fill, but the manner in which they fill it, that will render them acceptable in his sight. The benefits which arise from the proper education, and careful instruction of female infants, must be more especially evident to us, if we reflect how much the happiness of domestic life depends upon the good conduct of that sex, and what extensive misery arises from its indiscretion: as the dutiful daughter, the faithful wife, the exemplary mother, are essential ingredients in the compound of human felicity, so the reverse of these characters do not confine the sufferings of guilt and evil to themselves; here the innocent suffer for the guilty, and children yet unborn are involved in the cloud of maternal infamy. To what, but to a neglect of religious education, can we impute the present deplorable profligacy and ignorance of some of the lower orders of society; every public institution therefore of the kind, whether it be a Sun

day

day or a weekly school, reflects honour on its promoters, and is a national benefit. Young females should also think a little more for themselves; as all of them naturally wish to settle, and establish themselves in the world, of what an inestimable advantage to them is a good character; in single life, it is their only dependance for bread, and an unblemished reputation is most commonly the first inducement to domestic union, even with the poorest of mankind; it should therefore be their pride, to look forward towards supporting, with honour and credit, the most respectable situations of virtuous wives and attentive mothers, and not to expose themselves to public disgrace, and become the authors of neglected and deserted children, whom they must consider as a curse, and not a blessing.

Another grand duty of all instructors should be, to set a good example to those placed beneath their care, to put a proper M 4 guard

guard upon all their words and actions: I do not mean by this, that they are to practise unbending austerity, or canting hypocrisy; it is necessary for them not only to seem prudent, wise, and good, but to be so in reality; it is a duty they owe, not only to those into whom good principles and good manners are to be instilled, but even to themselves.

At

tentive observers of human nature can but remark, how strong and how quick the habit of imitation is in young minds: before the reason is sufficiently mature, it will not discriminate over nicely, between what is seemingly right, and what is actually wrong; and we frequently see the child the copy of its parent, even in erroneous opinions and faulty practice; surely, therefore, the regard we all prófess to feel for the welfare of our children, should induce us to scrutinize our own conduct with impartiality, to correct, or at all events to conceal, our vices from them, and

even to point out the danger of such habits, though at the same time we are conscious that we censure ourselves. Reproof, advice, admonition, come but with an ill grace, unless they are promoted by good example; as the eloquent apostle says, addressing himself to those Jews who boasted they were fully instructed by the law of Moses, "Thou which "teachest another, teachest thou not thy"self? Thou that preachest a man should "not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest 66 a man should not commit adultery, dost "thou commit adultery ?"* Even so it is in all cases; words are soon spoken, aud professions are easily made, but good deeds alone are the only genuine proofs of religious principles, and inward goodness of heart. "Be66 ware of false prophets, (says our Saviour) "which come to you in sheep's clothing, but "inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye

*Rom. ii. 21.

❝ shall

"shall know them by their fruits. Do men

gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? "Even so every good tree bringeth forth "good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth ❝evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth ❝evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring "forth good fruit. Wherefore by their

$

"fruits ye shall know them."* Ye shall easily perceive who are the best instructors; those who practise themselves, the good conduct, and the virtues, which they recommend to others.

Let us now, secondly, endeavour to set forth the duty of children to their parents, and to all those who are placed in authority over them. The heathen nations of antiquity, esteemed piety to parents as next in merit to the worship of the Gods, and marked with the strongest stigma of abhorrence, a cruel and unfeeling behaviour towards them.

*Matthew vii. 16.

The