or dreamed of; stale scraps of general and elementary knowledge that he does happen to have been thoroughly acquainted with, even from the time of learning his "First or Mother's Catechism;" sundry facts and theories, concerning which, speaker and spoken to, and all the world beside, appear to be in utter ignorance; fancy portraits of the speaker's favourite friends' features, and fancies, flattered or exaggerated so completely out of all probable resemblance, that it is no wonder he should himself mistake them; tedious intricate digressions that have no more to do with the subject in hand, nor apparently with any other, than darkness has with light, or confusion with order; all this and often more than this, is what somebody to speak to is liable to be called upon to hear, even where the speaker is in the best possible humour with himself and with all the world!

Can we be surprised if any "ordinary Christian" should cut off every button on his coat, rather than expose it to be held by any one evidently desirous of choosing him in this capacity, and bestowing all his tediousness on his devoted ears!

But, alas! bad as this may be, there is yet much worse to be borne ; for speakers are not always in the best possible humour with themselves and with all the world; and, unfortunately, people are never more loquacious and communicative than when their best possible humour has given way to their worst. With too many therefore, somebody to speak to, is somebody to grumble and lament to; a person to be entertained with everything that has ever vexed, fatigued, and thwarted them, and to listen to the invectives lavished upon every one who has ever slighted, injured, and offended them; and, not only is he doomed to hear of grievances, but,-every blessing and alleviation entirely forgotten, every faculty and feeling in the auditor disregarded,—he is doomed to hear of grievances and of nothing else. To add to the penalties of his situation, as relaters of grievances are, of all persons, the most accustomed to suit the action to the word, and the word to the action, the listener is almost morally certain to be exposed during the narration to looks and gestures of such undisguised hatred and uncharitableness, that not all the indwelling innocence in act and thought of which he is conscious as regards the speaker, can re-assure him as to the light in which he is himself regarded, or whether he be not suspected of having done or intended his companion some serious injury and mischief.

Only watch the countenances and manners, and listen to the fragments of the conversation of those whom you see arm in arm, or side by side, during your Sunday's progress to a place of worship. Take the

multitude under the happiest external influences. Choose those who are going out in freedom and fine weather, decked in their best attire, and evidently with everything handsome and comfortable about them. The heavens are bright above, the earth is flowery beneath the speakers have health and wealth, a home and a country here, and a professed hope of a far better home and country in the regions of eternity: furthermore, they have each that cheering, that crowning, social blessing, companions after their own heart; SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO. Take these, and listen to what they say. Oh! what a mournful contrast to the happiness which, as we fancied, must exist! What a sad and overwhelming proportion of persons pouring forth complaint, and nothing but complaint, to the companions whom God has given them to speak to! Say, have they no mercies to remember; no kindness to record; no friends to praise or to admire; no sense of their religious and domestic privileges; no bright and cheering thoughts to communicate; no tribute of grateful, joyous feeling to offer on the day of rest? O, yes; they have all these; few persons perhaps have more; but these things are for their closet or their company; they have very different matters to talk of when they meet with some one in particular to speak to.

Look at the speakers in the indulgence of these confidential communications; mark the menacing vibrations of their heads; the dark contractions of their brows; the indignant or fretful style of oratory with which they favour the unoffending "yes-and-no-er," by their side, whilst dilating on their own merits and perfections, and the injuries and short-comings which they have suffered from others! Who could bear this for ever? No one: and, accordingly, we see, that after the continual abuse, by such insufferable grumblers, of one of the greatest of their advantages, patience herself grows weary; and, in the unattractive and helpless period of advanced life, they are too often left with scarcely any one to speak to.

But worst of all is the miserable, and misery-producing-state of those who look on "somebody to speak to," not only as somebody to be grumbled to, but as a person to be incessantly and harshly grumbled at; as the victim of their temper, their caprice, or their resentment; the receiver of all the blame which they dare not cast on others, and which they are too blind or too unjust to take unto themselves. With such wretched individuals, finding fault is finding pleasure, giving mortification is receiving amusement; inflicting privation is showing superiority; and the daily exercise and repetition of this social torture, constitutes the greatest part, if not the whole, of their existence.

Surely, if any can expect to be entirely abandoned, such persons as these must finally be left with NOBODY TO SPEAK TO!

For love, no one will approach them. No child, no relative, no friend, will venture near them but from motives of cold and painful duty, or from that universal Christian charity which would equally lead them to others unconnected with them. Relatives and connections not thus actuated, or lacking the physical strength necessary for support under such wearing influences, will leave them to their fate; and then, if rich, they must have recourse to hired companions; and procure somebody to speak to, for their money. And, wo to the hapless objects of their choice! Bread of affliction, and water of affliction, is their portion, though in the midst of luxury and refinement. Listen as patiently as they may act as conscientiously; work as indefatigably; look as modestly; dress as suitably; assent as readily; contradict as rarely; they will, nevertheless, be constantly exposed to anger, contempt, and jealousy; whilst, in all the misery that they are paid to bear, they will have nobody to speak to. It is in this respect, that such hired companions are supremely wretched; so wretched, that the scullion under the cross cook; the foot-boy apprenticed to the overbearing butler; the kidnapped sweep who trembles up the chimney on a winter morning ; the hungry beggar who wanders daily through the streets, not knowing where he shall lay his head at night; have all, perhaps, less suffering positions in society than those whom adverse circumstances compel to hire themselves to such as want SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO. There is but one state more pitiable than theirs; that of the petty tyrants who are compelled to hire them.

