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called from the neighbouring mountain of that name whence it was taken.

"The Parthenon (says Plutarch) was constructed with such admirable judgment, such solidity of workmanship, and such a profound knowledge of the architectural art, that it would have indefinitely defied the ravages of time, if they had not been assisted by the operations of external violence. It is an edifice that seems to have been constructed for eternity. These structures which Pericles raised are the more admirable, as being completed in so short a time, they yet had such a lasting beauty; for, as they had, when new, the venerable aspect of antiquity, so, now they are old, they have the freshness of a modern work. They seem to be preserved from the injuries of time by a kind of vital principle, which produces a vigour that cannot be impaired, and a bloom that will never fade." These words of Plutarch were applicable to the Parthenon till little more than a century ago, and would still have been so if it had not found enemies in the bigotry of contending religionists, in war, and the robberies of artists and amateurs. The high preservation of those parts which are still suffered to remain is truly astonishing. The columns are so little broken, that were it not for the venerable reality of age, they would almost appear of recent construction. The western front is rich in golden hues, and seems as if it had absorbed the evening beams. Little white appears, but the brightest orange colour, and grey, and sulphury hues, combine in sweetest harmony.

But so the works of man perish like himself.

WHO IS THE HAPPIEST GIRL?

THE happiest child I ever saw was a little girl whom I once met with travelling in a railway carriage. We were both going on a journey to London, and we travelled a great many miles together. She was only eight years old, and she was quite blind. She had never been able to see at all. She had never seen the sun, and the stars, and the sky, and the grass, and the flowers, and the trees, and the birds-and all those pleasant things which you see every day of your lives;—but still she was quite happy.

She was by herself, poor little thing. She had no friend or relations to take care of her on the journey, and be good to her; but she was quite happy and content. She said when she got into the carriage, "Tell me how many people there are in the carriage. I am quite blind, and can see nothing?" A gentleman asked her, "If she was not afraid?" "No," said she, "I am not frightened; I have travelled before, and I trust in God, and people are always very good to me."

But I soon found out the reason why she was so happy;— and what do you think it was? She loved Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ loved her;-she had sought Jesus Christ, and she had found Him.

I began to talk to her about the Bible, and I soon saw she knew a great deal of it. She went to a school where the mistress used to read the Bible to her; and she was a good girl, and had remembered what her mistress had read.

Dear children, you cannot think how many things in the Bible this poor little blind girl knew. I only wish that every

grown-up person in England knew as much as she did. But I must try to tell you some of them.

She talked to me about sin; how it first came into the world, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and it was to be seen everywhere now. "Oh," she said, "there are no really good people. The very best people in the world have many sins every day, and I am sure we all of us waste a great deal of time, if we do nothing else wrong. Oh! we are all such sinners! there is nobody who has not sinned a great many sins."

And then, she talked about Jesus Christ. She told me about His agony in the garden of Gethsemane-about His sweating as it were drops of blood-about the soldiers nailing Him to the cross-about the spear piercing His side, and blood and water coming out. "Oh !" she said, "how very good it was of Him to die for us, and such a cruel death! how good He was to suffer so for our sins!"

And then she talked about wicked people. She told me she was afraid there were a great many in the world, and it made her very unhappy to know how many of her school-fellows and acquaintances went on. "But," she said, "I know the reason why they are so wicked; it is because they do not try to be good-they do not ask Jesus to make them good."

I asked her what part of the Bible she liked best. She told me she liked all the history of Jesus Christ, but the chapters she was most fond of were the three last chapters of the book of Revelation. I had a Bible with me, and I took it out and read these chapters to her, as we went along. When I had done, she began to talk about heaven. “Think,"

she said, "how nice it will be to be there! There will be no sorrow, nor crying, nor tears. Ard then Jesus Christ will be there, for it says, The Lamb is the light thereof, and we shall always be with Him; and besides this, there shall be no night there; they will need no candle nor light of the s

sun."

Dear children, just think of this poor little blind girl. Think of her taking pleasure in talking of Jesus Christ. Think of her rejoicing in the account of heaven, where there shall be no sorrow nor night.

Dear children, are you as happy and as cheerful as she was? You are not blind, you have eyes and can run about and see everything, and go where you like, and read as much as you please to yourselves. But are you as happy as this poor little blind girl was?

Oh! if you wish to be happy in this world, remember my advice to day-do as the little blind girl did-" Love Jesus Christ, and He will love you-seek Him early, and you shall find Him."

"MY SON, GIVE ME THINE HEART."

GIVE to Christ thine heart;

Give to him thy praise;

He will then impart

Blessings all thy days.

Give to God thy love;

Give him service true;

Then in yonder world above

He ever will love you.

J. L.

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