no milk to-night, and you have been whipped. See how liars are served." Then turning to Frank: "Come here and shake hands with me, Frank: you will have no milk for supper, but that does not signify; you have told the truth, and have not been whipped, and every body is pleased with you. And now I'll tell you what I will do for youI will give you the little dog Trusty to be your own dog; you have saved him a beating, and I'll answer for it you'll be a good master to him. To-morrow I'll go to the brazier's and get a new collar made for him: from this day forward he shall be called after you, FRANK! And, wife, whenever of the neighbours' children ask you why the dog TRUSTY is to be called FRANK, tell them this story of our two boys: let them know the difference between a liar and a boy of truth!"

any

AMELIA BURFORD.

Mr James Burford, a Bristol merchant, becoming bankrupt through unforeseen misfortunes, retired into Wales, while his affairs were in the way of being arranged, and there lived for some time on the small income arising from his wife's fortune, practising the greatest economy, and hopeful that he would be taken into partnership by Sir James Amberry, a London merchant, as soon as he could obtain a discharge from his creditors. His daughter Amelia, who was sixteen years of age, had been brought up indulgently by her grandmother, and could not bear to think that her father and other relations were now poor people. Travelling in a stage-coach to her father's cottage, in company with three gentlemen, she spoke of herself as one who still lived in affluence- talked of her maid, her little carriage, and the fine house in which her father lived. It chanced that two of the gentlemen were creditors of her father, and had all along suspected him of retaining much of his former means, so that they had hitherto refused to sign his discharge. Hearing his daughter talk thus, they were confirmed in their suspicions; but to make sure, they inquired if her father was Mr Burford, the bankrupt merchant, and if he really lived in the fine style she spoke of. She would now have denied what she formerly said.

if she could have done it without confessing herself to be a boastful and lying girl: not having the candour to make this confession, she repeated all she had said, and thus so completely convinced the two gentlemen of her father's dishonesty, that they not only refused to accede to his discharge, but told what they had heard to Sir James Amberry, who, in consequence, wrote to Mr Burford, declining to take him into partnership, and stating that he had preferred another, whom he believed to be an honester

man.

Thus had this conceited girl blighted all her father's prospects by her vanity and falsehood. Mr Burford, though unwell, immediately proceeded to London, to clear his character; and being unable to afford a seat in the coach, he was obliged to walk. The fatigue increased his illness, and he was laid up at an inn on the way-side in a raging fever. Meanwhile, Sir James Amberry and his lady, travelling to Wales, put up at the same inn for a night, and learning that a poor traveller was lying very ill there, they charitably went to see him. Sir James was surprised to find that it was the unfortunate Burford, and still more when he heard the sick man raving about the mischiefs which his daughter had brought upon him by her talk in the stage-coach. In short, an explanation was thus brought about; Sir James Amberry, convinced of his innocence, spared no expense to bring about his recovery; and Mr Burford was soon returned quite well to his family. But the opportunity for beginning business again as a merchant had been lost through his wicked daughter, and he afterwards was obliged to content himself with a less lucrative employment.

We thus see what dangers may lurk around us, when we venture on the least departure from truth.

HELEN WALKER.

Helen Walker lived near Dumfries, and laboured in the fields for her daily bread. Like many other poor people in Scotland, she was accustomed to read (particularly in the Bible), and had a strong sense of religious and moral duty. Her father and mother being dead, she had the sole charge

of a younger sister, whom she not only supported, but endeavoured to make as good as herself. Notwithstanding her care, this young creature committed a crime for which, by the laws of her country, she was likely to be condemned to die, unless it could be proved that she had told some one of her offence. It would have been easy for Helen to say that her sister had made her a confidante; but as she had not done so, that would have been to tell a falsehood. From every violation of the truth Helen Walker recoiled; she could not bring her mind to speak what was not true, even to save the life of a beloved sister. She, therefore, when questioned on the trial, acknowledged that her sister had given her no intimation on the subject of her error; the consequence of which was, that the unfortunate girl was condemned to die.

