said, "If war arise, these foreigners will join | and in intensity; surpassing the skill of the with the invading foes. Not far distant to the magicians, and causing the heart of the king east of them are the powerful Pales, or Philis- to yield reluctantly, and little by little, to the tines, whose ancestors long enjoyed the fatness demands of Moses. There is not, in the whole of this land. These Hebrews are from the compass of human history, a series of transacsame country, and are Pales or shepherds also. tions more natural and truthful than those Should the Philistines again invade Egypt, which occurred in the protracted contest they will enter it through the land of Goshen, between Pharaoh and his ministers and magiwhere the Hebrews will join them, and we cians on the one part, and Moses and Aaron shall be brought into bondage. Our safety is on the other. The essential feature in the to be found in being beforehand with them. contest, wherein lies its whole truth and power, We must reduce their number by rigorous is the gradual yielding of Pharaoh to the treatment, and bring them into the severest steadily advancing demands of Moses and servitude." So reasoned the Egyptians, and Aaron. At last the crisis came. The king thus commenced the bondage of Israel. The had been forced to yield everything but an motives would seem to palliate the adoption of unconditional departure with wives, children, the policy of the Egyptians; but by the manner servants, and flocks; when Moses advanced his of carrying it out, the mingling of avarice and demands still further, and required an absolute ambition with their fears, their policy became and unconditional leave to depart. Upon this execrable. Their fears gradually gave way to the indignant monarch ordered him to fly, their avarice and ambition, and they continued and see his face no more, declaring that in to enslave the Hebrews from a corrupt and the day that he came into his presence he guilty love of ease and wealth. should die. Then flashed the eyes of the Hebrew patriot with joy; and his mighty soul gave utterance to these portentous words :"Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face no more."

The religious element in every community is the most influential and permanent. It may vary in the manner of its manifestations, both with respect to doctrine and forms; but amid all the variations of its expressions among men, its essential element, divine worship and obedience, is recognised and respected, in civilized or in savage society. Hence, a plea founded upon religious obligation is always respected when it is believed to be sincere. Moses, the Jewish patriot, undertook to deliver his countrymen from their bondage. He applied to the king of Egypt for permission to go three days' journey into the wilderness to the east of the Nile, in order to worship the God of the Hebrews according to the rites and ceremonies He himself had prescribed. This request was received by Pharaoh and his ministers as tyrants and oppressors always receive the humble petitions of the oppressed. They said, "The people are idle, and hence are restless, and the proper answer to their requests is an increase of toil." The cry of the oppressed rose higher into heaven and became louder in the ears of Jehovah, and He determined to bring them forth with a "mighty hand and an outstretched arm." That the deliverance might be glorious, and the terrible vengeance which was to be executed on Egypt might be discerned, a series of plagues were brought upon the land by the divine power given to Moses and Aaron. And yet these plagues were so brought as to be in accordance, to some extent, with the natural phenomena of the country, and with the wonders of that peculiar magic which was practised by the native sorcerers. But each successive plague increased in difficulty of production

The fate of Egypt and the triumph of Israel now hastened apace. There remained one more plague of which the Egyptians had no notice until it was upon them. Several days had elapsed since Moses departed from the presence of Pharaoh; and all seemed quiet. But within the dwellings of Israel the Passover was preparing. Each family was cherishing a lamb without spot and blemish as a sacrifice when the evening of the fourteenth day of the month should close in and veil the land in darkness. On that evening the blood of the lamb was carefully received in a basin and sprinkled on the door-posts of each family residence; and the flesh was roasted in the presence of the family standing around, and girded for travel. As the magic hour of midnight approached, and while they were in the midst of their paschal feast, a wail was heard arising from every dwelling in the land where the blood of the paschal lamb appeared not on the door. The destroying angel was abroad with commission to smite the first-born in every house not signed and protected by the paschal blood. But, in the quaint yet significant language of the Bible, “No dog even moved his tongue (or barked) against any of the children of Israel." The victory was won: the heart of the haughty Egyptian was broken: he and his people flew to the head-quarters of Moses and Aaron, and said, "Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go worship the Lord as ye have said. And take your flocks

and your herds as ye have said, and be gone; | that night, and made the sea dry land, and the and bless me also."

waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto them on the right hand and on the left." | (Exod. xiv.)

