least by sight.

The gentleman took up the matter more seriously than Henry expected, and said, "that he should request the master of the hounds to reprove his servant for his carelessness in losing sight of his dogs;" but he was extremely polite to Henry, and kind to the little boy, giving him half-a-crown to make up for all misfortunes, and thus ended this adventure; but before Henry parted from the boy, which he did in the lane where they had first met, he pointed out to him how thankful he ought to be for the mercies he had met with that morning.

66

"I shall remember you, master, whoever you be," replied the child, as long as I live, and love the thought of you too; that I shall."

"But chiefly remember that God who sent me to help you, little boy," returned Henry, as he parted from him," and then you will be a happy child."

From that day things went on with Henry for several months in so quiet a manner, and he was so so well and contented, that I have hardly any thing to record respecting the whole period, excepting that after Christmas that year was a very long deep snow, followed by a frost, and Henry, with the help of Maurice, made a fortification of snow, which they at

tacked one day with snow-balls, and built up the next; and this fortification passed away all in one night, a very rapid thaw having taken place, which wholly undermined Henry's tower : Sic transit gloria mundi.

About this time, Henry received a letter from little Beresford, informing him that he was at present at Brussels with his father; that he attended an English classical master in that city, and that he was no longer called Dunce Beresford. He added, "that his father had promised to bring him to England after another twelve-months, and then, Master Henry,then I hope to come to see you," added the child, "for papa says that he shall never forget your kindness to me, and he would rather I should be with you than with any other boy in the whole world." Major Beresford added a few lines to this letter, in which he confirmed all that his son had said.

And now, as the winter had been particularly severe, the spring which followed was more than usually delightful. Mr. Dalben, also, experienced so great a revival of health and strength, that he was enabled to accompany Henry in many of his walks, from the beginning of May till the summer was far advanced. And

how very pleasant were those walks; how forcibly did they remind Henry of his early childhood!

When old persons are lively and affectionate, --I do not mean lively as a kitten or a fawn, from the effect of mere animal spirits,-but, having all their wits in full exercise, they must certainly be more agreeable associates than those who have less knowledge and less experience. And of all the companions Henry had ever happened to meet with, none ever made himself so agreeable to him as Mr. Dalben. A walk with this excellent old gentleman, when the weather permitted him to take it leisurely, commonly embraced two objects; viz. a lesson on natural philosophy, and an application of that lesson to religious subjects. For instance, in pointing out the manner in which the dew of heaven is conducted from the roots through the delicate fibres of the trees and plants, causing them to put forth their buds and blossoms, and tender young leaves, and to fill the air with perfumes of the most exquisite odour, he would take occasion to enlarge upon the works of the Spirit, which, entering the heart of man, and pervading every faculty, causes the individual to produce the fruits of good works, and to break out in the song of praise, and the voice of adoration.

Again, in remarking the variety of birds which appear in the woods in this season, winging their way in the open heavens, filling the air with their songs, preparing their nests, and conveying the seeds and germs of the trees and plants from place to place, waging a perpetual war with the insects and worms, which are the enemies of the vegetable creation, he pointed out the resemblance of these with the spiritual protectors and rulers of the church, whose business it is to scatter the spiritual seed, and to eradicate the secret enemies of the garden of God. He failed not, however, to point out, that as there are noxious birds, so there are, and ever have been, spiritual rulers who rather devour than scatter the good seed; and he hence took occasion to point out from Scripture what ought to be the character of the bishop or eye of the church; for it must be understood, that the word eye, or bird, is the same in Hebrew. Lessons given in this way are not easily forgotten; and if forgotten for a while, they are so associated with objects which are continually recurring, that they can hardly fail of presenting themselves again at one time or another.

The very situation where Mr. Dalben and Henry sat whilst the former gave this leson to his adopted son, could not fail of being traced for ever on his memory.

It was on the point of a hill; a hill, indeed, small in itself, but situated at a considerable eminence above the Vale of Teme. At its foot was a deep dingle, winding away into the valley, and covered with woods: a large bird was winging its way over these woods, in various circles; sometimes arising towards the heavens, sometimes skimming closely over the summits of the trees; and, at length, passing away in the very eye of the sun.

But I must conclude my chapter in this place; for, although I would willingly follow Mr. Dalben and Henry in others of their rural walks, being a partaker of their studies, through all the lovely scenes in which they were pursued, whether by the banks of sparkling rills, or under hedges, fragrant with whitethorn, or in gardens gay with lilac and laburnum,-yet, being called to attend to other matters, I must necessarily omit many things of this nature, and bring my reader into scenes of more active and busy life.