my mother" Beware of the snares of London!"-sunk in my heart. I sighed I thought I would beware in future-I kneeled down, and prayed to God to be my keeper.

"Must I tell you, my friend, how soon these impressions were removed, and my vows broken!-that they were often renewed, and as often violated, with more carelessness of the consequences each time! so that I know not what I might have been at this moment, but for a season of affliction.

I read

"A pleurisy brought me near to the grave. My recovery was long and doubtful; I had, therefore, much time for reflection. I was truly concerned for my situation. I read my Bible. I felt that all my professions of goodness had passed away like the morning cloud;' and I bemoaned myself like Ephraim before God. I almost dreaded recovery, lest I should live to be led into temptation; and again, with more fervor, I entreated a superior Power to preserve me.

"I said that a disregard to the sabbath

was the source of most of the evils I had committed; and I especially determined to keep it holy. On my restoration, my first care was to put this purpose into ef fect. This, I am thankful to say, I was enabled to do, I frequently heard the Rev. Messrs. Cecil and Pratt with much benefit; but I more regularly attended the ministry of the Rev. John Newton.You know his excellencies; I need not dwell upon them. It may be sufficient to say, that I hope his ministry established those convictions which had been revived by my illness; encouraged me to go forward in the ways of religion; and excited me to that zeal for the welfare of others, which led to our interview and friendship.

"As to my subsequent experience, it is nearly as well known to you as to myself. Happy is it for me," said he, looking on Douglas with a smile, “that I have now a friend to whom I can freely communicate on the most important concerns.”

"Thank you, my dear Charles !" said Douglas, taking him by the hand, "thank you! let us believe and be confident of

this one thing, that he who hath begun this good work, will perform it to the day of Jesus Christ.""

"Ah!" said Lefevre, "it is easy to believe, that when the work is begun, it will be perfected; but the difficulty with me often is, to ascertain whether it is begun." "That indeed," rejoined Douglas, "is And, in endeavouring we should make it as

the material point.

to decide upon it,

simple as possible.

Every thing relative to

the manner and circumstance of the work should be forgotten in the question; and the attention engrossed by the work itself. -Is the work begun?"

"This is an important distinction," said Lefevre, “I shall be glad to say more on the subject at a suitable opportunity.But see, the sky is overcast before us—we shall have rain."

"Ah!" said Douglas, "it is a picture of one's experience-sunshine and rain, rain and sunshine. But this is not our rest! We will renew the subject another time."

CHAPTER IV.

THE illness of Douglas had placed the friends before each other in the most interesting lights. Lefevre had witnessed the resignation, cheerfulness and gratitude of Douglas under suffering; and Douglas had been astonished at the assiduous, disinterested and untiring attention of Lefevre. Their friendship had now acquired every thing except what additional time and experience could give it; and seldom has there been an intimacy so strong or so selfdenying. Their concern seemed transferred from themselves to each other; and the question generally was, how will this affect my friend? rather than, how will this affect me? Their names were frequently connected with those of David and Jonathan; and those who knew them, felt that the association was easy and natural. To an observing eye, however, it would still appear, that tenderness characterised the

friendship of the one, and energy that of the other; yet, such was the power of assimilation in this attachment, that Douglas seemed occasionally to rise to the energy of Lefevre, while Lefevre sometimes softened into the tenderness of Douglas.

Our young friends were now encreasingly desirous of each other's society. They had often found their distance an obstacle to communion; and Lefevre had resolved to remove it. He, accordingly, made an arrangement for his residence with a Mr. and Mrs. Russell: an arrangement which, not only brought them nearer together, but which also greatly promoted the pleasure of their intercourse, as the persons referred to were much esteemed by them both, and had a real interest in their welfare. As these worthy persons will more or less be blended with the subsequent history, it may be suitable to introduce them to the reader.

Mr. Russell was unusually tall, portly, and of fine presence; with such an appearance of strength and dignity as to excite unmixed awe in the mind, had it not been