the plan the night before. Let each hour of the morning have its particular employments and duties, and, when the hour comes, let them be attended to. It seems to me better to have no plan at all, than to have one formed and to In conformity with these suggestions, rising should be at a given hour, prayer at a certain subsequent time, and breakfast at such a time, and so on.

entirely neglect it.

But if the plan is not formed and made known and the penalties announced-if penalties there are the night beforehand, let it be the first thing in the morning. This hour, in fact, has some advantages over every other. The day has dawned; and new prospects are before us. The mind, and soul, and body, are fresh and vigorous. We see what our health is, and can better form an opinion in regard to many other circumstances. Whereas, the night before, there is more uncertainty, and the intervention of sleep takes off half the happiness we should otherwise enjoy in the immediate prospect or anticipation of duties, enjoyments, &c.

What can be more delightful than to see a husband and wife, with their children and do mestics—if children or domestics they havecollected together at early dawn, and planning the business, studies, recreations, and devotions

of the opening day? Or if the father have settled the whole matter already, how pleasant it is to call the whole together and apprize them of the decision!

I have seen a family of boys quite miserable, and the mother greatly dissatisfied, because the father, though, in the main, an excellent man, never gave the least intimation, in a single instance, of any plan for the future. He had a plan in his head, indeed, but it was never announced beforehand. It was his custom to say, Go, and come, to his family or laborers, just as fast as he wanted a certain thing done by them, but no faster.

Such a man may be an excellent father in all other respects, a kind neighbor, and a good citizen. He may, moreover, be skilful and successful in his business; though he would undoubtedly be still more successful, if with plan he connected family consultation. He would also be much happier, and his wife and children almost infinitely more so. I have never known much true domestic happiness where the husband or father manifested such a want of confidence in his companion and children. Nor is this all; I have seldom, if ever, known the children of such a father to take a deep interest in the father's

occupation.

Whether better or worse than others, it will be, to them, a matter of almost total indifference. Follow it they possibly may, in some instances; but it will seldom be in the love of it. So may the wife occasionally ask her husband questions in regard to his concerns; but not because she takes a deep interest in them. It will often, if not always, be a matter of mere form or compliment.

The judicious husband will also see that every necessary provision is made for the varied duties of the morning. He will not neglect to do that which, by being done, would have saved his companion much trouble, and prevented half an hour's delay in regard to breakfast. He will not be tardy when breakfast arrives, and keep the table in waiting. On the contrary, it will be not merely a duty, but a pleasure, to have every thing in readiness by the time appointed, and to facilitate rather than retard the family operations.

Small as some may think such matters, the very breakfast-table-its contents-the conversation, &c. may be planned; and a foundation laid for rendering even these ordinary occasions of daily life subservient to the intellectual and moral well-being of all who partake of it. I

am far from encouraging the practice of making breakfast a season either of study or recitation; but there is a wide difference between this extreme and that of devoting two of the best hours of every day to mere tattle, or, what is much worse, to the purposes of petty scandal.

CHAPTER VIII.

LEISURE HOURS.

Difficulty of finding leisure time. Leisure at meals. Hour at dinner. Topics of conversation. Time not usually expended economically. Reflections.

In this country, husbands and wives are usually separated, by custom, during the greater part of the day. Whether it should be so or not, is a question I need not discuss, having already said something on the subject; as much as will probably be useful, in the present state of the public sentiment.

This separation, however, has its advantages, as well as its disadvantages. Those who are constantly in each other's society seldom learn to prize that society. I would not, indeed, advise a separation for the sole purpose of securing the pleasure of a subsequent meeting; but it is some consolation to those who are obliged to be separated, to know that they are to be repaid, if they ever meet again, for a part, at least, of the privation.

I cannot help thinking that there are multi