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point of view this work will always be regarded as displaying the highest professional ability, an amount of energy and perseverance rarely exceeded, and a fertility of invention and resources under what were deemed insurmountable difficulties, which will always secure to Sir M. I. Brunel a high place amongst the engineers of this country.

Most of our readers have heard of the famous Thames Tunnel. As a pecuniary speculation nothing could have been more unfortunate as a work of art, few undertakings of a similar kind can at all enter into competition with it. The perseverance of the engineer and his ready resources under the most formidable and unforseen difficulties cannot be too highly commended. We can well remember the jeers and ridicule heaped on him by an unthinking public after the second irruption of the waters, as well as the "weighty professional opinions," of the more scientific. Our experience has always been in favor of what is vernacularly termed mother-wit, in preference to what most people call learning and science, and we were not therefore at the time much influenced by these objections. A mind like that of Mr. Brunel was not likely to be deterred by them, and he consequently persevered and triumphed.

During Lord Melbourne's administration Mr. Brunel received the honor of knighthood, on the recommendation of the late Lord Spencer, then Lord Althorp. Sir M. I. Brunel was a vicepresident of the Royal Society, a corresponding member of the Institute of France, and a vice-president of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was also a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. He was unaffected, simple in his habits, and benevolent, and as ready to do a kind act as he was to forget an injury. He died on the 12th December, 1849, in his 81st year, at his residence in St. James's Park, London, after a long illness which first visited him soon after the completion of the Tunnel.› The care, anxiety, and constant strain of body and mind, brought on a slight attack of paralysis, from which he never thoroughly recovered.

On reviewing the life of this great man, their appears to be much in it worthy of imitation. He not only thought, and thought well and powerfully, but he practically tested his thinkings, long before the moment came for their full development and expression.

He could survey, he could build, he could plan and execute canals, as soon as he was thrown upon his own resources; and his mind once allowed to follow its own bent, he rose to the zenith of his fame in a few years. Learning and the routine duties of life are much; but an intelligent man learns more out of his harness than in it. The world is a school, and the appliances and means of growing wise lie within us. Erudition may be gold; but Reflection-deep, calm, close, and practical, is the philosopher's stone, transmuting all it touches into that precious metal.

TRAVELLING IN "THE GOOD OLD TIMES."

A friend told me that in early life he had travelled from Gloucester to Hereford in a coach, which performed the journey of about thirty miles between the hours of five in the morning and seven in the evening. I took it for granted that they stopped on the road to dine, and spent a long afternoon in smoking, napping, or playing at bowls. But he would not acknowledge anything of the kind, and the impression on his mind was that they kept going (such going as it was,) except during the time necessarily expended in baiting the horses, which, I think, were not changed-unless indeed it were from bad to worse, by fatigue. Another friend, a physician at Sheffield, told me that one of the first times (perhaps he may have said, the first) that a coach started for London, he was a passenger. Without setting out unreasonably early in the morning, or travelling late at night, they made such progress, that the first night they lay at Nottingham, and the second at Market Harborough. The third morning they were up early, and off at five o'clock; and were in time to hear Bow Church clock strike eleven or twelve, I forget which, as they passed through Cheapside. An original bill of one of these coaches lately fell into my hands. It states that a "StageCoach to York in Four Dayes, begins on Monday the 18 of March 1678;" and thus continues

"All that are desirous to pass from London to York, or return from York to London, or any other Place on that Road; Let them Repair to the Black Swan in Holborn, in London, and the Black Swan in Cony-Street in York.

"At both which places they may be received in a StageCoach every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, which performs the whole journey in Four days (if God permit) and sets forth by Six in the Morning.

"And returns from York to Doncaster in a Forenoon, to Newark in a day and a half, to Stamford in Two days, and from Stamford to London in Two days more.-Notes and Queries.

THE PATTERN YOUTH.

THE Bible manifests a deep interest in Youth. It speaks of them-it speaks to them—with inimitable tenderness and love. It asserts their privileges, it upholds their hopes, it foreshews their dangers, and it directs all their ardent and amiable affections into those channels which alone can lead to true happiness.

