much in complexions, ages, and tempers, were all alike in one respect: each had a burden on his back, which he was compelled to carry, through the toil and heat of the day, until he should arrive at his journey's end.

4. It would have been very hard for the poor pilgrims to bear up under the toils of such a journey, had not the lord of the valley, out of compassion for them, provided, among other things, the following means for their relief. In their full view, over the entrance to the valley, he had written, in great letters of góld-"Bear ye one another's burdens."

d d

5. Now I saw, in my vision, that many of the pilgrims hurried on without stopping to read this inscription: some read it, but paid very little attention to it; while a third sort thought it very good advice for other people, but seldom applied it to themselves.

6. I saw, indeed, that very many of those who were staggering along wearily under their loads, were of opinion that they had burdens enough of their own, without taking upon themselves those of other people; and so each tried to get along as well as he could, without so much as casting a thought on a poor overloaded neighbor who was toiling by his side.

7. And here I made a singular discovery, which showed to me the great folly of these selfish people; for I observed that things had been so ordered by the lord of the valley, that if any one stretched out his hand to lighten a neighbor's burden, he found that the kind act never failed to lighten his own!

8. As I stood looking upon the passing throng, I noticed a sorrowful widow, bound down with the burden of grief for the loss of an affectionatef husband: but I saw that her children stepped forward to aid and comfort her; and their kindness, after a while, so much lightened the burden, that she not only went on her way with cheerfulness, but more than repaids their help by the future assistance which she gave to them.

9. I next saw a poor old man tottering under a burden so heavy, that it seemed every moment as if he must sink under it. I peeped into his pack, and saw it was made up of many sad articles: there were poverty, sickness, debt; and; what made by far the heaviest part, the unkindness of undutiful children.

10. I was wondering how he got along at all, till my eye fell upon his wife, a kind, meek, Christian woman, who was doing her utmost to assist him. I noticed that she quietly went behind him, and gently putting her hand to the burden, carried much the larger portion of it. The benefit seemed to be all the greater, that she tried to conceal from him the aid which she had rendered.

11. And she not only sustained him by her strength, but cheered him by her counsels. In short, she so supported his fainting spirit, that he was enabled to "run with patience the race that was set before him."

12. An infirm blind woman was creeping forward with a very heavy burden, in which were packed sickness and want, with many more of those materials which make up the great sum of human misery. She was so weak that she would not have got along at all, had it not been for the kind assistance of another woman almost as poor, and almost as heavily burdened as herself.

13. This friend had, indeed, little or nothing to give: but her voice of kindness and encouragement was a balm to the soul of the weary one. Then I saw how much good an affectionate look and kind word can do. And I said to myself, "When we know that some human being cares for us, how much it lightens the burdens of life!"

14. But to return to this kind neighbor. She had a little book in her hand, the leaves of which were much worn by use; and when she saw the blind woman ready to faint, she would read to her a few words out of this book, such as the following: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;" "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted;" "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

15. These words quickened the pace and sustained the spirits of the blind pilgrim; and the kind neighbor, by thus directing the attention of the poor sufferer to the blessings of a better world', did more to enable her to bear the infirmities of this', than if she had bestowed upon her any amount of worldly wealth.

16. I saw a pious minister toiling sadly along under the weight of a distressed parish, whose worldly wants sorely troubled him, when a charitable man came forward, and took all the sick and hungry on his own shoulders, as his part of the load. The two, then, were able to bear the weight.of a whole parish; though singly, either of them must have sunk under the attempt. It was always pleasant to see the poor pilgrims sharing one another's burdens; but it troubled me greatly to observe, that of all the laws of the valley, there was not one more frequently broken than the law of kindness.

17. I noticed, also, that those pilgrims who were the most impatient under their burdens, only made them the heavier; but what surprised me most was to learn, that the heaviest part of the load which each bore was a certain inner packet, which most of the travelers took pains to conceal, and which they never complained of!

18. In spite of all their caution, however, I contrived to get a peep at this secret packet. I found that in all it had the same label, and that the word SIN was written on it, and in ink so black that they could not wash it out. But what seemed to me very strange, was, that most of them tried-not to get rid of the load, but the label! and that those whose secret packet was the largest, most stoutly denied that they had any such article!

19. There were some, however, who labored hard to get rid of the contents of this inward packet; and they always found that, as it shrunk in size, the lighter was the other part of their burden also. Moreover, I observed that, with such, the traces on the label grew fainter and fainter, although the odious word was never wholly ef faced.

20. Then methought I heard a voice, as it had been the voice of an angel, saying, "Ye unhappy pilgrims, why are ye troubled about the burden which ye are doomed to bear through this valley of tears'? Know ye not, that if ye remove the secret load of sin which so oppresses you, the whole burden will finally drop off"?

21. "Learn, then, and do the whole will of the lord of the valley. Let faith and hope cheer you. The pilgrimage, though it seem long to weary travelers, will soon be ended; and beyond, there is a land of everlasting rest, where ye shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more--where ye shall be led beside living fountains of waters, and all tears shall be wiped away from your eyes."

[This lesson is given as an example of a very complete allegory: and for the purpose of impressing, more clearly, the distinctive character of an allegory upon the minds of pupils, the aid of the artist has been called in to picture forth the scenes described. This kind of writing is well adapted to enforce moral truths. Explain the allegory.]

LESSON XXXIII.

TWENTY YEARS AGO.

1. I've wandered to the village, Tom'; I've sat beneath the tree,

Upon the school-house play-ground, which sheltered you

and me';

But none were left to greeta me, Tom'; and few were left

to know,

That played with us upon the green some twenty years

ago.

2. The grass is just as green, Tom'; barefooted boys at play Were sporting just as we did then', with spirits just as gay';

But the "master" sleeps upon the hill, which, coated o'er with snow,

Afforded us a sliding-place, just twenty years ago.

3. The old school-house is altered now'; the benches are replaced b

By new' ones', very like the same our penknives had defaced';c

But the same old bricks are in the wall, the bell swings to and fro,

Its music just the same', dear Tom', 'twas twenty years ago. 4. The boys were playing some old game, beneath that same old tree';

I have forgot the name just now-you've played the same

with me

On that same spot; 'twas played with knives, by throwing-so and so;

The leader had a task to do-there, twenty years ago. 5. The river's running just as still; the willows on its side Are larger than they were, Tom; the stream appears less wide

But the grape-vine swing is ruined now, where once we played the beau,d

And swung our sweethearts-"pretty girls"-just twen ty years ago.

6. The spring that bubbled 'neath the hill, close by the spreading beech,

Is very low 'twas once so high, that we could almost reach;

And, kneeling down to get a drink, dear Tom', I started so, To see how sadly I am changed, since twenty years ago. 7. Near by the spring, upon an elm, you know I cut your name',

Your sweetheart's just beneath it, Tom', and you did mine the same: