the language which suited the religious affections of David, will suit those of a child, who is just beginning that spiritual course in which David had made so extraordinary a progress, as to be a man after God's own heart." And, if David's language is unfit, it must be unsafe, for a child. Nothing is more important in religion than modesty, simplicity, and godly sincerity; and it is evident, that addresses to the Deity, or expressions of inward feelings, which go at all beyond what the actual state of our souls would naturally prompt, are not compatible with those estimable qualities. Nay, I confess, that even in adults, and much more in children, I am better pleased when the outward manifestations of devotion evidently fall somewhat short of the internal impressions. By proceeding in an opposite course, many, I believe, have been led to direct hypocrisy, and many more have become self-deceivers. Where there appears to be, if not a sort of contest who shall use the most fervent expressions, at least an endeavour, while engaged in religious exercises or conversation, to work up the feelings to a high pitch, and to express them in words to the full as warm and glowing, who does not see that we are in danger of endeavouring to appear to others, and in most imminent danger of appearing to ourselves, more spiritual and devout than we really are? Look at the concise modesty of the address of the justified Publican, and at the beautiful simplicity of the Lord's prayer; and compare them with the exuberant, if not the extravagant

style, too often met with in human devotional composi tions, and still more in extemporaneous prayers.*

* Extemporaneous prayer is not to be discouraged; but it ought to be attended with humility in the frame of the heart, and with seriousness and simplicity in the outward expression.

AMER. ED.

CHAP. V.

Mechanical Reading:-how obviated.-School-Lessons to promote Moral Qualities :--Obedience: Regularity: Attention: Patience: Alacrity.-Happy Fruits of these Qualities.-Failures to be expected.-How to be borne.

It often happens that reading is made too mechanical. If the words are properly pronounced, and attention is paid to the stops, and the parts of the sentence are put together with tolerable propriety, the teacher rests satisfied, though the understanding of the scholar has been little employed. This is very generally the course with village schoolmasters, and many parents of good education too nearly approach it. Even the mere reading, were this alone the object, as it often is in a village school, can never be good when the mind does not thoroughly enter into the sense; but that parents, whose views extend much farther, should ever acquiesce in their children's pronouncing sentences somewhat like parrots, and missing a large portion at least of the information and improvement which it was the intention of the author to convey, is really surprising. When this kind of reading is permitted, I believe it is owing in a good measure to their not being aware how imperfectly their little scholars understand what is so plain to themselves. The evil in question is of far greater importance than may at first appear. The child is led into a habit of reading

without thinking, and of resting contented with a very confused notion of what is read. Scarcely any thing can be a greater obstacle to the acquisition of sound and useful knowledge, and of vigorous habits of investigation. If these are not acquired, the mind will generally become a prey to frivolity and intellectual idleness; and it is well if it do not also resign itself to low pursuits, and sensual indulgence. As one antidote, through divine grace, to these most unchristian and often fatal evils, let a child always be made, as soon as he can read a sentence, to understand what he reads, and to give an account of it afterwards. In order to effect the latter object, when his reading has been more than three or four lines, let him take his book and look it over, and give the account when he finds himself prepared. The parent must not expect this to be given without leading questions to draw it forth; and he will think it an important office to make this part of the business pleasant to his scholar, by smoothing difficulties, making the best of imperfect answers, and interspersing the whole with suitable illustrations and moral remarks, in a tone and manner favourable to the right feelings of his pupil, and likely to exclude wrong ones, or to administer a gentle cure to such as may be rising. So also, whatever is to be got by heart, should always be previously read, explained, illustrated, and (if I may so say) practically applied.

But the parent ought always to bear in mind that every lesson is as truly a lesson in the moral qualities to be acquired and strengthened by its being properly

learnt and properly said, as it is in the branch of knowledge to which it relates. Those qualities are of a very high order, and the character in future life depends extremely on the progress made in their acquisition during early youth. I will particularize five of them; obedience, regularity, attention, patience, and alacrity. These ought to be in exercise during every lesson; and a proper regard to them in the pupil during school hours, will do much good, under the divine blessing, towards making them habitual.

1. Obedience.-I well remember being much impressed by a sermon about twenty years ago, when I was a young father, in which the preacher said, that were he to select one word as the most important in education, it should be the word "obey." My experience since has fully convinced me of the justice of the remark. Without filial obedience, every thing must go wrong: with it, if the parent has right views of his duty, and is consistent in his practice, notwithstanding present appearances may be very unpromising, every thing may not improbably become right. Is not a disobedient child guilty of a manifest and habitual breach of the Fifth Commandment? And is not a parent, who suffers this disobedience to continue when he knows he is armed with sufficient power to overcome it, an habitual partaker in his child's offence against that commandment ? How can those who are thus criminal hope for God's blessing on any part of their conduct? And, without that blessing, what can they expect but a progress