It was during the time John Cassell was thus engaged trying to teach others that he realised his own want of education, and the need which existed for something to be done to arouse the masses of the people to the importance of cultivating their minds. Books, however, were dear and scarce. The more he improved his own mind, the deeper became his desire for others to share with him the benefits he had gained himself. He did not believe in trusting to chance, or expect something to turn up, without doing all he could to turn it up.

Never forget that great abilities have often been less serviceable to the possessors than moderate ones. For this simple reason-those who know they possess power to do a thing easily, are apt to trust to it to make up for the needful effort to do the thing well; while those who realise they possess but moderate abilities give proper attention and earnest effort, and hence, like the tortoise in the fable, reach the goal before the hare awakes. As Bishop Butler remarks in his "Analogy :—“ By_accustoming ourselves to any course of acting, we get an aptness to go on, a facility, readiness, and often pleasure in it. The inclinations which rendered us averse to it, grow weaker; the difficulties in it, not only the imaginary but the real ones, lessen the reasons for it, offer themselves of course to our thoughts upon all occasions; and the least glimpse of them is sufficient to make us go on in a course of action to which we have been accustomed."

It is easier to dream yourself to be a philosopher, an orator, or a statesman, than to be willing to put forth the needful exertion to train yourself for the position. Dreaming will not do it. Work, with God's blessing, does. Success in this, as in every

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thing, is beyond the reach of the lazy. It is a grand thing, therefore, to be resolved to store the mind with knowledge. To feel it to be a duty to be discharged at all hazards. Once let that be done, and when the same duty returns, it will become pleasant and profitable, and a source of joy. For "the soul to be without knowledge is not good;" to be with knowledge therefore is good, and worthy of every effort to secure in all its fulness.

This idea was illustrated by John Cassell at a meeting in Exeter Hall, London, for the consideration of the best methods for diminishing the sin and evils of drunkenness. Many remedies were suggested. At length the young carpenter arose to his feet and startled the audience by saying in his clear Lancashire voice, "I have it! The remedy is EDUCATION. Educate the working men and women, and you have a remedy for the crying evil of the country. Give the people mental food, and they will not thirst after the abominable drink which is poisoning them."

From that moment he devoted himself earnestly to the realisation of this great idea as the ruling passion. of his life, and through it he became the pioneer of a class of literature exactly suitable to the existing wants of the people, and which has grown with its growth, until now Cassell's publications are a household word all over the civilised world.

5. HE WHO WOULD FULFIL HIS MISSION IN THIS

WORLD MUST BE A MAN OF ONE IDEA..

It is quite certain that no one can become successful in everything; while the man or woman who says, "This one thing I do," will most assuredly accomplish more than those who, in trying to become "Jacks-of-all-trades," become masters of none. "What

I admire in Columbus," says a thoughtful writer, "is not that he discovered America, but that he went to look for it, on the faith of an idea." It was in this way that many men and women in days gone by risked their lives upon an idea, and in doing so enriched the world by their devotion. It was this spirit which led Carey, when a village preacher, to take as his theme when calling upon the Churches to establish missionary societies, "Expect great things from God, aim at great things for God." Subsequent events justified the

correctness of his decision and the wisdom of his advice, thus clearly defined to those who at that time had little sympathy with his efforts, or faith in their success. There are indeed no small duties, so to speak; nothing that influences human virtue and happiness can be really trifling, however foolish people may try to prevent their being performed.

It was a wise saying of the late Dr. Beaumont, the eminent Wesleyan minister, when, speaking on the importance of men and women striving to give embodiment to their ideas in practical form, he said, "Sometimes I hear a talk about a man with one idea. Well, I like a man to have an idea; it is a great property, is an idea. Some people seem as if they had no ideas at all; but I like a man of one idea. What is a man of one idea? Why, he is a man in whom an idea takes possession of his skull, and of both hemispheres of his brain; of the frontal region, the back region, and the lateral region; and the idea walks up and down in his brain from hemisphere to hemisphere, from convolution to convolution, and thus the man is literally a man of one idea. And when the one idea is that knowledge shall be everywhere and ignorance nowhere, order everywhere and disorder nowhere, liberty everywhere

and slavery nowhere-when that one idea is that truth shall be everywhere and falsehood nowhere, love everywhere and hatred nowhere, concord everywhere and discord nowhere, Christ everywhere and Satan nowhere on the earth at all-that is a grand idea."

We know not how much we are indebted for the privileges we possess, and the blessings we enjoy, to those who have been thus absorbed by an idea of leaving the world better than they found it, and to none perhaps more than John Cassell, who by persistent devotion laid the foundation of the great work now being carried on by the firm bearing his name.

John Cassell's interest in the Temperance movement continued unabated up to the day of his death, by taking the chair or speaking at public meetings. The following is a sample of his convictions:

On Whit Monday, 1840, at the festival of the Fitzroy Society, in the Assembly Rooms, Gower Street, when 300 took tea, Mr. Cassell testified most amply, from his own experience, as well as from extensive observation, that abstaining from all intoxicating drinks is safe, salutary, and beneficial in the highest degree; and met many of the objections urged against teetotalism in a masterly manner.

At the Society's 11th anniversary at Little Portland Street-1849-he dwelt earnestly upon the necessity of convincing professors of Christianity they must either adopt and propagate the total abstinence principle or cease to be regarded as patriots and philanthropists. In regard to the working classes he remarked there could be no rational hope of their elevation unless the efforts made were identified with teetotalism.

On Monday, February 17th, Mr. Cassell, in Fitzroy Hall, detailed his projected plan for the registration of

houses in which lodging, board, &c., might be provided for the visitors to the Great Exhibition of 1851, especially for the working classes. After detailing the plan, and a discussion, it "was approved of, and resolved that all present should exert themselves to give it due effect."

At the Fitroy's 22nd anniversary-October, 1861— in the Music Hall, Store Street, John Cassell stated he had been 26 years a teetotaler. He also gave a remarkable illustration which had come to his knowledge while collecting facts for the Council on Education, respecting two families living at Bolton, showing that intemperance was the great obstacle to the education of the young. "The income of one family was £3 per week. They lived in squalor and wretchedness; the children. attended no school, nor the parents a place of worship. The neighbouring family only received 18s. per week, and with them all was neatness and comfort. The children were educated, and attended Sunday School and a place of worship. What was the reason of this diversity of circumstances? The former spent their large earnings in intoxicating drinks, while the latter lived frugally, and made the most of their time and money."

It was the one ruling passion of his soul; nothing perhaps could illustrate this spirit better than the following incident, which took place some time after he had pushed his way up the ladder of prosperity :- He was one day waited upon to obtain permission for his portrait for publication in an illustrated paper, to which he replied, “No, I started in life with one ambition, and that was to have one clean shirt every day of my life; this I have accomplished now for some years; but I have a second ambition, and that is to be an M. P., and represent the people's cause; then I shall be