would say that a very little time would do for him to learn it in ; and he would often laugh at Joseph Dunn for plodding over his lesson, and being so long in learning it. Sam prided himself on his quickness, and thought Dunn a slow stupid boy, and would often call him So. Now this was very unkind; for, if Dunn was a slow boy, he could not help that, and if Charnock's abilities were better, there was nothing in this for him to pride himself upon. Moreover, the truth of the matter is, that though one boy may be quicker than another, yet, if he is idle, and will not exercise his understanding, he will gain but very little knowledge, and thus he will soon be considered a dull boy by every one who examines him whilst, on the contrary, a boy who is not so quick, will, if he be industrious, get together a great deal of knowledge; and the practice which he gives his mind, will make it every day better; so that, in time, he will find his work become easy to him, and will so improve his understanding, that people will soon leave off considering him a dull boy. The understanding of

a quick idle boy will, in truth, every day grow worse; that of a slow diligent boy will grow every day better. Thus it was with the two boys we are talking about. Sam Charnock thought himself so quick that be never gave himself time to study his lesson proper ly, and so never said a good one; and thus he grew into such a slovenly way of doing business, that at last he seemed as if he could not say a good lesson even if he tried. But Dunn gave plenty of time and study to his lessons, and always repeated them in a neat, clear, and exact manner; it cost him a good deal of labour at first, but he went on steadily, till, in a very little time, he found it quite easy to learn all the lessons that were set him. Dunn had read the story of the hare and the tortoise, where the quick, frisking hare lost the race, being beaten by the steady tortoise, who was constantly at work.

Charnock, and Dunn are now both grown up meu, and both in business; Charnock is a man who knows little or nothing, and whatever he undertakes seems to fail; but Dunn is con

sidered as a man who knows well what he is about; he is diligent and intelligent, and whatever he undertakes he gives his mind to it as a man should do. He is in a prosperous and flourishing way of business, and is a man whose opinion is respected by every tradesman in the neighbourhood.

ALL my young readers are too wise to believe that there ever was a time when

(FROM A BRIEF VIEW OF SCRIPTURE HISTORY FOR CHILDREN.)

(Continued from page 23.)

AND it came to pass, that, when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called his eldest son Esau, and said to him,

-My son, go now to hunt in the field, and bring me savoury meat, such as I love, and I will bless thee before I die, and pray that the promises of God may come upon thee.-So Esau went to the field to hunt; and while he was away, his brother Jacob took some meat which his mother gave him, and put on h his brother Esau's clothes, and took the meat in to his father Isaac. And his father could not see him, because he was very blind. And Jacob said to his father, I am thy first born son Esau, I have brought thee meat as thou badest me; eat of it, I pray thee, and bless me as thou hast promised me. So Isaac took him for his eldest