before my letter reached her, she had gone, for a few days, to a distant neighbourhood, thirty or forty miles from home, from which place she wrote me an unpaid letter, fidget as she was, full of fears and anxieties, lest I should not have received "a beautiful large cod-fish, and barrel of fine oysters," sent me by the coach, and requiring an answer by return of post. Once more I sat down to thank my aunt for her oysters, and, once more, I paid the postage of my letter, not a little ruffled in my temper.

In the course of the day, a cousin of mine came to see me, having walked five miles to tell me of a letter she had received from my aunt, who had requested her to make immediate inquiry whether or not I had received some fish and oysters by the coach?

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Oysters!" said I, hastily; "I am sick of oysters, and have already written two letters to thank my fidgetty aunt for them."

Well, I had got into a scrape, and wanted sadly to get out of it again, for, thought I, if I remain under this obligation, every relation I have in the world will be told about it.

The first opportunity I despatched very carefully, carriage paid, a good thumping sucking pig to my aunt, as a return for her kindness, and felt as though a heavy weight had been taken from

my shoulders.

"Bad as the affair of the fish has been," thought I, "it is a good thing that it is all done with now." But I little knew my aunt Barbara!

Another unpaid letter from her, thanked me coldly for my pig, but added, "she thought I knew that she did not like pork; a turkey would have suited her much better." Here was a pretty piece of business! it seemed as though there was to be no end to those unlucky oysters.

I sent off a carriage-paid turkey to my aunt Barbara, in a sad unchristian spirit, for I could not help remembering, that though she could not eat sucking-pig in London, she ate it heartily enough in the country. She never paid the postage of her letter, which acknowledged the receipt of it no, nor would she, had I sent her fifty turkeys.

Some time after, when I thought the affair of the fish was dead and buried, I called in at my sister Sarah's.

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So, Humphrey," said she, "you have had a fine catch of it; my aunt tells me, in a letter just received from her, that she never remembers having seen so fine a cod-fish in her life, as that she sent to my brother, with a barrel of oysters."

"And does she say anything about pigs, and turkeys, and carriage, and postage of letters ?"

said I, peevishly. "Here have I paid over and over again, for her present of good-for-nothing fish; and yet must have it ding'd-dong'd in my ears continually." I was sadly vexed at my aunt, and still more at myself for my folly.

It was long before I again heard from my aunt Barbara; when she did write, one line of her letter ran thus:-"How rapidly time flies! do you remember that on this very day, twelve months ago, I sent you, by the coach, a fine large cod-fish and oysters ?"

"Remember it!" thought I, " ay, that I do; and if you never send me another till I ask you for it, it will be some time to come."

Dearly have I paid for presents, and dearly will you pay for yours, if you needlessly put yourself in the way of receiving them. Better is a crust of your own, than a haunch of venison given by another; therefore, be "content with such things as ye have," and "provide things honest in the sight of all men," rather than depend on the favours of others. The less you ask of your fellow-creatures the better, lest their precious oils should break your head; but ask freely of God, for he "giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not," James i. 5.

ON HUMILITY.

I HAVE observed, in passing through life, and I dare say that you have observed the same thing, not only among men of the world, but also among Christians, that where one man has been disposed to practise humility, twenty have been ready to defend their own dignity.

If you offend a man, ay, and a good man too, such is human infirmity, that it is ten to one but he thinks more about the respect that is due to him, and the enormity of your offence, than he does of the opportunity of showing his humility, and of exercising forgiveness. Now, I read often enough in Scripture, that we should be "clothed with humility," and forgive our enemies, even those who trespass against us seven times a day, and repent; but, in no one part of the Bible have I yet found, that we are exhorted to stand up in defence of our dignity.

Think not, my friends, that I am making these observations to you more than to myself. No! no! Old Humphrey has as proud a heart as any one

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among you, and requires to be reminded of it as often as you do; a little humility is of more value than a great deal of dignity; and what is the use of bristling up like a hedgehog at every little injury we receive? He that punishes an enemy, has a momentary pleasure; but he that forgives one, has an abiding satisfaction. Pride is an unchristian quality, yet how many Christians appear proud! Humility is a Christian grace, yet how few Christians are truly humble! Shame betide us when we are proud! there is a rod in pickle for our high-mindedness; for "whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased." Let us be humble, for "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." One clear view of the cross of Christ will do more towards killing pride, than a hundred proud resolutions to be humble.