man is now an inmate of a State-prison. His term of punishment has now nearly expired, and he will soon leave that miserable abode, to wander, a seared and blighted spirit over the earth, seeking rest and finding none. Perchance, in his wanderings, he may return to his native place; but he will find no mother there to soothe his troubled spirit. She is dead!

Reader, I knew that mother. Two years ago, I heard her, with her dying breath, regret her weakness in not restraining her son. She died without a knowledge of his fate. I saw her laid beside her departed husband.

Parents, and especially mothers, ponder well the above, and remember that, to some extent, at least, you hold your children's destinies for weal or for woe.'

September, 1845.

SACREDNESS OF TEARS.

THERE is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, of unspeakable love. If there were wanting any argument to prove that man is not mortal, I would look for it in the strong, convulsive emotion of the breast, when the soul has been deeply agitated, when the fountains of feeling are rising, and when tears are gushing forth in crystal streams. O, speak not harshly of the stricken one— weeping in silence! Break not the deep solemnity by rude laughter, or intrusive footsteps. they are what make her an angel. heart of manhood is sometimes melted to tears of sympathy- they are what help to elevate him above the brute. I love to see tears of affection. They are painful tokens, but still most holy. There is pleasure in tears- an awful pleasure! If there were none on earth to shed a tear for me, I should be loth to live; and if no one might weep over my grave, I could never die in peace.

tears

Despise not a woman's
Scoff not if the stern

Dr. Johnson.

TREATMENT OF CHILDREN AT SCHOOL.

BY DOCTOR S. B. WOODWARD.

CHILDREN under eight years of age should not usually be confined to the school-room more than one hour at a time, nor more than four hours in a day.

These hours should afford considerable diversity of employments, so as to enable the child to change his posture frequently, and to be more or less upon his feet; and, also, to change the subject of thought, so that the mind shall not be occupied by one subject too long or too intensely.

Intensity should be carefully avoided; it leads directly to disease of the brain, which often probably arises from this cause. Precocity is generally the result of a morbid condition of this organ, either functional or organic; the former may generally be cured by timely attention; the latter exhibits itself in epilepsy, insanity, or an imbecility of mind, or proves fatal, by the occurrence of inflammation or convulsions.

If a child exhibits any symptoms of precocity, it should be taken immediately from books, and be permitted to ramble and play in the open air, or engaged in manual labor and such amusements as will give rest to the mind, and health and vigor to the body.

The recess at school, for children of eight years and under, should be long, the play active and even noisy, (for the lungs acquire strength by exercise, as well as the muscles ;) every child should be required to unite in the sports of play-time.

Fifteen minutes are a short time for recess; half an hour is better, particularly in summer.

During recess, the school-room should be thrown open in warm weather, and the windows be dropped a little way in cold weather, so as thoroughly to ventilate the apartments. We have hardly learned yet that pure air is equally as important to health and life as good nourishment and pure water.

In school regulations, regard is usually had to mental and moral improvement only. We forget that we have bodies, the preservation and training of which are not less necessary to the young, than the acquisition of knowledge. Without health, we can have little enjoyment. With it, we can learn all that is necessary, with ease,

—if we are not in too great haste. No limit is given to the which the vigorous and healthy may acquire useful knowledge.

age in

It is of little use to make great acquirements, if, in doing so, we sow the seeds of disease which will destroy the happiness and usefulness of life.

Worcester, Mass.

TO MY WIFE.

BY GEORGE W. BETHUNE, D. D.

AFAR from thee! the morning breaks
But morning brings no joy to me;
Alas! my spirit only wakes

To know I am afar from thee.
In dreams I saw thy blessed face,

And thou wert nestled on my breast;

In dreams I felt thy fond embrace,

And to mine own thy heart was pressed.

Afar from thee! 't is solitude!

Though smiling crowds around me be,
The kind, the beautiful, the good,
For I can only think of thee;
Of thee, the kindest, loveliest, best,
My earliest and my only one!
Without thee I am all unblessed,

And wholly blessed with thee alone.

