When ev'ry smiling maiden certain, 66 Sally I now declare my bride : "And I with Sarah will repose; "She's prudènt, cleanly; and the man "Can never err, if he will choose "A wife by cheese before he ties the noose." EMBLEM OF A VIRTUOUS MAID. SWEET stream that winds through yonder glade, Silent and chaste she steals along, NOTES TO CORRESPONDENTS. COWFER. The favours of a CHRISTIAN-A. H.-M. D.-and A. Y. W. ar received. We are determined in future to notice no Communication, unles the Postage is paid; and the writers of such must not take it amiss their Letters are returned to the Post-office. HADDINGTON; : Printed and Published, MONTHLY, by G. MILLER & SON For these, he was speedily rewarded with a lodging in the Bastile. "It is wise to oppose the first irregular sallies of the mind. The road of life will be easy, when once you have obtained a mastery over yourself." THE CHEAP MAGAZINE; "A FLITTING stone gathers no moss ;" so says the proverb, and it is true. Activity is not sufficient to ensure success, unless it be directed to one uniform end. The desultory bustle of unsteady minds, is only labour in vain. The path that leads to respectability and wealth must be pursued through all its asperities and obliquities, if you wish to reach the object in view. The traveller who turns aside to gather every flower, or who sometimes hurries and sometimes loiters, will find himself distanced at last Vol. I. KK last by those who calmly pace on, and are neither diverted by difficulties, nor attracted by every casual appearance of temporary pleasure. TOM RESTLESS was one of the cleverest boys at the school where he was instituted. He outstripped his companions, whenever he gave himself the trouble to enter into competition with them. At play, learning-every pursuit in which he engaged, he carried away the palm of superiority but all his motions were irregular; and long-continued application to any kind of business was his aversion and contempt. : From school he was removed into the compting-house of a West-India merchant. His relations augured well to his success in commerce, from his known talents and activity. In any situation he might have shone; but he chose rather to dazzle for a moment, than to preserve a clear and steady, light. He became master of all the routine of the compting-house in less than twelve months, and at the same time was tired of its employ. Why, thought our hero, should he be longer confined to ledgers and waste-books? Here he had nothing more to learn. His solicitations to be permitted to take a trading voyage for the benefit of his employer, overcame both the merchant and his own relations. He was soon equipped; and set sail for the West Indies, in raptures at the idea of seeing the world. A storm, however, which he had to encounter before clearing the channel, gave Toм no very favourable opinion of the felicity of a sailor's life-but the storm vanished, and with it, his sense of danger and uneasiness. The remainder of the voyage was barren of occurrences. He landed in due time on the island of Jamaica, to which the vessel was bound; and in consequence of his eagerness to visit the new scenes which presented themselves, his hurry, and his neglect of proper precautions, he he soon fell sick of the endemial fever of the West Indies ; and with difficulty escaped the grave. Our adventurer now began to reflect on his imprudence, regretted his having left the compting house to encounter needless dangers; and began to form resolutions of checking his natural propensity for change. The vow formed in illness and under restraint, is seldom observed, when health and liberty return. Toм felt all the vagaries of his natural disposition as soon as he recovered. He made himself speedily acquainted with the management of sugar plantations, and with the West India Trade in general. But as he possessed a heart of melting benevolence, the task-master met with his unqualified detestation-the situation of the slave awakened his most indignant feelings. He soon became disgusted with a traffic, in which blood was shed without pity, and whips were the reward of toil. He saw the ship freighted with pleasure, and bade adieu to these islands without regret. He had a pleasant voyagereturned full of information, and had obtained the credit of prudent and dexterous management; but he was sick of what he had seen; and for once, goodness of principle united with versatility of disposition to induce him to relinquish this branch of commerce at least. But there were numerous other avenues to wealth in the mercantile profession! True-had not Toм been tired of the whole, he might have selected parts, that would have suited almost any taste, and gratified the principles of any mind. For some time, however, he had set his heart on being a soldier. When his connexions found that his resolution in this respect could not be shaken, they procured a liberation from his original engagements, and purchased a pair of colours for him. He joined his regiment, which was quartered in the country-strutted in a laced coat and and cockade; and thought himself the happiest fellow alive." KK 2 So So he was for a few weeks-but here he found that he had little to learn, and less to practise; and his mind revolted at the idea of quiet. Tom was ever impatient of inactivity -he found it necessary to be doing something, though soon tired of every thing; and in conformity to this principle, he exchanged into a regiment, just about to sail for the East Indies. A new scene, and a new quarter of the globe, again pleased and attracted his fancy. He anticipated the greatest felicity in prospect from his new change; but fortune determined otherwise. The ship in which he had embarked, was wrecked on the Maldivia Islands. He singly preserved life by swimming; but could save few of those accommodations that render it delightful. As he hated idleness as much as he disliked any constant employ, he set about providing the means of subsistence with all possible" diligence-ingratiated himself with the natives, and became a mighty favourite with their chief. Had not the thought of being cut off from polished society disturbed bim, be might have been happy still. For a short space, he did not form any particular plan for effecting his deliverance. He, indeed, kept a good look out for any ship that might pass but such a chance was rare. At last he bethought himself of attempting something. He persuaded the Maldivians, that he could teach them to build ships. The bait took-in a few weeks the first vessel was constructed; she was strong but of rude formation; and all were eager to see her launched, and to try her on the waves. Tom selected the best mariners, as well as those whom he thought most friendly to his interest, to have the honour of this experiment. He had fortunately saved a compass, and other necessaries from the wreck; and bad privately laid in a small stock of provisions. The vessel sailed to a miracle-all were delighted with this nautic excursion; and |