of slow, patient working.  The trees grow slowly, grain by grain; the planets creep round their orbits, inch by inch; the river hastens to the ocean by a gentle progress; the clouds gather the rain-drop from the invisible air, particle by particle, and we are not to ask that this immortal mind, the grandest thing in the world, shall reach its perfection by a single stride, or independently of the most early, profound and protracted self-labor.  It is enough for us that, thankfully accepting the assistance of those who have ascended above us, we give ourselves to assiduous toil, until our souls grow up to the stature of perfect men.

The third thing pre-supposed in education is the divine benediction.  In all spheres of action, we recognize the over-ruling providence of God working without us, and his Spirit commissioned to work within us.  Nor is there any work of mortal life in which we need to allay unto ourselves the wisdom and energy of Jehovah, as an essential element of success than is this long process where truth, affection, decision, judgment, and perseverance in the teacher, are to win into the paths of self-labor minds of every degree of ability, and dispositions of every variety.  When God smiles upon us, then this grand work of moulding hearts and intellects for their high destiny moves forward without friction, and the young heart silently and joyously comes forth into the light.

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Original.

GLEANINGS BY THE WAYSIDE.  No. 3.

A river never rises higher than the source from whence it springs; so a character is never more elevated and consistent, in mature life, than the principles which were adopted in childhood were pure, reasonable, and consistent with truth:  so a tree is either good or bad, and brings forth fruit after its own kind, though it be ever so stinted.  If you find a crab-apple on a tree, you may be sure that the tree is a crab-tree.  So one can predicate a pretty correct opinion of a person, as to character, disposition, and modes of thinking and acting, from a single isolated remark, incidentally made, or an act performed on the spur of the moment.

This I shall attempt to show by reference to two occurrences which took place in the case of a young husband and wife.

Joseph, the father of a young child, one day brought home “Abbott’s Mother at Home,” remarking to his wife, as he presented it, “Louise, I have been persuaded to buy this book, in the hope that it may aid us in the training of our little daughter.”

Her quick and tart reply was—­“I don’t think I shall ‘bring up’ my child by a book.”

It may be useful to learn under what peculiar circumstances this young wife and mother had herself been “brought up.”