But it is a lesson we all dislike to learn. We are young and inexperienced, or visionary and self-conceited, and so build up a fancy picture, rich in its colouring, gaudy in its hues, pleasant to the sight, imposing to the imagination, forgetting in its splendour-the stern realities of life.

Ours we fancy, and fondly too, is to be a grand life. We are to be heroes; its petty concerns are not for us; its monotonous duties are beneath our range, we are to take a higher flight and soar exultingly above them all. And ours is indeed to be a grand life, and we are to be great persons in it, but not in the way we think! One day—we wake up from our dream, (the vision is fading fast) and in its stead we see nothing but an ungarnished wall behind, blank and desolate. The picture has ended in nothingness; our triumph is but vexation of spirit. It is against the false craving of irresolute wills and unsteadied minds, that this "ower-true story of every day life" is directed. It is a lesson we all need to learn, let us try and learn it. As we rise, mournfully, from the consideration of this most moving little book, as we remember the stern realities of human existence, it depicts so strikingly, their serious moment-their intense influence upon ourselves, let us resolve "in whatever state we are therewith to be content," and strive to become great and noble, and triumphant in the homely duties of every day, and in the common labours of our respective lots in life!

But let all read its pages for themselves, and ponder over duly what is therein, and we can pronounce beforehand readily enough the unanimous sentence of approval and satisfaction, nay, of sympathetic delight, which will be the result of its careful perusal.

S.

Charles II. said of Bishop Barrow's Sermons: "He is not a fair man, he leaves nothing to be said by any one who comes after him."-Miss Sinclair's Anecdotes.

CONFIRMATION.

It was a fine morning in May; the sun shone brightly on the lofty white houses, and busy streets of Frankfort; here and there were seen groups of boys and girls moving along, evidently dressed in their holyday attire; the girls peculiarly conspicuous by their white dresses, and the garlands and bouquets of beautiful flowers which they wore.

I drew in my head from the window of our sitting-room, whence I had been surveying the spectacle, and seeing that others had by this time come into the room, said, "I am sure there is something particular on foot; what can be the meaning of all these young people in the streets this morning, and dressed in this manner?" A gentleman, with large sandy whiskers and moustachios, who was closely engaged in cutting slices of ham at the breakfast table, and distributing to the various expectants sundry rolls of milch brod' as the Germans call their best bread, on account of it being made with milk, answered, without suspending his operations, "Oh, it is a Confirmation I dare say ;-just now the Confirmations are taking place almost every day at some place or other; I noticed the Jews were having their's as I passed their synagogue yesterday; the Roman Catholics had their's last Sunday; this to day will probably be a Lutheran one.' "Indeed," I said, I should like to see it, will you

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inquire for me where it is to take place, and whether I may attend?" The reader will perceive from this that I was only a stranger in that part of the world, and needed an interpreter or go-between in my intercourse with the good German people, and in gaining a knowledge of their ways and doings.

The inquiry was made, and the information elicited was, that the Confirmation was to be at the Katerina Kirche, and that any one who chose might be present.

Accordingly, I went; but the Confirmation having been fixed at an earlier hour than I was told, I found, on my arrival at the Church, the service already commenced. Perhaps my readers may wish to know what a Lutheran Church in Germany looks like. I will try and describe the one I was just entering. It was a large Gothic structure, evidently built at different periods, and much altered from its original form. Two huge galleries, one above the other, went round three sides of the building; in one of them rose a vast organ, whilst all round the front of these galleries was painted in the panels a series of scenes and events from the Old and New Testament Histories. The galleries on this occasion, however, were wholly untenanted, except by the organist.

In the middle of the vacant side of the Church was the pulpit, and close to it, but lower, a place like the reading desks in Churches, occupied during the ordinary services by the precentor, a

person whose duty it is merely to lead the singing. Both the pulpit and the desk were like the galleries, however, now empty. The minister was at the altar, which stood at the east end of the Church, in front of one of the galleries. It had a large and richly carved screen behind it, rising up to a great height, with a painting in the middle of our Blessed Lord, and a crucifix over the centre, and on this occasion the whole was profusely adorned with most beautiful festoons and bouquets of flowers. The front of the rails of the altar was also decorated with flowers, as well as other parts of the Church, and what with this, and what with the wreaths of flowers worn by the females on their heads, and the nosegays carried by the youths, the Church looked almost like a conservatory.

At the front of the altar and all down the body of the Church was the assemblage of the candidates the boys seated on one side, and the girls on the other, whilst on the benches round the walls, which were somewhat elevated, was a number of spectators, composed of the parents and friends, and others who had come out of curiosity, I forming one of the number.

But I did not observe all this at first, for, as I entered, the congregation was singing, and so entranced was I with the strain, that it was sometime before I could collect my mind to mark the spectacle before me. Never, I thought, had I heard such solemn soul-touching chords, and as towards the end of the stanza, the tune rose into a

sort of triumphant swell, in which the younger voices became pre-eminent, it seemed to lift the soul from earth to heaven. Just such a strain was it as might suit young champions of the Cross, echoing forth their high devotion to the Lord, their determination to follow Him even unto death, and their utter casting off the thraldom of sin and satan.

But it was over-and then there came a long prayer by the minister, and a long address from him to the candidates, and another hymn was sung, but not like the first, and then the Confirming of the young people took place. The minister standing in front of the altar called out two names, as might be thus, Conrad Steinbelt and Rudolph Blüm," on which two youths rose up from their seats in the body of the Church, and taking each other's hands, walked up slowly to the rails, and there kneeling down before the minister, he kneeling also, and putting his hands upon their heads, said,—

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RECEIVE the Holy Ghost to be sheltered and defended from all evil, strengthened and empowered for every thing good, from the gracious Hands of the Omnipotent God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen."

After this he gave to each of them a verse of Scripture or a verse of a hymn, to be their motto for their future life, and they returned to their places. Two others were then called up, and the same ceremony gone through, and they retired, and so on till all the candidates had received the ordinance. The service concluded with another address, a prayer, and benediction.