he was. like him.

I wish all boys in every village were

51.

When he was thirteen years of age, James Maxwell went to keep sheep for Farmer Goodman. But he still kept constant to school on Sundays; for he loved to do all that his parents wished. On week-days in the field or on the downs, he was very careful of his master's sheep. and minded what he was about; for he had learned at home and at school to be attentive to what was told him.

52.

When James was grown up to be sixteen years of age, he went to plough for Farmer Goodman. By steady conduct, he gained the esteem of his master, and the love and respect of every one. The obedient boy grew up to be a sober, prudent young man. For good brings forth good, and doing well leads to doing better. All boys may do as James Maxwell did, if they are steady.

53.

When Sunday came round James went early to church. He never came into church late. He would not loiter about the church-yard, before the service began, as foolish and bad boys

do, but went straight in; for he had respect to the place where he was, as he had always been taught. When he was in church he did not loll about, but stood up and kneeled down at the proper times.

54.

Many young men forget their parents when they grow up and spend what they earn upon themselves; buying smart clothes or wasting their money in idleness. James Maxwell did not do so; he well repaid the care of his loving parents, giving them help out of what he earned, and liking to be at home with them. We are better for what we learn when we are young, if we think of it and live by it afterwards.

55.

Come! Sit down. Do not play. This is a solemn place. It is the church-yard. Let us be quiet. The old church looks so silent, and the walls are old and grey. How many graves there are! They are too many for us to count them. Some of them are the graves of little children, who once were well and happy. Now they are gone away. Indeed this is a solemn place. Let us go away quietly, and be good and gentle as we ought always to be.

56.

Good children are kind to dumb things. They will not hurt or teaze cats, or dogs, or poor birds, or flies. All living things can feel. Only bad children are cruel. A boy once threw a stone at a horse in the lane, but the man to whom the horse belonged, came and beat the boy. Do not throw stones. may break windows, and do a great deal of mischief if you do so.

57.

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We learn to read and to write; and we learn to spell, that we may read and write well. It is right to try and do everything we do well. What a good thing it will be to be able to read the Bible and the Prayer book! When I am grown up I should like to be able to write a neat clean letter to my dear brother. Let us then try to do all our lessons well.

58.

How good is it always to speak the truth! When we have told the truth we feel happy in our minds, because we know that we shall be trusted and loved afterwards. But to say what is not true, makes us always feel very unhappy. If we have done any mischief it is

best at once to go and confess it. For this takes away a great part of our unhappiness for what we have done.

59.

The time will come when we shall be very glad that we have been at school. To be able to read and write gives us pleasure in itself. He who can read need waste no evenings, or spare hours. What we learn teaches us how much we have of good to be thankful for, and a thankful mind is a happy one: an ignorant one turns to bad things, for it is more or less idle always.

60.

We may always tell how children are being brought up at home and at school. If they are respectful in their manners and quiet, and civil. It is very painful to see rude coarse children, who show no respect to those older than themselves. Unhappily, after boys leave school, they too often forget what they have learned, and become proud, and careless, and irreverent. Let us try to avoid this, and to shew that we are not forgetful of the kindness we have received.

PART III.

61.-TIME.

SIXTY seconds make one minute. Sixty minutes make one hour. Twenty-four hours make one day. Seven days make one week. There are twelve months, or fifty-two weeks in every year. The number of days in the months varies. Some contain thirty days: others thirty-one. February has only twenty-eight days: except in leap year when it has twenty-nine. Leap year comes every fourth year.

62.-TREES.

The different kinds of wood which we make use of are obtained from various trees. Thus the fir-tree gives us deal, which is the cheapest of all, and easiest to work. The finest of our English trees are the oak and the elm. We may know the different trees by their leaves. Some trees love a dry soil; and others, such as the weeping willow, will only grow in moist places.

63.-METALS.

It is very useful to know the difference between a great many things which are like each other, and which we see very often. Gold, Silver, Iron, Copper, Lead, are called metals. They are

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