Thank you, old ruined abbey, for this account of yourself and the monks who lived in you. And now, before we go to the next pictures, let us see if there are not one or two useful lessons which the old castle and abbey may teach us.

They may remind us how very frail we are; how very short our lives will be. The men who built those strong walls, and those who afterwards lived in them, have long ago passed away into the silent tomb. And yet the old walls still stand, and will most likely stand when those who now pass by them, or look upon their pictures, or read their histories, are laid low in the grave. Now if we read this lesson aright, it will put us in mind to pray, "So teach us, O Lord, to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom," Ps. xc. 12. It will remind us, too, that we have souls that will live after the strongest buildings and highest towers have gone quite to decay, and when the world itself shall be burned up.

Then we may be very glad that the days are gone by, when there was so much fighting in our country; when castles with strong thick walls and towers were built, and deep ditches dug around them, to keep out fierce and cruel enemies. It is the Bible which teaches us to love our enemies, and to live in peace. If it were not for the Bible, we might still be cruel and treacherous to each other, as all people are who have not the knowledge of Jesus Christ and his holy word.

The history of the old castle and abbey may teach us how much better off we are than the people were who lived in our country hundreds of years ago, in having more of the comforts of life. Almost the poorest cottager in the land daily enjoys the use of many things that kings and barons once knew nothing about.

And oh how thankful we should be that the word of God is not now shut up in abbeys and such places, where the common people could never learn any thing about it:

but that now nearly every little boy and girl in the land, whether rich or poor, may be early taught to read it; and that Bibles and Testaments are so cheap and so easily to be obtained, that we may all read for ourselves the wonderful works of God, and learn the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, God's dear Son.

"Here we can learn how Christ has died

To save our souls from hell;

Not all the books on earth beside
Such heavenly wonders tell.

"Then let us love our Bibles more,
And take a fresh delight,

By day, to read those wonders o'er,
And meditate by night."

Which pictures shall we take next? Oh, here are two which will do nicely together. They are very different from the first two:— One is the picture of a lioness, and the other of a dog and child.

Let us look first at the lioness: it tells its own story, for see, the poor animal is caught

in a net. And how angry it seems: how it appears to be lashing its tail with rage, and trying to break asunder the net with its strong legs and paws. Its mouth is wide open, -we can see its rough tongue and sharp long

teeth; and so well is the painting executed, we can almost fancy the poor lioness is about to roar out its anger at being caught in this manner. Look at its eyes; they flash with fury, and woe to the hunter, should he approach too near to his struggling captive.

But the net is too strong to be broken, and, silly lioness! why would you run into the net?—there is no way for you to escape. But stay; what have we here? A mouse: understand the picture better now. Is not this its history?—

we

"Once a lioness was asleep in the forest; and while she slept, a little mouse was so bold as to run upon the back of the great beast, and even to peep into her ear. This tickled the lioness, so that she awoke. She shook the little mouse upon the ground, and put her paw upon it in great anger at being disturbed. She was just about to crush the little intruder; but her anger passed away,-she gently lifted her paw, and let the mouse go free. Glad was the mouse to escape, and he took care never again to peep into the ear of a lioness.

"Some time after"- -so says the fable"this same lioness was caught in a net, which had been set for her by the hunters. The net was strong, too strong for the lioness to break