expedient adopted for her comfort that could be devised. She was placed upon the bed contrived for invalids by Mr. Earl, with pillows of down and air, and out of the mattress of which portions were cut opposite to the sloughing parts. In spite, however, of all endeavours, the mischief advanced, the chief slough enlarged, another slough and a new abscess were produced, and her life was in imminent danger. No sooner, however, was she laid upon the Hydrostatic Bed, than "she was instantly relieved; sweet sleep came to her; she awoke refreshed; she passed the next night much better than usual; and on the following day all the sores had assumed a healthy appearance. The healing from that time went on rapidly, and no new sloughs were formed: the down pillows were needed no more." Such is the account given by Dr. Arnott of the wonderful effects produced by the Hydrostatic Bed. Nor are they at all exaggerated. The bed has been introduced into St Bartholomew's and St George's Hospitals, and elsewhere; and in the Medical and Surgical Journal for the present month, we have an account of its employment by Dr. Spittal, in the case of an old lady of 70, who had been confined constantly to bed for upwards of six weeks, during the last few of which, she had suffered much from restlessness and want of sleep. She was unable to turn herself in bed, and mortification seemed coming on. Two hours after being placed in the hydrostatic bed, she fell asleep, and slept for seven hours, being the longest sleep she had enjoyed for weeks, and she continued to enjoy long and refreshing sleep. The condition of the mortified parts amended, and she became altogether improved. It is worthy of remark, that this lady was not made acquainted with the nature of the bed-she was not aware she was lying on water-but when asked how she liked it, when compared with her former bed, she replied that she liked it better, for it was much softer. It is impossible, indeed, to convey an idea of the comfortable support afforded by means of this bed to those who have not experienced it. So strongly did this impress the mind of an able and pious clergyman, that he was led to remark, "How great is the goodness of God, that puts it into the hearts of men to provide such comforts for his creatures!!" But though we cannot communicate the feeling of comfort to our readers, we can easily give them a description of the bed itself, and recommend them to make a trial of it. Let them imagine, then, an ordinary bed-on which is laid a wooden trough, a foot deep, lined with zinc or lead, the same size as the bed, filled with water to the depth of about 6 inches, over which is placed a sheet of the India rubber cloth, upon which again is placed a suitable mattress, ready to receive its pillow and bed-clothes-and they will have a tolerable idea of what is meant by a hydrostatic bed, the only difference between it and a common bed being the substitution of water for the canvass or spars on which the mattress is usually placed. It will naturally suggest itself to every individual, that some plan must be adopted in order to prevent the water escaping from under the India rubber cloth. This is effected, by merely fixing it very firmly to the edges of the trough all round, dailing it, and filling up all the crevices by means of white lead, or other cement. The cloth being of such a size as would suffice to line the trough were it empty, leaves ample room for free and easy motion when half filled with water, which is done through an aperture near the top-the water being again drawn off when required by a stop-cock at the lower extremity. The trough, instead of being placed upon an ordinary bed, may be, and in fact has hitherto been, made the bed itself, resting on four supports, one at each corner, like an ordinary bed ;—and in this state it may be seen at Mr. Sibbald's, Ironmonger, South Bridge. Singular and unfounded fears have been entertained respecting this bed. "Oh! I shudder," says one, "at the very thoughts of it-is there no chance of being drowned ?" -Another again, apparently with more reason, asks, "Will the person not catch cold lying on water?" How many have done so, when, through ignorance, or from dire necessity, they have slept in a damp bed, or on a watery spot? Both these ideas are quite er roneous--the first ludicrously so, the second equally erroneous, though certainly not equally ludicrousThe bed is, in short, as dry as a bed can rubber cloth is quite impenetrable to water, and as Dr. Arnott remarks, "The bed is a warm bed, owing to water being nearly an absolute non-conductor of heat from above, downwards, and owing to its allowing no passage of cold air from below." The advantages of this bed, not merely to the bed-ridden from chronic distempers, but also in cases of accidents, injured spine, &c. are very great. It is not, however, our province to enter at large into this point; we leave it to our medical friends to illustrate them, which, we have no doubt, they will soon have ample