without these splendid distinctions, as those are who possess them. For the enjoyment of every essential comfort that this world can afford, there is need only of health and competence, together with a contented mind, a pure conscience, and a thankful heart.

Between the periods of birth and burial how short a space ? How very soon will come the time, when, with all the vast congregation now treading this stage of mortality, no distinctions but of the moral kind will remain!

NUMBER XIV.

OF THE INESTIMABLE VALUE OF A PIOUS, DISCREET, AND FAITHFUL MOTHER.

It has been often observed, that some of the most illustrious of human characters were carly moulded to the model of excellence by the maternal hand. Of this I might adduce, from the records of history, a goodly number of instances; but, for the present, I shall mention only one.

Sir Philip Sidney-born about the middle of the sixteenth century-was the wonder of the age in which he lived; for though he died when a little more than thirty years old, his fame, as a wise and profound statesman, was spread over Europe.

Nor was he less distinguished for religious and moral virtues, and particularly for generosity and tenderness of nature. It has been remarked of him, that "the most beautiful event of his life was his death."

Receiving a mortal wound in a battle in Flanders, the moment after he was wounded, when thirsty with the excess of bleeding, he turned away the water from his own lips, to give it

to a dying soldier, with these words; "Thy necessity is still greater than mine."

This extraordinary man was indebted, for the rudiments of his education, to his illustrious and excellent mother, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland, who, in a preceding reign, had been beheaded. "Her tender melancholy, occasioned by the tragical events in her family, together with the mischance of sickness that had impaired her beauty, inclined her to hide herself from the gay world, and to bestow her attentions almost exclusively upon the education of her children.” "It was her delight," says a biographer of Sir Philip, "to form their early habits; to instil into their tender minds the principles of religion and virtue; to direct their passions to proper objects; to superintend not only their serious occupations, but even their amusements."

Had not the loftiness of the house of Northumberland been fallen; had Lady Mary, the eldest daughter of that house, been a leader of fashion at the royal court-a distinction to which her rank would fully have entitled her; her Philip would, in no probability, have been the exalted character that he was.

To see a mother, herself accomplished, and capable of shining in the first circles of fashionable life;—to see her forego the pleasure of amusement, and the ambition of show, for the sake of bestowing personal attentions upon her children; to see her spend the best of her days in fashioning their minds and manners upon the purest models, guiding them with discretion, and alluring them to the love of excellence alike by precept and example; to see this is to behold one of the most charming spectacles, any where furnished in this fallen world.

And what though it be not in the power of such a mother to make a Philip Sidney of her son? What though nature has gifted her children with no uncommon strength, or brightness of intellect? Yet with the divine blessing, she may have such influence upon the moral frame of their young and tender minds, that they shall be disposed to improve their natural talents, whatever they may be, and to employ them honorably. The benefits, in this respect, which highly capable mothers might confer on their children, during a few of the first years of their earthly existence, are far beyond the power of calculation, since these benefits would, probably, descend from one generation to another, down to distant posterity. "Delightful task!" In comparison with the pure and sublime enjoyment, which the faithful performance of it gives, poor and wretched, indeed, is the whole sum of pleasure, that can possibly be extracted from the amusements of fashion.

Lamentable, however, would be the condition of things in this respect, if either wealth, or rank, or superior talents, or any great degree of literary acquirements were indispensably necessary in a mother, to fit her for the noble and all-important task, which that relation devolves upon her. So far from it, a woman of mere plain sense, whose reading extends but little beyond the divine volume that contains our holy religion, and whose worldly circumstances are narrow, and even indigent, is capable, nevertheless, of conferring unspeakable benefits upon her little ones. As she is the first in their hearts, so, in their esteem, she is the first of women. Her example is their model; they copy her ways; they hang upon her lips. The moral and religious love, inculcated with maternal tenderness by her, they never

quite forget; and very often, it is the means of forming their characters for life.

Precious is the mother, whether of high, or low degree, who, in this respect, acts the real mother, to the best of her abilities. Hardly can she fail of stamping upon the minds of her children some salutary impressions, which will never be quite effaced. Except in the rare instances of most unnatural perverseness, their hearts will ever cleave to her. They will not forsake her when she is old. Their filial kindnesses will soothe and solace the infirmities and decay of her age. And when she is called "to put off the mortal, and to put on the immortal clothing," the genuine expression of their hearts will be," We loved, but not enough, the gentle hand that reared us.-Gladly would we now recall that softest friend, a mother, whose mild converse, faithful counsel we in vain regret."

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