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"bread"—the means of physical sustentation-and that this bread is to come through human industry. The earth spontaneously yields what irrational creatures require, because they are not endowed with aptitude for cultivation. Man is thus endowed, and his Maker will not do for him that which he has given him power to do for himself. Labour is not the curse of the fall; it is a blessed condition of life. Man in innocence had to cultivate Eden. The text presents two subjects of thought.

I. MANLY INDUSTRY. First: He has manly industry indicated. An agricultural specimen of work is given. "He that tilleth his land"-Agriculture is the oldest, the divinest, the healthiest, and the most necessary branch of human industry. Secondly: has

He

manly industry rewarded. "Bread" comes as the result. He is "satisfied with bread." All experience shows that, as a rule, proper cultivation of the soil is all that man requires to satisfy his wants. God sends round the seasons, and when man does his work, those seasons carry their respective blessings to the race. Skilled industry is seldom in want.

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bread, instead of labouring. These base-natured people are found in every social grade, and they disgrace their race, and clog the wheels of progress. Secondly: Persons who thus hang on others for their support are fools. "They are void of understanding." (1.) Because they neglect the fundamental condition of manly development. Industry is essential to strength of body, force of in"It tellect, and growth of soul. is bad policy," says our great dramatist, "when more is got by "Man begging than working." should not eat of honey like a drone from others' labour." (2.) Because they sacrifice self-respect. The man who loses selfrespect, loses the true feeling of his manhood, and such a loss must come to him who lives the life of a parasite. (3.) Because they expose themselves to degrading annoyances. The parasite's feeling will depend upon the looks, the words, and the whims of his patron. He will be subject to exactions, insults, and disappointments.

(No. LXXXI.)

THE CRAFTY AND THE HONEST. "The wicked desireth the net of evil men but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble."-Prov. xii. 12, 13.

THESE Words lead us to notice two opposite principles in human character craftiness, and honesty.

I. CRAFTINESS. "The wicked desireth the net of evil men." The idea is that the wicked desire to be as apt in all the stratagems by which advantage is obtained of others, as the most cunning of evil men. Two remarks here. First: Craft is an instinct of wickedness. "The wicked desireth the net of evil men." The men of the

world charge Christians with hypocrisy. No true Christian is a hypocrite. The better a man is, the less temptation he has to disguise himself, and the more inducements to unveil his heart to society. On the contrary, a wicked man must be hypocritical in proportion to his wickedness. Were his polluted heart and dishonest purposes fully to appear, society would shun him as a demon. To maintain a home, therefore, in social life, and to get on in his trade or profession, he must be as artful as the old serpent himself. Craftiness is essential to sin. Sin came into the world through craft. The devil deceived our progenitors. Sin is ever cunning: wisdom is alone true. Cunning is the low mimicry of wisdom;-it is the fox, not the Socrates of the soul. Secondly: Craftiness is no security against ruin. "The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips." Lies are the language of craftiness. The crafty uses them as concealment and defence, but the eternal

law of providence makes them snares. One lie leads to another, and so on, until they become so numerous, that the author involves himself in contradictions, and he falls and founders like a wild beast in a snare.

II. HONESTY. First: Honesty is strong in its own strength. It has a root. The root of the righteous. It does not live by cunning and stratagems, but by its own natural force and growth. Honesty has roots that will stand all storms. Secondly: Honesty will extricate from difficulties. The just man may get into trouble, and often does, but by his upright principles, under God, he shall come out of them. "Honesty is the best policy." It may have difficulties, it may involve temporary trouble, but it will ultimately work out deliverance.

"An honest soul is like a ship at sea, That sleeps at anchor on the ocean's calm;

But when it rages, and the wind blows high,

She cuts her way with skill and majesty."

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"The heavens are armed against perjured kings."

"Judgment in truth belongs to God alone."

"Most just is God, who rights the innocent."

"Heaven is most just, and of our pleasant vices

Makes instruments to scourge us."

"Foul practices turn on their authors."

"To wrong-doers, the revolution

of time brings retribution." "States which have long gone on, and filled the time With all licentious measure, making their will

The scope of justice, come to an evil end.'

SHAKESPEARE'S APHORISMS ON

PROVIDENCE.

