lived with his wife and five children. I went into this cottage one hot autumnal afternoon, when there was fever prowling near, to tell the poor man that his cottage was not fit even for a dog, or a pig to reside in, on account of the foul matters that were collected, both in front and behind. Three weeks afterwards I was in the house again. The man was then away, in the fields, at his work; but his wife and four children were sick in bed, in two little, close, and badly ventilated chambers; the fifth child, a young girl, being left alone to nurse them. In two more weeks I was there once more; the girl who had been the nurse, was then herself ill in bed, with the fever, and she and her father were all that remained of the family of seven. Her mother and four brothers and sisters were all asleep beneath the sod of the churchyard. This sad instance I witnessed myself, but it is very far from being a solitary one, in this great country, which ought to be so free from sickness, favoured as it is by Providence, in all that gives value to life. Thousands upon thousands of people die in England, in the same way, every year, poisoned through their own folly and ignorance.

Cases of this kind prove, that although the danger is less in open and thinly peopled country places, than it is in crowded towns, there is, nevertheless, great reason why even there pure water and fresh air should be allowed to perform their proper work of removing waste substance, and destroying poison-vapours. If you have any country friends with whom you can talk these matters over, tell them that the best thing they can do in order to escape entirely from the risk of such deadly sickness as infectious fever, is always to carry all waste and refuse substances to some distance from the house, every day, and bury them there, beneath the loose soil, mixed with a little quick lime, if they can procure it; then the poison-vapours, instead of being steamed out into the air, are sucked in and fixed by the soil and the lime, as fast as they are formed, until the rain comes to

wash them away, through rivulets and:" or to convey them to the rootlets of living pla are able at once to consume them; changing poison into nourishment as they do so.

There is another piece of advice, too, whic give to both your country and your town f which you may also, advantageously, share yourself. Acquire the habit of being always clean. Sweep away dust, and wash away dir day after day, and week after week. Make with them, for they are uncompromising en you do not remove them entirely, they will for your forbearance. It is quite true, that does not do a great deal of harm; but it i that people who do not mind a little dirt com to bear a great deal of it. It is a very t thing to be always trying to be a little clean a very easy thing to be always quite clean. have once learned the habit of cleanliness, ca them for ever afterwards, without being cons that they are doing so.

It is a very good plan for persons who h the value of thorough cleanliness, to go abou and in their houses, in the cool of the evening; carefully, whether there are then any disagree which can be perceived. Very often unplease can be detected in the chill damp evening which are entirely free from scents during the

So long as the warm sun is shining, it poison-vapours that are in the act of being by rapidly into the air, and scatters them fre when the sun has set, and the atmosphere h cold and moist, the poison-vapours get entang moisture, and float with it along the ground are dense and strong enough to be discovered by But I have now something more to tell you. ing the use of pure water, which, probably, prise you very much.

wash them away, through rivulets and rivers, to the sea, or to convey them to the rootlets of living plants, which are able at once to consume them; changing them from poison into nourishment as they do so.

There is another piece of advice, too, which you may give to both your country and your town friends; and which you may also, advantageously, share with them yourself. Acquire the habit of being always perfectly clean. Sweep away dust, and wash away dirt and filth, day after day, and week after week. Make no truce with them, for they are uncompromising enemies. If you do not remove them entirely, they will punish you for your forbearance. It is quite true, that a little dirt does not do a great deal of harm; but it is also true, that people who do not mind a little dirt commonly get to bear a great deal of it. It is a very troublesome thing to be always trying to be a little clean. But it is a very easy thing to be always quite clean. People who have once learned the habit of cleanliness, carry it with them for ever afterwards, without being conscious even that they are doing so.

It is a very good plan for persons who have learned the value of thorough cleanliness, to go about, near to, and in their houses, in the cool of the evening; observing carefully, whether there are then any disagreeable smells which can be perceived. Very often unpleasant odours can be detected in the chill damp evening, in places which are entirely free from scents during the day.

So long as the warm sun is shining, it raises any poison-vapours that are in the act of being bred there, rapidly into the air, and scatters them freely. But when the sun has set, and the atmosphere has become cold and moist, the poison-vapours get entangled in the moisture, and float with it along the ground until they are dense and strong enough to be discovered by the nose.

But I have now something more to tell you, concerning the use of pure water, which, probably, will surprise you very much.

The house which is built of mortar and bricks and of tiles and boards, is not the only house that you are expected to keep in order and wash out; that house is, after all, merely an outer case added to what is more properly, your dwelling.

Look at that body which is made up so wonderfully of flesh and bones, and which has such mysterious powers of moving and feeling; that, after all, is really your dwelling. It is in that body that you live, with high duties to perform, and high privileges to enjoy.

But the Great Landlord who has provided for you this comfortable dwelling, very naturally expects also that at least you shall keep it clean, so long as you occupy it; and in order that you may have no shadow of an excuse left you to do otherwise, he has furnished it with a very convenient series of outlets through which waste matters may be poured away.

LESSON 44.-PURE WATER AND GOOD
HEALTH.-Part 2.

THE outside of your body is covered evenly over, with a soft, shining coat, which is called the skin. This skin looks to the eye as if it were a continued, unbroken covering, but it is not so, it is really full of little holes. Suppose that I were to show

you a small patch of this skin with a strong magnifying glass, you would see very much what is represented in this drawing.

You would find that it is marked with ridges and furrows, and that upon the ridges, round holes are dotted along in lines; these holes are so small that in some places as many as

three thousand of them are packed together upon a space