y came forth into the world like calves, and
found everything entirely different from what they expected. Such
unguided young persons, Mr. Crossley found, soon became wild, lost, and
ruined. Then he observed the opposite extreme,--where the fathers
indulged their children so much, that they became quite unfitted to
endure the hardships of the world,--and, like a vessel that is sent to
sea without a helm, they soon became stranded on the shores of life.

Hence Mr. Crossley endeavoured to steer clear of both extremes, and to
give to his sons as much knowledge and experience of life as possible.
When at home, he always had one of his sons near him; or when he went
from home, he always took one of them with him. Thus they gained a great
deal of practical knowledge of life, and knew something of the good and
evil in the world; and as they grew older, they were all the better able
to turn their own lives to the best account.

It is not necessary to follow the history of the Crossley family
further. John Crossley died in 1837, after which the firm was conducted
by John, Joseph, and Sir Francis Crossley, Bart. The latter represented
the West Riding of the county of York at the time of his death, a few
years ago. In 1857 he purchased a splendid piece of ground, which he
presented to the Corporation of Halifax, to be used as a People's Park
for ever. In the speech which he made on the occasion of presenting it,
he said, amongst other things, that he had often discussed with his
friend the Mayor the philosophy of money. "I recollect very well," he
said, "once entering into the question with him, when I was twenty years
younger than I am now, and saying that I saw a great deal of emptiness
about this money-getting; that many were striving for that which they
thought would make them happy, but that it was like a bubble upon the
water--no sooner caught than burst.... Had I," he afterwards said, "been
of noble birth, or traced my origin (like some in this room) to those
who came in with William the Conqueror, however true it might be, it
would not have been good, it would even be boastful to have done so.[1]
But since I am of humble birth, perhaps it will be allowed me to say a
little of those who ought to share the honour which is heaped upon me.
My mother was the daughter of a farmer who lived upon his own estate,
and although it was not large, it had been in the family for many
generations. Her father made the same mistake that Jac