The Hebrews, according to the instruction of Moses had kept within their dwellings until the destroying angel had passed. Now they poured forth from the Desert on the east, to the Nile on the west, and hurried forward in miraculous canal, whose lofty and overhanging Let us pause a moment and look into that long lines, converging upon the head of the walls of water stand congealed by the divine Red Sea, intending to pass round it. But the power; let us contemplate the vast host of Lord directed Moses to turn to the right, and Israel hastening through it, guided by the pass through the mountains, and encamp mysterious light that gleams from the luminous several miles below the head of the sea, on its side of the divine cloud which stands behind western shore. The narrow mountain valley them at the western entrance of the wonderful through which they approached the sea is still sea-chasm. The rear-guard of the astonished called, in the language of the country, Tiah host is coming up out of the midst of the beni Israel, or the way of the children of Israel. At the mouth of this valley where it spreads left on the eastern banks of the sea, as the waters, and silently deploying to the right and out on the sea-shore, hemmed in on either side divine cloud closes up the passage behind them. by inaccessible mountains, the host of Israel Silence reigns on the eastern shore throughout halted to rest, and to adjust their goods and furniture for their future travel in that peri-racle of their deliverance, and the awful and the hosts of Israel, for the magnitude and milous wilderness, whose black slaggy mountains loomed up to their view on the other side of the sea. (See engraving.) They seem not to have thought of being pursued by Pharaoh. They felt secure under the guidance and protection of God, whose presence was among them in the form of a luminous cloud. But they were suddenly awakened from their dream of security by the banners of Egypt flashing in the rays of the setting sun. Their hearts failed them for fear, and they cried to Moses for help, at the same time reproaching him for having led them out of Egypt to die by the sword. As their cry rose to heaven, "the angel of the Lord (the Lord Jesus), which

went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them; and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel: and it was a cloud and darkness to those, but it gave light by night to these; so that the one came not near the other all the night." Thus were the Egyptians stayed, and Israel protected. But they could not remain long in that sterile and inhospitable place. They must escape. But this was impossible, except through the sea. The extreme crisis had come;-the hour for manifesting the divine indignation and power was at hand. But this manifestation, like all divine manifestations for the special benefit of man, was to be made through the symbol of human agency. And the Lord said unto Moses, "Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And Moses stretched out his hand, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all

glorious presence of God in the cloud of fire represses every heart. Suddenly, as the day dawns, they hear coming from the midst of the

For "in the morning watch the Lord looked sea where they had passed, cries of distress. pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled unto the host of the Egyptians through the the host of the Egyptians, and took off their chariot wheels, that they drew them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them

against the Egyptians." See, in the dawn of the morning, the divine cloud parts in the midst; through the fiery opening Moses advances boldly

to the water, and stretching out his hand over the sea, at the command of Jehovah, the sea returns to his strength, and the Egyptians are overthrown. "Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw them dead upon the seashore."

As the sun rose over the mountains of the great and terrible wilderness, making manifest the greatness of their deliverance, and the destruction of their enemies, the profound silence which had reigned on the eastern shore was broken by strains of inspired and triumphing music. The oldest and the finest epic poem in the world burst spontaneously from the hearts of the Hebrews. In it Moses narrates the glorious acts of Jehovah, while sometimes the men, and sometimes the women answer in chorus. The song concludes with one grand chorus by all. The following is the translation and arrangement of this fine epic, by the celebrated Hebrew scholar, Dr. Kennicot. The original may be found in the fifteenth chapter of Exodus. The scene is about fifteen

A DAY AT STRATFORD-ON-AVON.

BY THE REV. THOMAS BRAINERD.

WE read travelling sketches as our children play with their kaleidoscopes. Nothing new can be exhibited-but as each revolution of the instrument developes new combinations, so every traveller has his own mode of shadowing forth his recollections. If ambitious of novelty, I should select scenes of minor interest; but sufficient reasons move me to lead the reader to the most familiar spots in Old England-to ground made classic ages ago-to scenes illustrated by the pens of biographers, poets, and philosophers-for the same causes which have consecrated these shrines still exist to create excitement and stimulate curiosity. As the very announcement of the subject stirs a responsive chord in the hearts of all, my task is as easy as that of the Arab who is guiding the caravan towards well-known springs of pure water.

I love Old England! Two hundred years ago my ancestors left her shores, because they there found, according to their convictions, no "Freedom to worship God." But if England finally exiled, she first made the Puritan stock -and where else in Europe could a race of such intelligence and manly virtues have found an origin? The intolerance which exiled the Pilgrims, was an heirloom of ages, which even the fathers of New England were slow to surrender.

England is Old America-and America, Young England. The national antipathy between the two is a family rivalship. Each is very proud of the other, except when their paths cross; and then is heard a right oldfashioned family scolding-more unrestrained and clamorous from the near relationship of the parties.

