consider these things by the light afforded me in the holy scriptures, I may collect indisputable proof from the narrow circle of my own concerns, that the wise and allgracious providence of God watches over his people from the earliest moment of their life; for mine has been marked with a variety of troubles and difficulties; but an all-wise God has overruled and guarded me through all my wanderings in a state of ignorance, and led me in a way I knew not,' till at length his providence and grace concur in those events and impressions which brought me, in this gloomy prison, to the knowledge of Him and myself." The friends left a couple of bottles of wine with poor. Rambler, and some books, which they had brought with them; and were happy to find, that in the prison house, like Manasseh, he had called on the God of his fathers, and was now become a docile child, learning instruction from the affliction, and turning his heart to him for consolation and grace. Should this narrative reach so far, we shall meet Rambler again under happier circumstances, There is one incident here which I will relate, that during the whole time of his remaining in prison, his father did not once visit him. He was a rigid dissenter, and thought his son was not within the circle of God's children, and said, "God had sent him there for his chastisement, and he should neither relieve nor visit him, but leave him to God's visitation, without interference !" Though Rambler had the charity to impute right motives to his father, he felt the conduct as unnatural severity, nor could he bring his mind to approve it. If God had rebuked him, he thought it was the part of a father to visit and instruct him under this rebuke, and to speak the words of comfort, that he might not be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow. He heard that his father, in his haste, should say, "Let him rot in prison ;" and it gave him a very unfavourable view of his father's narrow sentiments. He thought it very much unlike the gracious Saviour, who said to the penitent, "Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee;" and to the adulteress, "Go, and sin no more ;" and who is characterised in scripture as one that "shall not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax." No wonder Rambler was prejudiced ever after against the sect and party to which his father belonged, and ever after this became a stedfast member of the Church of England. They Let no parents act unkindly and rigorously towards their children when they discover their errors. would sooner reclaim them by pitying their distress, and kindly entreating them to guard against the snares which have led them astray. Let them "not provoke their children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," and compassionately reclaim them from the error of their ways; and, by words and actions, prove that they are their wisest counsellors and their best friends. Fear may drive them to desperate lengths, but love and confidence will bring them, like the prodigal, to their feet, saying, "I have sinned, father, forgive me, unworthy as I am, and I will endeavour henceforth to be your honour and your comfort." CHAPTER XXIX RETURN TO CHARLES'S NATIVE VILLAGE. CHARLES and his companion, Rowland, had now nearly spent the whole of the vacation in the metropolis and its vicinity; they therefore seriously began to think of returning to college, but as they had a fortnight to spare, Charles invited his friend Rowland to accompany him home to his native village of Landham, from whence he might easily reach his own friends; determined therefore, to enjoy the sweets of nature in her own fine atmosphere, they rose early one fine summer's morning in August, and commenced their projected pedestrian excursion. As the sun brilliantly illumined their path, and the birds carolled over their heads, Charles exclaimed, "so we are at length escaped from London, with all its smoke, noise, and confusion!" They had just now arrived at the top of Primrosehill; the friends cast a glance over London, whose steeples and spires were enveloped in smoke, as from a general furnace, and Rowland exclaimed in Thompson's words to solitude "The "Well," said Charles, "you are poetical." solitary walk, the loveliness of the day, and the charming scenes around us, dispose us to poetry," said Rowland, "I therefore purpose that we should unite and attempt to beguile the way, by making a few verses upon London." Charles thus commenced, and Rowland composed his alternate verse. CHARLES. When I enter London streets, All seems in confusion; From noise there's no seclusion. ROWLAND. The mind sublime, the peaceful breast, |