INTRODUCTION.

MR. BENYON resided at a handsome country seat on the coast of Hampshire in England. In early life he had been engaged in the busy pursuits of commerce, in the neighborhood of London. These he had now relinquished. His state of health rendered the sea-air necessary to his welfare; and as his father had left him a considerable fortune, he was well able to give up the profits of trade to those who had more need of them.

And he was as willing to do so, as he was able; for he was fond of a retired, contemplative life. And especially was this the case, when he had lost his wife, who died after a long illness, leaving a fine little boy to his care. He determined, therefore, to gratify the best wishes of his heart, by devoting his leisure hoursto the education of this child. His sentiments on this important subject, were in unison with those of Cow

per; when conversing upon this topic, he would often repeat the following lines, with much interest and animation ;

"Then why resign into a stranger's hand

A task so much within your own command,
That God and nature, and your interest too,

Seem with one voice to delegate to you?

Why hire a lodging in a house unknown,

For one, whose tenderest thoughts all hover round your own?
This second weaning, needless as it is,

How does it lacerate both your heart and his!

The indented stick, that looses day by day,
Notch after notch, till all are smoothed away,
Bears witness, long ere his dismission come,
With what intense desire he wants his home!'

Thus Mr. Benyon determined to be "Father, and Friend, and Tutor, all in one ;" and he was well qualified for the task.

His household was regulated very much in the style of the best of our forefathers. For example, he had a high degree of reverence for the Holy Scriptures; he believed, with Locke, that they "have God for their author, salvation for their end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for their matter." He felt, that the testimony of Sir W. Jones, in reference to the Bible, was well-founded; "I have regularly," said that learned man, "and attentively read the Holy

Scriptures; and am of opinion, that this volume, independently of its divine origin, contains more sublimity and beauty, more pure morality, more important history, and finer strains of poetry and eloquence, than can be collected from all other books, in whatever age or language they may have been composed."

The friends and relatives of Mr. Benyon often visited him in his retirement; but, whoever might be present, he assembled his household each morning and evening, to hear a portion of the sacred pages, and to offer supplication and thanksgiving to the great source of all good.

Harry was a very sensible boy, and apt to ask questions about every thing. His father encouraged him to do so, as it was one of his principal enjoyments to impart to him that knowledge which, he hoped, by the divine blessing, would make him wise and useful.

This excellent youth often noticed expressions and transactions that appeared singular in those parts of sacred writ, which were daily read in his hearing; and he did not forget to ask his father to explain what he could not understand; an example well worthy the imitation of all.

EASTERN HOUSES.

ONE morning, after Mr. Benyon had read to his family the interesting account of the healing of the Paralytic, (Mark ii.) he and Henry walked out to enjoy the cool breeze. It was one of those beautiful spring mornings, when, as Akenside says,

——“ All is beauty to the eye.

And music to the ear."

As they were standing at the end of the terrace in the garden, watching the tide gently creeping up in silvery streamlets on the coast, Harry said, "Father, I have been thinking about the poor man, of whom you read this morning; how could they get him to the top of the house, and then let him down before our Lord!? Did they take off the roof?”

"I am not surprised, Harry, that the account puzMark ii. 3. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Repeat the verses from Mark that relate to the Paralytic What question does Harry ask about letting down the Paralytic ?

zled you. I will explain it. There are many other Scriptures which would seem very singular, and for the same reason; that is, because the houses in the East, where the Scriptures were written, are not like those which you see in this country. The houses in Judea were built with flat roofs; and they had battlements around them for safety, according to God's own command, (Deut. xxii. 8.) Hence the people in the East are accustomed to lay flax and linen to dry on the tops of their houses: we read that the spies concealed by Rahab were hid among these. (Joshua ii. 6.) The house-tops were the scenes of social intercourse and friendly conversation; so, we are informed that Samuel and Saul were talking together on the house-top. (1. Sam. ix. 25-6.) At the Feast of Tabernacles, the

Deut. xxii. 8. When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.

Joshua ii. 6. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

Sam. 1. ix. 25. And when they were come down from the

Why do many verses in Scripture seem singular respecting the houses in the East? How were the houses in Judea built? Repeat a verse from Deut What were the people in the East accustomed to do? What is said in Joshua about the spies? What was done on the house-tops?