where he never would have been, but for that single circumstance. A spark of fire has often kindled a flame which has consumed the accumulations of many a year in a single hour. So an imprudent word has blasted the happiness of a life, and dashed the sparkling cup of hope from the lip. The wise man never uttered a truer maxim, than that "One sinner destroyeth much good." The influence of man is eternal. Like a pebble thrown into a lake, it extends from wave to wave till it reaches the utmost shore, affecting thousands and millions in its course. Do not we feel the effects of that one single act of our first mother? Shall we, or any of the race, ever cease to feel its influence? It is said of Abel, that, being dead, he yet speaketh. The same is equally true of every other man who has died since Abel. Our characters are affected by the sentiments of our parents, and theirs by their parents, and so on indefinitely. So will it be with those who shall come after us, to the end of time. A book sold by a pedlar to an obscure villager in England, two hundred years ago, was the means of moulding the character of a Baxter, and his writings a Doddridge, and his a Wilberforce, and his a Legh Richmond, the author of The Dairy-man's Daughter. And the writings of these men are moulding the character of millions at the present day. Evil influences are not so easily traced, but they are none the less powerful. They are more subtle, serpentine, concealed; but the influence of one dissolute youth will live and widen to all eternity. If, then, the moral influence of our actions and characters is incontrollable and indestructible, how important the position, how fearful the responsibility of every one, and especially of every young person! We may change our position, we may shrink from stations of prominence, but we cannot alter the fact of our influence and our accountability. Then, let our light be a taper or a Drummond light, it should be our great concern that it so shine as to guide all within its influence to the light of life, the source of all wisdom and happiness. HOME, SWEET HOME! HOME, SWEET HOME! 117 I REMEMBER that on my return to France in a vessel which had been on a voyage to India, as soon as the sailors had perfectly distinguished the land of their native country, they became in a great measure incapable of attending to the duties of the ship. Some looked at it wistfully, without the power of minding anything else; others dressed themselves in their best clothes, as if they were going to disembark; some talked to themselves, and others wept. As we approached, the disorder of their minds increased. As they had been absent several years, there was no end to the admiration of the hills, the foliage of the trees, and even the rocks which skirted the shore, covered with weeds and mosses. The church spires of the villages where they were born, which they distinguished at a distance up the country, and which they named one after another, filled them with transports of delight. But when the vessel entered the port, and when they saw on the quays their fathers, their mothers, their wives, their children, and their friends, stretching out their arms with tears of joy, and calling them by their name, it was no longer possible to retain a man on board; they all sprang on shore, and it became necessary, according to the custom of the port, to employ another set of mariners to bring the vessel to her mooring. What, then, would be the case were we indulged with a sensible display of that heavenly country, inhabited by those who are dearest to us, and who are worthy of our most sublime affections? The laborious and vain cares of this life would from that moment come to an end. Its duties would be forsaken, and all our powers and feelings would be lost in perpetual rapture. It is wisdom, therefore, that a veil is spread over the glories of futurity. Let us enjoy the hope that the happy land awaits us, and in the meantime let us fulfil with cheerfulness and patience what belongs to our present condition. - St. Pierre. LONDON BRIDGE. (SEB ENGRAVING.) THIS bridge demands attention on account of its age, rather than from any excellence belonging to it. Its history has been as various almost, as the changes undergone by London itself; for both have been alike exposed to the terrific trials of water and fire. It was originally of wood, and was begun in 994, and finished in 1016. It being very expensive to keep the wooden bridge in repair, the city built one of stone, a little westward of the other. It was founded upon mighty frames of piles, and on these were laid beams of timber 10 inches in thickness. This is the present foundation. On this platform was laid the base of the stone pier; and for the preservation of the bottom, there were piles driven round the outside, called sterlings. This stone bridge was commenced in 1176 and finished 1209, a space of 36 years. This bridge was for many ages encumbered by houses built on each side of it, some of which overhung the river and leaned in a most terrific manner. Arches of strong timber frequently crossed the street to keep the houses from falling into the river. Nothing but familiarity with danger could preserve the quiet of the inmates, who soon grew deaf to the rush of the waters below, and the frequent cries of drowning persons. The draw of the bridge was protected by a strong tower, and served to repulse Fauconbridge in his assault on the city, in 1471. Sixty houses were burnt on the bridge on this occasion. It also frustrated the insurrection of Sir Thomas Wyat, in the reign of Queen Mary. The top of the tower, in the turbulent days of England, might be considered as the disgraceful shambles of human flesh, and was generally covered with the heads and quarters of unfortunate partizans. Even as late as the year 1598, Hentzner, the German traveller, counted upon it above thirty heads. The old map of the city, in 1597, represents them in a most horrible and disgusting cluster. An unparalleled calamity happened on this bridge, within four years after it was finished. A fire began in the houses at one end, upon which multitudes of people rushed out to extinguish it. While they were engaged in putting out the fire, the houses at the other end took fire and hemmed them in, so that above 3,000 persons perished in the flames, or were drowned in consequence of overloading the vessels brought to their relief. The bridge is 915 feet in length, with a width of 31 feet for carriages, and a sidewalk on each side seven feet broad. The number of foot-passengers passing over this bridge in one day, is estimated to be 125,000. LITERARY NOTICES. THE YOUNG MINSTREL. - By A. N. Johnson and Jason White. Boston: George P. Reed. - The Masters of the Public Grammar Schools, of Providence, R. I., recommend this book in the following language: "We take pleasure in commending to the attention of teachers and school committees, the Young Minstrel, a book which has been used in our schools for some time past, and which we find to be a work of superior merit. We have, from time to time, become acquainted with a considerable number of juvenile singing-books, but we know of no other which combines, in so eminent a degree, the chief requisites of a music-book for common schools; namely, good instruction, good exercises, good songs and good tunes." In this commendation we cheerfully concur. ILLUSTRATED ASTRONOMY.- By Asa Smith, Principal of Public School No. 12, N. Y. City. Published by Cady & Burgess, N. Y. City. - This is, in our opinion, the most valuable elementary work on Astronomy ever published. The diagrams, which are larger and more full than those of any other work, are on a black ground with white lines, and they are, also, on the principle of perspective. The illustrations are numerous, and there are, also, fifteen sidereal maps, for the purpose of giving the young student some idea of the magnificent works of the Deity, "beyond the sublime mechanism of the planetary system." THE SACRED CHORUS BOOK. - By E. L. White and J. E. Gould. Boston: B. B. Mussey & Co. 1850.- Intended for Singing Societies and Advanced Schools, consisting mostly of selections from the works of Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Romberg, Neukomm, Rossini, &c., with an accompaniment for the Organ or Piano-Forte. This is a collection of the most magnificent compositions of the divine art. Such music as this book contains, sung by, or listened to, by a devout heart, must produce emotions, akin to those which animate the celestial host on high, in their anthems of thanksgiving and glory. |