it is 23 degrees 28 minutes, which is the greatest obliquity of the ecliptic; after this day it decreases, and on the 31st is 23 degrees 5 minutes. On the 1st, his semidiameter is 16 minutes, 15 seconds, and 5 tenths, and on the 25th, 16 minutes, 17 seconds, and 7 tenths: the Tength of the day on the 1st is 8 hours 6 minutes, and on the 21st, 7 hours 44 minutes.

The Moon is new on the 7th at 15 minutes past four in the morning in the 15th degree of Sagittarius, her latitude being 3 degrees north. She enters her first quarter on the 13th, at 39 minutes past nine in the evening, in the 21st degree of Pisces; on the 21st at 29 minutes past six in the morning, her situation in the ecliptic is in the 29th degree of Gemini, with upwards of 4 degrees south latitude; and on the 29th at 41 minutes past 10 in the morning, she enters her last quarter in the 7th degree of Libra. She crosses the ecliptic in her ascending node on the 2d, is in conjunction with the beautiful planet Venus, on the 4th, at one in the morning, with Mercury on the 5th at three in the afternoon, with Jupiter on the following morning at one, on the 12th at 30 minutes past eleven in the evening she passes Mars, and Saturn on the 23d at twelve at night. She is in perigee on the 9th, and in apogee on the 25th.

Mercury is at his greatest elongation on the 1st, rising at 53 minutes past five in the morning. He is in conjunction with Jupiter on the 10th at five in the morning, on the 21st he crosses the ecliptic in his descending node, and on the 31st is in aphelio. Jupiter rises on the 1st at 52 minutes past six in the morning, and on the 25th, at 35 minutes past five; he will begin to be visible in the eastern hemisphere about the middle of the month. Venus also embellishes the morning sky with her effulgent rays, previous to the glorious orb of day shedding upon us his invigorating and enlivening beams. She rises on the 1st at six minutes past four, and on the 25th at 4 minutes past five. She is an interesting object in the constellation of the Balance.

Mars is observed progressing through the constellation Aquarius. He sets on the 1st at 43 minutes past ten in the evening, and on the 25th at 35 minutes past ten. Saturn is noticed very gradually to recede from 8 Cancri during the whole of the month, He rises on the 1st at two minutes past eight in the evening, and on the 25th at nine minutes past six. He is consequently visible during the whole of the nights, and will afford the telescopic observer an excellent

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opportunity of examining his satellitium and wonderful rings, the major and minor axis of which are as 1000 is to 354.

The right ascension of Arcturus on the 1st, is 14 hours, 7 minutes, 51 seconds, and 1 tenth; its north polar distance being 69 degress, 55 minutes, 23 seconds, and 4 tenths. Mirac has 14 hours, 37 minutes, 30 seconds, and 8 hundredths of right ascension on the same day, with 62 degrees, 12 minutes, 1 second, and 1 tenth, of north polar distance. The polar star has also 59 minutes, 56 seconds, and 11 hundredths of right ascension, with 1 degree, 35 minutes, 53 seconds, and 9 tenths of north polar distance.

JEWISH PROPHECY.

THE destruction of the Turks is an event that must be anxiously anticipated by the Jews, to whom the land of Canaan is irrevocably granted by covenant from the Most High to Abraham and his seed for ever. If the following calculation be correct, the period is fast approaching when the Turkish power shall be annihilated, and the Jews restored to Jerusalem. The calculation is founded on the principle, that the prophecies themselves are the key to prophecy, without extra aid.

In the 8th chapter of Daniel certain events are foretold, some of which have transpired, others remain yet to be fulfilled; but all the events are to come to pass within a given period, namely, 2300 prophetic days, or, as is allowed by Jews, Papists, and Protestants, 2300 civil years-a day in prophecy being put for a civil year. Within this period Jerusalem is to be rebuilt-sacrifices are to come to an end-the Messiah is to come, and be cut off-the city and sanctuary are to be destroyed by a people belonging to a prince of an empire not in existence at the time of the prophecy-and until the end of the vision, desolations on that place and people are determined, even until the consummation, when the sanctuary shall be cleansed, and the host of Israel, the Jews, shall be no more trodden under feet.

