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the county. The young lady, who, perhaps, had not seen him more than once or twice in the course of her life, had not recognised him under the disguise of regimentals.

The following anecdote is related in “Lacon :”— Porson, the celebrated Greek Professor at Cambridge, was once in a stage-coach, where a young Oxonian, fresh from college, was amusing the ladies with a variety of talk, and, amongst other things, with a quotation, as he said, from Sophocles. A Greek quotation, and in a coach too! roused the slumbering professor from a kind of dog-sleep, in a snug corner of the vehicle. Shaking his ears, and rubbing his eyes, "I think, young gentleman," said he, "you favoured us just now with a quotation from Sophocles; I do not happen to recollect it there." "Oh, Sir," replied the tyro, "the quotation is word for word as I have repeated it, and from Sophocles too; but I suspect, Sir, it is some time since you were at college." The professor applying his hand to his great-coat pocket, and taking out a small pocket edition of Sophocles, quietly asked him if he could be kind enough to show him the passage in question in that little book. After rummaging the pages for some time, he replied, 'Upon second thoughts, I now recollect that the passage is in Euripides." Then, perhaps, Sir," said the professor, putting his hand again into his pocket, and handing him a similar edition of Euripides, "you will be so good as to find it for me in that little book." The young Oxonian again returned to his task, but with no better success, muttering, however, to himself, a vow never again to quote

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Greek in a stage-coach. The tittering of the ladies informed him plainly that he had got into a hobble. At last, Why, Sir," said he, "how dull I am! I recollect now; yes, now I perfectly remember, that the passage is in Eschylus." The inexorable professor returned to his inexhaustible pocket, and was in the act of handing him an Eschylus, when our astonished freshman vociferated," Coachman, holloa, coachman, let me out, I say, instantly let me out! There's a fellow here has the whole Bodleian library in his pocket."

In promiscuous company, we should always carefully avoid all general censures of any party, whether political or religious; and all expressions of contempt of individuals. It is possible that some persons present may be identified with the party, or connected with the individual to whom offensive reference has been made. Common politeness would teach us to avoid the possibility of giving pain to any with whom we may be in company, even for a short time; and interest would dictate the same forbearance. By such indiscriminate censure, it is probable we should but display our own ignorance, prejudice, and malignity; or, at least, by giving unnecessary offence, deprive ourselves of the advantage we might have derived from the conversation of the parties.

It argues the extreme of ignorance, either to take it for granted that every person with whom we meet must be exactly of our own profession or way of thinking; or to suppose that if they are otherwise, there are no subjects on which we may converse with them to advantage.

A lady once exposed herself in this way, and received a mortifying, but it may be hoped, not unprofitable rebuke. As one of the Bath coaches passed through Reading, two passengers took their places, the lady in question for London, and a dissenting minister, the Rev. John Cooke, for Maidenhead. The passengers already in the coach were making themselves merry at having observed a religious book in the parlour of the inn where they had stopped for refreshment; and expressed their opinion that the innkeeper must be a dissenter, or methodist, or something of that sort. The lady with much glee joined this conversation, and uttered many bitter and contemptuous expressions against the doctrines and practices of those people. She said that a visitation, or association, or something of the sort, had been held at one of their chapels in Reading the day before, at which, from motives of curiosity, she had been present; and declared that the preacher had uttered the most abominable nonsense, profanity, and licentiousness, of which she gave several very disgusting instances. When she had indulged in this strain of conversation for half an hour or more, her fellow-traveller, who had hitherto remained silent, and whom she had scarcely noticed, fixed on her his piercing black eyes, and said, "Pray, madam, did you ever see me before?"

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No, Sir, I don't recollect that I ever did." "Look again, Madam, and endeavour to bethink yourself." She still persisted that she had never seen him.

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Then, Madam, you are guilty in the sight of God of gross falsehood, and of bearing false wit

ness against your neighbour. You say you were at Broad Street chapel yesterday, and that the preacher uttered such and such things: now, I was the preacher; if you have never seen me before, you were not there; if you were there, you know that nothing whatever was said bearing the slightest resemblance to what you have advanced, and that the whole is your own malignant fabrication. Repent, therefore, and pray God, if perhaps, the thought of thy heart, and the sins of thy tongue be forgiven thee; for be assured, that unless the conversation of this half hour be deeply repented of, and forgiven, for the sake of that Saviour whom I yesterday endeavoured faithfully to preach, it will rise up against you, and condemn you, in the day of judgment." The lady sunk abashed under this just reproof, and the remaining miles were passed in silence. On quitting the coach at Maidenhead, Mr. Cooke offered to shake hands with her, which she timidly accepted, but utcered not a word. Some weeks afterwards, Mr. Cooke recognised the lady among his hearers at chapel; but before he could get out of the pulpit, she had left the place, and was lost sight of; and he probably never heard what effect attended his admonition.

It may be added, that in promiscuous society we should endeavour prudently and unostentatiously to do good. 'It would be very unlovely to see a young female obtruding herself and her sentiments on the notice of a party of strangers, or setting herself up for a censor. If, however, the conversation should be either profane or indelicate, she will, perhaps, best show her displeasure

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by maintaining a strict silence, and endeavouring to occupy her attention with some other object. But it is hard if, among several passengers, one or more may not be found who would defend a young female from such insults, and put down the offensive speaker. Whether or not this is done, she may with propriety, on leaving the company, present a suitable tract or card, or leave it on the seat, or in the pocket of the coach. It will, in all probability, meet the eye of the offender, and convey à reproof more pungent and salutary, than would, with propriety, have proceeded from her lips. In this way a hint may inoffensively be dropped to an aged person, an invalid, or any other individual; and we are encouraged to make the effort by such declarations as these: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." "Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

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Love to Home.-An inspired apostle has given it as the characteristic of a good wife, that she is a keeper at home;" but unless this sober quality is somewhat cultivated during the period of youth, it can scarcely be expected to rise to consistency and vigour in riper years. Young people love variety and society; and every thing is beautiful in its season. Judicious and kind parents will wish their children to enjoy the pleasures of youth; they will not expect to inure them to the close confinement of the anxious and responsible mother of

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