5. It was in the neighbourhood of these prodigious mountains, which are called the Alps, that on the 19th of March, 1755, a small cluster of houses were entirely overwhelmed by two vast bodies of snow that tumbled down upon them from a greater height. All the inhabitants were then within doors, except one Joseph Rochia and his son, a lad of fifteen, who were on the roof of their house, clearing away the snow which had fallen for three days incessantly.

6. A priest going by to church, advised them to come down, having just before observed a body of snow tumbling from the mountain towards them. The man descended with great precipitation, and fled with his son he knew not whither; but scarcely had he gone thirty or forty steps, before his son, who followed him, fell down; on which looking back, he saw his own and his neighbours' houses, in which were twenty-two persons in all, covered with a high mountain of snow.

7. He lifted up his son, and reflecting that his wife, his sisters, two children, and all his effects were thus buried, he fainted away; but soon reviving, got safe to a friend's house at some distance.

8. Five days after, Joseph, being perfectly recovered, got upon the snow, with his son, and two of his wife's brothers, to try if he could find the exact place where his house stood; but after many openings made in the snow they could not discover it. The month of April proving hot, and the snow beginning to soften, he again used his utmost endeavours to recover his effects, and to bury as he thought, the remains of his family. He made new openings, and threw in earth to melt the snow, which on the 24th of April was greatly diminished. He broke through ice six English feet thick, with iron bars, thrust down a long pole and touched the ground; but evening coming on he desisted.

9. The next day, the brother of his wife, who had heard of the misfortunes of the family, came to the house where Joseph was, and after resting himself a little, went with him to work upon the snow, where they made another opening, which led them to the house they searched for; but finding no dead bodies in its ruins, they sought for the stable, which was about two hundred and forty English feet distant, which having found they heard a cry of help, my dear brother! Being greatly surprised as well as encouraged by

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these words, they laboured with all diligence till they had made a large opening, through which the brother immediately went down, where the sister, with an agonizing and feeble voice, told him, I have always trusted in God and you, that you would not forsake me.

10. The other brother and the husband then went down, and found, still alive, the wife about forty-five, the sister about thirty-five, and the daughter about thirteen years old. These they raised on their shoulders to men above, who pulled them up as if from the grave, and carried them to a neighbouring house: they were unable to walk, and so wasted that they appeared like mere skeletons.

11. They were immediately put to bed, and gruel of rye-flour with a little butter was given to revive them. Some days after, the magistrate of the place came to visit them, and found the wife still unable to rise from bed, or use her feet, from the intense cold she had endured, and the uneasy posture she had been in. The sister who had been bathed with hot wine, could walk with some difficulty, and the daughter needed no further remedies.

12. On the magistrate's interrogating the women, they told him that on the morning of the 19th of March, they were in the stable, with a boy of six years old, and a girl of about thirteen; in the same stable were six goats, one of which having brought forth two kids the night before, they went to carry her a small vessel of rye-flour gruel. They were sheltering themselves in a warm corner of the stable till the church-bell should ring, intending to attend the service.

13. The wife related, that wanting to go out of the sta ble to kindle a fire in the house of her husband, who was clearing away the snow from the top of it, she perceived a mass of snow breaking down towards the east, upon which she went back into the stable, shut the door, and told her sister of it. In less than three minutes they heard the roof break over their heads and also part of the ceiling. The sister advised to get into the rack and manger, which they did.

14. There were also in the stable an ass, and five or six fowls. The ass was tied to the manger, but got loose by kicking and struggling, and threw down the little vessel, which they found, and afterwards used to hold the melted snow which served them for drink.

15. Very fortunately the manger was under the main

prop of the stable, and so resisted the weight of the snow. Their first care was to know what they had to eat. The sister said she had fifteen chesnuts in her pockets; the children said they had breakfasted, and should want no more that day. They remembered there were thirty-six or forty cakes in a place near the stable, and endeavoured to get at them, but were not able for the snow. They called often for help, but were heard by none. The sister gave the chesnuts to the wife, except two which she ate herself, and they drank some snow-water.

16. The ass was restless, and the goats kept bleating for some days; after which they heard no more of them. Two of the goats however, being left alive, and near the manger, they felt them and found that one of them gave milk, with which they preserved their lives. During all this time they saw not one ray of light, yet for about twenty days they had some notice of night and day from the crowing of the fowls, till they died.

