seen. “Very likely; but November is as necessary as May or June. Think for a moment how fresh we rise after a night's slumber, and with what spirits and resolution we enter on the duties and business of the day. Now the winter is the sleep of nature; the flower fades, the leaf falls, the bird ceases to sing, and the insect creation are no more But when winter has past, nature awakes, and walks abroad with added beauty and vigour. A Bible-reading friend of mine, speaking to me of the winter months, the other day, said, 'I look upon the gloomy months of winter to be like the afflictions of Christian people, not pleasant, but profitable. Sometimes, God of his mercy, does us more good by a shadowy sorrow, than by a sunshiny joy.' How oft do we find, in this changeable world, Where so many afflictions oppress, That the tokens of love which descend from above Instructions are given in trial and want, That are never imparted to wealth; And the knowledge we gain amidst sorrow and pain, "There is one thing which takes place in November in the country that you would like to see, and that is tree felling; and yet it is almost a sorrowful sight to witness a fine spreading oak, that has stood for a hundred years and more, brought down to the ground." "I never saw such a sight. How do they cut down the large trees?" "It is usual to climb the tree, and fix a strong rope round the upper branches. This rope can either be fastened to another tree, to prevent accident by a too sudden fall, or it can be made useful in pulling down the tree. This done, the woodmen set to work, making the bright, dry chips fly with their strong arms and sharp axes; or they use a saw. This last method is the easier of the two; but you would like to see the axes at work best." "Unless the woodmen well understand their calling, there is great danger when the tree is about to fall. At first it begins to shake, then to sway a little, then to rock, till at last, with a crash, down it comes, like a staggering and falling giant, stretching its full length on the ground. That is a solemn text of Holy Scripture which says, In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be,' Eccles. xi. 3; for if it be so with us when we fall, it behoves us to know that our hope is 'sure and stedfast.' As the tree is cut down in its prime, so may we be cut down when we least expect it. We are all sinners, and there is but one all-sufficient sacrifice for sin, the Saviour on the cross. If our trust is there, we are safe; but if not, we have reason to tremble. I was telling you of the way in which they fell trees." "Yes. What is the next thing they do with the tree after it is cut down?" "They strip off its bark, and lop off its boughs. The boughs are for fagots, or to be used by the carpenter, the wheelwright, or the cooper; the bark will be taken to the tanner; and the timber of the great tree will perhaps be carried to the dock-yard, to be used in building a ship." "I must go into the country in November, if it be only to see the woodmen cut down a large tree. The gardener has much to do, I suppose, in November?" "As his flowers and fruits are for the most part gone, he employs his time in clearing and cleaning up the different parts which require it, so that the garden may not have a slovenly appearance in the winter; in sowing, planting, staking up firmly the standard trees, that the wind may not, by rocking them, expose their roots to the frost; and in attending to his plants in the greenhouse. If he be diligent and careful, he will not be idle even in November. I should have told you that the potato crop is gathered in November. Some farmers, to save time, plough the potatoes out of the ground; but it is a bad custom, for it cuts a great many of them to pieces, and leaves others in the earth: nothing like using a three-pronged fork. The turnip crop, too, is very useful to the farmer in November : without it the sheep and cattle would be badly off." "I saw such a large turnip the other day. I think it was almost as big as my head: it was made into a Bob o' lantern." "Ay! it is a root that sometimes grows to an enormous size. A Norfolk farmer once sent a turnip as a present to a nobleman. The inside was scraped away, and a hare and two brace and a half of partridges snugly placed inside it. The nobleman being a Norfolk man, was greatly pleased with the present." "That I dare say he was. What a turnip it must have been !" 66 Among country people you sometimes meet with very shrewd men, who, though they have not much education, have got together a good deal of knowledge. I was told the other day of one Amos Atkins, who was so fond of proverbs, that he read proverbs, wrote proverbs, and spoke proverbs; and meet him when you would, he had always a proverb on his tongue." "Can you remember any of his proverbs?" "A few of them, but not many. One was, Hope is a good breakfast, but a bad supper.' Another, A passionate boy rides a pony that runs away with him.' A third, 'Anger begins with folly, and ends with repentance.' A fourth, 'An idle boy makes a needy man.' A fifth, ‘A fault concealed is a fault doubled.' And a sixth, and it is the last I can now remember, 'A moment of time is a monument of mercy.' "I should like to see Amos Atkins, for I should expect to find him just such another man as you are, Michael." "I hardly know how that might be. The proverbs of Solomon suit me better than any other. One of them says, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding,' Prov. ix. 10; and another, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,' Prov. iii. 5. 6. I should like to be with you in the country vastly, to explain things to you there." "O Michael, how happy I should be!" "Besides tree-felling, there are often fine sights to be seen in the country in November. Now and then there are some glorious sunrises and sunsets; and when you look at them, you cannot help thinking that the Almighty, who formed |