To every reader, then, of the Youths' Magazine, God has a special message; he tells them what youth is, and what it ought to be, and administers doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, suited exactly to each individual

case.

Here is His "Pattern Youth." We may by and bye, say something of the particular phases though which he passes to attain this beautiful climax, as well as of those temptations and dangers which beset him on the road—“ Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim. iv. 12.)

Despise thy youth?

Despise a youth like this? The thing is utterly impossible. Hated he may be, but admired he must be; for the sceptic and the worldling both "consent to the law that it is good." Why should they, if he be well taught, whom God teaches? The time is coming when “the child shall die a hundred years old ;" and he who is to create this new state of things, sometimes anticipates his promise, and matures the fruit while the dew of youth is still upon it.

But youth must do his part. Assumption and pretence will never ward off contempt. The youth must be a real youth, with all the great and elevating influences of the text about him, or he must take heed lest he fall. The Christian is not a mere copy here; he is the model-" an example of the believers."

In a new sense, the child is to be "father to the man"-the great original, having his conversation in heaven while he walks the earth" a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men."

"In word." If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. And nothing less than perfection is required in our pattern youth. "He must keep his mouth with bit and bridle while the wicked is before him: he must open it discreetly when the weaker brother is looking on. What are the current topics of our youth in the present day? Folly and frivolity too often make up the staple of their conversation, and filthiness and foolish jestings occasionally break its unmeaning monotony. Can a fountain send forth sweet water and bitter? Yet those very lips will counterfeit God's praise in the sanctuary, and affect the proprieties of life in the family and the market. But other sins of the tongue are common amongst our youth-forward, ready, flippant speech belongs peculiarly to this period of life. Experience and converse with the world will in time teach them better, but why should they wait years for that which by God's grace may be attained to-morrow? Dogmatism in speech is especially offensive. Young folks in their own opinions know everything-they are quite positive of everything, and are richer in their limited experience, than men of mature age, who have had to unlearn more than their juniors ever knew. The pedantry of the tongue should be especially guarded against. Singularity of opinion, or expression, or a curious, captious, pseudo-logical style of speech, is a fault not uncommon amongst youth. Paul was tenderly alive on this point, and more than once cautions even our pattern youth against its indulgence. "Avoid," he says, "profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called"-" fables and endless genealogies"-" foolish and unlearned questions." And why? The answer is a sermon in few words-"they gender strifes." We are not unfriendly to enquiry; sometimes we make no objection to agitation, if thoughtfully begun and wisely followed out. But "strifes," especially of word, bear too poor fruit to repay the cost; "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every

man."

66 "In conversation." "The word 'conversation' in our Bible

usually means conduct and manner of life."* It is so used here. Paul places his wicked, persecuting practices in this category, and his assimilation to the unregenerate Ephesians, while good men are represented as having their conversation in heaven. St. James seems to combine both the ideas of speech and practice when he enjoins us to shew out of a good conversation our works with meekness of wisdom. Perhaps, in the purity and simplicity of these first Christian days, the life was always the illustrator of the tongue, as the tongue was the exponent of the heart. Let it be so now.

66

In charity." Young hearts were made to love-let that love then be generous, expansive, "without dissimulation," deep, pure, fervent. It has enough to do-" to love God with all the heart, and soul, and strength, and our neighbour as ourself." We have its measure always with us, and ours be the shame that we so seldom use it. Let it be perennial and disinterested. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." So "prove the sincerity of your love."

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"In spirit." Can the Great Father of Spirits be satisfied with legal or literal obedience? Youth is, what it is in spirit. And this spirit, hidden though it seem, speaks out and moulds the life. Else how can it present an example" to the world of what a believer should be. No Christian can be great in the world who is not great in the closet, He has no strength unless "strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus." Weighed by our blessed Saviour's own standard, how few appear to "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." "If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his."

"In faith." Faith is the Christian's patrimony. It was all Abraham had; he "sojourned in a strange land," but by its means realized the promised possession. Timothy, though but a youth, was to be in this, as in all other things, an "example" to the believer-to him who took his very name from this precious inheritance. It was sound, strong, deep; the " one faith" of the gospel; the all-conquering influence that could

* Pocket Paragraph Bible, on 1 Cor. i. 12.

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