The question to be solved is-"How shall we ascertain, with any degree of certainty from prophecy, the termination of the 2300 years?" On reference to the 9th chapter, 24, 27 verses, a certain event is foretold, from which we can calculate, with a considerable degree of accuracy, within a very few years, and this arises from defects in chronological calculations. The event alluded to is, the cutting off the Messiah,

1143

the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end." Glory always has been, now is, and ever shall be ascribed to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

5. On the Trinity.

The same inquirer asks several questions respecting the Divine subsistence of a Trinity in Unity. To these perhaps no satisfactory replies can be given. We are unacquainted with our own mode of subsistence, and questions may be asked respecting the union of soul and body, and the operation of mind on matter, that are equally insoluble by our philosophy. The writer must not forget, that with the intellectual powers of man, questions are always more numerous than answers. The pages of a magazine are not adapted for long dis. sertations on abstruse subjects, otherwise some of the difficulties might be obviated.

ANECDOTE OF THE LATE JOHN ADAMS.

THE following anecdote of the late John Adams, president of the United States, as told by himself, is worth recording, and furnishes one of the best arguments to the advocates of compulsory labour that we have yet heard ::

"When I was a boy, I had to study the Latin grammar; but it was dull, and I hated it. My father was anxious to send me to college, and therefore I studied the grammar till I could bear with it no longer; and going to my father, I told him I did not like study, and asked for some other employment. I was opposing his wishes, and he was quick in his answer. 'Well, John,' said he, if Latin grammar does not suit you, you may try ditching, perhaps that will; my meadow yonder needs a ditch, and you may put by Latin, and try that.'

"This seemed a delightful change, and to the meadow I went. But I soon found ditching harder than Latin, and the first forenoon was the longest I ever experienced. That day I ate the bread of labour, and glad was I when night came on. That night I made some comparisons between Latin grammar and ditching, but said not a word about it. I dug the next forenoon, and wanted to return to Latin at dinner, but it was humiliating, and I could not do it. At night, toil conquered pride, and I told my father, one of the severest trials of my life, that if he chose, I would go back to Latin grammar. He was glad of it, and if I have since gained any distinction, it has been owing to the two days' labour in that abominable ditch."

44

66

GLEANINGS.

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La Perouse.-By the schooner Herald, (says the Editor of the Sydney Gazette,) which arrived here Dec. 4th, 1827. we have heen favoured with the following extract of a letter, received from Capt. Dillon, of the H. E. India Company's ship Research :I take this opportunity of informing you of my safe "arrival here, on the 5th instant, from the Solomon Islands, where I have been successful in procuring "some of the altar and mess plate belonging to the "expedition under the command of Count de la Peyrouse. I have also procured the ship's bell, a brass 46 mortar, five brass guns, several copper kitchen "utensils, the greater part of which are marked with "the arms of France; namely, three fleur-de-lis. I "have got the rudder-irons, the brass shieves of the "frigate's top-mast, and many other things too tedious "to mention." The crew were attacked with an intermittent fever, and the vessel was obliged to go to the Bay of Islands for refreshment, whence she may be expected to arrive here shortly for provisions, as they are all expended.-Solomon Islands, or the Isles of Danger, which are likely to become famous for the wreck of the unfortunate but lamented La Peyrouse, departed from, Botany Bay some 40 years ago, were the immortal French navigator, who anchored in, and seen by Byron in 1765, but so surrounded by rocks and breakers, that it was unsafe to land. The commodore supposed them to be the islands seen by Quiros, the Spanish navigator, in the beginning of the 17th century, and were by him called Solomon Islands. Their longitude is 169 deg. 28 min. W., and latitude 10 deg. 15 min. S.

Interesting Conversation.

Captain Andrews, in his Journal of Travels in South America, gives a conversation which took place between a mother and her daughters upon the coming of the English.

"The Donna, on returning from her morning's confession, summoned her daughters together. and, wringing her hands in great apparent perturbation of spirit, began.

"The Donna-'Oh, my dear girls, we are all ruined-undone!'

"Daughters- How, dear mamma, what is the

matter:

"Donna-'Oh, my dear children, matter enough, Padre M. says the heretics are coming to take possession of our mines first, and afterwards of the whole country. Oh, my dears, what will become of us all ?

"Eldest Daughter 'Oh, mamma, is that all? I feared there was something worse; if they do come, be comforted, mamma, they will not hurt us.'

"Donna-I do not know that (wiping a tear from her parental eye.) I do not know that, (almost overcome with her anxiety.)

"Youngest Daughter- Oh, don't be alarmed, my dear mamma, we must not believe half what that stupid old Padre says about the English. I remem ber you told us when we were little girls, and on the authority of the same holy Padre, too, that the English had tails like devils, or monkeys at least.'

"Eldest Daughter-I remember it too, mamma. And now, my dear mamma, we have often seen Englishmen: have you observed tails to them?'