17. The second day, being very hungry, they ate all the chesnuts and drank what milk the goat yielded, being very near two pints a day at first, but it soon decreased. The third day they attempted again, but in vain, to get at the cakes: so they resolved to take all possible care to feed the goats; for just above the manger was a hay-loft, from which, through a hole, the sister pulled down hay into the rack, and gave it to the goats as long as she could reach it; and then, when it was beyond her reach the goats climbed upon her shoulders, and reached it themselves.

18. On the sixth day the boy sickened, and six days after desired his mother, who all this time had held him in her lap, to lay him at his length in the manger. She did so, and taking him by the hand, felt it was very cold; she then put her hand to his mouth, and finding that cold likewise, she gave him a little milk; the boy then cried, Oh! my father is in the snow, oh, father! father! and then expired.

19. In the mean time the goat's milk diminished daily; and the fowls soon after dying, they could no longer distinguish night from day. Whenever they called this goat, it would come and lick their faces and hands, and gave them every day two pints of milk, on which account they still bear the poor creature a great affection. This was the account which these poor people gave to the magistrate, of their preservation.

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20. Dear heart! said Thomas, when Mr. Barlow had finished this account, what a number of accidents people are subject to in this world! It is very true, answered Mr. Barlow; but as that is the case, it is necessary to improve ourselves in every manner, that we may be able to struggle against them.

21. T. Indeed, sir, I begin to believe it is; for when I was less than I am now, I remember I was always fretful and hurting myself, though I had two or three people constantly to take care of me. At present, I seem as if I was quite another thing; I do not mind falling down and hurting myself, or cold or weariness, or scarcely any thing that happens.

22. Mr. B. And which do you prefer, to be as you are now, or as you were before?

23. T. As I am now a great deal, sir; for then I always had something or other the matter with me. Sometimes I had a little cold, then I was obliged to stay in for several days; sometimes a little headache, and then I was forced to take physic. Sometimes the weather was too hot, then I must stay within; and the same if it was too cold. I used to be tired if I did but walk a mile; and I was often eating cakes and sweetmeats till I made myself sick. At present I think I am much stronger and healthier than ever I was in my life. DAY.

CHAPTER IV.

PROMISCUOUS SELECTIONS.

SECTION I.

Respect and affection due from pupils to their tutors.

1. QUINCTILIAN says, that he has included almost the whole duty of scholars in this one piece of advice which he gives them: to love those who instruct them, as they love the sciences which they study; and to look upon them as fathers, from whom they derive not the life of the body, but that instruction which is in a manner the life of the soul.

2. This sentiment of affection and respect disposes them to apply diligently during the time of their studies; and preserves in their minds, during the remainder of life, a

tender gratitude towards their instructors. It seems to include a great part of what is to be expected from them.

3. Docility, which consists in submitting to directions, in readily receiving the instructions of their master, and reducing them to practice, is properly the virtue of scholars, as that of masters is to teach well.

4. The one can do nothing without the other. As it is not sufficient for a labourer to sow the seed, unless the earth, after having opened its bosom to receive it, in a manner warms and moistens it; so likewise the whole fruit of instruction depends upon a good correspondence between the master and the scholars.

5. Gratitude for those who have laboured in our education, is the character of an honest man, and the mark of a good heart. Who is there among us, says Cicero, who has been instructed with any care, and is not highly delighted with the sight, or even the bare remembrance of his preceptors, and the place where he was taught and brought up?

6. Seneca exhorts young men to preserve always a great respect for their teachers, to whose care they are indebted for the amendment of their faults, and for having imbibed sentiments of honour and probity.

7. Their exactness and severity displease sometimes, at an age when we are not in a condition to judge of the obligations we owe them; but, when years have ripened our understanding and judgment, we then discern, that what made us dislike them, is exactly the very thing which should make us esteem and love them. ROLLIN.

SECTION II.

The Sailor and the Monkies.

1. PERHAPS no animal, below the human species, resembles man more in the imitative faculty than the monkey. It is said that a sailor, having a number of red woollen caps to dispose of, went on shore in South America to trade with the natives.

2. In his way to a settlement, lying through a wood very thickly inhabited by monkies, it being in the heat of the day, he put a cap on his head, and laying the others by his side, determined to take a little repose under the shade of a large tree.

3. To his utter astonishment, when he awoke, from the