opportunity to do, as we cannot doubt its introduction into our hospitals, as well as its employment by the private practitioner-nay, we would not be at all surprised at its introduction amongst the luxuries of the great. RISE, PROGRESS, AND PRESENT STATE OF THE SECESSION CHURCH. As a very considerable proportion of our readers are connected with the Secession Church, it may not be uninterest. ing to them, as well as to the public in general, at the close of the first century from its commencement, to present them with the following abstract of the rise, progress, and present state of that respectable body of Presbyterians, as furnished us by one of our correspondents. The more immediate cause of the origin of the Secession, was the delivery of a sermon at Perth by the Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, minister at Stirling, on the 10th October 1732, at the opening of the Provincial Synod of Perth and Stirling. In the sequel, that rev. gentleman took the liberty of reflecting somewhat freely on the conduct of the judicatories of the Established Church, in reference, among other 'evils and corruptions, to the undue countenance given by them, in a number of instances, to the violent settlement of ministers on reclaiming parishes, under the anti-scriptural and tyrannical law of lay patronage. Upon the Synod's proceeding to censure Mr. Erskine for the manly freedom he had taken, he forthwith protested, in which he was immediately adhered to by the Rev. William Wilson, Perth; Alexander Moncrieff, Abernethy; and James Fisher, Kinclaven. These four brethren, who have since been justly designated as the Fathers of the Secession, after having given in to the General Assembly and its Commission a number of farther remonstrances and protestations, instead of obtaining any redress of their grievances, were loosed from their respective charges by the Assembly's Commission, on the 16th November 1733, and on the 6th of December fol. lowing they constituted themselves into a Presbytery, afterwards known by the appellation of the Associate Presbytery. In May 1734, the General Assembly, apprehensive of the disagreeable consequences which were likely to ensue to the Church on account of their secession, passed an act restoring them to their former charges; but as the As sembly in this act appeared to view them more in the character of delinquents, to whom they were willing to extend the boon of pardon, than as conscientious individuals, who had been unjustly aggrieved for faithfully discharging their duty in their judicial and ministerial capacities, neither their honour nor their consciences would allow them to take the benefit of it. On the 3d December 1736, they agreed upon, and shortly afterwards published, their Act, Declaration, and Testimony, for the Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government of the Church of Scotland. In 1737 they were joined by other three ministers, viz. the Rev. Ralph Erskine, Dunfermline; Thomas Mair, Orwell; and Thomas Nairn, Abbotshall; and in 1738, by another, viz. the Rev. James Thomson, Burntisland; making in all now eight ministers, all of whom had seceded from the Established Church. In 1739 the whole of these eight brethren, in the capacity of a constituted Presbytery, appeared at the bar of the General Assembly, to which they had been previously summoned, to answer for the line of conduct which they had adopted, when their moderator, Mr Mair, read and then gave in a paper termed their Declinature, in 7 which they declined all authority and jurisdiction of that court over them. Thus was their connexion with the Established Church totally and finally broken up. vacancies, which were, then much more numerous in proportion than at present, there must have been at this time about 250 congregations under the inspection of both Synods, including those in Ireland and America, as formerly adverted to. In some subsequent years, they were engaged, in their Presbyterial capacity, in passing a number of acts in defence of several important doctrines closely connected with evange- Matters thus went on with little interruption in the case lical truth, in opposition to the errors of the times, as also of both bodies, till about the end of the last and beginning in support of Scotland's Covenanted Work of Reformation, of the present century, when a new controversy arose, first together with a Declaration of their Principles concerning in the Burgher, and then in the Antiburgher Synod, resthe authority of the present Civil Government, in opposi-pecting the power of the civil magistrate in matters of retion to what they conceived the anti-scriptural and anarchi-ligion, the obligation of our National Covenants, and the cal notions on that subject held by the M'Millanites, to nature of Public Covenanting in general. The result was, whom one of their number, viz. Mr. Nairn, had gone over. that a few ministers and congregations broke off from each In October 1744, finding that the number of their