ture of human glory, learn to regard it less. But I did, at the same time, hope and expect, that when I proposed the adopting of certain dear orphans into my family, you would have done yourselves the credit of saying that you were as ready as my children have professed themselves to be, in doing your parts for them; but Augustus," he added, looking kindly at him, " you have disappointed your father's only brother, one whom you must henceforth look upon as a parent," and the tears stood in Mr. Bloomfield's eyes.

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Augustus had his eyes raised to his uncle; he saw how affected he was; he heard him call himself his father's only brother, and it pleased God to bless this expression of real affection to his soul. As the dew descending on the parched ground, renders it soft and fertile, so the influences of the Holy Spirit descending upon his heart, through the medium of his uncle's words, produced an effect so instantaneous as to astonish Mr. Bloomfield; for the boy, suddenly dropping his uncle's hand, sprang into his arms, and bursting into tears, exclaimed-" Oh! uncle, dear uncle, forgive me; pray forgive me; let me be like your own son; and do with me what you please."

"My boy, my child," replied Mr. Bloomfield, pressing him to his heart, "will you indeed be my child, my son, my own Augustus? Then learn, my boy, for you are now in a state, I trust, to learn it with less pain, that you must henceforward depend on me." He then proceeded to explain as mildly as he could, the purport of the letter received that morning, viz. that when his brother's affairs came to be examined, it was found that there was only £1200 to be divided between the children, together with a few valuable jewels. "And I have determined," continued Mr. Bloomfield, "that these jewels shall be sold, and that

what they may bring, together with the rest of the money, shall all be placed in the stocks to accumulate till you are both of age. In the mean time I receive you into my own family, to be educated together with my children, and to share, and share alike with them; and I trust, that with economy and self-denial, we shall not feel the slightest inconvenience from this addition to our family. But much will depend on you, my dear nephew and niece; you must submit with chearfulness, the Almighty working within you, to what is ordained; you must be kind and affectionate to your cousins, and when I present you to them as the children I mean to adopt, you must meet them as dear brothers and sisters; for you can not doubt but that those who would gladly have carried home with them any of those little ones who are sitting there upon the hay, will be much more ready to receive to their hearts those so near to them as their father's brother's children."

Augustus made no answer, but his countenance expressed all his uncle could desire; whilst, on the contrary, Julia stood in sullen grief, neither shedding tears or uttering a word.

Mr. Bloomfield then calling his children, they all came running to him with the exception of Celia, who was with her mamma, and when they were come up to him, he stated to them what had been already said to Augustus and Julia; with this variation only, that as he had entered fully to Augustus and Julia, into the affairs of his brother, and the disordered state in which they had been found, he said little of this to his own children; but merely informed them who were the orphans whom he intended to adopt, putting it to them whether they were willing to receive them as a dear brother and sister, and make them their companions and friends as long as they needed the shelter of a paternal roof.

Mr. Bloomfield was delighted to see the eyes of his own dear children brighten up at this proposal; he saw them all joining their hands with Augustus, and endeavouring to do the same with Julia; and, in order that he might not be a constraint upon them, he left them a while to themselves, whilst he proceeded to see that all was got ready for their return. He saw, however, with pleasure, that they were still talking together with an air of gaiety and satisfaction, and he was delighted to see them all, with the exception of Julia, come bounding forwards at his call, as if their young minds had thrown off all care, and they had already settled how happy they might be growing up together in their chearful home. Soon after this they were all established in the carriage, and were taking leave of the hay makers and the little children.

There was not one sad countenance in the party but that of Julia; but no one took farther notice of her than kindness and civility required; and I am happy to add, that as from that day, by the divine blessing, the world lost its hold upon Augustus, so poor Julia also was brought in a few months to see and feel, that where the heart is truly converted unto God, it is of little consequence whether our dwelling is a cottage or a palace, during the short time of o abode on earth, as the poet says

"The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,

And all that it inhabit is dissolved,

And like the baseless fabric of a vision
Leaves not a wreck behind."

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ?" 2 Pet. iii. 11.