the most thriving apple-trees he could find. Edmund assisted him with his advice in rearing it; and Moses embraced every occasion of paying attention to it. He was now never out of humour with his comrades, and still less with himself; for he applied cheerfully to work and in autumn he had the pleasure of seeing his tree fully answer his hopes. Thus, he had the double advantage of enriching himself with a splendid crop of fruit; and, at the same time, of subduing the vicious habits he had contracted.

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His father was so well pleased with this change, that, the following year, he divided the produce of a small orchard between him and his brother.

BERQUIN.

SECTION VIII.

The secret of being always satisfied.

A CERTAIN Italian bishop was remarkable for This happy and contented disposition. He met with much opposition, and encountered many difficulties in his journey through life; but it was observed, that he never repined at his condition, or betrayed the least degree of impatience. An intimate friend of his, who highly admired the virtue which he thought it impossible to imitate, one day asked the prelate, if he could communicate the secret of being always satisfied. "Yes," replied the good old man, "I can teach you my secret,

and with great facility. it consists in nothing

more, than in making right use of my eyes." His friend begged him to explain himself. "Most willingly," returned the bishop. "In whatever state I am, I first of all look up to heaven; and reflect, that my principal business here is to get to that blest abode. I then look down upon the earth, and call to mind that, when I am dead, I shall occupy but a small space in it. I then look abroad into the world, and observe what multitudes there are, who, in every respect, are less fortunate than myself. Thus I learn where true happiness is placed; where all our cares must end; and how very little reason I have to repine, or to complain."

SECTION IX.

Beneficence its own reward.

PIGALLE, the celebrated artist, was a man of great humanity. Intending, on a particular occasion, to make a journey from Lyons to Paris, he laid by twelve louis-d'ors to defray his expenses. But a little before the time proposed for his setting out, he observed a man walking, with strong marks of deep-felt sorrow in his countenance and deportment. Pigalle, impelled by the feelings of a benevolent heart, accosted him, and inquired, with much tenderness, whether it was in his power to afford him any relief. The stranger, impressed

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with the manner of this friendly address, did not hesitate to lay open his distressed situation. "For want of ten louis-d'ors," said he, "I must be dragged this evening to a dungeon; and be separated from a tender wife and a numerous family." "Do you want no more?" exclaimed the humane artist. "Come along with me: I have twelve louis-d'ors in my trunk; and they are all at your service."

The next day a friend of Pigalle's met him; and inquired whether it was true, that he had, as was publicly reported, very opportunely relieved a poor man and his family, from the greatest distress. "Ah, my friend!" said Pigalle, "what a delicious supper did I make last night, upon bread and cheese, with a family, whose tears of gratitude marked the goodness of their hearts; and who blessed me at every mouthful they eat !"

SECTION X.

The compassionate judge.

THE celebrated Charles Anthony Domat was promoted to the office of a judge of a provincial court, in the south of France, in which he presided, with public applause, for twenty-four years. One day a poor widow brought a complaint before him, against the baron de Nairac, her landlord, for turning her out of possession of a farm which was her whole dependence. Domat heard the cause; and finding, by the clearest evidence, that the woman had ignorantly broken a covenant in

the lease, which empowered the landlord to take possession of the farm, he recommended mercy to the baron, towards a poor honest tenant, who had not wilfully transgressed, or done him any material injury. But Nairac being inexorable, the judge was obliged to pronounce a sentence of expulsion from the farm, and to order payment of the damages mentioned in the lease, together with the costs of the suit. In delivering this sentence, Domat wiped his eyes, from which tears of compassion flowed plentifully. When the order of seizure, both of her person and effects, was decreed, the poor woman exclaimed: "O just and righteous God! be thou a father to the widow and her helpless orphans !" and immediately she fainted away. The compassionate judge assisted in raising the distressed woman; and after inquiring into her character, the number of her children, and other circumstances, generously presented her with a hundred louis-d'ors, the amount of her damages and costs, which he prevailed with the baron to accept as a full recompense; and the widow was restored to her farm. Deeply affected with the generosity of her benefactor, she said to him: "O my lord; when will you demand payment, that I may lay up for that purpose ?” “I will ask it," replied Domat, "when my conscience shall tell me I have done an improper act."

SECTION XI.

The generous negro.

JOSEPH RACHEL, a respectable negro, resided

in the island of Barbadoes.

He was a trader, and

dealt chiefly in the retail way. In his business, he conducted himself so fairly and complaisantly, that, in a town filled with little peddling shops, his doors were thronged with customers. I have often dealt with him, and always found him remarkably honest and obliging. If any one knew not where to obtain an article, Joseph would endeavour to procure it, without making any advantage for himself. In short, his character was so fair, and his manners were so generous, that the best people showed him a regard, which they often denied to men of their own colour, because they were not blessed with the like goodness of heart.

In 1756, a fire happened, which burned down great part of the town, and ruined many of the inhabitants. Joseph lived in a quarter that escaped the destruction; and expressed his thankfulness, by softening the distresses of his neighbours. Among those who had lost their property by this heavy misfortune, was a man to whose family, Joseph, in the early part of his life, owed some obligations. This man, by too great hospitality, an excess very common in the West Indies,