"Donna- It is true, my dear, that I never did, and that I must have been imposed upon by such a story. They look much as other 'men. Still, my dears, I am convinced there is much danger to be apprehended from them.'

"Daughter-Why so, mamma? if the first story is nonsense, the second is likely to be so too.'

"Donna-No, no, my dears. Do you think the Padre would have come and even gone upon his knees to me, to solicit my influence against them, if there was not danger? Neither he nor the father Jesuit would have done so before the business in the sala came on, if there had not been some reason for it!"

"Eldest Daughter-'Oh, mamma, but do listen to Do you see any thing so very dangerous in the person or manners of these English?

me.

"Donna-None at all, my dear; I like them very much, they are very agreeable; what a pity they can never go to heaven!'

"Youngest Daughter-So much their greater misfortune, mamma; but consider, what with the war and emigration to Buenos Ayres, there are ten ladies to one gentleman left here; and if the five hundred English they talk off should come, we shall perhaps some of us get husbands; and an Englishman will be better than none, you know.'

"Eldest Daughter-And only, think, mamma, of the merit and pleasure of converting a young heretic to the true faith.'

"Donna-There is something in that, my dear, I allow. Well, you will have it your own way, children, I perceive. It is useless for me to argue the matter with you any further!" "

How to Salt Meat expeditiously-Salt and water have a wonderful penchant (chemically yeloped affinity) for each other. Get, therefore, a tub of pure water, rain or river water is best, let it he nearly full, and put the tongs, or two thin pieces of wood, across it; set your beef on them, distant about an inch from the water; heap as much salt as it will hold on your beef: let it stand for four and-twenty hours; you may then take it off and boil it, and you will find it as salt as if it had been pickled for six weeks.

Guinea versus Bi ic-A gentleman was waited upon, at Whitsuntide, by four workmen, usually employed by him, who presented their compliments, and put him in mind of their new year's gifts, which he advised them to put off till the time arrived, as they would then be of greater use to them. Finding them unwilling, he observed, "Well, my lads, here are the gifts, choose one guinea or a Bible!" "I canna read varra weel," said the first, "I'll just take the siller." "I can read well enough, and has a Bible at home," said the second, "but my rent's to pay," and he took the guinea. The third also made the same choice.He now came to the fourth, a young lad of 13 or 11 years old. The gentleman looked at him with an air of goodness, and said, "Johnny, will you take the siller, a thing which you can get at any time by your industry "Weel, sir, as you say it's a good book, I'll take it hame an' read it to my mither, for she's blin, an' I dinna think we have a book o' that name at hame." He took the Bible, opened it, and found between the leaves four one-pound notes. The others hung down their heads, and the gentleman said he was sorry they had not made a better choice.

Insanity of Instinct.-Some physiologists have assumed it as an axiom, that mental madness is a privilego peculiar to human nature, and that the instinct of animals less subject to error than our reason, is also more solid, and their brain less liable to derangement To this I answer by the anecdote of M. de Bougainville's parrot, which was tried and convicted of madness, as regularly as any inhabitant of Bedlam or Charenton. This bird, less remarkable for the beauty of his plumage than for his loquacity, had been for two years on board the ship of that celebrated navigator, treated perhaps more cavalierly, but not less spoiled, by both oflicers and crew, than his compatriot Ververt was formerly by the visitandine Nuns of Nevers. After a pretty sharp engagement with an enemy's vessel, during which the noise of the cannon had been very loud and near, Kokoly (this was the name of the feathered sailor) was sought for every where; he had disappeared; it was thought that he had fallen on the field of honour-by the wind, if not the blow, of one of the balls. But at the end of a couple of days, to the astonishment of the whole crew, he was seen to issue from a coil of a cable, into which he had burrowed. Every one hastened to welcome him, and to load him with almonds and caressez. hokoly was insensible to all their kindness, rolling his dull eyes heavily around him; as his only answer to all the questions which were asked him, was an imitation of the noise which had so completely scared him. Pom-poum-poum! were the only sounds which he uttered, or which he was ever afterwards heard to articulate. Twenty years after this naval engagement, I saw that parrot seated on his perch in the autechamber, repeating his eternal cannonade, and accompanying it with a quivering of the wings and head, which showed the excessive terror he felt.Hermite de la Chaussé d'Antin.