congrega- Synod, claiming to themselves the designations of Original tions had increased to 41, of which 16 were vacant, they came Burghers and Original Antiburghers, but perhaps better to the resolution of disjoining themselves into three Presby- known at the time by the appellation of Old Lights, in teries, afterwards to meet collectively under the designation contradistinction from the two larger bodies which they of the Associate Synod. The first meeting of this new ec- had left, who, on account of the more liberal principles clesiastical body accordingly took place at Stirling on the which they had adopted, were also denominated New first Tuesday of March 1745, a year which will be long re- Lights. Thus was the Secession now split up into four membered in the civil history of our country, as having distinct associations, two larger and two smaller ones, in given rise to the last Rebellion. While here, it may not which state it continued till the memorable union which be unnecessary to remark, that their political principles, took place on the 8th of September 1820, in Bristo Street which had been grossly misrepresented by some high-flying Chapel, Edinburgh, the same spot on which they had sepachurchmen, were now fairly put to the test. The result rated 73 years and five months before. The bodies which was, that not a single individual connected with the Seces- composed this union, were the whole of the ministers and sion body was to be found either to favour the cause, or to congregations-in number about 300-of the two larger join the ranks of the Pretender, while, on the contrary, branches of the Secession above alluded to, with the excepnumbers of them voluntarily took up arms in defence of tion of a small number of protesters on the Antiburgher Government, in which several actually lost their lives. side, who haying thus left their present brethren, in a few But to return. No sooner had the arrangements above years afterwards connected themselves with their old alluded to been carried into effect, than did the well-known friends, the Original Antiburghers, or Constitutional question regarding the lawfulness of those individuals in Presbytery, as they called themselves. It is rather a curi connexion with the Secession swearing the religious clauseous fact, that the Burghers and Antiburghers in Ireland of some burgess oaths, come under their considerations at and America, who were originally only branches of the the first meeting of the Associate Synod. This question un-Secession churches in Scotland,, were the first to set the exfortunately led the members, who were about equally di- ample of union to their respective mother churches, they vided on the subject, into a painful and protracted contro- having united some time previously. versy, which, on the 9th of April 1747, was followed up by a complete and final rupture of the parties, who were afterwards known by the designations of Burghers and Antiburghers the former being in favour of the religious clause of the burgess oaths, and the latter against it. Each of these divisions, as might have been expected, claimed to its own members the powers and authority of the Associate Synod, and henceforth continued to act in their official and judicial capacities independently of each other. It is altogether foreign to our present object to enter into any dis-Synod of Ireland, concussion on the merits of this unhappy controversy. Suffice it to say, that whatever opinions may have been formed of the conduct of the parties involved, the whole matter was so far over-ruled by the Great King and Head of his Church, who "maketh the very wrath of man to praise him," as ultimately not only to conduce to the greater extension of a knowledge of the principles and designs of the Secession by the emulation between the two bodies which it excited, but also and what is of far more importance-it greatly contributed to the farther diffusion of evangelical truth, and consequently, of true, practical piety. The state of the different bodies composing at present the Secession in Great Britain and Ireland, at the close of 1831, according to the Edinburgh Almanack for this year, is as under, viz. Presbyteries. Ministers, Congregations United Associate Synod con nected with the above, Original Antiburgher Synod in Scotland, including one gregation in Ireland, Original Burgher Synod in Scotland, including one Presbytery in Ireland, 23 316 343 9 95 309 96 56 33 46 56 41 Total connected with Having now erected themselves into separate and rival the Secession in Briassociations, both of the parties, in their distinct capacities, tain and Ireland, nevertheless continued to preach the same doctrines, main- To the above a number of new congregations, during the tain the same church polity, and to increase in numbers present year, have been added, not to mention those in much in the same, proportion. Nor were their labours America, of which we have no account, though there is not merely confined to our own