"OUR indiscretion

serves us well,

sometimes

When our deep plots do fail. And that should teach us

There's a divinity that shapes our ends,

Rough hew them how we will." "There is a special Providence in the fall of a sparrow." "Heaven hath a hand in all events."

"What Providence delays, it not denies."

"He that doth the ravens feed, Yea, providentially caters for the sparrow,

Will comfort man's old age."

"All good ascribe to Providence Divine."

SHAKESPEARE'S APHORISMS ON

"Whereto

MERCY.

serves

mercy, but to confront the visage of offence?"

"If the worst offender may find mercy in the law, 'tis his." "Morality and mercy live in the tongues of princes: mercy should live ever in their hearts."

"No ceremony that to great ones 'longs,

Not the King's crown, nor the deputed sword,

The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe

Become them with one-half so good a grace As mercy does."

"How should we be

If He which is the top of judgment should

But judge us as we are? Oh, think on that,

And mercy she will breathe within our lips,

Like men new-made."

"All the souls that were forfeit

once,

And he that might the 'vantage best have taken, Found out the remedy."

"It is excellent

To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous

To use it like a giant."

"Merciful Heaven!

Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt

Splitt'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,

Than the soft myrtle! O, but

man, proud man,

(Drest in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he's most assured,

His glassy essence) like an angry

ape,

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Literary Notices.

[We hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. It is unjust to praise worthless books; it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.]

THE REVIEWER'S CANON.

In every work regard the author's end,
Since none can compass more than they intend.

THE HOLY BIBLE. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY GUSTAVE DORE. Part I. London Cassell, Petter, & Galpin.

THE peculiar attractions of this edition of the Bible are, beautiful execution and material, very large and elegant type, a broad and ample page, and illustrations which are graphic, powerful, and magnificent. The last feature is of course the most prominent and imposing. The splendid genius of Gustave Doré imparts a charm and majesty to everything it touches and we were therefore quite pre

pared to find here many fascinating and wonderful effects as the result of its efforts to illustrate the wondrous scenes of the most wonderful of volumes. Even the cynical pedantry of certain selfconstituted judges of "High Art," must admit that all reasonable expectations have been completely realised in the productions before us; and candid minds will cheerfully testify that their anticipations of what the great artist would do are all surpassed as they look at what he has done. We have never beheld illustrations which gave so much reality and life to Bible story. Visions and events, long known to the intellect, seem to be recalled from the ages to be reenacted before us, and appear to pass before the eye as in a sublime drama. In the representation of all the varied scenes, the delicate conception, brilliant fancy, and vivid imagination of the artist have been equal to their task. The work is in all respects a great success, and a most valuable addition to the attractions of any home.

MOORE'S IRISH MELODIES. LALLA ROOKH; NATIONAL AIRS; LEGENDRY BALLADS, SONGS, &c. WITH A MEMOIR BY J. F. Waller, LL.D. London: Wm. Mackenzie.

THIS is the best edition of Moore's poems which has been published. In every mechanical and artistic respect it is as near to perfection as a book can be. A splendid embossed cover of green and gold encloses, on superb paper, a profusion of the choicest illustrations of the conceptions of the poet, together with a judicious, copious, and entertaining sketch of his life and works by Dr. J. F. Waller. The magnificence of the publication admits of nothing but admiration and praise. The character of all Moore's poetry is a different matter, and one as to which uniformity of opinion is not needed or expected. In a hearty appreciation of the genius of the poet, and in a love for many of his exquisite lyrics now inseparably woven into our literature, there must, however, always be a ground of common agreement amongst the lovers of the beautiful. And for this reason, as Lord Russell has observed, that "the world, so long as it can be moved by sympathy, and exalted by fancy, will not willingly let die the tender strains and pathetic fires of a true poet." After a searching trial, by fair and unfair criticism, the best of Moore's poems-so tender in feeling and so musical in cadence-live amongst us, with a great popularity-a popularity which is destined to increase, and which, as regards many of them, deserves, to endure perpetually. Whoever is desirous of purchasing Moore's poems, and at the same time wishes to place with them upon the drawing-room table a literary and artistic gem, which all the products of the kind and of the season cannot surpass, will thank us for directing his attention to this charming volume.

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