him therefore, my dear friend, as the last pledge of love from your old and highly favoured pupil Henry Milner.-Bring him up in your own simple way; talk to him, and give him the same kind of instruction as you gave to me, and all my wishes on his account will be fulfilled."

"We were very happy indeed," said Mr. Dalben, "my dear pupil, when we lived together in my little cottage; and if the Lord would assist me in my care of your dear boy, it would, I think, make up to me almost what I shall lose in his father. But, dear Henry Milner, beloved pupil and son of my heart, may I not hope that you may yet be spared to us ?”

"No," said Mr. Milner; "no, I neither expect nor wish for a prolongation of life: I am fully persuaded that I must soon die; therefore, my dear friend, set not your heart upon me; but love my little son, and for his sake recall to mind the days of my youth and the sweet instructions you used to give me.

6 Do you remember, my dear tutor, the conversations we used to have upon the subject of those blessed days when Christ shall reign from sea to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth? How you used to tell me, when speaking of the glory of the ancient kings and heroes of the earth, and the vaunted conquerors

of Greece and Rome, that this was a false and deceitful glory, and would be as much excelled by the glory of the kingdom of Christ upon earth, as the brightness of the sun exceeds that of a blazing flambeau? Do you recollect how many questions I used to put to you on these subjects, and how you used to take the Bible and point out to me those passages which refer to this glorious time, when the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, when springs shall burst forth in the desert place, and brooks of water in the thisty land; and used to describe to me at those you times what would be the beautiful and holy deportment of the children of the Blessed One in those happy days in terms so warm and animated, that whilst I listened I often felt my young imagination, as it were, take fire, and every feeling of my heart engaged in the desire of promoting, as much as in me lay, the advancement of this kingdom upon earth?

"Ah! my friend, whilst other tutors and instructors of youth are engaged in filling the minds of their pupils with precepts of worldly wisdom and worldly glory, you were continually employed in representing to me such views of true peace and true glory as were never yet verified on earth; insomuch so, that, with the

divine blessing, my young heart was quite filled with these images; and I felt, whilst yet a boy, a more ardent zeal for the advancement of Christ's kingdom upon earth, than ever Spartan or Roman youth for the honour of his country, or the fame of his native city."

Mr. Dalben smiled, but there was a mixture of tender grief in the expression of his countenance as his pupil thus proceeded:

"I remember that you used to say to me, 'Dear Henry Milner, what sort of little boys are those who will be admitted into the kingdom of Christ on earth, and who will be allowed to play upon the hills of the Millennium; not indeed such little boys as we now see; children with sinful, proud, and ambitious hearts; but holy children who have received new hearts, and been made white in the blood of the Lamb, have been justified, regenerated, sanctified, and are at length admitted into glory-such little boys as these will play on the high hills of the Millennium.'"

"My dear pupil,” said Mr. Dalben, “I fear you will exhaust yourself by speaking so much."

"No, no," returned Mr. Milner with animation: " in promising to take my boy you have added, I think, some days to my life, and enabled me to look back on the sweet period of my childhood with renewed delight; inasmuch as I now

dare to hope for the same holy and simple instructions for my son, as those on which I now dwell with such inexpressible delight. My beloved tutor, whilst under your care, I was as happy as a sinful child of Adam could possibly be whilst carrying about with him a body of sin; and though indeed, after I left you, and mixed with the world, I lost much of my peace of mind, He who undoubtedly willed my salvation ere yet the spirit of life was breathed into my nostrils, soon found means to recall me to himself, and will assuredly, in a very short time, make me blessed in his presence for evermore; for I have been enabled to place my confidence in him, and who ever trusted in him and was confounded?”

Now, as I have made my first chapter somewhat long, and as it contains some matters rather difficult for little boys to understand, I shall conclude it in a few words by saying, that Mr. Dalben stayed with his dear pupil not only till he died, but until he had seen his remains placed in the grave; after which, he hired a chaise, and taking little Henry Milner on his lap, began his journey towards his own home.

CHAP. II.

Containing an Account of Mr. Dalben's House. and his Servants; also a Description of his Dog and Cat, with certain other important Particulars.

MR. Dalben's house was situated in Worcestershire between the Malvern Hills and the valley of the Teme, so that those who approached the house from the other side of the river saw the hills towering majestically above the house, and a grove of trees which grew at the back of it. The house itself stood in a very neat and beautiful garden, abounding not only with vegetables and fruit, but also with many fair shrubs and flowers; amongst which several neat gravel walks went winding about, sometimes being in sight from the house, and sometimes being quite hid from the windows by the trees and shrubs.

The house was a very old one, even in Mr. Dalben's time; and I have been told by those who have lately visited that country, that it is now quite gone to ruin.

It was, however, a lovely and comfortable