O! my dear readers, and especially my youthful readers! you in whom the evil has not yet been so indulged as to become a second and unconquerable nature; learn betimes to appreciate more justly, and to deal more prudently and gently, with one of the greatest blessings the Almighty has bestowed on you.

SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO, is somebody to be thankful for and grateful to; a person to be treated with kindness and consideration; somebody to be thought of, and thought for, as one for whom Christ died; and for whom you, as members of Christ's family, are bound to live.

SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO, is a person whom you are bound to cheer by your cordiality; to comfort by your tenderness; to improve by your instruction; somebody to strengthen by your faith; to encourage by your experience; to edify by your example. Furthermore, somebody to speak To is not somebody to speak AT; and moreover he may reasonably

be allowed to speak a little in his turn; and you must have patience with his infirmities and peculiarities; and for his sake, and for your sake, and for the sake of piety and duty, endeavour to prevent his suffering from your own.

My dear readers! if you have never considered this subject seriously before, do so from the present moment; for your conversation with your earthly companions is a test by which you may form some notion of what will be said to you in that awful day, when all that man has spoken shall be declared before listening men and angels, and judged by God himself.

"But," it will be probably objected, "are we always to keep our mouths as with a bridle, in the presence of the good as well as of the wicked? Are we never to mention to sympathizing friends the injuries or unkindness that we have received, or the afflictions from which we suffer? Are we never, in moments of success and pleasure, to call for their praise and approbation? Is it necessary, is it advisable, to practise such restraint; or, when the heart is full, and the pent-up fire within almost threatens to consume us, is it always possible to avoid the expression of our sentiments and feelings?"

No, it is not always posssible; it is not always advisable. So long as we are suffering, we shall be querulous creatures; so long as we are ignorant and imperfect, we shall be boasting creatures; and those who are to soothe our woes and increase our pleasures, must occasionally submit to listen both to our complaints and to our self-complacency. Like involuntary sneezing, coughing, or weeping, our lamentations. cannot always be repressed; but, like any other infirmity common to our fallen nature, complaint should only be allowed when unavoidable, or when the system is to be subsequently relieved by it. Its unnecessary indulgence must surely be hurtful to ourselves, and highly disagreeable to our neighbours. In by far the greater number of cases, the recital of grievances to our earthly companions, merely serves to increase or to perpetuate the evil that offends us. If the annoyance be in itself slight and transitory, we have only to speak of something else, in order to forget it altogether; and if it be something heavier, one of those afflictions sent by Heaven to lead us to heaven, no earthly sympathy will suffice to cure it.

Ah no, my dear friends! when the hand of God is upon you, or when the wicked, who are His sword, are permitted to afflict you, turn not to the frail human reeds around, on which if a man lean, they will but pierce him; but repair unto the Rock which is higher than you, or than

they; and against which neither temporal nor spiritual adversary shall prevail. There, under the grateful shadow of its mighty strength, lay down the burden that has well-nigh overwhelmed you; there, pour forth your sighs and your complaints; there, weep yourselves to rest; and thence return, not to weary and to sadden your fellow-mortals with the recital of your grievances, but to cheer them with your consolations; to tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and to induce them also to taste and see how good and gracious is the Heavenly Parent to whom all are privileged to speak.

One more word on this subject: "If somebody to speak to" be such a blessing, that no other can supply its place, how gratifying is the consideration, that the meanest and the weakest of us may not only possess but become what is so generally sought and valued. The most earnest efforts to promote the happiness of our fellow-creatures on a larger scale are too often doomed to suffer disappointment; the "great thing” that we long to undertake for the relief of the suffering around us, is denied to our ambition or benevolence; but HERE is a sphere of usefulness within everybody's reach; suitable to every age and condition of life, and of which hardly any circumstances can deprive us.

Very few persons have power to act effectively; not many have grace or tact to speak advisedly; but all can LISTEN if they please; and, in the capacity of patient, sympathizing, but just and unflattering listeners, we may all take something from the afflictions that we lament, and add something to the consolations in which we rejoice; surely no one is justified in neglecting to do thus much, because he would fain do more.

Wise, kind, and Christian listening is benevolence for the million; and millions would be benefited, if each, in his domestic circle, would make it the study of his life to afford both pleasure and profit, in the common and sadly-ill-used character of SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO. MARIA VICTORIA.

SOLITUDE AND SOCIETY.

No one can fully enjoy society, who knows not how to enjoy solitude. The qualifications for both are, in great part, the same; and they

derive alternate resources from each other.

EGERIA.