Helen now showed that it was from no indifference to the life of her sister that she had refused to save her life by a falsehood. She proceeded on foot to London, to beg the life of her sister from the government. By this journey of more than three hundred miles, and by representing her case in its true colours to the queen, she succeeded in her object her sister was pardoned.

:

Sir Walter Scott heard of the story of Helen Walker, and so much admired her devotion to truth, and her exertions for her sister, that he made her the heroine of a novel. He also sought out her grave in the churchyard of Irongray, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and caused a handsome monument to be erected over it, setting forth her virtues. It is surely delightful thus to see a man of exalted talent and high station in the world paying a tribute of respect to the worth of a humble field-labourer.

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight.-Proverbs, xii. 22.

A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that speaketh lies shall perish.-Proverbs, xix. 9.

Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.-Proverbs, xxix. 20.

K

O'tis a lovely thing for youth
To walk betimes in wisdom's way;
To fear a lie, to speak the truth,
That we may trust to all they say.

But liars we can never trust,

Though they should speak the thing that's true;
And he that does one fault at first,
And lies to hide it, makes it two.

WATTS.

MAGNANIMITY.

SOME people are said to have little minds. They are always finding fault with trifles; they resent the smallest injuries, even when the injury was not meant; they are jealous of every one in the same trade or profession with themselves; they envy every body who succeeds in any thing; they keep up spite for a long time about little offences, and vent it when they get a proper opportunity, long after every body else has forgotten that they had been offended. It is very different with great-minded persons. They do not easily take offence; they soon dismiss anger; they rejoice to see others succeeding, even though they may not be succeeding themselves. They may emulate or strive to be equal with a neighbour, but their rivalry is of a generous nature. They can allow for the motives which actuate others, and easily pardon an error which has been committed through inadvertency, even though it may have been grievously mischievous to themselves. Such persons never condescend to tricks, or stratagems, or any other low arts, for the purpose of accomplishing an end. They scorn no one, however humble, if honest: they entertain no hatreds. They are too much at ease with themselves, to be liable to sentiments that aim at the depreciation or injury of others. Such is magnanimity; a rare quality in the ordinary world, but one which is never beheld without the highest admiration.

KING WILLIAM AND THE EARL OF GODOLPHIN. 147

PHILIP OF MACEDONIA AND HIS DETRACTORS.

Philip king of Macedonia was told that several calumnies were spread abroad against him by the Athenian orators. He was too great-minded to express himself in a spiteful manner against his detractors. He only said, "It shall be my care, by my life and actions, to prove them liars."

Being advised to banish one of his subjects who had railed at him, "Let us first see," said he, "whether I have given him occasion." Finding, on inquiry, that the man had done him some services without receiving a reward, he at once acknowledged that the fault had been his own, and immediately ordered him a proper gratuity.

KING WILLIAM AND THE EARL OF GODOLPHIN.

After the Revolution, when James II. was dethroned, and William III. became king, it was high treason to correspond with the banished monarch. Many nobles and others, nevertheless, did correspond with King James, and amongst the rest the Earl of Godolphin, who was a very good man. King William took a magnanimous way of correcting the earl. Calling him to his closet, he showed him the letters which had been detected; commended his zeal for his former master, however unwise it might be; expressed a desire to have the earl for his friend; and at the same moment put the letters in the fire, that the earl might be under no restraint. The earl, overpowered by the generosity of the king, became one of the firmest of his friends, and continued to be so ever after.

MADAME VILLACERFE.

Madame Villacerfe, a young French lady of great beauty, and Festeau, an eminent surgeon of Paris, regarded each other with mutual esteem; but the difference of their rank forbade their being united. Years passed, during which he avoided her society, and studied to forget his passion. In a slight illness the lady had occasion to be bled, and Festeau was appointed to perform the operation. Approach