the same principle the word Oreb-evening, is constructed. The signs being a bird, a pair of legs, the symbol of progression; and a house or home, the entire idea will be beautifully expressive of the season indicated, when

"The sea-fowl has gone to her nest,

And the beast has laid down in his lair!"

But the argument fails exactly where it is most wanted. From anxiety to analyze the meaning of these hieroglyphics the professed object of enquiry is overlooked. It was the sound and not the sense of these constituent parts that was required, though their ideal import only has been given, without approaching the question of their alphabetical value.

A FABLE.

66

IN days of yore, when trees were thought to talk, and gardeners to understand their language, a gentleman was walking in his garden one fine sunny morning in the spring, when suddenly his ear was arrested by a low murmuring sound, something louder than the hum of the bees, which were very busy extracting sweets from the blossom of an apricot tree just by. He stopped, and turning to his left, perceived that it came from a young honeysuckle, which he had planted there the last autumn. He immediately stooped, and taking up a fine promising leading shoot, which was quite prostrate, desired the young plant to speak out without fear, and tell him plainly the cause of its complaining. Sir," said the little honeysuckle, "I feel, as I ought, truly grateful for all the care and tenderness with which you watched over me, whilst I was in the nursery ground, and for your goodness in transplanting me into so good a soil, and so fine an aspect; but, sir, I hope you will not think me fretful or impatient, if I remind you that since I came hither, you have not afforded me your helping hand, and consequently, now the summer is coming on apace, I have no prospect before me, but to go creeping along the ground, the sport of every wind, and all be-splashed with mud and dirt in every shower of rain; and should my branches extend to the right over your footpath, I shall be exposed to the merciless tread of every passenger in his way to the green-house." "My dear little plant," exclaimed the gentleman," be assured I have not forgotten you;

pparently prepared for an early departure, in a quiet and orderly nanner, entered my apartment. I did not at first recognize him, hough equipped in the same travelling guise he had always worn, or, from the peculiar situation which he now occupied, I was compelled to look back upon him, and he seemed under that nusual aspect to be so much shorter than I had once supposed im, that wiser heads than my own might have hesitated to proOunce who he was. But he did not long remain silent. "I have "1st stepped in,” said he, “to bid you farewell, and to remind you, n parting, of some of those scenes which we have passed togeher, hoping that my reflections may be of some service to you fter I am gone." Immediately I prepared myself for a humbling rture from my ancient friend, (for I had now recognized him as ch,) on the subject of my obligations to him.

Perhaps you will be surprised at the fact," said he, "but you 1 I have been companions for many months. I was sent to end you that you might increase in knowledge, do more good, aw nearer to God, and be better prepared for heaven; for all these rposes of life and godliness I have been with you so many hours h day. I have led you to hear sermons, and brought you many ons on Providence. I have not failed to warn and instruct , by exhibiting what has passed in the circumstances of others. ave shewn you sudden sickness overtaking the healthy, grievous be borne, baffling the skill of man, and the power of medicine. have shewn you death in various forms, in persons of all ages

stations. Some have been cut down in youth-some by kness, others by sudden accident. Some have been removed om a course of active intemperance, to the bar of God. Many ve departed regretting the mis-improvement of life, when it was oo late to remedy it; and some are gone, leaving with their names fragrant odour; but alas! how few! And now, also, in bidding you farewell, I call you to witness my fidelity. I have brought you the fruits of the earth in their seasons. I have poured into ur lap month after month, nay day by day, the bounties of a nd Providence. I have been careful of your health, limbs, and aculties. Day by day I have brought you the blest volume of evelation. Every sabbath have led you within the sound of a nched gospel. In a word, I have furnished you, with the

of God, 'new every morning, and fresh every evening,' and

I am glad you are sensible of the obligations you are under for being placed in so fine a situation; but I have left you to yourself for awhile, that you might know the value of the gardener's care. To leave you longer, would be indeed to expose you to all the evils which you have so feelingly pourtrayed. I am quite ready to help and direct you, now you know your need of my assistance; but I beg to admonish you, lest, when in after years you have grown to a large tree, so as to cover over all this trellis, and attract every passenger by your fragrance and beauty, you should become vain of your charms, and forget how much you owe to the hand of cultivation." With this hint, the gentleman took a shred and a nail from his basket, and having fastened the leading shoot against the fence, left the young plant to improve by its own reflections on what had passed.

MORAL.

Reader! this fable's purport seems to be
To teach the uses of adversity,"

And shew the weight of good that lurks behind
Those seeming trials that await mankind.

Too prone to glory in an arm of flesh,

It proffers all, this good old truth afresh,

Our native might is but a broken reed;

To know our weakness, makes us strong indeed.

PATER.

ON READING THE BIBLE.

IN the present day when publications of various kinds are so numerous, and knowledge is increasing, there is great danger of persons, especially the young, neglecting the most important, the most valuable, the best of all books-the Bible.

The eye and mind of the young are easily captivated with any thing new; thus, when a friend presents a new book, it is read with the greatest eagerness; no opportunity is neglected of perusing it until it is finished; by it, perhaps, great interest is excited, and it is re-read with the deepest attention; the thread of it is remembered, and that book is earnestly recommended to others, whilst parts of it are frequently quoted to shew its excellence. But is it so with the Bible? That blessed book which has been in the house for years, lies neglected on the table or the shelves, (by far

too many, the possession being considered sufficient,) or read on Sundays only; and that without feeling the least interested in the eternal truths there recorded.

There are many persons who frequently read their Bible, beginning, perhaps, at the very place they open at, or select some particular part which may have been read over and over again, yet never think of reading the sacred volume through, as they would any other; thus gaining no knowledge of the connexion of one part with the rest, and losing the essence of it; but if you hope to profit by your study of God's word, there must be regularity and method in reading it: it is advisable to know beforehand "what portion of scripture you are to apply yourselves to, from time to time, and not to rest satisfied with reading anywhere as the Bible opens, without design or choice."

Is the Bible a book of little or no importance, that it should be slighted? Oh no! it cannot be disregarded with impunity; for thus saith the Lord, "Hear, O earth: behold I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto MY WORDS, nor to my law, but rejected it;" (Jer. vi. 19.) and our Lord Jesus hath declared, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not MY WORDS, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." John xii. 48.

We are justified in attaching importance to the gift of a friend; but the best gift of the best friend, as the Bible is, should be allimportant: if you estimate that of a friend by his kind feeling and goodness towards you, how much greater is the benevolence and love of God exhibited in your favour, even from the time you first drew your breath, to the present moment; retrace in your mind all the days of your youth and childhood, and you must acknowledge his loving-kindness and tender mercies have been over you; he has also loved you, and given his Son to die for your sins. As then the goodness of God is beyond all comparison, you are bound to attach infinitely more importance to his gift than to any other: the scriptures contain his word, being spoken by holy men of God, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; they are therefore the gift of God. Do you esteem the gift of a friend because of its value? The Bible is invaluable; it is above all price; it is wisdom itself, "which cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be