September 18. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
449 
sometimes ready to faint in spirit under his own chastenings, 
when he sees the prosperity of the wicked; but when he 
goes into “ the Sanctuary of God,’’ when he views what 
passes round him by the light of scripture, and interprets 
all by the Word of God, he is confounded at his own 
stupidity, overwhelmed by the sight of God’s goodness and 
glory, and laid prostrate in the dust. Then he can embrace 
and kiss the rod, and tremble instead of marvel at the 
“ slippery places ” of ease and “ fatness.” 
When it has pleased our Father to appoint us to single¬ 
ness of estate, trials must be, in a great measure, personal. 
There must be either lack of worldly substance, or bodily 
infirmities, or, perchance, a disappointment, as it is mildly 
termed, to act as the spade, or pruning-hook, in the hand of 
the Great Husbandman; but when, in the providence of 
God, w r e have olive -branches round about our table, it is most 
frequently through them that wholesome culture is applied, 
and surely none reaches the quick so keenly and so sensibly 
as this. 
Mr. Gresham held a civil appointment under government, 
and resided in the town of F-. He was a man of 
high and religious character, and his lady not only devoted 
her time to the care of her children and her household, but 
to the benefit and improvement of the lower classes around 
her. She was beautiful in every relation of life, and her 
example and influence, quiet and unobtrusive as they were, 
were sensibly felt and respected even where they might not 
be followed. A household conducted and governed by the 
highest of all principles, in fact, the only ones that can be 
called high —the love and fear of God,—is a blessed witness 
for the truth among the ungodly world around; it is a 
church.within the church; and who can tell how many 
times the Lord may have mercy upon a city, or a people, 
“ for ten’s sake ? ” Mr. and Mrs. Gresham were a happy 
and a holy couple, and their children were brought up “ in 
the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” But though 
parents can train up a child in the way he should go, they 
do not always reap the fruit of their labours. Young men, 
especially, are exposed to fiery trials and temptations while 
their religion is yet “ green in the ear,” while the seed 
sown has not ripened, and their youthful minds are soft to 
receive every impression that is agreeable to taste, and to 
corrupt nature that dwelleth within. 
Seymour Gresham, the eldest son, was intended for the 
navy, and was educated at a naval school. He was placed 
as cadet in a small gun-brig, commissioned for the African 
station, and entered the service under greater advantages 
than many other boys. Ho was well-prepared by his studies— 
nearly fifteen years of age—and had relatives connected 
with the sea, whose interest and position might be of 
eventual benefit to him. A lady, whose little son of twelve 
years old, just taken half-fledged from school, and knowing 
nothing whatever of nautical knowledge, sailed in the same 
brig, sighed when she thought of young Gresham’s superior 
advantages and steadier age, and almost mourned to think 
how much her boy would feel his inferiority, and what up¬ 
hill work his would be, from his youth and ignorance. But 
“ the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the 
strong.” 
Young Gresham wrote regularly and fully to his parents, 
and their letters carried comfort to the heart of the other 
mother, who rarely heard from her little son, and who felt 
satisfied of the blessing of sending older lads to sea, who 
bad understandings in a measure ripened, and knew their 
duty to those left weeping at home. The weary three years, 
however, passed, and the brig was at home again. It was 
a singular circumstance that those two boys should again 
serve together. They were named to the same frigate, as 
midshipmen, and went to a foreign station. This time, 
however, Seymour Gresham was not so good a correspondent, 
j and his parents, in their turn, received much of their 
I intelligence from the other mother, whose son had some¬ 
what improved as a letter-writer. When Seymour did write 
his letters breathed much depression of mind; and a friend, 
who met him on one of his excursions ashore, wrote word 
that he was looking ill, and in exceedingly low spirits. Mr. 
Gresham and his lady were loving and tender parents, and j 
this mysterious sadness distressed them greatly. Their son j 
had, they knew, felt an attachment during his residence in 
England, and they could only suppose that the premature • 
death of the young lady, which happened soon after the 
frigate's departure, had made a deep impression upon him. 