Afar from thee! the words of praise
My listless ear unheeded greet;
What sweetest seemed, in better days,
Without thee, seems no longer sweet.
The dearest joy fame can bestow,
Is in thy moistened eye to see,
And in thy cheek's unusual glow,
Thou deem'st me not unworthy thee.

Afar from thee! the night is come,
But slumbers from my pillow flee;
O, who can rest so far from home?

And my heart's home is, love, with thee.

I kneel me down in silent prayer,
And then I know that thou art nigh;

For God, who seeth everywhere,
Bends on us both his watchful eye.

Together, in his loved embrace,

No distance can our hearts divide;
Forgotten quite the mediate space,

I kneel thy kneeling form beside.
My tranquil frame then sinks to sleep,
But soars the spirit far and free;
O, welcome be night's slumbers deep,
For then, sweet love, I am with thee.

Original.

HOW TO BEGIN WITH YOUR CHILDREN.

BY MRS. L. PILLSBURY.

I WOULD say to every parent, you cannot hope for success in education, without the aid of motives drawn from religion; and scarcely can you begin too early to imbue the tender minds of your children with its pure principles. A favorable opportunity should be embraced to make your child first acquainted with the being of God; perhaps when the sun is setting and throwing the splendor of his rays on gold and crimson clouds. Alive to the loveliness of the scene, you take your little daughter on your knee, and, with enthusiastic feeling, point her to the glorious sight. You will see by the bright sparkling of her eye and the glow on her cheek, that she has feelings bordering on rapture, as she gazes. 'Who made that dazzling sun and those rich clouds, my dear?' 'I do not know; who did, mother?'

'It was God.'

'Who is he, mother?'

'He is a Spirit, whom we cannot see; but who sees us and who made us, and all things.'

This new idea will awaken much wonder and prompt many inquiries.

She will probably think of many things, and, naming them one after another, will ask if God made them. When you have answered her inquiries, you will have given a lesson quite long enough for the first.

At another time you may speak to her of the great power of God, who not only made the sun, moon, stars, and all living creatures, but who takes care of all the creatures he has made, of every size and shape, from the little insect to the huge elephant.

At another time, you may speak of his goodness. When the birds are singing their melodious songs, tell her of the goodness of God, who made them to enjoy so much happiness; of his goodness to all creatures, in providing them food, and making them happy in so many different ways; and of his greater goodness to us, who have a thousand sources of enjoyment superior to theirs; who are made with minds capable of loving Him and praying to

Him. Tell her that God loves those who love Him and are good and kind to each other; but is displeased with those who do not obey Him and are unkind to each other.

As soon as your children are capable of understanding it, relate to them the history of the creation, the fall of man, the flood, and other instances of God's displeasure against sin. Above all, tell them of the Son of God, who came down to earth, went about doing good, and, at last died to save sinners. Before you converse with your children on these subjects, it will be peculiarly proper to retire, and by secret devotion get your own mind so deeply imbued with them, as to speak from the deep feelings of your own heart. When their minds become stored with these truths, you will always have a standard to which to refer, in deciding what is right and wrong in all their actions.

It is important that children should be early taught to read, that they may themselves be able to peruse all those passages to which you may turn in pointing out to them the rule of duty.

When a knowledge of the first principles of religion is obtained, a good beginning is made. When its pure doctrines are received in the heart, a foundation is laid for a character, on which may be built all the virtues which strengthen, and the accomplishments that adorn human nature. To erect such a building is not the business of a day; yet you will, in humble obedience to the directions of divine inspiration, endeavor that no hour shall pass without something being done toward rearing the lovely edifice. Embrace every opportunity to impart useful knowledge and correct sentiments. As far as circumstances permit, become the teachers of your children.

At school, they will be exposed to many temptations from the examples of those children who are so unhappy as not to have been taught right principles at home. If you are obliged to send them, do all in your power to counteract this influence. Of all external causes of evil, bad example is doubtless the most fruitful. Happy would a Christian mother think herself, could she by any means secure her loved ones, at all times, from its contaminating influence. But though you find this to be impossible, do not murmur, do not faint. Let the thoughts of the divine goodness and the encouraging promises of Scripture, constantly support you.

Londonderry, N. H., Sept., 1845.