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beds-I could not but notice also the great variety of headstones, tombs, and monuments, which, with their inscriptions, point out the last resting-places of the departed; and I could not help remarking on the contrast between this place of burial, and the old grave-yards of the parish church or dissenting meeting-house.

I know there are some good people-the Society of Friends especially-who do not approve of grave-stones at all. What may be their reasons I do not pretend to know, but one reason may be that some very great falsehoods, I speak plainly, were often told of the dead. Though some of them were known, when living, not to be worthy or pious per. sons, they were always set forth as such on their gravestones after their death. This was fulsome, and highly improper; and no wonder some good people would prefer to have no grave-stone at all, remembering the words of one who said

"A Man's good deeds are his best monument."

I looked over the inscriptions on many of the monuments, for I knew personally nearly all whose names they recorded, and was pleased to find that nearly all, with but few exceptions, were adapted to their characters when living. To a few I objected, of course, on which the reader was desired, in his charity, to pray for the soul of the departed. These were Roman papists; and I felt a mournful sadness on reading them, that such things were done now: a thousand years ago, when our forefathers had no bibles, we might not wonder if we met with such lines as these.

"Pray for the soul of Gabriel John,

Who died in the year of one thousand and one;
You may if you will, or let it alone,

For it's all one to Gabriel John,

Who died in the year one thousand and one."

And yet the words, "you may if you will, or let it alone, for its all one to Gabriel John," seem almost like ridicule of what was the prevailing custom in those days.

On such monuments the name, birth, and death, of the party appears to be all that is needed; to which, if there be added an admonitory or consoling passage of scripture for passers by, there cannot be harm but good in so doing. This reminds me of those beautiful lines by Dr. Watts:—

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A CHRISTMAS FLOWER.

I LOVE flowers at all times, but I think I most love to see them in winter, for then they are so scarce that we seldom see any; except now and then, if the weather has kept open, as it did last year; when, on Christmas Day, I noticed a monthly rose in full bloom near my back parlour window. Ah! thought I, as I looked at it

That last rose of summer is left all alone,

Its blooming companions all faded and gone!

I say, I love to see flowers in winter, and especially one from the other side of the world. It is called "THE PRIMULA," or Chinese Primrose-for it comes from China.

These flowers are not much unlike our common English Primroses-they, you know, are pale yellow-but the Primulas are of two colours, one a pure white, and the other red with a purple shade. The gardener, of whom I bought a few plants, told me that other colours are sometimes produced by using some chemical dyes when rearing them. They are in-door plants; for though they bloom in winter, they would die if exposed to the cold. He also told me that they begin to bloom about Christmas, and continue to shoot up new blossoms all the spring; but the fading blossoms should be always removed, and not allowed to run into seed.

The Chinese are very fond of flowers, and bestow much care on them. Almost every house has numerous pots of flowers, of various kinds, arranged before the windows of their sitting-rooms. The roses of China are very splendid.

Specimens of them have been sent to England, and some of them have yellow blossoms.

I always wish to encourage in the young a love of flowers -they are so beautiful and lovely! The most common flower you can pick up, when closely examined, is truly wonderful—the little daisy especially. God made the flowers to please and delight us. What a dreary scene would earth present without them. I always feel disposed to bless God for his flowers whenever I see them. They remind me so of his goodness and kindness. Truly God is love.

THE GRAIN OF CORN.

A GRAIN of Corn an infant's hand
May plant upon an inch of land,
Whence twenty stalks may spring, and yield
Enough to stock a little field.

The harvest of that field might then

Be multiplied by ten times ten,

Which, sown thrice more, would furnish bread
Wherewith an army might be fed.

A soul is seldom saved alone;

shall see

It must, it will, its bliss make known:
"Come," it will cry, "and you
What great things God has done for me!"

Hundreds those joyful words may hear-
And learn the Lord their God to fear;
And these to thousands more proclaim
Salvation in the "only Name,"
Till every tongue and tribe shall call
On JESUS as the Lord of all.

MONTGOMERY.

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ANCIENT POETS called this very beautiful bird the Halcyon, and they told many very strange tales about it. They described it as building its nest upon the smooth water, and hence its name-halcyon, or repose. But this was, like many other tales they told in those days-all nonsense, It was like the childish tale that the Cuckoo brings the summer and licks up all the dirt! instead of the summer bringing the Cuckoo and drying up all the dirt.

Certainly not from the character and habits of the kingfisher could we infer the tranquil influence that it is reported

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