passed some weeks in England, which time had been most pleasantly spent at Ashton. Everything was so new and so delightful; and when school was mentioned, they begged so earnestly for a little delay, that as yet nothing had been decided for them.

"Now," said Freddy, as Mrs. Howard placed herself at her work-table, "please will you tell me what uncle meant, when he said to-morrow would be Ash-Wednesday, or the first day of Lent ?"

"Your uncle reminded his people, my dear, that the season of Lent, a time which has been set apart from the earliest ages of Christianity for special repentance, humiliation, and self-denial, would begin to-morrow. Forty days are given to these duties, in commemoration of our SAVIOUR's temptation in the wilderness. To-morrow, being the first day of the Lenten fast, the Church has appointed a special service."

"But I thought fasting meant not eating, aunt?" said Lucy, in a timid voice.

"That is one way of fasting," replied Mrs. Howard, “but there are many. Self-denial in our pleasures and amusements; spending more time in our religious duties,-as prayer and self-examination, giving up our own wishes, doing special acts of kindness to others, regardless of inconvenience to ourselves, and almsgiving; all these are ways of fasting."

"Then every one can fast in some way?" said Frederick.

“Yes, all can in some way deny themselves; and as it is one of the commands of the Church, there can be no doubt it is the duty of all."

"Of children?" asked Lucy.

"Yes; because children are made, by their baptism, members of the Church, and as such, are bound, when they become old enough, to obey her rules as far as possible."

"Are there many fast-days commanded by the Church?"

"You will see a list of them in your Prayer-Book, my love," replied Mrs. Howard. Lucy turned to it, and read, "First the Forty days of Lent. O! I have read this before, but I did not know it was anything for us to attend to."

"It is for all, Lucy," said her aunt; "though I fear there are many who, like yourself, think that the Prayer-Book is no guide for their daily life, and make little use of it beyond once a week at Church."

"But, Aunt Ellen," said Fred, after looking down the list of fast-days," what good would fasting be to us?"

"I will try and tell you a few of the benefits resulting from it," said Mrs. Howard. "Those only who have habituated themselves to a life of self-denial, can say how blessed are its results, when undertaken in the spirit in which our SAVIOUR would have it. We may learn from the circumstances of our blessed LORD's temp

tation, that we are the more fitted to struggle against sin, and more likely to overcome the tempter at those times, when we have tried to deny ourselves, in whatever way it may have been. Then sometimes giving up our comforts teaches us to sympathise with the poor, who are daily without them, and hardly know what it is to be satisfied with the plainest food, and so makes us more ready to help them. It makes us more grateful to GOD for the many mercies He has given us; we are too apt to take our daily mercies as things of course, and the occasional loss of them leads us to remember to Whom we are indebted for every blessing. Fasting and self-denial, too, fit us better for our religious duties; and we may hope, as one of our Church says, that taking less care of the bodily sustenance, we may the more earnestly hunger and thirst after righteousness, which is the food of our souls. Then, lastly, it is pleasing to God, as showing a spirit of obedience; He, by His Word, and through His Church, commands it, and we, as loving and dutiful children, should gladly and reverently fulfil, as far as possible, those duties He thus inculcates."

The children were silent for some minutes, and then Lucy said, "But about our fasting, Aunt Ellen; please tell us what we should do?"

"I think, my love," replied Mrs. Howard, "you can suggest for yourselves many little things. Though children are unable to bear much abstinence from food, yet they can deny themselves to a certain extent in this respect. Then their play-time might be lessened, their story-books given up; they could be particularly kind and loving, and, if it were in their power, might assist their poorer neighbours."

"But these are such little things," said Fred.

"Nothing is too trifling to give up; you could not perform great acts of self-denial now, but if you early learn to yield your childish pleasures, you may hope one day to be able to make greater sacrifices. Only remember, my dear children, it is not the act itself, but the manner and motive by which you are influenced, that GOD will regard. Self-denial is one of the many ways He gives us of learning better to serve and love Him; and we must pray more, and earnestly ask Him to bless this help to us, otherwise it will be worse than useless."

At this moment footsteps were heard in the garden, and soon after Mr. Howard entered the room.

"I did not know you had been out," said Mrs. Howard.

"Yes; poor Mitchell sent for me. Will you go up in the morning and see his children? they are all in sad trouble; I fear he cannot live through the night. He went out yesterday for the first time since his illness, thinking himself strong enough to do a little work, took a fresh cold, which has brought on inflammation; and Dr. Reston gives up all hope of him. I have promised to be

there again in an hour's time, to give him the Holy Communion; he seems tranquil and happy."

"That is indeed a cause for thankfulness," said Mrs. Howard; "but it will be a sad loss for his children. Is there nothing we can send the poor man ?"

"No; Dr. Reston has kindly provided all he requires."

Early in the morning, Mrs. Howard went up to the cottage, and Lucy accompanied her aunt. They found all in great trouble; Mitchell had died during the night, and the children had not recovered from their first burst of grief. Mrs. Howard spoke kindly to them, and proposed that two of their neighbours should take the younger ones for a time; and after succeeding in calming the others a little, left them, promising that Mr. Howard would see them in the course of the day. Lucy walked home silently, but her aunt was too busily occupied in thinking what could be done for the orphan children, to notice her. Just when they reached the vicarage, however, Lucy said, "Aunt, I am so sorry all my money is gone; I cannot help them."