Card Playing-The strong impulse of gaming is, alas! as intense as it is criminal, it produces excitation and interest, and, with ardent and powerful minds, it becomes an almost irresistible passion. But to dribble away life in exchanging bits of painted pasteboard, round a green table, for the piddling concern of a few shillings, can only be excused in superannuation or folly. It is just like riding on a rockinghorse, where your utmost exertion never carries you an inch forward; it is a kind of mental tread-mill, where you are perpetually climbing, but can never rise an inch. It is a saying of the olden times-" Better play at small games than stand out;" but is it not far better to play at no games, thau at those where money, not amusement, forms the principal object? The plea sure of victory onght to supersede the love of gain; and amusement, for the sake of relaxation, rather than pecuniary advantage, should be the sole object of all who engage in games of chance.-Chronicles of the Canongate

Inviolable Seal-A letter closed with the white of an egg cannot be opened by the steam of boiling water, like a common wafer, as the heat only adds to its firmness.

Catholic Chapels and Priests.-From an authentic return for the year 1826, there are 403 Roman Catholic chapels, and 424 priests, in England and Wales.

LONDON:

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Tight Stays.-The Philadelphia Medical Joernal contains an account of the case of a young female brought into the anatomical hall, in Jefferson College, for dissection. "On exposing the chest, a remarkable deformity presented itself, occasioned by distortion ef the breast boue, About two inches from the top of the sternuld, where the first piece of that home joins the second, was aimentation nearly an inch i depth, immediately which the bone alropy protruded, so as to form an obvious tamour between. the breasts. The ribs, also, attached to the protabe rant piece of the sternum, were of course more arched than those below, giving to the whole upper pant of the chest a more free expansion; than belonzed ta the lower. The pit in the sternum was precisely where the extremity of the busk or corset board is usually worn. This, together with the confed aspect of the lower part of the chest, instantly suggested the cause, which unquestionably was, the wearing of the tightly-laced corset, before the form of the individual had been fully developed. On examining the contents of the thorax, the capacity of which had thus been encroached upon, it was found that the subcect bod been the victim of pulmonary consumption, one of the most important predisposing causes of which we know to be a confined chest. It cannot be doubled, therefore, that the fatal disease, in that instance, had beeng aggravated, and might have been provoked, by the habit of dress."

Husza. This familiar and popular exclamation is said to be derived from the Hebrew word Hosaunah

Literary Notices.

Just Published.

The Cheltenham Album and Quarterly Maga of general literature. No. 2.

The Voice of Humanity, Observations on indizi ees of Cruelty to Animals, &c.

The Beauties; of the British Poets. By the Rev. George Croly.

Scenes of War, and other Poems. By John Mat

colm.

Diversions of Hollycot; or, the Mother's Art of Thinking. By the Author of Clan Albin," &e. The Infant Scholar's Magazine. Vol. II,

The knowledge of Christ crucified, and other Divine Contemplations. By Sir Matthew Hale, hot. With an Introductory Essay, by the Rev. David Young.

Lectures, Expository and Practical, on the Book of Revelation. In three vols. 8vo. By the late Rev. Robert Culbertson, Leith.

An Inquiry into the popular notion of an unorig: nated, infinite, and eternal Prescience, &c. By the Rev. James Jones.

The Works of James Arminius, D.D. formerly Pro fessor of Divinity in the University of Leyden. Translated from the Latin, by James Nichols. In three vols. Vol. II.

Anti-Slavery Reporter. No. 42.

King's College. The Second Book for the Instruction of the Students, consisting of Lectures and Examinations.

An Examination of Scripture Difficulties, elucida ting nearly seven hundred passages in the Old and New Testaments, designed for the use of general readers. By Wm. Carpenter, author of "A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures,' **A Scripture Natural History," &c. 8vo.

The Dirge of St. Catharine's. By James Nevil, Esq. 8vo.

A Poetical Address to Maria Da Gloria, Queen of Portugal and the Algarves. By James Usher, Esq. 4to.

The Paternal Discipline of Affliction; the substance of two Discourses; together with Self-Scru tiny. the substance of a Discourse delivered at St. Thomas's Square, Hackney. By the Rev. Henry Foster Burder, M.A.

Blackheath; being a brief His ical Review of some circumstances connected with the Scaraen's Societies. By the Rev. G. C. Smite

In the Press.

The Principles of Natural Philosophy developed and applied in explaining the phenomena of Chemis try, Electricity, Galvanism, Magnetism, and ElectroMagnetism. By Thomas Exley, A.M. Associate of the Bristol Phil, and Lit. Society. In one vol. 8vo. Popular Lectures on Biblical Criticism and Interpretation. By Wm. Carpenter.

Jan. 4, 1829, will be published, No. I. The Wes leyan Protestant Methodist Magazine. To be con tinued monthly.