Foachim the Mimic. 8 3

points” his old friend had talked about, triumph
over any phyfical defects. The very fpirit and
foul of the beft fort of portrait painting. And
here, my dear young readers, I would fain call
your attention to the fact of how one right
habit produces another. The more Joachim la-
boured over feizing the good expreffion of the
faces he drew from, the more he was led to feek
after and find out the good points themfelves
whence the expreffion arofe; and thus at laft it
became a Habit with him to try and difcover
every thing that was excellent and commendable
in the characters of thofe he met; a very different
plan from that purfued by many of us, who in our
intercourfe with each other, are but too apt to
faften with eagle-eye accuracy on failings and
faults. Which is a very grave error, and a very
mifleading one, for if it does nothing elfe, it de-
prives us of all the good we fhould get by a daily
habit of contemplating what is worthy our regard
and remembrance. And fo ftrongly did Joachim’s
mother feel this, and fo earneftly did the with her
fon to underftand that a power which feem$ be-
ftowed for worldly ends, may be turned to {piritual
advantage alfo, that when his birthday came round
fhe prefented to him among other gifts, a little
book, called “* The Imitation of Jefus Chrift.” It
was the work of an old fellow called Thomas 3
Kempis, and though more practical books of piety
have fince been written, the idea contained in the

title fuggefts a great leffon, and held up before Joa-