readily subscribe to a fund for stationing a posse of these animated life-preservers at each end of every bridge in London, leaving it to their noble natures to act spontaneously in the many deplorable cases of wilful, no less than of involuntary submersion. An incident recurs to mind which took place some years back, very near our then residence; and the recital of which may tend to soften the prejudices of any Misokynist.

A nurse-maid, with a fine infant in her arms, incautiously leaned over the parapet of Carlisle bridge, and the babe, taking a sudden bound, escaped from her grasp, falling at once into the Liffey beneath. No boat was immediately at hand; but while the dreadful screams of the girl drew a crowd to the spot where she stood, a gallant Newfoundland dog, who was straying along the quay, plunged at once from the high pier, dived, siezed the infant, and, lifting it high above the level of the water, brought it safely up the steps to land. A throng of anxious spectators pressed to receive the rescued babe; but no: the uneducated dog appeared to have only one clear idea, which was, that all treasure trove' belonged to the lord of his soil, and he accordingly trotted off with the poor baby suspended by its clothing from his capacious jaws, to deliver it up to his master. Every effort was used to induce him to alter his purpose; but the no surrender' principle was proof alike against persuasion, menace and force. The child's father had joined the throng, and it may be conceived with what intense anxiety he accompanied the noble animal, who bore his precious freight the distance of a street or two, until he reached the door of his own domicile, and there he paused. The

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agitated parent plied the knocker; the dog wagged his tail; the door was opened, and in he stalked to his master's study into whose hands he delivered the infant, totally unhurt.

Now we cannot wish that the energies of this generous creature had been directed to any other purpose than that for which God bestowed them: one rescue from actual drowning would compensate, in most people's sight, for the scaring of a whole village of boys in their daily bath. Rarely, alas! do we meet in this cold world with instances of zealous fidelity carried beyond bounds: when we do, though it be but in a dog, it yields a positive refreshment. Perhaps we take up the matter too seriously, but of all God's gifts in temporal mercies we have had most cause to acknowledge the preciousness of that instinctive attachment, sagacity, courage and self-devotedness of the canine race.

To conclude, we proffer to all Misokynists an infallible remedy for the antipathy to which our correspondent is subject; let each keep a dog, making it his companion, and putting as much as possible its fine qualities to the test. He will find it so loving a creature, so submissively obedient, so incorruptibly honest, so forbearing, forgiving, and persevering in its attachment, so true to its trust, so vigilant in its guardianship, and, to a degree that few people are aware of, so sympathizing an observer of his sorrows, that while tracing the wonderful provision of divine wisdom and mercy in forming for him such a companion even among the beasts of the field, he will learn in an especial manner to remember it when uttering the praiseful ejaculation, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."]

FEMALE BIOGRAPHY OF SCRIPTURE.

ABIGAIL.

No. IV.

“WHAT man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him?" The Most High, whose prerogative alone it is to search the heart, has declared that every imagination of the thoughts of it is evil, and there is sufficient evidence within the scope of man's perceptions to confirm the truth of this divine testimony. But the workings of the Spirit within the human tabernacle are concealed by a veil impenetrable to all eyes, save His only who brought into play that mysterious mechanism; and therefore it is, that man is so often baffled and confounded in his attempts to judge his fellows; and thus, the command of Jesus, "Judge not," has in it, not only the force of a divine injunction, but the testimony of experience to prove how impracticable and injudicious is the endeavour to bring before a human tribunal the secret things which are known only to God. We know but in part, even with respect to those actions of the creature which appear to come within the legitimate cognizance of our senses. We hear the passionate word, and see the deed of violence, but we do not behold the remorse which fol

lows; we trace the progress of evil, and view the sinner in his downward course, with the marks of a condemned and reprobate nature thickening upon him; the fearful plague-spots of the soul, warning the unwary from approach; but we cannot follow throughout all that fatal progress the cleavings of the spiritual nature to its kindred dust. We cannot track the malignant agencies which were ever busy about the soul to stifle its native reachings onward to futurity, and to make present gratification suffice for its large desires-to lull it asleep on the lap of pleasure, and then leave it, bereft of that mysterious strength which had been before imparted, defenceless and alone, to grapple with its now too powerful foes. Oh! how many a harsh judgment would be suspended, how many a word of censure would be retracted, were the eye permitted to gaze upon the fearful workings of the human heart-to behold its fierce and frequent conflicts, "the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," to mark the first small glimmerings of that fire of remorse, which, unless quenched by the blood of sprinkling on this side eternity, will burn on with augmented force for ever, encircling the writhing spirit with a wreath of never-dying flame-to see the vexed, unquiet soul, finding no rest in the dry and sterile professions of earth; entering into a reckless alliance with the spirit of gloom and discontent, of pride and obduracy, of rebellion, and stubbornness, and iniquity! Oh! if there be "joy in heaven when one of the wilful human family melts in repentance, surely there may be something more than poetry in the assertion that " angels weep" over those things for which man has many a condemnatory verdict,

but few tears! Where is the believer that has escaped "the pollution that is in the world," who will not give his individual testimony to the scripture truth, that "if the Lord had not been on his side," the deep and miry waves of sin, which drown men in destruction and perdition would have even overwhelmed his own soul? Where is the man who, knowing the plague of his own heart, does not see in every sin committed, that which his own nature would have been capable of, had the restraining grace of God been withheld from him? Where is the Christian who does not behold in the deformed portraiture of every open sinner the representation of what he himself might have become, had not God with every temptation made a way of escape for him? It does not come within the limits of our reason to reconcile two points so apparently adverse as the prescience of God with the free agency of man ; but it does belong to a being conscious that he is “tied and bound with the chain of his sins,” to asscribe his deliverance to the hand that sets the captive free-it does belong to him who is saved from the present and future penalties of a corrupt nature, and "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation," to attribute all the glory of that salvation to God. The teaching of the Holy Spirit is seen in nothing so much as in the humiliation of soul which it produces, leading it to ascribe every achievement of virtue and obedience to Him" from whom alone all good works do proceed," and causing it to burst into thankfulness on every fresh escape from danger, giving glory to Him who alone hath wrought that great deliverance.

Such was the mind of David, when arrested in his