Among the teachers and students of Vermont must be many who are nobly ambitious of raising their minds to the highest standard. To such the publishers of the "Living Age" offer the company of a weekly visitor, which has been welcomed by President Adams, Justice Story, Chancellor Kent, the historians Prescott and Bancroft, and thousands of enlightened men in all parts of the country. The following is one of the "Star Papers" of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher :

Since the days of the Gentleman's Magazine, and the pet Spectators, Ramblers, Idlers and Adventurers, what an advance has been made! There are more books than ever before, and as good ones; the quarterlies are but books jointly composed by several co-operating authors, and contain papers, often, which represent the ripe results of a whole lifetime's experience or reflection in every department of learning. The monthlies, if less stately, are harly less able; and all this is without prejudice to the weekly and daily newspapers, which command some of the best thinkers and writers in England and America.

It was a happy thought, to select from this wide range of matter the best articles in every department, and by bringing them together in a new work, to give to the people at a very moderate sum, the cream of a hundred different inaccessible and expensive magazines and papers But this Mr. Littell has done, and done so well as to have deserved and earned for himself the thanks and esteem of all grateful readers. Our readers have doubtless seen the stereoscopic boxes which contain from twentyfive to a hundred plates, which, revolving, come up in succession before the eye and present living pictures from every part of the world This is just what Mr. Littell does for us in literary matters. His Living Age is a stereoscopic series of the learned and literary doings of the world. It comes every week with a new set of pictures, reflectmg every side of the writing world, scientific, philosophical, historic, didactic, criticl, statistica. poetic: narrative, biography, stories-in short, every thing except stupid goodness and smart immorality.

Out of so wide a field to select with taste and good judgment, requires a talent, in its way, quite as late as that which produces a brilliant article. Every plodder cannot select wisely. It demands great industry, multifarious reading, a nicety of taste and tact, which are none the less praiseworthy because so few think to praise them. Readers are an ungrateful set. They seldom thing of their obligations to those who preprepare for them the endless treasure of the printed ppge. They seem to think that an author or compiler should be grateful and satisfied if they only buy and admire. But there is for nobler natures a payment in coin less gross but more precious. If we were to express the sense of love and gratiinde which we feel to the authors that have cccompanied with us, first as teachers, and since as reverend companions, we should scarcely find words or space for the fullness of the offering! We love to cherish a sense of unpayable obligation to great hearts. And there is no man who performs the humblest service in the realm of learning and literature, who has not a right to the honors and gratitude of benefactor.

Mr. I ittell is not pursuing a new or recent thing. As long ago as 1836 we became subscribers to the Museum, a work similar to the Living Age, published monthly at Philadelphia. This was the beginning of a second series. We know not when the first one began. What a period between 1836 and 1859! And what a treasure is a consecutive series of volumes made up of the best matter which has appearee in that long period of more than twenty years!

Of the Living Age we have a complete set upon our shelves, and we find it univer sally popular and useful. For invalids, on whose hands time hangs heavily, and whose capricious taste every day needs some new resource, these bound volumes must be invaluable. For those who resort to the country in summer, and wish an abundance of miscellaneous reading: for long voyages-for those who love to go back to other years and read of events which are now histories, but then were transpiring, we can cordially commend this unfailin ly interesting series. Every year they grow more interesting, not only by the progressive contents, but because as we recede from past years, we find it delightful to have the means of recalling them. Those who have full sets of the Edinburgh Review, the Quarterly, and who can read the articles which were written upon the appearance of Byron's poems, Scott's, Crabbe's, the Waverly Novels, etc, know how deeply interesting that contemporaneous criticism becomes with every year that lengthens the period between us and it. But we must not trespass upon the space, urth in this busy week. And we perform but a duty, while it is a pleasure, in saying that we congratulate him who has, and pity him who has not, upon his shelves the now almost little libary-Littell's Living Age.

Published every Saturday by Littell, Son, & Co., Boston.

For Six Dollars a year, sent directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded, free of postage.

1861.

1866, Sept. 16. Gize of Mm. Kenry Morer

of Boston.

The in s. 1,3,7,10)

As a source of educational influence, cannot be over estimated. It is the home of our childhood. If there is any thing sacred in memory, any thing dear to the human heart, that has felt its inspiring influence, any thing that baffles eulogy, it is the genius of home. If there is any thing that stirs up the deep fountains of the soul and holds its willing victim spell-bound and silent, it is the mel ody of "Sweet Home."

It must follow, therefore, that a healthful home influence has an untold power for good in the formation of character. Such was the Puritan home of New England. We know of no model that compares with it. No matter how homely and uncomfortable that cabin which was the home of the Puritan family-it was their earthly paradise. Its rough walls shielded them from the northern blasts, its blazing fire upon the sacred hearth-stone shed upon them its genial light and heat. This family was a circle unbroken by discord. Harmony and confidence robed in purity, dwelt there. Parental and filial affection shed over them their genial influence from day to day and year to year. In the Puritan family each member occupied the place assigned by Heaven. The father at the head was revered and obeyed as counsellor and judge, yet loved as parent and friend. The mother "opened her mouth in wisdom and in her tongue was the law of kindness." In counsel and discipline, the father and