land. They were likewise ex- the smallest doubt but that they must also be pretty nume tended to Ireland, and even America, where they succeeded rous in that country. We may also state, that besides the to such a degree, that in process of time, in both of these above 343 congregations under the inspection of the United countries, the congregations which they had organized be- Associate Synod of Scotland, there are likewise a considercame, so numerous, as to be erected into independent, able number of missionary stations in the more unenlightthough sister Synods. We are not in possession of suffi- ened parts of both Scotland and England, which are occacient data so as to be able to state when these erections sionally supplied with sermon by its probationers, the extook place, but they must have been some time posterior to penses of which are defrayed from the Synod fund, in aid 1773, when we find that the Antiburgher Synod was di- of which a collection from each of its congregations is askvided into 11 Presbyteries, viz. & in Scotland, 2 in Ireland, ed annually. The Synod has also lately established a seand I in America, comprehending in all about 100 minis-parate fund for the support of foreign missions, under its ters. Assuming the Burgher Synod at that period to con- own immediate inspection, to which additional collection sist of the same number, and making allowance in both for are also made by its congregations, independently of their occasionally contributing, along with their brethren of the audacity of his tone and presence, not only carried you along other denominations, for Missionary and Bible Societies, with him, but humiliated you if you did not agree with him. as well as for other philanthropical and charitable pur-made hiin in power, force, and fancy, by far the most lively The readiness of every reply, the abundance of his illustrations, poses.-Fife Herald. PORTRAITS BY A LADY-TAKEN IN THE VENTILATOR OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. SIR ROBERT PEEL. LORD ALTHORP. effective speaker I had yet heard. I have not called him elas quent, because I reserve that word for men like Lord Brougham and Lord Plunkett, whose sentences ring in my ear like favourite music. Now, though I listened with breathless attention-indeed his rapid eagerness almost took away my breathThere are many attributes of a statesman about Sir R. to Mr. Stanley; though he left nothing unanswered, and Peel, and yet some wanting. He has formed his style of speak-would certainly have gained my vote; though his diamond eye ing entirely in the House of Commons, and has seldom kept dancing before me long after I had left the dark Ventila addressed any other assembly of men; and although he began tor, yet I could not, by any effort of memory, repeat a single with what I have just complained of, a set speech, second-sentence he bad uttered.-Court Magazine for September, ing the address in 1810, afterwards he spoke in debate, and with a determination to become a useful member of Parliament. He neither has now, nor, as I have heard from his contemporaries, ever had, the faculty of attachment. His countenance and manner are distant and suspicious. His eye appears rather to avoid than confront the person with whom he converses; but this alters in speaking. His manner is bold, though not gallant. His spirit is cramped by the stiffness of his figure, and the vulgarity of his address. I feel that these criticisms are rather feminine, or will be called so, but they tell strangely in a popular assembly, and I must vindicate my sex by saying that they often discover with their microscopic observation, the real cause of what every one acknowledges as an effect. His attention to every thing said in a debate is extreme and undivided, as well to the worst as the best speakers, and this was thought and said by Mr. Fox to be of great use in debate. I watched him particularly the other evening through out a debate, from the moment he entered the House, walking on his heels, and throwing his coat aside to his seat, and then listening most attentively, and occasionally, as any thing said appeared to excite or embarrass him, passing his small delicate hand along his nose; and when George Dawson, or any one in The two present leaders of the House of Commons, Sir Robert Peel and Lord Althorp, are both men of sense. but the former is seldom, and the latter never, eloquent. And yet of hi we may say that he is a more striking example of the tone of the times than any that could be given. He has foiled enemies that the wit of Canning could not have lashed into order; he has managed a House, whose turbulence Pitt could scarcely have controlled-and by what powers of speech? None. But by candour, integrity, and simplicity. His manner is completely without ornament, but polished by his own kindness of heart; his unirritable temper has defeated the malice of his enemies; and his plain perseverance has assuaged the irritation of his friends. His good humour is so