PREFACE.

The unprecedented success of the first of this Series of Collections (an edition of 5000 copies having been sold off in a few months) has not only been highly gratifying to the Committee entrusted with the preparation of the works, but has stimulated them to spare neither labour nor expense to render the present Volume worthy of a similar reception. The same plan has been adopted as in No. V., with a still more rigid adherence to systematic arrangement. The First Section will be found highly useful in training and examining classes on Scripture History; the Second contains interesting notes on the more important features of European History; the Third presents some of the most attractive portions of our own National Annals; the Fourth exhibits notices in Natural History at once amusing and instructive; whilst the Fifth, amid other interesting matter, presents Biographical Sketches of two individuals whose genius may be said to have changed the aspect of the world. The Vocabulary at the end, and still more the Affixes and Prefixes, with the Latin and Greek Roots, afford ample materials for conveying to the pupil a thorough and comprebensive knowledge of his native tongue.

CONTENTS

SECTION 1,-SUMMARY OF SACRED HISTORY.

Page.

Page

1. From the Creation of the 7. From the Babylonish

World to the departure

Captivity to the De-

of the Children of Is-

struction of Jerusalem,

rael out of Egypt,

5 and the Expulsion of

2. Wanderings of the Chil-

the Jews from Judea, 32

dren of Israel in the 8. Design and Uses of the

Wilderness,

8

Jewish Dispensation,

35

3. From the Death of Moses 9. Festivals of the Jews, 38

to the Election of Saul, 12 10. The Tabernacle—the

4. Reigns of Saul, David,

Ark of the Covenant

and Solomon,

18 —the Temple,

41

5. Kingdom of Israel, 24 11. Explanation of Terms,

6. Kingdom of Judah, 27 12. Explanations continued, 50

44

1. James V.- Minority, 88 Darnley to his Mur-

2. James V, concluded, 93

der,

113

3. Mary-Arran Governor, 98 7. From Darnley's Murder

Reformation-Regency

to the Queen's Flight

of Mary of Guise,

103

into England, - 117

5. From the Death of Mary 8. Regency of Murray, 120

SECTION IV.NATURAL HISTORY.

Page.

Page

1. Man,

130 9. Birds of the Poultry kind, 159

2. Monkeys,

132 10.

Crane kind, 162

3. Birds :—Their peculiar 11. Water Fowl,

164

Structure,

138 12. The Frigate Bird, - 167

4. Rapacious Birds, or Birds 13. Reptiles,

169

of Prey,

140 14. Serpents,

173

5. Birds of the Pie kind, 145 15. The Whale,

177

6. Pigeons,

148 16. Fishes,

- 181

7. Birds of the Sparrow 17. Fishes continued, - 184

Kind,

- 152 18. Insects,

- 187

8.

189

..Continued, 155 ( 19. Insects continued,

O

SECTION V. - MISCELLANEOUS.

216

1. Life of Columbus, 194 5. Account of the Principal

2. Columbus continued,

203 Heathen Gods,

3. Discovery of the Com. 6. Account of the Principal

pass,

- 209 Heathen Goddesses,

4. Life of Sir Isaac New- 7. Life of John Howard,

ton,

211 | 8. The Vision of Mirza,

218

220

224

SECTION VI.POETRY.

.

-

1. Latter part of Sixth 15. Battle of Flodden, 249

Chapter of St. Mat-

16. The Ocean,

252

thew Paraphrased, • 229 17. Ships Sinking,

253

2. Vision of Belshazzar, 230 18. Lochiel's Warning, 254

3. Elegy on Spring,

230 | 19. Alexander's Feast ; or,

4. The Ostrich,

232

the Power of Music, 257

5. The Better Land, 233 20. On Slavery,

260

6. On True Dignity, 234 21. The Pain arising from

7. To the Mummy in Bel-

virtuous Emotions at-

zoni's Exhibition, 234 tended with Pleasure, 261

8. Mariners of England, 236 22. Evening in Paradise, 263

9. Extracts from Burns, 237 23. The Covenanters, · 265

10. Hannibal on the Alps, 238 21. Village Student,

266

11. The Alps,

239 25. Peace and War, · 267

12. Parting of Douglas and 26. Hymn before Sunrise

Marmion at Tantal-

in the Vale of Cha-

lon Castle,
241 mouni,

· 269

13. Departed Grandeur, 244 | 27. Great Britain, - 271

14. Greece,

D

O

SECTION I.

SUMMARY OF SACRED HISTORY.

I.-From the Creation of the World to the Departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt.

2513 Years.

THE garden of Eden, that scene of primeval happiness in which the parents of the human race were placed by their Maker, appears to have been situated in Chalde'a, in the vicinity of the rivers Euphra'tes and Tigris or Hid' dekel. Cain, the eldest born on earth, having been cast off for the murder of his brother, the descendants of Adam, called in Scripture "the sons of God," are to be traced from Seth, who was born unto Adam" instead of Abel whom Cain slew." "The generations of Adam" are thus given in the 5th chapter of Genesis:-Adam lived 930 years; Seth, 912 years; E'nos, 905; Cai'nan, 910; Mahal'aleel, 895; Ja'red, 962; E'noch, "who walked with God and he was not, for God took him," 365 years; Methu'selah, 969 years; and La'mech, the father of Noah, 777 years. By adding together the respective ages of these patriarchs at the time of the birth of their eldest sons, as given in the same chapter, we find that the period which elapsed between the creation and the flood was 1656 years. When it is said that "the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all that they chose," it is understood to denote intermarriages between the descendants of Seth, worshippers of the true God, and the family of Cain. The giants' " who are mentioned as being " in the earth in those days," are understood to mean men of violence and bloodshed, as the word literally interpreted implies.

66