Beyond this, no idea entered their minds, and they trusted 
and prayed that the changes and occupations of a sailor’s 
restless life might weaken and soften the grief. 
About half the period of young Gresham’s service had 
expired, when a blow fell heavily—the first blow—on the 
heads of his fond parents. They received information that 
their son was returning home from his ship disgraced and 
dismissed. 
I need say nothing to such of my readers as are parents 
of the feelings which this communication called forth, 
feelings hitherto unknown in the happy household, where 
prayer and praise had daily been sent up for mercies given 
and desired. But there is one certain fact;—that where the 
Lord is known, where He is worshipped, and found near and 
dear to the soul, then trouble loses half its sting, and a re¬ 
fuge that the world knows not of is open and ready for the 
afflicted to flee into and hide themselves. Worldly persons 
will call upon God in trouble, but they do not know Him ; 
they cry to Him as a drowning man cries, in hopes that some 
passer-by may hear him; but God’s children know their 
Father is by their side, and they throw themselves into His 
arms and weep on his bosom. 
Headers ! are any of you thus troubled ? If you have not 
already a Father at hand, seek Him. Learn —pray to know 
Him, for a strange and unknown God can be no comfort in 
our extremity. And let us remember that God is only to be 
found “ in Christ.” “ He is the Way, the Truth, and the 
Life,” and we must seek God in Him. When we have 
entered into this rest, our Father is always with us, and 
whatever trial falls upon us, He will embrace us with His 
arms, and sustain us under it. 
In my next paper I shall proceed with the history of 
these tried and afflicted parents. 
('To he continued.) 
ISLAND-PLANTING. 
Your Correspondent will find the Portugal Laurel much 
hardier than the common Laurel. I could show him 
splendid masses on the margins of Islands (within a few 
hundred yards of the Thorn Parlour I am now writing in), 
sweeping and kissing the silver waves, with numerous 
branches, a dozen feet from the banks of the Islands, im¬ 
bedded in the bottom of the lakes, sending up through the 
water a host of progeny, who, under the protecting care of 
their parents above them, are quite at home, and apparently 
on comfortable terms with the water-nymphs, and their 
natural enemy, the frost. Indeed, no hen ever took better 
care of her chicken than these old Laurels over their young 
family ; they also are to be seen pushing their young heads 
through the old branches—not to go to war with the Rus¬ 
sians, but to fulfil what nature has ordained for them—to 
contend with elements that have proved fatal to their family, 
that their parents have withstood for a century, and they in 
their turn will soon have to defend their aged progenitors 
from the storms, to allow them to repose and decay in 
peace. 
This is a true lesson of nature, and though it may be lost 
on human butchers, and those that license them, let it not 
be lost on us planters. Depend upon it, that whether we 
plant on high or low situations, a few extra common trees, 
when planting, as nurses and protectors, are well bestowed. 
But enough, for once, of prosing. And now, for supposing 
the Island in question to have no grass nor dressed walks, 
I should plant along the margin St. John’s Wort, Common 
Savine, Dwarf varieties of the Periwinkle, Cotoneasters, 
Small-leaved Ivy, Berberris repens, Spurge Laurel, &c. &c. 
Back them up with masses (all tnasses) of Portugal Laurels, 
Rhododendrons, (if suitable mould, if not, do not plant them, 
for nothing looks more miserable than starved plants ; such 
covering as Mr. Beaton recommends will not do—is tricksey 
exposed, at best) Common Yews, Box, Berberris aquifolium, 
Siberian arbor vitsees, &c. Also in masses amongst them, 
Scarlet Thorns, Mountain Ash, Laburnums, Single Snow-Ball, 
Guelder Rose, Common Barberry, Rhus Cotinus, one of the 
Sumachs, a ditto Common one, &c. If room, Turkey and 
