there is no man: it fills and satisfies their untaught minds with heavenly thoughts, and enables them to bring forth the fruits of holy words and works, as the rain satisfies the desolate and waste ground, and causes the bud of the tender herb to bring forth. (Job, xxxviii. 25.)

But to return to my story. From day to day, little Bell and I, as we came to and from school, talked about the Hedge, and expressed our anxiety to know more of what was beyond it; and 1, being the eldest, made myself very busy in pointing out to my little sister what I supposed would be the advantages which would follow, if we could but get through the Hedge. Perhaps, I said,

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If it was not for that naughty Hedge on one side, we might get to the top of those hills, and then we should be as high as the clouds; or we might find apples fallen from those trees; or, if we could break down the Hedge on the other side, we might perhaps see the end of the world, and the place where the sun goes at night."

I remember talking in this way to my little sister for many days as we were creeping backwards and forwards to school; and I remember, also, how she used to wonder at what I said, and no doubt thought me very clever. Our schoolmistress was a good woman, one who really feared God, who knew and deeply felt the state of mankind on earth, and the depravity of our nature, who knew the corruption of children, and set her whole heart, with God's help, to do what in her lay to overcome it; but her pupils, not having the same views as their faithful teacher, of course thought her too strict; they could not feel the necessity of the restraint under which they were frequently laid, and they naturally revolted at it. It is the Holy Spirit only that can prepare the heart to submit to salutary discipline.

As Mrs. Waring's house and garden stood in an open place, and as I could trace the Hedge so much hated, beyond it, I one day formed a plan with Bell, to go after school in the evening, and see if we could find any opening by which we might get round to the apple trees;

but our good governess was too watchful to allow our plan to succeed. As she sat at her window, she observed which way I went, and calling me back, she asked me where I was going, and why I did not as usual return home immediately; and as I could not give any good account of myself, she chastised me, and sent us off again, and watched us closely till we had proceeded a good way along the safe and narrow path which I so much disliked.

When, by the winding of the way, we were out of our governess' sight, I sat down on the bank under the Hedge, and began to cry very bitterly. My little Bell took her blue pin-afore and wiped my eyes and kissed my cheek, and put her arms round my neck, begging me not to cry; and in this manner she comforted me for a while, and we returned home.

But when I lay down in my bed that night, I was not happy: my wicked will rose up against the Hedge of Thorns. I could not think of heaven, or of any good

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thing. I had no pleasure in saying my prayers, but I cried till I fell asleep.

The next morning I awoke in the same disposition, and resolved that I would that very day endeavour to break through the Hedge.

At the usual time I set off to school with my little Bell; when we came opposite the apple-trees, we looked upon the fruit, and I thought it exceedingly beautiful. "O Bell," said I, "if we could but get through this Hedge, we could easily reach some of that fruit.""Or perhaps," said she, "We might find some apples under the tree; but we cannot get out of this lane, brother, because of the Hedge."-" Here," I answered, is a gap in the Hedge; if I could but make it but a little larger, we could creep through; you could go first, because you are the least, and I would follow."

My little sister was over-ruled by me, and we settled, that, as it was Saturday, and we were to have half a holiday, we

would complete our naughty plan when we came home.

So we went on to school, and at twelve o'clock we were set free. I hastened with Bell to the place in the Hedge opposite the apple-trees; it was the very place where I had sat crying the evening before, when my little sister wiped my eyes with her pin-afore, and comforted me so sweetly.

I climbed up the bank, and working with my hands, made a gap in the Hedge, as I thought, large enough to push my sister through; I then came down, and lifting up my little Bell, said, "Now, sister, try to get through the Hedge first, and I will help you; and when you are through, I will come after you."

"Brother," said she, "I am frightened; I think we had better not try to get through the Hedge; perhaps our mother will be angry with us for it." Whilst she spoke, she looked red and trembled: but I persuaded and encouraged her, and at length she put her head into the gap which I had made, whilst I pushed