sailor, after surveying the family groupe, made choice of one boy, whose appearance pleased him, and treated him in the same manner as he had done the other object of his patronage. During his Royal Highness's voyages abroad, these two little fortunates received from him all the attention of a parent; nor did the Prince, on his return to England, neglect to complete this amiable deed, but sent both boys to school, and made every provision for rearing them in a manner that might enable them to show themselves worthy of so noble a benefactor.

REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF FILIAL AFFECTION IN RATS.

THE following little anecdote, the truth of which may be depended upon, is related by Mr. Purdew, of his Majesty's ship Lancaster.

"I was reading in my berth, when I heard a scratching between the lining and the side of the ship, which continuing some time, with intervals that discovered fear, I supposed it to proceed from rats, ascending between the ribs of the ship, to issue from a hole formed by the removal of a plank of the lining to keep the ship sweet and airy. This hole is about two feet from the deck of my berth. Sure enough, a rat soon appeared, and, after well surveying the place, retreated with the greatest caution and silence, while I sate motionless: presently, the same rat returned, leading by the ear another rat, whom he left at a small distance from the hole by which they entered; and a third rat joining this kind conductor, they foraged about, and picked up all the small scraps of biscuits that lay on the floor, which they carried to the second rat, whom I now perceived to be blind, remaining on the same spot he was brought to, and nibbling such fare as his dutiful and pious providers brought to him. While lost in the pleasing reflections which the wonderful sagacity of this abhorred animal suggested to my mind, my guests were frightened by a person coming down the ladder, and disappeared, taking care that their blind parent should be secured before they retreated themselves."

Thus far our ingenious relator; but it is impossible for any sober mind to reflect upon this interesting account, without

carrying its reflections somewhat further, and considering it as furnishing him with a striking lesson of that parental duty, which, though it is commanded to men by God himself, is too often and too sadly neglected, and in the performance of which, the very brutes that perish may bear testimony against their cruel and proud oppressor, man.

THE DUTY OF SERVANTS.

IT has been remarked by an elegant writer, (Bishop Dehon,) "That so complete is the word of God as a rule of life, that it may be questioned whether any situation can be supposed, in which a man can be placed, in which it would not furnish him with principles for determining what ought to be his conduct."

The truth of this is fully borne out, as far as regards servants, by several plain and positive commands, of which the following are a few; and let it be added, should any one find himself at a loss how to act in regard to his employer, let him bear in mind this simple rule, "Do, as you would be done by ;" that is, put yourself in your master's situation and he in your's, and do as your conscience dictates!

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. (Ephes. vi. 5, 6, 7.)

Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. (Titus ii. 9, 10.)

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour

VOL. I.

Love the brotherhood.

Fear God.

all men. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure ye grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (1 Peter ii. 13-20.)

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (John xii. 26.)

Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. (Matt. xxv. 21.)

HINTS ON TEACHING THE CATECHISM.

To the Editor of the Family Monitor.

SIR, AS I understand your book is not intended for servants only, but for the use of families generally, allow me to give a few hints for the benefit of mothers and teachers. All who have had anything to do with teaching children, know how they often learn their tasks, like parrots, without any idea of the sense of what is repeated;-the catechism, for instance; so that many of even riper years can scarcely explain what they could repeat fluently in their younger days. It is true there are many excellent explanations of our church catechism, with questions on it; but even they lose their effect, if repeated as a task, and successively. The great point, Mr. Editor, is to vary the questions, and to put them in that way, that you may draw out of children what they really do know, and at the same time teach them to connect one thing with another, and store their infant minds with those blessed truths which will increase their wisdom with their stature, steady them in the perilous voyage of life, and comfort and support them in their declining years. It is impossible to give a very clear statement of the plan I have adopted with my young family in a few words, or even in the

little

compass of a letter; but I will endeavour to give some idea of our proceedings when I have assembled my 66 groupe to say their catechism;" and let me add, we have so far gained our end, that instead of being, what it too often is, an irksome and monotonous business to teacher and child, it has become a source of interest to both parties. I usually break the catechism into different portions, and we will suppose that which contains the commandments now before us; the nature of the questions may be gathered from the following, which I should leave the children to answer in their own way, making my comments as they "What is thy duty towards God? What is thy duty towards thy neighbour? Where do you learn these two things? Which of the commandments relate to God, and which to your neighbour? On what where they written? To whom delivered? and where? Was their delivery attended with any particular circumstances? How does our Saviour enforce these duties ?-(Matt. xxii. 38.) What is the essence of your duty to your fellowcreatures ?"-(Matt. vii. 12.)

went on.

These are only a few, but a hundred other questions would arise out of the same subject, which, if kindly and judiciously put, would extract from children more than you would give them credit for knowing; and by habitually pursuing this plan, you teach them to think what it is all about, and thus imperceptibly ground them in the principles of our holy religion, which, by the grace of God, may turn to their everlasting salvation.

Yours, &c.

A MOTHER.

TIGHT STAYS.

AN author of a work of great professional celebrity, in enumerating the causes which give rise to a constant pain in the side, with difficulty of breathing and other evils, adds,-" It still more frequently occurs, and is productive of far severer effects, by the absurd, though fashionable use of tight stays, which, while they undermine the health, generally coop up and distort the chest into a shape equally unnatural and ungraceful

This barbarous custom cannot be too strongly inveighed against; for though the imprisoned female may, by dint of habit, and where little exercise or exertion is required, be able to obtain a sort of triumph over the primary mischief of adhesions hereby produced, yet may she pave the way for an obstinate cough, phthisis,* and lateral curvature of the spine; and even should she escape these, she will have other inconveniences to suffer as soon as she is likely to become a mother."

REMARKS ON THE TIME AND PLACE OF OUR SAVIOUR'S BIRTH.

WHEN Herod inquired of the chief priests and scribes, where Christ should be born, they answered him readily, "In Bethlehem of Judæa, for so it is foretold by the prophet;" and so plainly we shall see, that with all their traditions and prejudices, they could not gainsay it. To Bethlehem, therefore, the wise men of the East, led by the star of God, repaired, and having found the place where the young child was, rejoiced with exceeding great joy. To Bethlehem, also, the shepherds went, directed by the angels of God; and having found the babe, returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. This remarkable prophecy, relating to the place and birth of our Saviour, to which the scribes alluded, was delivered by Micah, in the following words, upwards of seven hundred years before that event took place! "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting." Had the date of this prophecy been but little prior to the event, had Bethlehem been a large and populous city, or the usual abode of the parents of Christ, there would have been nothing particular to distinguish its fulfilment from many others; but if we look more closely into it, we shall see many wonderful circumstances attending its developement. For not only, as we have seen, was the place of our Saviour's birth expressly foretold many centuries previously, but it was an obscure village with which they * Consumption.