Now this seems to be an allusion to the practice of melting metals, by covering them with burning coals; and its probable meaning is-by kindness and forbearance to thine enemy, thou wilt "melt him to compassiom, and subdue his stubborn opposition ;" -a truly wise, as well as a truly Christian precept. V. HYMN, By the late Duchess of Devonshire, written at thirteen Years of Age. When I behold with wond'ring eyes, Each flow'r, each shrub, conspires to sing Who gave each shrub, each flow'r its dye. Who gave the sun its balmy heat, Who made the universe complete, And formed the earth from pole to pole. With me in hallelujahs join, To sing our great Creator's praise, Let us our grateful voices raise. CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO SERVANT As Sarah Bright, a respectable Farmer's daughter in a little Village, was one day standing at her Father's door, a young woman came up to her, whom to Sarah's great surprise, she saw was Betsy Jones, a neighbour's daughter, who had been for some time living housemaid in a gentleman's family, and was so very gaily drest, that, at first, Sarah hardly knew her. Betsy stopped; and Sarah asked her where she was going, so smartly drest. B. Going! why to the Fair to be sure; are you not going? All the world will be there. S. (laughing) And what have you to do with all the world, as you call it, Betsy? I am sure all the good people in the world would respect you more for staying at home, and minding your work, than for running about to Fairs, drest out so finely. Why what do you expect to be taken for? B. Why, for my Mistress perhaps, till they see my face, for I am sure I look as smart as she does; my clothes are made just like her's, and I always put them on in the same way. I have heard that people sometimes have not known which of us it was at a little distance. S. And pray what good does it do you for people to make such a mistake. Suppose any of your Mistress's friends should speak to you for her, what would you do? B. Do! Why I should turn my face another way. S. Well then, Betsy, what pleasure can there be in doing a thing that makes you ashamed to look people in the face? Do not you think they would respect you a great deal more, if you were dressed as befits your station? B. Why, Sarah! You stay at home till you get quite old fashioned in your notions. Respect indeed! why who thinks of respect to a young girl like me? It is all very well to respect an old woman. S. But remember, Betsy, that an old woman must be a young one first; and if she does not behave so as to be respected when she is young, she will not be so when she is old, depend upon it. But does your Mistress like your dressing in this way? B. My Mistress like it! Bless you, if she saw me, she would be so angry, that, ten to one but I should lose my place. I was obliged to hurry out by the back way, for fear of her getting a glimpse at me; and, when I am at the Fair, I must keep a sharp look out that she may not see me. S. Well then, Betsy, do let me prevail upon you not to go at all. In the first place, if you do, you will be perhaps tempted to spend all your money; and, in the next, your pleasure will be half taken away by being constantly on the watch that your mistress may not see you; and if, after all your care, she should happen to meet you, you own that you should most likely lose a good place. Now only think how sad a thing that would be to be turned away for a fault, that would perhaps prevent any respectable family from taking you. What advantage can it be to you to run such a risk merely for the sake of looking smart? Do tell me. B. Advantage! dear I wish you would not use such formal words. Advantage! why I don't know. S. Then as you do know the disadvantage it may be to you, and cannot see the advantage, pray do take my advice and do not go on, for you can gain nothing by doing it. B. Indeed but I may Sarah. Who knows but I inay gain a Sweetheart at the Fair? S. Why Betsy I thought you were engaged to marry John Robbins? B. Aye, so I am; but perhaps I may meet with a better. S. How can you talk so lightly? I have always heard Robbins spoken of as a steady, industrious young man; and what can you want with another sweetheart? you cannot marry two people. B. No I know that, but I may have the choice of two, and marry the richest mayn't I? S. Dear Betsy, you are saying now what you know to be wrong. B. Well, Sarah, it is of no use talking to me about it. I've a right to do as I like, so good morning to you. A few weeks after this conversation, as Sarah was walking down the village, she met Betsy, looking very melancholy, and, on asking her kindly, what was the matter, she burst into tears, and said "Ah Sarah, how glad I should be if I had but taken your advice, and not gone to the Fair. I have lost both my good place, and John Robbins, by going as I did. I was walking about with a young woman I knew a little of, and whom I met in the Fair, when a gentleman joined us, who was, she said, an old acquaintance of her's. He walked about with us for some time, and then offered to treat us to see the wild beasts. Well, just as we were coming out of the Show, who should I meet but my mistress? I saw, in a moment, how much she was displeased; so my pleasure was at an end at once. The next day she told me, that I must leave her place, for she never would keep a servant who dressed so improperly, and walked about with gentlemen." S. And how came you to lose Robbins too? B. Why, it seems he came to the Fair, when he had done work, to look for me; and, though I did not see him, he watched me for some time, and came to me a day or two afterwards to tell me so, and that he had been considering, that a young woman who could dress herself out so very fine, and go flaunting about all day at a Fair, with people whom she could know little or nothing about, and particularly with gentlemen, was not likely to make a fit wife for a poor working man, and therefore he should have no more to say to me; and he has been as good as his word. S. Well, Betsy I am sure I am very sorry for you; and I hope this will be a warning to you never again to persist in doing what you know to be wrong. Depend upon it, when we dress so much beyond our station in life, people, and even such as are by no means disposed to judge harshly, will think that we cannot come by eur smart clothes in an honest way; and I believe young women's characters often suffer without any other reason than for having gratified a foolish vanity by appearing in a fine dress; but this ought to make us careful, for what is so valuable to a servant girl as a good character? Though it may seem hard to be judged wrongfully, you know our fellow creatures can only judge of us by what they see; and, if we are seen to keep company with people whose conduct or whose station makes them improper companions for us; or if we are dressed in a manner unbecoming our condition, we must not be surprized if our reputation should suffer. I am sure I sincerely hope, that you will, by an entire change of conduct, and dress, convince people that you sincerely repent of your past folly. I am only speaking to you now of the worldly advantage of considering these things. There are other evils, more serious still, arising from these bad habits. But at present, I say, I do not touch upon these; and only ask you to see that right conduct is the way even to earthly happiness and prosperity. J. D. BRAN-BEER.-YEAST.-PHYSIC. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, I HAVE read your correspondent's recipe for making bran beer, (page 180, Vol. II); and, what is more, I have tried it; and it succeeds exactly; a neighbour of mine always means to use it for summer drink. I suppose, Sir, that you do not try every recipe, yourself, before you put it into your book. One of your correspondents says, that your first recipe for making yeast did not answer. cannot tell, as I did not try it; but I expect that a good deal depends upon practice, in these matters, NO. 32.-VOL. III. X I |