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WINTER.

WALK XVII.

CONTENTS.

USEFULNESS-THE ATMOSPHERE-THE OCEAN-EVAPORATION-SALTNESS OF THE SEA-THE TIDES-THE WHALE-THE NAUTILUS-GOD TO BE ADORED AND PRAISED AS THE FORMER OF ALL THINGS.

I HAVE been thinking, Papa, of the questions which the gentleman who dined with us yesterday said he often asked himself; they were, What good have I done in the world? What good am I doing? and, What good do I purpose to do?

They are very important questions.

But what did he mean when he said, that he feared he had done but very little good; since you said, after he was gone, that he gave money to everything that

was worthy of encouragement, and that he always had in hand some benevolent project.

No doubt he thought he had not done so much good as he might, and ought to have done. Even the most useful persons feel, when they calmly review their lives, that they have lost much precious time, and have not availed themselves of many opportunities of usefulness.

I wish I knew how to be useful, Papa.

You are laying up knowledge daily, by which I hope, Edward, you will be fitted for a long life of usefulness; for this is the great end for which we should live. A man might as well have been formed a stock, or a stone, if he be really of no service to his fellowcreatures. No one ought to be idle; all have talents entrusted to their care-one or two, at least; if not seven, or eight, or ten. Capacities and opportunities of usefulness must be accounted for ;

"human life

Is but a loan, to be repaid with use,
When he shall call his debtors to account,
From whom are all our blessings."

Ministers of religion, and persons who fill important offices, or who possess great abilities, may be useful.

Our duty We all ex

People who have but very moderate talents may be useful. There are many such who are so. Not a few who have had great talents, without just principles, so far from doing the more good, have only been much more mischievous. But if we are not called to those active public services which some are, there are duties incumbent on us in the family, in the circle of our relatives and friends, and which we owe to ourselves, by which we may be very useful. may begin, but it does not end, at home. pect great benefits from our fellow-creatures; it is but just that we should repay, so far as we are able, the obligations which we have received. Very few, comparatively, have ability to do what is great and splendid for the welfare of society; but all, even the humblest individual, may be of some service. The very desire of usefulness, if it be sincere and ardent, as it ought to be, will create opportunities of doing good; these will readily be found by all who really seek for

them. If we are not useful, then, it must be because we do not really wish to be so; and, surely, such a person must not only be very criminal, but also very miserable.

Besides the common duties of our station—

"and to know

That which before us lies in daily life,

Is the prime wisdom"

in the discharge of which we should be exemplary and diligent; every one should have some little scheme of benevolence, by which he may be of use to his fellowcreatures. These need not be costly, nor does it require a fertile imagination to discover them. You know, Edward, an excellent young female, who, among other little plans of doing good, sends around through the village and neighbourhood in which she resides, half a dozen entertaining volumes on important and useful subjects. She takes some pains-and nothing valuable is attained without labour-to keep these in constant circulation. She is accustomed to call in the

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