universally acknowledged, that the singularity of having made an illnatured obser vation upon him has been reserved exclusively for the two O'Connells, father and son, and for them once only when they were put down by acclamation. Lord Althorp seems to want all the talents that make great leaders of parties, and yet to póssess enough of what they have none of them had, to make s capital one. He is laughed at by the political dandies, and become a jest among Parliamentary coxcombs. There is not a whom he took interest, said what he disliked, or ventured upon more offensive coxcomb than the Parliamentary one. I derest dangerous ground, pulling down his neckcloth, and fidgetting a young man who talks of "our House," and lards his lean conhis fingers about his face, which is itself singularly inexpres-versation with second readings and committees, and sends his sive. At length he rose to speak himself, and very soon ani- neglected speeches to the Mirror of Parliament. These are mated the House by the warmth of his manner. His speech the men the Chancellor of the Exchequer hopes to be rid of was impressive, full of sense, and well worded, with much ap-in a Reformed Parliament. I was rather led into this strain, pearance of literature and historical reading. There was great by hearing a young fop, who introduced a lady to the Ventivariety in his tone and manner, sometimes familiar and ex-lator, say, I am afraid you ladies will hear little to captivate you postulatory, at others important and impressive; but the im-in Lord Althorp. He was mistaken, however, and avowed pression remained rather than the language of it. There was no very eloquent expression which captivated your taste, as well as convinced your judgment; none of those splendid sentences that carry your reason off by storm, like the energetic periods of Brougham, or the vigorous condensation of argument and knowledge in Plunkett; but he seemed to command the House, to understand its ten.per, and to be fearless of who was to come after him. He was evidently "cunning of fence," but more from experience than ability, and more from conviction of the weakness of his adversaries than confidence in his allies. -Court Magazine. MR. STANLEY. himself so at last. At that monent a raptorous cheer was heard through the whole Ministerial side of the house, such as had never perhaps greeted a resigning minister, for it seemed wrung from their hearts. The girl who had just seated herself put her head forward, and exclaimed, "Oh, it is Lord Althorp coming in; but why is he always in black?" " He has never been out of it since his wife died; he was passionately fond of her, and is now as kind to her mother." "Indeed!" said the young lady, looking down at him again. “Oh, one must say that for him; a truer hearted man does not exist; he may speak bluntly, and look gruffly; but I doubt if Althorp ever offended the most fastidious man alive." " Nor dog either," said I observed opposite to him, while speaking, a younger another in a half-laughing whisper. "Don't you remember man who seemed restlessly attentive to what he said; now Pytchley ?" I was rather interested, and asked the second gen taking up a spy-glass to look at him, and then bending his tleman, whom I knew, to explain. "Oh," he said, "it was only body down quite between his legs, and twisting the same that he and I were out at the early forest hunting, and I reglass round and round with an impatient gesture. He took member in one of the most beautiful mornings in August, when no notes, as some of the members did, and his whole atti- the early sun was breaking upon the foliage, which was waving tule was unquiet; that I should have said he rather wanted over the green glades of the forest, one of the red-jackets galto get away than to speak, but for the frequent observations he loping down the riding, seized up a young hound, tied it to a appeared to be making to his friends on what was going for-tree, and was lashing it most severely, when a weather-beaten ward, sometimes angrily, sometimes peevishly, but always im- keeper, looking askance at him, said, "My lord would never petuously, as I could see by his very brilliant eye, set in other have allowed that.' "What lord ?" "Why, Lord Althorp, the wise ordinary features. At last Peel sat down amidst thunders kindest and best master that ever kept hounds and the worst of applause from his party, showered on a very fine peroration rider to them, said my companion;-but I could not help recalon the present state and future prospects of this country. There lecting that I had just left his pack in the House of Commons, seemed, during his last sentence, some conversation and conwhere he had kept the same character." After this, I saw sultations on the ministerial bench, as to who should answer him at his election. There his voice is strong and loud, and him, which my young friend perceiving, gave a sort of hurried his whole manner eager and unhesitating. Accustomed to exwave with his hand, and dashing of his hat, presented himself press their sentiments more openly and more simply than is to the House. A general cry from his party, of "Stanley!