principles they do not feel that they can depend. In the higher orders of life, there is often reason to deplore an union with professed rakes: for men that give unbridled scope to their lusts very seldom prove kind and affectionate husbands. But, to young women in humble life, this narrative speaks in forcible terms.. To them may be addressed the simple but awful language of Scripture," When sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” When men pay their addresses, women should look well to their character: they should never, as in the case before us, harbour their followers privately, either in the house, or about the premises; they should not stay up with them, without the knowledge of their parents, or master or mistress, because those persons, who are afraid of being seen, never can mean any good. Had this poor female obeyed her master's order, and retired to her apartment, (as he had that night commanded her) and never have quitted it, she would not have been cruelly murdered by a midnight assassin, nor have been thus summoned, at a moment's notice, before the tribunal of her God. She is not the only female, who, after having been thus abused, has, in the end, been barbàrously put out of the way. One man, like the abandoned Fallows, suffered for a similar murder at Lymn, in the County of Chester, about twenty-five years ago; and many other such instances might be produced. This account likewise speaks in very strong language to those men, who delight in acts of sensuality and debauchery: who scatter fire-brands, arrows, and death, and say, "Am I not in sport ?" There is no saying to what extent unlawful intercourse may reach: a beginner in wickedness shudders at the bare mention of those acts of enormity, which he is often afterwards tempted to commit, and like Hazael, is ready to say, Is thy servant a dog that he should do these things? But how often, in his mad career, does he either do the most

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horrid deeds of wickedness, or, to say the least, is led to commit actions full of hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness. These observations will, we trust, have their due weight on those females who may chance to read your valuable miscellany. The account of this horrid transaction should influence them rather to trust to the advice of their best friends, their parents, masters, or guardians, than to put any confidence in the gross flattery, and lying promises of artful deceivers. This caution is very needful; it cannot be too often repeated. Whilst we lament the melancholy death of this young woman, let us call to mind the cases of many unfortunate females, who, though they may have escaped the edge of the murderer's knife, have had a dagger plunged into their hearts, by the base and cruel treatment of those men, who first seduced them from the paths of duty, and left them to tread those ways, which lead to death, both temporal and eternal! The above account is true.

A CHESHIRE CURATE.

7

ON TEACHING HYMNS TO CHILDREN.

MANY parents are in the habit of teaching their children to repeat a hymn every morning and evening, before they kneel down to their prayers.

This is a very good practice; and, in this way, children will soon have a large stock of religious knowledge in their minds. Children are generally very fond of learning hymns. There is something in the poetry which pleases their ear, and thus finds a passage to their minds. Since the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge" put Dr. Watts's Hymns on their List, there is scarcely a charity-school in England, where those beautiful little poems are not known. We conceive that the education of children, in a Christian manner, is the best gift that can

possibly be bestowed upon them; though, like all ather blessings, this may be abused. Many persons who can read, will employ that talent in reading wicked and profane books; and many persons are fond of storing their memory with filthy and proftigate songs. When the mind is filled with these polluted images, the conduct is generally just such as we should expect very profligate, and very bad. But, when good notions are put into the mind, we may expect, with God's blessing, that the conduct will be improved. We have generally found, that children learn verse sooner, like it better, and remember it more easily than prose; and where there is a good store of pious verses in the memory, some of them will be perpetually coming into the mind, and will help to keep away wicked thoughts, and probably be a great check to the commission of crime.

We are aware, that many persons turn out very ill, though great pains have been taken to fill their mind with religious instruction. But still we must use the means; and we must remember too, that it is not enough to try only one thing that is good, but we must try all practicable methods. It is not enough to teach children to repeat religious verses, unless a consistent plan of religious instruction be given them, and an example constantly set before them of Christian conduct, and Christian temper. We have ourselves seen a very great advantage arising from teaching hymns to children; we are alluding principally to what we have observed in charity-school children. But the same thing applies to children at home. We never reflect on the good to be derived from sacred poetry, without thinking of the couplet of the pious George Herbert :

"A verse may eatch him, who a sermon flies,
And turn delight into a sacrifice."

The following Hymn may be used by a Child before its Morning Prayer.

1.

My Father, I thank thee for sleep,
For quiet and peaceable rest;
I thank Thee for stooping to keep
An infant from being distrest.

O, how can a poor little creature repay
Thy fatherly kindness by night and by day.

2.

My voice would be lisping thy praise;
My heart would repay Thee with love;
O teach me to walk in thy way,

And fit me to see Thee above;

For Jesus said, "Let little children come nigh;"
And he will not despise such an infant as I.

3.

As long as Thou seest it right,

That here upon earth I should stay;
I pray Thee to guard me by night,

And help me to serve Thee by day;

That when all the days of my life shall have past,
I may worship Thee better in Heav'n at last,

Hymns for Infant Minds.

METHOD OF SUPPLYING THE POOR WITH FUEL To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

THE poor are frequently blamed for want of forethought. In too many instances they may, perhaps, deserve this censure; but, on some occasions, I hear fault found with them when the evil really arises from the circumstances in which they are placed, and could not be prevented by any means in their power. For example, the want of fuel last winter gave occasion, in many places, to the most painful

suffering; and much of the recent unhealthiness may be traced to this privation; yet how few Cottagers are there, who have it in their power to guard against such a misfortune in future. In the southern and midland counties, a labourer must be very much before-hand indeed, and have made long and steady use of the Savings-Bank before he could raise money enough to lay in, all at once, his stock of winter fuel; and, even, if he had the money, where is he to find a place to keep it in? These two difficulties stand in the way of the most careful and industrious; nor can they, in common cases, be got over by any effort of their own. But there is a remedy which is so easily adopted, and has now become so general, that I shall, perhaps, be telling many of your readers only what they know already, if I give the particulars of a "Coal Fund," or Provision for the Winter. The Clergyman, or some other proper person in a country parish, agrees to receive from the poor Cottagers a shilling or eighteen-pence, as a weekly contribution, beginning from the first of May, and continued to the end of harvest; for about sixteen weeks. When coals are at the cheapest, he makes an agreement with some neighbouring coal-merchant, to furnish as much as he finds he shall want for all his contributors; these are stored in some secure place; and, when winter comes, are distributed, by a weekly delivery, among the contributors, at the cost price. Thus, if the contributions of a family have amounted to sixteen shillings, and the coals have been laid in at one shilling per bushel; they will have a right to receive sixteen bushels of coals, upon applying at a place and time appointed. The details of the arrangement must of course prove more or less easy according to local circumstances; but in no case can there be any obstacle, which may not easily be overcome by any person, who is but moderately acquainted with ordinary business.