truth. The higher classes are as free from his detestable vice as any people on earth. But there are others, of the middle and lower ranks, who but too justly deserve the reprobation of the public for "speaking lies." This custom takes its rise from imperfect family discipline, and the frequent temptations to equivocate in self-defence. When children or servants do anything for which they are liable to be reproved or punished, they hesitate not to represent the matter in a light so favourable as to escape all blame. And this depraved habit is not considered deserving of much censure; nor does a person feel himself much insulted, if he be represented as not speaking the truth except when he is speaking on oath. Then indeed all the people think they are bound to declare the truth and nothing but the truth. No greater insult can be offered to any man than to charge him with perjury. Another fault frequently committed by the people, is that of giving a favourable character to an undeserving individual, in order to enable him to obtain a situation. This is done occasionally to get rid of a troublesome man from a neighbourhood in which he is disliked. But mostly the practice arises from an easy mind, or good-natured disposition, which makes a man feel averse to give offence; not considering that it is better to bear the reproaches of an unworthy person, than to violate principle and offend against God.

Another crime of too frequent occurrence in the principality is slander, practised by opposite parties in politics and religion. It is dreadful to reflect on the extent to which this habit prevails, even among those who make very great pretensions to religious purity.

The custom of asking more, and of offering less, than the proper value of articles exposed to sale, in the markets and in the shops, is another bad habit that betrays a great want of fixed principles, and operates very injuriously on the Welsh character. Of all bad habits there can be none more contemptible than this. It evidently originates with the seller,

who, in order to leave room for bating, and hook the buyer without sustaining any loss himself, asks more than the real value of an article, and the buyer, aware of the trick, and knowing that he who can afford to bate, must ask an exorbitant price to commence, in self-defence is induced to bid very low, neither knowing the real value of the article, nor consequently how low the seller intends to come, and after talking abundance of nonsense, on both sides, they come at last to the terms, which ought to have been at first proposed and accepted. This is a matter of such grave importance, both in its own character and in its consequences, that it deserves the serious consideration of all tradesmen. The writer hopes that this habit, which, some years ago was universal, is beginning to give way to a more honourable and straightforward mode of dealing. An amendment, in this respect, deserves all the efforts which can be made for its attainment.

Connected with the moral defect which has just been pointed out, and arising from the same inattention to correct principles, is the want of punctuality, for which most of the artisans in Wales are notorious. In the larger towns there may be less cause for complaint. Competition amongst a great number of men, of the same trade, exercises a salutary influence, and compels them to be a little more regular in the fulfilment of their engagements. But in the country, where the population is thin, and the artisans are few, a want of punctuality is a grievance everywhere felt. A man will undertake to finish a piece of work by a certain day, but when the appointed time arrives, it frequently turns out, that he has not commenced it, and in some cases that he has forgot the whole affair. In some instances other applicants have come to him, with very pressing requests to have a certain article done forthwith; and he has attended to their wishes and deliberately violated his former engagement. And what is still more galling and disgraceful, the promise which

he first made and violated, is repeatedly made and violated, before the business is completed.

Much intemperance prevails in the principality. This vice was on the increase, and beginning to acquire a very general ascendancy, until some check was given to it by the establishment of temperance and total abstinence societies. I am of opinion that many people ought not to be teetotallers, owing to "their often infirmities;" it would, therefore, be very tyrannical in any society, to insist on their conformity to a principle which would be injurious to their health. It appears very plain that taking wine or other fermented liquors, is perfectly lawful, and even scriptural; but neither reason, law, nor Scripture, sanctions a man in taking such liquors to excess, nor requires him even to use them at all if he chooses to do without them. Whilst temperance is a virtue founded in reason and enforced by holy writ, the only ground on which total abstinence can stand is expediency, arising from the obvious necessity of making some great effort to rescue the country from the destructive influence of drunkenness, and the conviction that nothing short of total abstinence will ever effectually reclaim the drunkard. As a reason for total abstinence, it is urged with great justice, that temperate drinking, without the greatest caution, leads to habits of intemperance, and that no drunkard can be found in the world who did not commence with moderate drinking. But it is objected that the disciples of total abstinence make too much noise and parade, holding processions and having banners flying, and hymns sung as they move along the streets and high roads. Surely all this is very harmless, and infinitely more agreeable than the fiend-like noise of a drunken party, returning from their midnight revels. And it should be borne in mind, that an alluring mode of proceeding, is altogether necessary, to induce some of the classes intended to be benefited, to unite themselves with the society. Another charge, brought against those who are zealous in

behalf of these societies is, that they enlist women and children in their cause! This ought to be considered a feature of excellence rather than a cause of censure. Does not intoxication gain ground, very rapidly, among the female sex? An effort therefore to rescue this most interesting part of society ought, in all fairness, to be regarded as very praiseworthy, and deserving of all encouragement. Children cannot be too early initiated in sober habits, especially as thoughtless people are very apt to entice them to take intoxicating drinks, at an age when they must be not only unnecessary, but highly injurious to their tender frames. A remarkable instance of this occurred a few years ago, in a town in Carmarthenshire. In that town, as in many others in South Wales, it is the custom, on new year's day, for families to give some pence to the children of the poor, who are seen in groups at the doors of the more wealthy people, expecting this annual donation. A large number of children applied at the shops of two gin-retailers in the town, who, instead of giving them copper, treated them all with spirits, thus encouraging a habit which might be most destructive to the poor children in after-life. This infamous work was exposed by the Curate of the parish, at a temperance meeting, which was held soon after; but instead of receiving the sympathy and the approbation of the public, he experienced so much trouble from all parties that he was glad to take his departure from the place. How awfully depraved must be the moral state of such a people! At the time when this occurrence took place, there were about sixty public houses in that small town, which contains only seventeen hundred inhabitants; hence the outcry of Bacchus and his votaries.— It is not irrelevant to state here, as a further instance of the intemperate character of that town and neighbourhood, that, from inquiries made, by a medical gentleman in the place, of all the shopkeepers, he found that they paid three thousand pounds, annually, for that pernicious drug tobacco;

to which must be added four or five hundred pounds more, at least, as the profit of the retailers !-If many people have satisfactory reasons for not joining temperance and total abstinence societies, we presume they can find none for shewing hostility towards those that have joined them, and are pledged to advocate their cause; and I should consider the heart of that man in a very unenviable state, who could feel inclined to employ the press, as an instrument, to impede the progress of their views, or the enlargement of their number.

It has been calculated that intoxicating drinks, in all the points of view which may be taken of them, cost Great "Britain and Ireland, every year, nearly a hundred millions of money!

There were, some time back, one hundred thousand persons who had signed the pledge of total abstinence in NORTH WALES.

Superstition has many disciples in the principality. There are some who believe that a bird, which they call a corpse bird,' comes to the window of a person who is about to die, and that he flaps his wings against it, or at least that he passes near the house, and shrieks two or three times. That such an event frequently takes place, cannot be doubted, but we think it may be easily accounted for. When any person

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happens to be seriously ill, it is always the case that some of his friends attend him during the night, and a candle is kept burning, for purposes of convenience and comfort. It also frequently occurs that birds are disturbed in their places of rest, and fly off; and observing a light in the window of the room where the sick man lies, they proceed directly towards it, and coming suddenly and unexpectedly in contact with the glass, they very naturally utter a shrill note which produces superstitious awe in the minds of those who hear it. Should the sick man be so unfortunate as to catch the sound, he gives up in despair every hope of recovery, and from that moment sinks rapidly, and is soon consigned to his grave.