want of knowledge. Methinks the soul that has experienced the power of redeeming love, and enjoyed the glorious light of the gospel, cannot help praying for and pitying the poor Indians, who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

I expect to set out next Monday to visit the Senecas, if the Lord will, and, if they receive me and will hear me, to tarry with them about four weeks, and return from thence to the Tuscaroras, and tarry with them until the first of December, and then set off from this place to visit a village of the Senecas, called Tantawanta, thirty miles from this, on my way to New Stockbridge, and to the Tuscaroras in that neighborhood, and from thence to Brothertown, and from thence, by the way of Albany, home.

Cusock, who is now with me, and is (I believe) a pious soul, and a careful and good interpreter, must go home about the first of December, and I can do nothing without him here; there is no one in these parts that I can trust to interpret for me, when he isgone.

The inclosed address, I believe, is a faithful oneThe chiefs, by the help of Cusock, have been above three weeks preparing it-It would have been signed and sent to you sooner, but the sachem and two of the chiefs were called to a great council with the Senecas. -The subject matter of the council, and the result, has been something extraordinary, which I purpose to inform you of hereafter.

Excuse mistakes-I have not time to revise or correct what I have wrote-the mail will be closed in a few minutes. I must not forget to mention, that Major Rivardi has conducted towards me like a gentleman and a disinterested friend. I wish that the Directors would return him their thanks for his and his worthy Lady's kind treatment to me, and my beloved Cusock.

Now, dear brother, I must conclude, desiring that you and all my ministering brethren in New-York, would praise God for his goodness to me, and pray for me. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all-Amen.

ELKANAH HOLMES...

Rev. J. M. Mason, Secretary to the Directors of the Missionary Society.

Address of the Tuscarora Chiefs, to the Directors of the New-York Missionary Society.

Fathers and Brothers attend!

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E the Sachems and Chiefs of the Tuscarora nation of Indians, desire to speak a few words to your ears: we thank the Great Spirit above, who made Heaven and earth, and all things, that he has puť into the hearts of a number of our white brothers in the City of New-York and parts around it, to form a great council of friendship for us and for the rest of our red brothers.

Fathers and brothers, we also thank you for the good talks you send us by the hand of our father Elkanah Holmes:-it much rejoices our nation, both old and young-we also thank you that you send our father Holmes to visit us-we know he is a true friend to In

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