weet," said Frank. "Louis, I envy you your thoughts."

"Do you?" said Louis, looking up quickly in his cousin's face, with
a bright expression of pleasure.

"When you began that song," continued Frank, "I was thinking of
those lines,

'These are Thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty, Thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then!'"

"'Thyself how wondrous then!'" repeated Hamilton, reverentially.

"I don't know how it is, Louis," said Frank; "in cathedrals, and
in beautiful scenery, when a grave fit comes over me, I sometimes
think I should like to be religious."

Louis squeezed his hand, but did not speak.

"Take care, Frank," said Hamilton with some emotion. "Be very, very
careful not to mistake sentiment for religion. I am sure it is so easy
to imagine the emotion excited by beauty of sight or sound, religious,
that we cannot, be too careful in examining the _reason_ of such
feelings."

"But how, Hamilton?" said Frank. "You would not check such impressions?"

"No; it is better that our thoughts should be carried by beauty to the
source of all beauty; but to a poetical, susceptible imagination this
is often the case where there is not the least vital religion, Frank.
The deist will gaze on the splendid landscape, and bow in reverence
to the God of nature, but a Christian's thoughts should fly to his
God at all times; the light and beauty of the scenes of nature should
be within himself. When a person's whole religion consists in these
transient emotions, he ought to mistrust it, Digby."

"But, dear Hamilton," said Louis, after a few minutes' silence,
"we ought to be thankful when God gives us the power of enjoying
the beautiful things He has made. Would it not be ungrateful to
check every happy feeling of gratitude and joy for the power to see,
and hear, and enjoy, with gladness and thankfulness, the loveliness
and blessings around?"

"The height of ingratitude, dear Louis," said Hamilton, emphatically.
"But I am sure you understand me."

"To be sure," said Louis. "Many good gifts our Almighty Father has
given us, and one perfect gift, and the good gifts should lead us to
think more of the perfect ONE. I often have thought, Hamilton, of that
little girl's nice remark that I read to you last Sunday, about the
good and perfect gifts."

Hamilton did not reply, and for a minute or two longer they sat in
silence, when the report of a gun at a little distance