NATURAL HISTORY. 139 



" Oh yes, Uncle Philip, much happier ; and 

 far more cheerful and good-natured." 



" Such are apt to be the feelings, boys, of 

 those who have done their duty. I am verily 

 persuaded that there is no such thing as real, 

 solid happiness in this world, but in that man 

 who acts from a sense of duty. His is true 

 peace, because it is ' the peace of God.' I do 

 not say, boys, that a man, even when he does 

 his duty, always feels comfortable or happy at 

 once ; but he will be more apt to feel so than 

 if he did not do his duty : and I do say that 

 no man who does not act from a sense of duty, 

 is likely to feel any thing like happiness very 

 often or very long." 



" Then, Uncle Philip, a man who wishes to 

 be happy will try in the first place to find out 

 what his duty is." 



" To be sure, he will ; and he need not try 

 very long either, if he really wishes to know 

 it. The will of God, boys, is at the bottom of 

 all our duties ; and an honest man, yes, or 

 boy either, can commonly tell what God will 

 think to be right or wrong in his conduct. 

 You know where a great many of our duties 

 are very plainly written down for us ; do you 

 not ?" 



