>

thy need, and I will help thee, and thou shalt praise me.' He alone is it who has for every Samuel a temple, for every David a harp, and for every son of Saphet a prophet's mantle. And, my poor Friedrich, he who has created this thirst in thee, will also shew thee a fountain of water in the desert! But we must seek that which we need from him in prayer."

Friedrich heard the words of his kind, fatherly friend. He made no reply, but went at once into the little cell-like chamber which had been hitherto allotted to him, in the old school-house, as his sleeping-room; and there, bolting the door upon himself, poured out all his griefs before his Father in heaven, with many tears.

PART II.

Ir was now Wednesday morning, the morning of the great quarterly ramble; and already, soon after daybreak, the Latin scholars were assembled in the court of the school-house, waiting for the Curate, Friedrich, and the curate's dog, who always made one of the party on such occasions.

Long before the scholars had assembled in the court,— before the dog's impatient bark was heard,- almost before the very day had dawned,— Friedrich had poured forth his heart earnestly at the throne of mercy:-"Lord, I am in thy hands: provide for me as thou best knowest how."

The sun shone bright and warm; spangles of dew hung and sparkled on every leaf and flower; fleecy mist-clouds rose upwards from the valley, and reflected the light of the sun;

N

the curate's poodle ran bounding on and barked; and the scholars went on, laughing and talking. A whole day of sunshine and freedom was before them; for it was the established rule of these rambles that the whole day, from morning to night, was to be spent under the free heavens; nor were they once to enter under a roof: and for this reason a certain number of the elder, or Latin class, carried with them whatever was needful for the day's sustenance: that which they required from nature on her side was a shady tree, a spring of water, dry wood, and a place in which to make a fire.

The eldest scholar carried, in a sort of quiver on his back, two Cologne pipes, with a bag filled with fine tobacco swung from his button-hole; while the tinder-box and matches were stowed away in his trousers'-pockets. His brother was laden, on his part, with a copper kettle, the three-legged stand for which, tied to a string, he carried in his hand, and from which, with a brass ladle, he drew sounds rather loud than harmonious. No. 3 carried a piece of beef, which his mother, the butcher's wife, had sent, wrapped in cabbage leaves, and tied in a napkin: and here it may be remarked, that after the dog had once got scent of this bag, he never afterwards left his side. A fourth boy carried the manchet bread and the milk cakes; all which, however, were put into a bag, tied by the Curate with a gordian knot, in order that he might be out of the way of temptation. No. 5 might be supposed to be carrying eggs, so carefully did he walk along with the basket which he held on his arm. Eggs, however, he had not, but a coffee service, which his grandmother had lent for the day, and the care of which she had laid upon his conscience. No. 6 carried a ball-shaped coffee-pot, which