-usual in the upper classes-unused to the *** eloquence of lies," Stanley!" informed me who he was. Mr. Stanley began by because less called upon to conceal their feelings on some occacomplaining of the unfair introduction of so many topics by Sir sions, and affect what they do not feel on others that class Robert; he then took advantage of that unfairness to reply to commonly called "the people," distinguish instantly, and, as it every one of them. The excessive animation of his manner; were, intuitively, the language of the head from that of the the pitch of his voice, not strong but stirring; the action, so heart, and invariably give the preference to the latter; borne agreeable for its perfect nature and utter inattention to grace- down by a torrent of words, they still remain unconvinced, and ful forms, which made it so easy, that you forgot, or rather had grumble even while they yield; but appealed to, as Lord Alnot time to think, whether it was graceful. His uninterrupted thorp appeals to them, language, as if he was "too warm on picking work to dwell," "And lo! their eager hearts outrun his own." gools may baitreo vinoTHE COMET. 2007 see;' and immediately there was a discernible change in his countenance. With as much fear and trembling as any woman I saw there, he called out, All you that do not see, say nothing; for I persuade you it is matter of fact, and discernible to all that is not stone-blind.' And those who did not see told what works (i. e. locks) the guns had, and their length and wideness, and what handles the swords had, whether small or three-barr'd, or Highland guards, and the closing knots of the bonnets, black or blue; and those who did see them there, whenever they went abroad, saw a bonnet and a sword drop in the way.' panies, going all through other, and then all falling to the idECTIOUS CHARACTER OF SUPERSTITION. ground and disappearing; other companies immediately apgreat many persons have, it seems, been in alarm at peared, marching the same way. I went there three afternews of the Comel, though the present Comet has been al- the people that were together saw, and a third that saw noons together, and as I observed there were two-thirds of ready proved among the most innocent and harmless of all not, and though I could see nothing, there was such a fright celestial strangers; and is in truth, an old familiar friend and trembling on those that did see, that was discernible to of our Earth, and not a rare visitant either. The vague feel- all from those that saw not. There was a gentleman standing of alarm entertained only by those totally unacquainted others speak, who said, A pack of damned witches and ing next to me, who spoke as too many gentlemen and with, the Tabs are event laws of nature which regulate the return of Co-warlocks that have the second sight! the devil ha't do k mets, was considerably increased, when on the night of Sunday, the 7th, the following phenomena were visible in this quarter: About nine, the moon was surrounded by a broad hale, and threw a strange brassy hue over a third part of the firmament, poOn getting behind a dense black cloud, her disc was siffl visible through the gloom, but tinged with; elastic rapours, presenting something like the appearance created by cool air moving upon a surface of molten brass. The northern ky was at this time clothed with dark massive clouds, through the interstices of which lumi"This singular phenomenon, in which a multitude be nods matter was seen playfully disporting, and enacting the lieved, although only two-thirds of them saw what imust," most fantastic metamorphoses. At times the streamers if real, have been equally obvious to all, may be compared shot up to the zenith with great velocity, forming large with the exploit of a humorist, who planted himself in an flutal pillars against the sky, and outshining the light of attitude of astonishment, with his eyes riveted on the wellthe moon y At other times they formed something like land-house in the Strand; and having attracted the attention known bronze lion that graces the front of Northumber banks of of willows hanging over a lake, then castellated of those who looked at him by muttering, By Heaven, it towers, then ranges of mountains, and innumerable other fi- wags!