money at your disposal than this good clergyman who does so much-more, indeed, than many other clergymen."

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Yes, the

power of being generous," said Mr. Desmond, 66 depends on our prudence, and its sole virtue on our being willing to sacrifice our own self-indulgence to the necessities of others."

"But sometimes," said Mrs. Desmond, "the indulgence we must sacrifice is the most difficult to one of Evelyn's disposition to relinquish—the pleasure of giving largely—yet it interferes, perhaps, with other smaller, though more necessary charities."

"In short," said Mr. Stanley, "though we are told to do good and to distribute, we must not squander even our charities, or we shall be unable to do good rightly."

Evelyn looked grave, she sighed, and for some minutes all were silent, till Mr. Stanley observing that they were returning from church by a different path from that which they had gone in the morning, noticed the river and its pretty banks, on which were scattered trees and neat cottages. They looked into two or three as Mr. Stanley wished to see them, and found the families neatly dressed and happily enjoying the Sabbath-day's rest. In one the father of the family was reading the Bible; in another the Irish reader was explaining the Scriptures to several poor people, who listened with avidity and delight.

"I do not like intruding on their happy day of rest," said Mrs. Desmond, "and I prefer going to them on a weekday, though we may not find them as clean or as well prepared for a visit from strangers."

"No, but we shall see them in their habitual state," said Mr. Stanley laughing.

They soon afterwards arrived at home, and the remainder of the day was spent partly in reading and partly in serious, yet social conversation.

There was no evening service at the church, the rector being obliged to visit the other extremity of the parish, where there were several families who were unable to attend the morning service. But Mr. and Mrs. Desmond had long been in the habit of reading to their family every Sunday

evening, not only the prayers, but the Psalms and appointed lessons, being of opinion that we should not omit those important parts of the evening service which by exciting the attention of the congregation give them an increased interest in the prayers.

A few of their poorer neighbours, who would have gone to evening service had there been any at the church, gladly accepted Mr. Desmond's invitation to join the family worship.

Mabel, as usual, read the Psalms along with her father, while Mrs. Desmond read the lessons with a clear soft voice, in a distinct and unaffectedly impressive manner. On the present evening Mr. Stanley was requested to read prayers, and he observed with satisfaction the profound attention of some of those poor but pious people who had come to this little congregation. He read a short sermon, and then concluded the service with the beautiful and comprehensive blessing in the sixth chapter of Numbers.

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CHAPTER XVI.

Visit to the Great Bog-Decayed Plants Ancient Forests of Ireland — Sphagnum - Stumps of Trees - Bog-Wood - House found under a Bog Moving Bog - Bog-Trotters Turf-Cutting Irish Readers.

THE weather continuing favourable the next day, Mr. Desmond was reminded by his guest of the promised visit to the bog, and it was soon arranged that the day should be devoted to bog-trotting. Gerald and Mabel were of the party of course, but their mother would not venture, well knowing that Mr. Desmond's fear of her being fatigued might cause some restraint.

Provided with botanical cases, and a little basket of sandwiches, biscuits, and gingerbread, to fortify them in their rambles, they set out at eleven.

Passing through different fields from those they had last visited, and crossing by a rustic bridge over the same rivulet they had lately passed, they saw before them a vast extent of heath; along the edge of which the pretty bog asphodel, just coming into blossom, seemed to mark with its golden flowers the commencement of the adjoining wet and spongy

morass.

As their path skirted it for some way, Evelyn's attention was directed by her father to the variations of the soils, which were marked by the different wild plants. On the most solid part of the bog heath grew in profusion, with sometimes a few furze-bushes intermixed; while on the damp edges of the path were sedge-grass and rushes; the beautiful pinguicula showing here and there in purple tufts. He then pointed to many wet patches where bright green moss appeared thickly spread over the surface, and, gathering a specimen of it, gave it to Mabel to put in her botanical case.

"That soft green mossy place looks very different from this on which we are walking," said Evelyn.

"Yes: but they are both called bog," said Mr. Desmond; "the name is given indiscriminately to very different kinds of substances; it always implies, however, something loose and infirm-a soft earthy substance; it is an Irish word which signifies shaky or trembling. In that mossy part the water is pent up near the surface, and renders it so soft, that if you attempted to walk there you would sink. On the other hand, those parts that have been either naturally or artificially drained, become, as you see, more dry and solid; and in that state bog may be more justly termed peat."

"You told me, papa, that bog is said to be formed of decayed trees and other vegetable substances," said Evelyn. "Yes, that seems to be the general impression," he replied, "and with good reason I think; for it is well known that formerly extensive woods stood in the very places now occupied by bogs, both in this country and Great Britain as well as on the Continent; indeed I have heard of some instances where the trees that formerly stood there are still remembered by old people; and in many of our bogs the stems and roots of large trees are found at a great depth beneath the surface, which seems to confirm that opinion."

"But what threw down the trees, papa?"

"Some one of the many apparently accidental causes by which nature seems to work-a deposit of sand, washed down from the hills, may have formed a barrier or dam across the stream which conveyed it; fallen leaves, broken twigs, and fresh materials from the higher grounds, increase the barrier; and large pools of stagnant water being thus formed, the soil in which the trees stand becomes soft and loose, the roots gradually decay, and at length, easily yielding to the force of the winds, the trees themselves fall, adding immediate weight aud solidity to the mass."

"It seems extraordinary," said Mr. Stanley, "that there should have been formerly such extensive forests in a country where nothing but bog now appears."

"Yes, but you remember Spenser says―

"Of woods and forests which therein abound,"

replied Mr. Desmond. "The face of the country has indeed changed; but observe, I do not confine the formation of bog to the fall of forests only, for many shallow bogs are to be found on the steep sides of our mountains, where it is not probable that thick woods ever stood, and where it is not possible that pools and stagnant waters could have ever existed. The humidity of our climate encourages the rapid growth of several plants which I shall presently have an opportunity of showing you, and which seem to be an essential part of all bogs. But in the mean time I wish to mention a fact worth your observation. It is that pieces of the bark of trees are often found, undecayed, in the substance of the peat; their structure and fibrous appearance being so distinct in the inner rind that the very species of tree to which they belonged can be easily distinguished."

"How extraordinary it seems, papa, that in such a substance any part should preserve the form so distinctly as to show its species! May there not be some fancy in that ?"

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"No, my dear: I assure you that the fact is within my own knowledge; and I will add that the peculiar character of each bog may be traced by observing the remains of the different plants of which it was chiefly composed."

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"I wish you would show me an instance," said Mr. Stanley. "Most willingly," Mr. Desmond replied, leading them towards a party of men who were cutting a drain. "In the first place," said he, "you may observe the evident remains of heath in some places; but now, compare those scraps to which I point with my stick with the thick tufts of soft green moss that I showed you on the wet, impassable bog.— Mabel, have you the specimen I gave you?"

"Yes, papa, here it is; and here are also specimens that Gerald and I gathered of the conferva and the pretty little water ranunculus.”

"Oh! as to that ranunculus aquatica, it contributes as much as any plant to the formation of bog. Growing very rapidly, it will in one summer spread over the whole surface of the water in which it is found, and its stems being all matted together it drops in winter to the bottom. The following summer a new layer spreads over the surface, and