During the war of words on "Oregon boundary," I saw stuck up in the windows of London, a caricature of John Bull and Jonathan. John was, as usual, a stout, burly, ruby-cheeked

old fellow, whose glorious "British Constitu- with a stout cane in hand, before Jonathan, tion" had been enlarged and invigorated by and gave him a look in which irritation, free indulgence in roast beef and plum pudding. jealousy, impatience, and pride struggled,— His hat was set on proudly. His watch-chain with a little of the relenting and respectful air dangled ostentatiously from his portly chest. of relationship and good-will, while he saidHis boots were double-soled, (or, as Mrs. Kirk-" Boy,-will you strike your own daddy?" land pertinently says, "hoof-like,") implying Jonathan, a tall, overgrown, but well-knit not alone the solid foundation beneath him, and hardy youngster, was looking up impubut that the impulsive force of his lower extre- dently and flourishing his fist, as if he asked mities was admonitory! He stood bolt upright, no odds, but had fairly set up for himself. It

did my heart good to see even in this caricature, that the parental and filial relation was still recognised by British satirists, in those days when the madness of politicians came near involving us in war.

pains for our entertainment. This family consisted of Mrs. P and some six children. In systematic arrangement, tidiness, comfort, courtesy, and unobtrusive but sincere piety, it was a model household-such as may often be found in England. I felt at home, and yielded myself delighted to the benevolent plans adopted for making my visit agreeable.

England, yet covetous of dominion, anticipates the growing decline of age, and is querulous. Young America looks forward to her own rising power and final supremacy, and is As is my custom, I first explored Leamington impertinent and reckless. This is the position itself. It was formerly only a small village, of the two nations. I am happy to believe, overshadowed by the pretensions of the more however, that in both countries, the ties of ambitious Warwick and Kenilworth. The blood, language, commerce, and religion, modern tendency to congregate at wateringabsorb and annihilate among thousands, the places, for recreation, has given it an impulse, jealousy and alienation which the peculiar so that it has the air of a modern, ruralized condition of the two nations is likely to engen- city of twenty thousand inhabitants. Its hot der. This is certainly the case with the middle springs, celebrated for three centuries past, as class in England, who have nothing to fear, but well as its contiguity to places made classic by much to hope from the example and tendency historical or poetic association, concentrate in of our free institutions. I had the honour to winter a crowd of the aristocracy, whose taste address crowded assemblies, and know that no is gratified by all the conveniences and embelsentiment could enkindle so sudden and rap-lishment deemed essential by the most fastiturous enthusiasm an enthusiasm which Bri- dious class in Europe. But it is not of Leamtish audiences are not slow to indicate by clap-ington itself, that I desire to speak. When the ping and shouts-as allusion to the common origin, and the perpetual harmony of England and America-the Anglo-Saxon race of the East and of the West. As an American, my eyes often moistened while crowds before me acknowledged their paternal relation to my countrymen, and their desire for perpetuated good-fellowship. As Americans, we need feel no envy in view of what England, by the growth of a thousand years, now is, and we hope that our British brethren will rejoice and not repine at the anticipation of what America is yet to be. Her noble achievements in the past are our common heritage; and in the final elevation which our national youth and opportunities promise, our triumphs will be her victoriesour expansion over the continent of the West, the diffusion of her race, her literature, her language, and her religion.

reader is told, that at Leamington he is only three miles from Warwick, six from Kenilworth, and ten from Stratford-on-Avon, he will readily conclude that we found more pleasure in outside excursions, than in the town itself, beau-. tiful and charming though it be.

Our excursion to Stratford-on-Avon was a day to be remembered. No sun ever rose more beautiful. And here I will vindicate English weather from scandal, by asserting that for all the month of August, 1846, we had but two rains and no fogs. Mr. P- - had arranged that we should travel post, if that term can be applied to a ten miles' journey. At an early hour our carriage made its appearance. solid, heavy aspect, contrasted strangely with the gaudy and monkey-like dress of our postilion. Imagine a fat, animalized man of thirty, with a close-fitted cloth cap, tasseled,-closely

Its

cravat, and white short-clothes-long, tasseled boots, from which project enormous spursand whip in hand, which ever and anon he flourishes with a coachee air, and you have our redoubtable postilion. But to see him in his glory, you must let him mount—and casting a responsible look behind him, apply whip and spur, while he goes bobbing up and down in the saddle, according to the most approved transatlantic model of horsemanship.

I love to speak thus kindly of Old England— | fitted and button-bedizened blue jacket-white for I have many a debt of gratitude to discharge for the open-handed hospitality of her citizens. To estimate a cordial welcome in one's own language in a foreign land, one must know the solitude of a stranger. An agreeable incident of this kind occurred at Leamington, in Warwickshire, the geographical centre of England. My friend, Mr. C—of London, was about to spend a week with his friend Mr. P, a merchant of Leamington, and invited me to share in the excursion. Common sympathies in the cause of temperance led to our acquaintance, and he persuaded me to believe that I might be useful as well as pleased by the jaunt. It was in August, 1846, when we visited Leamington-and were most hospitably received by his friend, who, with his family, spared no

Our company consisted of Mr. and Mrs. C, Mr. and Mrs. P———, myself, and Miss P—————, a sweet little maiden of ten summers, who was a pet of the party. Emerging from town, we entered the vale of the Avon, and near the old castle and town of Warwick we crossed that quiet, classic stream, on a massive and wide