-it wags again!' contrived in a few minutes to. gures, which at once suggested themselves to the imagination, blockade the whole street with an immense crowd, some without taxing the powers of fancy. These sublime and in-conceiving that they had absolutely seen the lion of Percy teresting appearances continued for some hours, and arrested wag his tail, others expecting to witness the same phenothe attention of thousands of spectators. To similar phenomena we are indebted for all the marvellous traditionary stories off armies fighting in the heavens, bloody swords, &e. In these legends in the low country of Scotland, the warriors latterly have been all Highlanders; though in those of older date, and in the North of England, the celestial combatants wore the military garb of Germany, or of the Mounseys, (i) e. Monsieurs.) Sir Walter Scott relates one of those marvelse which is as well authenticated, and minutely remembered as any of them. He gives it as an instance of the Infectious nature of superstition." There can be little doubt," he says, that it refers, in its first origin, to some uncommon appearance of the aurora borealis, 9t the northern lights, which do not appear to have been seen in Scotland so frequently as to be accounted a common and familiar atmospherical phenomenon until the beginning of the eighteenth century. The passage is striking and curious for the narrator, Peter Walker, though "att "enthusiast, was a man of credit, and does not even affect to have seen the wonders, the reality of which be unscrupulously adopts on the testimony of others, to whose eyes, he trusted rather than to his own. The conversion of the sceptical gentleman of whom he speaks, is highly illustrative of popular credulity, carried away into enthusiasm, or inty imposture, by the evidence of those arimund, and lat opce shows the imperfection of such a general testimony and the ease with which it is procured, since the general excitement of the moment impels even the more old-blooded and judicious persons present to catch up the ideas, and echo the exclamations of the majority, who, froin the first, had considered the heavenly phenomeas a supernatural weapon-schaw, held for the purpose of a sign and warning of civil wars to come. non 6 menon." י VERSES FOR THE YOUNG.A The following verses, the composition of an American gentle- AMERICA AND ENGLAND. 1]༼༽,。་མལ Since our fathers left their home, Their pilot in the blast, O'er untravelled seas to roam, Yet lives the blood of England in our veins; While the language free and bold In which our Milton told How the vault of Heaven rung, While the manners, while the arts, That mould a nation's soul Our joint communion breaking with the sun; The voice of blood shall reach, COMET. In this month a comet of six and a half years 56 in the year 1636, in the months of June and July,' duration will make its re-appearance. It has been ascerways the honest, chronicler, many yet alive can witness, tained, by the most distinguished astronomers in France, that about the Crossford Boat, two miles beneath Lanark, that it will, when nearest the earth, be at the distance of especially at the Mains, on the water of Clyde, many people sixteen millions of leagues. The comet of 1811, when gathered together for several afternoons, where there were nearest the earth, was one hundred and forty-four millions showers of bonnets hats guns and swords, which covered of miles distant; it will therefore be sixty-six millions of the trees and the ground; companies of men in arms march-miles nearer the earth than the one which appeared in ing in order upon the water side; companies meeting com- 1811. ELEMENTS OF THOUGHT. THE PRESS. THEY Who con eive that our newspapers are no restraint upon bad men, or impediment to the execution of bad mea sures, know nothing of this country. In that state of abandoned servility, to which the undue influence of the Crown has reduced the other branches of the Legislature, our ministers and magistrates have in reality little punishment to fear, and few difficulties to contend with, beyond the censure of the press, and the spirit of resistance which it excites among the people.-Junius. JUDGMENTS. WHO can tell what is a judgment of God? It is presumption to take upon us to know. In time of plague we know we want health; and therefore we pray to God to give us health. In time of war we know we want peace; and therefore we pray to God to give us peace. Commonly we say a judgment falls upon a man for something in him we cannot abide. An example of this we have in King James, concerning the murder of Henry IV. of France. He was killed for keeping so many mistresses, said one. He was killed for changing his religion, said another. “No, he was killed," said King James, a constitutional coward, who turned pale at the sight of a drawn sword, "for permitting duels in his kingdom." Let not this weak unknowing hand Nor deal damnation round the land, COLUMN FOR THE LADIES. GOVERNESSES.