more difficult, it is also more laborious than any subsequent part; from the numerous unforeseen obstacles, extraneous impediments, and antagonistic forces to be overcome: If with these accessions to the general work, the business in hand prosper, there is no reason to doubt that it will continue to do so, when freed from these incumbrances.

4TH REASON. by nervous fear: into good hope.

The beginning of every work is attended
But, after a time, success changes fear

5TH REASON.-As a work progresses, a lively interest is created; which excites energy, ardour, and resolution to bring to a close what has already so well prospered.

THE CONVERSE.-" Badly begun" is labour bestowed in vain; for, if the first part be done badly, it is worse than useless to spend further time and toil upon it: In such a case, the only wise plan is to lose your first labour and begin afresh.

SIMILES. To start a coach or wagon is far more difficult than to keep it moving; if, therefore, the motive power be sufficient to give the start, it will be amply sufficient for the future draught.

When a physician has discovered the nature of a disease, and has administered the right medicine, the cure is half effected: Whereas, if he has mistaken the

symptoms,

When a hound has tracked his game, success is almost certain; but if . . . . .

When a tree planted in a genial soul and right aspect, has once struck root, its future growth may be anticipated with full assurance of hope; but . .

After the foundation of a house has been substantially laid, the superstructure is secure; but if the foundation be insecure, no labour bestowed upon the building will save it from destruction.

In kindling a fire, what an amount of time and labour

is often lost by seeking to repair an injudicious disposal of the fuel, or a careless ignition!

A ball requires a blow to give it a start, and if struck in the right direction will continue in the same course.

If wine be badly made, no quantity of sugar or spirit added subsequently will make it palatable or sweet.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.-Hannibal used to say, he attributed all his victories to a bold and vigorous onset. At Cressy, after the onset, the issue of the battle was certain.

The same may be said of the Danish slaughter, when king Alfred attacked Guthran.

When Julius Cæsar fell upon Pharnaces, the son of Mithridates the Great, near Zela in Pontus, the victory was so easily obtained after the first stroke, that he described it to the senate in three words, " Veni, vidi, vici."

The bold, independent, and manly spirit of the ancient Spartans, may be attributed to the vigour and simplicity of their education from earliest infancy.

The piety and godly wisdom of Samuel was the fruit of his early education to the Lord.

The same may be said of Timothy.-2 Tim. iii. 15. The greatness of ancient Rome was due to the wisdom and judgment of its founders, Romulus and Numa.

The ancient alchemists started in pursuit of a shadow, and the amount of labour lost is beyond all calculation: Whereas, modern chemists, who commence with correct data, are perpetually making the most valuable discoveries.

It has been said that Newton succeeded in his vast researches, because he started with the certain knowledge of revelation before him: Whereas, the folly and error of an cient cosmography are mainly due to their false mythology.

QUOTATIONS.-Well begun is half done.

As the twig is bent, the tree's inclined.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.-Proverbs, xxii. 6. Ce n'est que le premier pas qui coûte.

Quemadmodum domus, et navigii, et aliorum hujusmodi, partes inferiores firmissimas oportet esse: Sic et actionum initia fundamentaque vera et justa convenit esse.-Demosth. Olynth. 2, translated by Stobbæus.

De malo principio malus finis exit.-Euripides translated by Stobbæus.

Adeo in teneris consuescere multum est.

Dimidium facti qui cœpit, habet.-Horace.

Facilius est incitare currentem, quam commovere languentem.-Cicero.

Debile fundamentum tollit opus.

THEME VI. A goodly Apple is often rotten at the Core.

INTRODUCTION. As it would be very unwise to imagine that every ripe and rosy looking apple is sound at the core; so it would be equally unwise to trust implicitly to general appearances.

1ST REASON. It is very often a man's interest to deceive, in order to palm off a worthless article, or conceal an unpopular propensity.

2ND REASON.-Mere accident will very often change an outward appearance; as a collier may have a negro's colour from the accident of his trade.

3RD REASON. The surface is for the most part only a shell or case to something contained within of an essentially different character and value.

4TH REASON. The eye is sometimes greatly deceived, and mistakes one thing for another; as when a caravan mistakes a mirage in the desert for a pool of water.

5TH REASON.-Sometimes ignorance will induce an error of judgment; as persons are deceived in respect to the actual depth of a stream, unless they are well acquainted with the laws of refraction.

6TH REASON.-There is for the most part so great a mixture of good and evil, that every one will be liable to error, who imagines there is "no soul of good in things evil," or no alloy of evil in that which is good.

7TH REASON. The credulous are extremely unwary and exposed to fraud and misconceptions, far more than the cautious and prudent.

SIMILES.-A fish trusting to the bait, is caught by the

hook.

A mouse deceived by the cheese is caught in the trap. "The Fox and the Mask."-Esop's fable.

A tree may be full of leaves, and yet unfruitful.-Matt.

xix. 19.

Counterfeit money.

All sleight of hand.

The ignis fatuus.

Irish bogs often appear sound; but if a stranger were to venture on them, he would sink and lose his life.

The fruit of the deadly nightshade has been often mistaken for red currants: Whereas, the one is rank poison, and the other an agreeable fruit.

The tiger and cat crouch and seem to be asleep, in order to deceive their prey.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.-The Syrens.-See Classical Dictionary.

Circe. See Classical Dictionary.

The Huguenots, trusting to specious promises, were massacred by thousands on St. Bartholomew's eve.

The Pharisees were compared by our Lord to "whited sepulchres" fair indeed outwardly, but full of all uncleanness in the heart.

Pelopidas trusting to the professions of Alexander, was taken captive and cast into prison

Jugurtha was deceived by Bocchus, and betrayed to the Romans.

Lysander, trusting to the scroll given to him to read by Pharnabazus, carried the order for his own execution to the Spartan magistrate.-Nepos.

The Trojans, trusting to the tale of Sinon, and his story of the wooden horse, were destroyed by the artful Greeks.

Hannibal deceived the Cretans by his jars of lead, sprinkled with gold; while he secured to himself his real property in broken images, to which he apparently paid no regard.-Nepos.

Joshua and the Gibeonites.-Joshua, ix.

When the inhabitants of Egista were going to make war with those of Selinuta, they craved the assistance of the Athenians. The people of Athens sent to inquire into the state of their affairs; but the men of Egista had borrowed in the mean time a large number of gold and silver vases from neighbouring nations, of which they made an ostentatious display. The Athenians, deceived by the great show of wealth, readily granted the required aid, and never discovered their error till the war was brought to a close.

Apollodorus was a traitor and a tyrant, envied by all men for his enormous wealth and unbounded luxuries: but he "nourished scorpions in his heart, and was perpetually scared with spectres and the fear of death. He not unfrequently imagined that he saw the Scythians flaying him alive, and that he was dancing round a cauldron in which he himself was seething. Thus, the