Of all beyond they were as ignorant as we are of the geography of the moon. They knew every hill and valley, and wood and water, and castle and hut, within that limited circle, but no more; except some strange and wonderful report might now and then reach them of other places and people. There were then no books or newspapers, as now, to tell them what the world was, and what it was doing.

And in later days travelling was a serious matterthe roads were so bad—often impassable on account of floods, and dangerous on account of robbers; so that a man would make his will before he set out on a long journey. Even the rich and the noble were not free from inconvenience-a peer of the realm would take his lady behind him on the same horse, if she desired to accompany him when he went up to London to attend in his place at the court of the king, or in the house of Lords. Posting is said to have been first introduced in this country by Richard III., who, before the battle of Bosworth, where he lost his crown and his life together, stationed men on horseback at Nottingham and other places, to watch the enemy, and then ride off and bring him word to Leicester of their number and movements. This hint was afterwards improved, and regular posting established; but the progress made was very slow for a long time.

The writer of this, who was born five years before the present century commenced, remembers many tales his father and his uncles have told him of the state of the roads when they were boys; and of the great difficulty there was in the winter season, in passing from one place to another, and of the long time it took in performing a journey of only a short distance.

About the beginning of this century, however, more attention was paid to road-making; for coaches, by which persons might travel on payment of a certain sum, had begun to run from various large towns to London; and these being often impeded by bad roads,

RAILWAYS.

the attention of clever men was directed to the subject. They were raised in the centre, to let the water run off. The round stones which were shot down on the road and left to find a place if they could-many never finding one at all-were broken so as to fit and lock together, and thus the roads became more dry and firm. About five and twenty years ago, Mr. M'Adam made very great improvements in the art of road-making, so that coaches were multiplied, and travelling was much more comfortable and expeditious.

But these railroads !-There were whispers now about railroads. It was said that some clever men had made moving steam-engines, that would draw carriages at a rapid rate along a level line of iron rails. Well: as is usual, when anything wonderful is proposed, some believed, and some believed not. But the thing went on, and true enough it was done; and as what is once done can be done again, some rich men subscribed their money to make a railway between Manchester and Liverpool, two of the largest towns in the kingdom, believing, that if the engine could be made to draw a train three miles, it could draw it thirty. In a few years this line was completed, and on the day it was opened the Duke of Wellington and many other distinguished men were present and rode down the line from Liverpool to Manchester. One sad accident took place, by which Mr. Huskisson, an eminent statesman, was killed.

As this line succeeded, other lines were proposed and laid down, especially the Birmingham and the Bristol to London. Many have since been made, and others are now making. They cost a great deal of money to make them-many millions-but they employ many hands, and generally they are profitable to the proprietors; and yet as they have cost so much money, they have made money scarce, and some think this has been the chief cause of the distress which has prevailed of late.

In making these roads, the engineers have first to take the level. Having fixed that, then every thing that obstructs like a hill, must be removed, or a way must be made through it. When the hill is removed, and high banks left on each side, it is called a "cutting." When a road is made through it, a "tunnel," some of which are two or three miles long. When a valley interposes them, they fill it up with the earth cut from the hill, or dig it from adjoining fields, and this is called an "embankment," some of which are very high. Sometimes a river or broad brook will run through the valley, and then a bridge must span it, or a viaduct be raised over it. Here is a picture of a viaduct with a train passing over it, and of a tunnel with a train emerging from its mouth.

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When riding along in one of the carriages, it would be no use a little boy or girl saying, “Õh, stop it! stop it! I dare not go into that dark tunnel, or over that high bridge." On they go, and before you have time to be well frightened they are out again in the broad daylight, or safe over the frightful chasm.

Other nations have also laid down their railroads, the Americans especially, who in this, as well as in other great matters, seem determined to "go-a-head," as they say. On the continent of Europe many have been made, and they are contemplated in the East Indies, and other parts of the world.

Already, by this new mode of movement, we may travel as far in one day as our forefathers could in a fortnight. What a change will they make in the world before the next century commences! Why our children will go to China within the same time that their ancestors took to pass from London to Edinburgh. On this subject Elihu Burritt, the learned American blacksmith, says: "There is the great steam-engine at work with all the indomitable enthusiasm of its glowing heart, contracting space; reducing oceans to the breadth of rivers; bringing the compass of a continent within the travel of a day; compressing sea-divided nations into immediate neighbourhoods; transmuting flowers of opposite zones ere their native dews are dried on them; strapping countries together with railway bars of iron; transplanting the seated hills; opening for the travelling multitudes a passage through the old cloudcapt mountains, or under the beds of rivers whitened with the canvass of commerce. The whole bent of this ironsinewed giant seems to be, to gather the different tribes of mankind within a family circle of Universal Brotherhood."

PART THE FIRST.

HALF down the lane, sir, near the open well,
Poor William and his aged mother dwell;
And though unknown, have such esteem for you,
That they would fain enjoy an interview.

So said a stranger, whom I chanc'd to meet,
Beneath the elm that shades the village street:
And what he said at once dispos'd my mind;
I turn'd my steps the humble cot to find.

"Twas fair and calm as summer's evenings be-
The feather'd songsters warbled from the tree,
When first I open'd the little garden hatch,
And gently lifted up the cottage latch.

Here at her wheel the widowed mother spun,-
Plac'd on her knee a book employ'd her son;
The book of books, the page of heavenly truth,
Engag'd the attention of the crippled youth,

And what, friend William, is your evening task,
(I said abruptly); may a stranger ask?
The modest blush stole softly o'er his cheek:
At first he was confused, and scarce could speak.

Task! he at length replied, with smiling look,
My chief delight is in this blessed book:
"Tis here I learn contentment with my lot,
And find that peace the world affordeth not.

Should I declare the mercies of my God,
The kind corrections of his chastening rod,
You would not wonder that I love his word,
And prize the comfort which its truths afford.

A helpless cripple even from my birth,
Stranger to pleasure, and to sensual mirth,
You might suppose that I should never stray,
Like other youths, in sin's destructive way.