A WOLF, clothing himself in the skin of a Sheep, and by this means getting in among the flock, took the opportunity to devour many of them. At last the shepherd discovered him, and, fastening a rope about his neck, tied him up to a tree which stood hard by. Some other shepherds happening to pass that way, and observing what he was about, drew near, and expressed their surprise at it. "What," says one of them, "brother, do you hang sheep?"-"No," replies the other, "but I hang a Wolf whenever I catch him, though he be in Sheep's clothing." Then he showed

them their mistake, and they applauded the justice of the execution.

MORAL. The credit got by a lie only lasts till the truth comes out.

APPLICATION.

He adds to his fault who would conceal it by hypocrisy. The exposure of the hypocrite meets with a universal approbation. "It is better," says a Spanish proverb, "to eat grass and thistles, than to have a hood over the face." Better any condition, however humble, than riches or prosperity gained at the sacrifice of truth.

Truth has such a face and such a mien

As, to be loved, needs only to be seen.

A FOWLER went into the woods to shoot. He soon spied a Ringdove among the branches of an oak, and purposed to kill it. He put an arrow to his bow, and was just on the point of letting it fly, when an adder, which he had trod upon under the grass, stung him so painfully in the leg, that he was forced to quit his design. The poison immediately infected his blood, and his whole body began to mortify; which when he perceived, he could not help owning it to be just. "Fate," says he, "has brought destruction upon me while I was contriving the death of another."

APPLICATION. No one more justly merits a misfortune than he who designs an injury to another. If a man plots mischief against an innocent neighbour, and incurs himself a like calamity, his conscience will do its part, and cause him to acknowledge the justice and righteousness of the retribution.

For oft those ills that we for others spread,
Upon ourselves by equal fate are shed.

THE SOW AND THE WOLF.

A Sow had just farrowed, and lay in the sty, with her whole litter of pigs about her. A Wolf, who secretly longed to make a meal of one of them, but knew not how to compass it, endeavoured to insinuate himself into the Sow's good opinion; and, accordingly, coming up to her-" How does the good woman do to-day?" says he. "Can I be of any service to you, Mrs. Sow, in relation to your little family here? If you have a mind to go abroad, and air yourself a little or so, you may depend upon it I will take as much care of your little pigs as you could do yourself." "Your humble servant," says the Sow, "I thoroughly understand your meaning; and, to let you