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Oh! Let untainted and inexperienced youth beware! Let not the young permit themselves to be ridiculed or beguiled into this fascinating, yet enslaving vice; let them reflect seriously on the gambler's career, in its progress, and in ITS END; its progress, an alternation of feverish excitement and deep despondency; of unsatisfactory triumphs and bitter disappointments;-its end, too often, destitution, misery, madness, suicide! Ruin in this world, and perdition in the next!

A. S. B.

THE GREETING OF THE NEW YEAR.

ANOTHER year hath bid the world farewell!
Its joys, and cares, and sorrows who can tell?
The snow-flakes linger'd in yon darkening cloud,
The last pale rose-leaves slept in snowy shroud,
The holly, green, in grove and woodland glen,
Wore its bright, glowing, coral wreath again,
While the cold, twilight-gleam of each brief day,
Bade the departing year to pass away.

It came when wintry clouds were dark and drear,
And many proud hearts quail'd with deadly fear,
When voice of famine sounded through the land
A wailing note from Erin's rocky strand;
The spoiler Death in mocking triumph stood,
Sweeping the earth with wild resistless flood.
Then from her lofty throne a Queen came down,
Laying aside her sceptre and her crown-
The while a nation's voice went up on high,
And the isles rung with that long thrilling cry-
"Spare us, good Lord-Forgive-Oh, turn away
Thine angry wrath, thy servants humbly pray."
And He who dwelleth in the heavens above
Heard that deep plaint and smiled again in love;
Once more he bade the mourners' souls rejoice,
And bade them listen to sweet mercy's voice.

And spring's sweet flowerets came to tell of peace,
And whisper'd that the work of death must cease.
Fair primrose-blossoms deck'd the emerald turf
And sunlight glisten'd on the silvery surf;
The scent of roses mingled with the breeze,
And fragrance of the rustling linden trees;
Rich gold'n fields waved o'er the verdant vale,
The harvest-song came floating down the gale;
And once again the hymn of praise was given
To Him who heard from his high throne in heaven;
Who willeth not the wayward sinner's death,
But gives again fresh life and quickening breath.
And what may be throughout the coming year
As yet we know not-but no need of fear,
If God our King, our Gurdian, be but nigh
To guide our steps to worlds beyond the sky.
What! though dark clouds may gather all around,
Though waves roll on, and tempests' rage abound,
A voice still whispers o'er the stormy sea-
Fear not! Be strong! Believing, trust in ME,
Dread not the sable billows' boisterous roar,
Each setting sun, thou'rt nearer to that shore,
Where months and years no longer glide away,
But calmly smiles that one long Sabbath-day.
Children of earth! another year is given
To tread the path of living faith to Heaven.
Oh, kneel in prayer, implore a Father's love,
Look onward to a blessed rest above :

Seek strength to cast away all human pride,
And trust alone to Jesus crucified.
Then, should the coming year be fraught with gloom,
Ye may pluck flowers of bright, immortal bloom,
Even should death stretch forth his cold embrace,
Ye will but dwell in yonder heavenly place,-
And while the thunder rolls, in years to come,
Ye shall rest safe in your eternal home.

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MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL.

"A dim and mighty minster of old Time!
A temple shadowy with remembrances
Of the majestic past."

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HIS noble church, formerly known as the Collegiate Church of Manchester, and now numbered among the cathedrals of England, was erected by Thomas de la Warre, the eighth baron of Manchester. It was built of wood, and is said to have been founded about the year 1422, the year of the accession of Henry VI., from whose father, Lord de la Warre had procured the royal licence for the establishment and endowment of the college and the church. Thomas de la Warre did not, however, live to complete the structure which he had thus commenced. After his death the original plan was enlarged, and various successive additions were made to the building. Sir John Huntingdon added a wooden choir, of elaborate workmanship; but this choir, together with the other portions of the edifice, was afterwards replaced by a fabric of stone.

In the year 1485, Sir James Stanley became warden of the Collegiate Church, and erected, on the north side of the building, the spacious chapel, dedicated to John the Baptist. During the wardenship of Sir John Stanley, the church was completed in stone, and presented, in the main, the appearance which it exhibits at present.

During the violence and misrule of the civil wars, many of the ecclesiastical buildings of England suffered much damage. The Collegiate Church of Manchester, however, remained uninjured throughout this disturbed period; and even escaped the spoliation with which, in their barbarous and mistaken zeal, the partisans of Cromwell visited many other churches. This latter circumstance has been accounted for, on the ground, that the leading gentry in the neighbourhood of Manchester being devoted to the parliamentarian cause, their noble church was spared.

The Collegiate Church, now the Cathedral of Manchester, includes within its walls, the Parish Church; the Cathedral service being daily

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