Little did Isdwell imagine, that in imposing on his keepers by a story conceived in, based on, and built up with, falsehood-by inducing them to give him egress from his prison by appealing to their cupidity with a bribe which it was never intended they should receive, he was compassing his own death!

He perished at a moment when he was most unfit to die-the moment when he imagined villany to be triumphant.

'Tis ever thus.

Fraud never realises the expectations of those

who embark in it.

Deriving its origin from

the "father of lies," rently deceitful. The wrong-doer is invariably baffled by his chief. First, he makes the vicious man his instrument; subsequently his victim. "He that," says an old writer, "loves the wages of unrighteousness will do unrighteousness for the wages."

it is inevitably and inhe

When a worthless man plans evil for another, and is crushed by it himself; when he digs "a pit for another, and falls into the midst of it himself;" is there not presented a scene where the TEMPTER may be well supposed to triumph?

CHAPTER VII.

INDUSTRY IN AN UNHOLY CAUSE.

Denton the Coiner. / ́

"'Tis a miserable folly to be wise in wickedness."

CUDWORTH.

Ir is an Englishman's boast that in his own free country no distinction is unattainable to the aspirant who combines in his own person talent, industry, and character; that an adventurer, no matter how humble his birth or how obscure his family, may, if deserving, grasp the highest honours of the professsion of his choice.

The boast is a noble one and based on centuries of experience of our free institutions. Many a bishop has first seen the light in a lowly cottage; and many a law-lord been cradled in the little "keeping-room" behind the shop of some petty tradesman in a provincial town.

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?

But in each of these instances, to talent and industry, there has been added principle. The determination to excel has been vigorously manifested, and as decidedly the resolution to rise fairly.

A similar boast may be uttered with reference to that important boon-education. The Englishman says proudly, "it is not withheld from the people, it is promoted amongst them." But to education and industry, a parity of reasoning will apply.

Industry to be availing must be rightly directed and education, if it is to bless and benefit, must be based on christian principles.

Otherwise, the former resolves itself into activity in wickedness—a mere multiplication of misdeeds; and the latter into a training for the gallows.

The fate of the chemist-coiner illustrates these conclusions :—

THOMAS DENTON was a native of Yorkshire, his birth-place being a little village in the North Riding of that wealthy county. His original position in life was humble-that of a tinman. Self-instructed, and naturally of an aspiring disposition, he lost no opportunity of

gaining information and raising himself in the scale of society. Success seems to have attended his efforts, for, in 1779, we find him a bookseller in the city of York. Soon afterwards he visited London, where, seeing a speaking figure made by some ingenious foreigners, it occurred to him that he could construct a similar piece of mechanism. He made the attempt, and triumphed. A kindred figure was completed in a very short space of time; by exhibiting which in various parts of England, he accumulated a considerable sum of money. The speaking figure he subsequently sold to a printer, in London. He then made a writing figure, which was in existence at the close of the last century. Science claimed every leisure hour. He became an adept in chemistry. From early youth this appears to have been a favourite pursuit. To it he grudged no expense or labour, so far as experiments were concerned, if they promised in the most remote degree to further his mastery of the science. One among many of his successful efforts in this department deserves distinct mention-namely his translation of "Pinetti's Book of Deceptions," with notes. From his acquaintance with chemistry

he obtained the art of plating coach-harness, which he carried on for some time in connection with the business of a bookseller, in High-street, Holborn. While thus engaged he, most unfortunately, formed a connection with a person notorious for making plain shillings. The same abilities which had enabled him to construct several mathematical instruments, such as pentagraphs, sextants, &c., gave him facilities for imitating the current coin of the realm with a perfection that deceived the best judges.

Detection at last overtook him; he was apprehended, indicted, and arraigned. His trial lasted seven hours: and such was the tact with which he had conducted his proceedings that, from the beginning to the end of the investigation, it was more than doubtful whether any verdict could be secured against him. The result was, that he was acquitted of coining, but convicted of having the implements for coining in his possession. Sentence of death was passed upon him, and, pursuant to it, he was executed July 1st, 1789.

Will men never learn that any deviation, however slight, from the narrow path of integrity