"Do not distress yourself, my love," replied Mrs. Howard; "you shall do something towards making them clothes, and assist in that way. Giving money is not the only way of assisting even our poor neighbours," she added, seeing her niece's downcast looks.

"I should like that very much," replied the little girl, "and I will work so hard, aunt."

On their return from Church, Mr. and Mrs. Howard discussed what could be done for poor Mitchell's children, and Mr. Howard decided to ride over to Wilton, after the second service, and endeavour to procure some employment for the two boys there. "And, by the by, my dear little niece," he added, turning to Lucy, "I can get your long-promised birthday present at the same time; five shillings it was to cost, was it not? Let me see if I am so rich. Well, what shall it be?"

"O, thank you, uncle'!" said Lucy; "anything you buy for me I shall be sure to like."

Mr. Howard promised to do his best to please her, and then left the room. Lucy was still thinking of her birthday present, and wondering what it would be, when her aunt called her to begin their work, and said, "Let us try how fast we can get on; I should like the children to have their clothes ready by Sunday,the day their father is to be buried."

Lucy took the work, but she had suddenly become very thoughtful; and when Mrs. Howard, after telling her what to do, left the room, she sat for some minutes looking out on the quiet garden, the clear blue sky, and the winding road, where she had that morning walked. At length she rose hastily, and ran up stairs, saying, "Yes, I will try, for once."

A moment after, and she had knocked at the study door, which was opened by Mr. Howard, who was just preparing to go out. "Well, Lucy, darling," he said, "are you come to tell me how I am to spend the five shillings?"

66

Please, uncle, don't be angry," replied Lucy, blushing, "but I think I would rather it were not spent for me.'

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"Why you were delighted at the thought of your birthday present just now; what can have made you change your mind ?" "I would rather," answered the little girl, in a hurried voice, "that you would buy something for Mitchell's children."

"How came that thought into your head, dear?" asked Mr. Howard, kindly.

"Aunt Ellen was talking to us yesterday about self-denial, and she said that even children should be ready to give up their pleasures; and she told us it would help us to be good; and so I thought, as this was a fast-day, I would begin at once. And perhaps it would make me feel more in earnest about it, as if I were trying a very little to do what is right. You are not angry, dear uncle," continued Lucy, without raising her eyes; "you do not think I should not value your present?"

"No, my child," replied Mr. Howard; " I could not be angry. I am glad you have resolved so soon to put your aunt's advice into practice. It shall be as you wish; only you had better ask her advice as to what shall be bought. God bless you, my dear little Lucy," he added, kissing her, "and help you to carry out this spirit of self-denial daily."

Lucy went to her room, and shutting the door, knelt down, and asked GOD to accept the offering of her pleasure she had made, not for her own sake, but for JESUS CHRIST'S, Who had offered Himself for her and all the world. And the prayer and offering of a child, however simple, if earnest, is sure to be accepted; and Lucy came down to her work, calm and happy.

Mrs. Howard advised the purchase of a shawl with Lucy's money, and said she should be obliged to go into the town on the following day, and Lucy might accompany her to buy it.

When Fred returned in the evening with his uncle, ! he gave his aunt and sister an account of their ride, and what success they had met with. Mr. Steward had kindly promised to find the boys, employment, to keep them under his eye, and report to Howard how they got on.

Mr.

Mrs. Howard and Lucy had been working busily all the evening at the children's clothes; and when Fred had finished his story, his aunt asked him to bring a book, and read to them, till Mr. Howard, who was gone again into the village, should return to tea. "We shall work the faster, Fred, and then you will be helping too."

The evening passed quickly and happily away; and when Lucy

1

thought over her conduct during the day, before saying her nightly prayers, she felt happy in reflecting, that on that first day of Lent she had begun, in a very slight degree, to carry out one of her SAVIOUR'S Commands; and she was more than recompensed for the little pleasures she had given up by the thought, that He would look with love on her smallest efforts to please Him, and help her, through His Holy Spirit, both to see and know those things she ought to do, and give her grace and power faithfully to fulfil the

same.

ALETHEA.

LYRA CHRISTIANA.*

In our last we noticed, somewhat at length, the collection of poems under the above title. We had intended at the time to have presented our readers with such specimens as would serve to create a desire for more; we therefore now, for their gratification, beg their acceptance of the following bouquet of choice flowers:

"BAPTISMAL GRACE.

"And Sacraments themselves enclose
Such blended principles for mind and heart,
That each to moral bias owes

Exclusive doctrines, which themselves impart ;
Duties and bonds, and admonitions deep,
Memorials, hopes, and thoughts which make us weep,

"All, all, to Sacraments pertain
But chief as tokens of the GOD Unseen,

These rights assume their awful reign;

And, in the Church have most divinely been
An open witness of that secret act

Whereby the Trinity our souls attract.

"For grace in essence lies conceal'd,

Which neither sense, nor carnal mind can view;
But GoD an index hath reveal'd

Of what His sacramental law will do,
Under a sign, where sealing grace is given
To fit the spirit for its future heaven.

"And thou, of second birth the sign,
Baptismal font! whose life-imparting wave
Sprinkles the brow with dew divine,
And bids it beam with light beyond the grave,-

* Lyra Christiana. By the Rev. R. Montgomery, M.A.