-There is a lady in Paris whose only employment consists in examining the registers of young women desirous of being admitted into the faculty of teachers, and in afterwards questioning them as to the extent of their attainments; she is thence enabled to certify to the individuals composing the jury of public instruction, that Miss A or Miss Z is qualified to pass her examination; and in this event the latter makes her appearance before one or two of this jury, notes the questions put to her, and replies to them to the best of her ability. Three species of diplomas are granted; the first is that of mistresses of studies and mistresses of schools; the qualification required, is, the having made extracts from the Scriptures, grammar, and arithmetic, and given pertinent answers on these three subjects. Armed with this diploma, a female may venture upon opening a class for children or an elementary school. The second degree is somewhat more respectable; the additional qualification required is, the History of France and Geography; and the female possessed of a corresponding diploma may inscribe the words "Boarding School" (pension) on the door of her establishment, and undertake to board and instruct young persons: but the ne, plus ultra of diplomas is that of governesses (instructrices.) It does not fall to the lot of all who seek the distinction; for she who would obtain it must possess sound information, and have gone through a course of long and extensive study; it is not mere phrases, but real attainments, which she must have at command; and I know many a young man, who has turned the corner of his rhetoric and pored over philosophy, that would find no little difficulty in answering the questions which the aspirant after a governess's di ploma is expected to solve. She must be familiar with the history of ancient times and the middle ages, as well as every modern annal; is expected to be versed in French and foreiga literature; to be as conversant with cosmography as N. Azais and to dispute with Condillac, were he still in the land vided with this rank of diploma offers to teach your daugh of the living, on logic and rhetoric. Whenever a lady pre WE single out particulars, and apply God's Providence to them. Thus, when two persons are married, and have un-ters, you need not fear entrusting them to her care; she will done one another, they cry "It was God's Frovidence we should come together."-Selden. THE PEOPLE. TRIENNIAL PARLIAMENTS. It always gives us pleasure to quote Edmund Burke, With all the inconsistencies and backslidings which attended his latter life, he was in mind the first man of his party. Probably he did not admire triennial Parliaments himself, though triennial Parliaments was a fundamental principle of the English constitution; but looking deeper into the very first principles of all society, he distinctly recognises the power of the people, on this as on every public question. "I most heartily wish," he says, "that the deliberate sense of the kingdom on this great subject should be known. When it is known it must be preva lent. It would be dreadful, indeed, if there were any power in the nation capable of resisting its unanimous desire, or even the desire of any great and decided majority of the people. The people may be deceived in their choice of an object; but I can scarcely conceive any choice they can make to be so very mischievous as the existence of any force capable of resisting it. It will certainly be the duty of every man, in the situation to which God has called him, to give his best opinion and advice upon the matter: it will not be his duty, let him think what he will, to use any violent or fraudulent means of counteracting the general wish, or even of employing the legal and conclusive organ of expressing the people's sense against the sense they actually do entertain." inevitably be found well informed. Mademoiselle A. F., one of my pupils, obtained a governess's degree at the early age of sixteen: she is the youngest hitherto entered on the register; nor do I mention the circumstance with a view of gratify. ing any personal vanity. The lady in possession of such a passport as this has nothing to do but to turn it to account. THE BRIDE. BY SAMUEL ROGERS. THEN she is blest indeed; and swift the hours Till her young sisters wreathe her hair in flowers, Kindling her beauty-while, unseen, the least Twitches her robe, then runs behind the rest, Known by her laugh that will not be suppressed. Then before all they stand-the holy vow And ring of gold, no fond illusions now, Bind her as his. Across the threshold led, And every tear kissed off as soon as shed, His house she enters, there to be a light Shining within, when all without is night; A guardian-angel o'er his life presiding, Doubling his pleasures, and his cares dividing! How oft her eyes read his; her gentle mind To all his wishes, all his thoughts inclined; Still subject ever on the watch to borrow Mirth of his mirth, and sorrow of his sorrow. The soul of music slumbers in the shell, Till waked to rapture by the master's spell ; And feeling hearts-touch them but rightly-pour A thousand melodies unheard before! And laughing eyes and laughing voices fill Their halls with gladness. She, when all are still, Comes and undraws the curtain as they lie, In sleep how beautiful! Nor many moons o'er hill and valley rise, Ere to the gate with nymph like step she flies, And their first-born holds forth, their darling boy, With smiles how sweet, how full of love and joy, To meet him coming; theirs through every year Pure transports, such as each to each endear! |
