which escaped from the lips of the dying Gibbon. I know nothing in the whole history of infidel feeling that has more affected me than his touching exclamation to his valet-' Pourquoi est ce que vous me quittez?' This is human weakness, calling for human sympathy. The childishness and profanity of the other, shews how much the rational being may sink beneath the irrational, when destitute of the fear of God!”

"Let us be thankful, my dear friend," replied Miss Hamilton, "that to us it is given to believe in the Saviour of sinners— that we know the love wherewith our Heavenly Father hath loved a guilty world, by the price at which He has redeemed it. When we look around us, and think that He who made this beautiful world-the earth and all that inhabits it, once had not where to lay his head-can we doubt of his love! This sweet hour of twilight often powerfully reminds me of that mysterions circumstance. As a poet of your own country has said All creatures know this hour:

"The rooks, dark phalanx, homeward flies,

The bee her cell hath found, or closed her wing
On scabious wild. Yes, every breathing thing,
Cradled in down, or silken web, or bed

Of woven leaf, or shelter'd covert lies:

All save the ONE, who each warm covering spread-
He only had not where to lay his head !'"

In conversation such as this we walked slowly towards our hotel, pausing occasionally to take another view of Arthur's Seat, or the Forth, or the distant sails upon its bosom, or the Beacon light on Inchkeith, as it gradually appeared and disappeared, like a star of the first magnitude traversed by the clouds of night.

I intended to have filled my sheet of demy to the very corners to-day, but my uncle and Henry joined us on Tuesday, and as we have been engaged every day since they came, I must postpone what I had to tell you of Roslin, Hopetown House, Dalkeith Palace, &c. till we meet. Meanwhile believe me, my dear Harriet, your affectionate cousin, MARIANNE.

M. G.

AN ESSAY ON LAMPS.

WALKING one evening lately in the streets, I amused myself with considering the great number of artificial lights, to be seen in all directions, differing from each other in size ́and lustre, according to the various purposes they were intended for. Here might be seen the dim light, whose feeble rays only just served to make" darkness visible" in the obscure nook in which it was placed. In the window of a work-shop, a lamp with a bright but small flame, threw a beautiful light on the disjointed parts of a watch, which an ingenious looking person seemed to be repairing: but I observed the rays extended only a little way. At certain intervals in the streets were lights, not indeed very beautiful, but yet sufficiently strong to enable passengers to avoid danger, and to prevent them from running against each other. In the shop of an opulent tradesman hung a lamp, which, continually assisted by a fresh current of air, burnt strong and clear, and filled the whole shop with a fine white light. From the ceiling of a public room, was suspended a lamp, constructed on the same principle, but whose magnificent light was set off with glass and polished metal, which reflected the rays on every side. Many other lights might be enumerated; from the farthing candle which cheers the poor cottager in his little dwelling, to the beautiful blaze of gas, which so often meets the eye in large towns.

On running over all these in my mind, I could not but reflect, that while" shining in their proper places," different as they are in many respects, they are all useful, and added much to the comforts of civilized life. Pursuing this train of thought, I considered that the mind of man is a lamp; and that the lamps of the intellectual world differ as much in capacity and lustre, as the artificial lights I have been speaking of. I even imagined there was a sort of correspondence between them: and that I could select from among my acquaintances men. whose talents might be represented by one or other of the lamps just described.

In the stable at the inn, I had met with an old man, employed by the hostler to assist in taking care of the horses. His mind was of a low order, and seemed bounded by the yard in

which he lived. Yet he was useful in his station, and appeared thankful to Providence for that share of comforts which had fallen to his lot; speaking to me of the excellent qualities of his wife, and the pleasures of his humble home. His, thought I, is the farthing candle, or the little lamp in the dark corner.

The small bright lamp in the shop-window, seemed an apt representative of the mechanic seated behind it. His mind shone brightly on the few objects it was employed upon, but probably did not reach much beyond them. Had this man aspired to some wider sphere of action, thought I, his little light might have been overlooked or lost; but now it is regarded with respect and pleasure.

A whole class of small tradesmen sprung up in my thoughts, as I looked on the long rows of street lamps gleaming wherever I turned myself. The light of these men, said I, is not very brilliant, yet it shows itself to a considerable distance, and shines in all the ordinary walks of life. How much more useful is it than some brighter things!

The patent lamp reminded me of the active and intelligent merchant, extending his commerce into all parts of the world, and enriching himself and his country by his successful transactions. The parts of some men of this class, well exercised by the nature of their employments, shine with great lustre, and fill a large space with their useful and beautiful light. I have observed however, that as the flame of the Argand lamp, when raised too high, is apt to crack the glass which surrounds it, so some of these men, wishing to shine too far, have met with a similar misfortune. Whoever is in the practice of reading the public newspapers, may often have found several paragraphs filled with accidents of this nature.

The highly gifted statesman, encircled with the imposing ornaments of his rank, might be well represented by the lamp which adorned the public room. It is evident however, that if the polished metal be not kept clean and bright, it can add little to the lustre of the lamp; and if titles and honours be unhappily stained by vicious or selfish actions, they do but render their possessor more contemptible.

The, lucid gas-light, the flame of which might seem to be fed on nothing, reminded me of the wit, or the poet, whose

subtle genius is composed of flame, and burns on, though you cannot discover the fuel by which it is supported. I thought too there was some analogy between the noxious vapours emitted by impure gas and the effusions of a corrupt imagination; and I wished that some means might be discovered of subjecting the names of our poets and fine writers to the action of lime water that, having deposited all their grosser particles, they might burn with purity and sweetness.

Some parts of this paper my young readers may apply to themselves and their companions; but it is chiefly intended to show them, that in acting their parts in life, they ought to be contented with the station in which Providence has placed them, and not aspire after situations for which their talents may be unequal. Let them remember, that many of the calamities of men might be avoided, if they would be content to "shine only in their proper places." Let them also ever keep in view the injunction of our divine Redeemer, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

WILLIAM HENRY.

ANECDOTES FROM NATURAL HISTORY.

THE FLAMINGO, OR PHŒNICOPTERUS.

"THIS bird is called by the Greeks the bird of flaming wing,' because when it flies against the sun, it appears like a fire-brand. Its plumage when young, is róse coloured, and at ten months old the color of fire. Its beak,' says Monsieur Buffon, 'is of a very extraordinary form, its legs excessively high, its neck long and slender, its body stands higher, though it is less than the stork.' It is a bird of passage and numerous at St. Domingo, and the Caribbee Islands. They fly in society and form themselves into a line, so that at a certain distance they resemble a brick wall, and somewhat nearer, soldiers arranged in rank and file. They place sentinels which give an alarm by a very shrill cry, like the sound of a trumpet, at which they all take flight. Their flesh is much admired as food, and ancient epicures were very fond of their tongues."

ANON.

THE CUCULLUS INDICATOR.

THIS bird is found, according to Monsieur Buffon, in the interior of Africa, at some distance from the Cape of Good Hope, and is celebrated for indicating where wild bees' nests may be found; twice a day its shrill cry is heard sounding cherr, cherr; which seems to call the honey-hunters, who When it is seen it flies and hovers answer by a soft whistle.

over a hollow tree that contains a nest; and if the hunters do not come it redoubles its cries, flies back, returns to the tree, and points out the prey in the most striking manner, forgetting nothing to excite them to profit by the treasure it has discovered, and which probably it could not enjoy without the aid of man; either because the entrance to the nest is too small, or from other circumstances which the relater has not told us. While the honey is procuring, it flies to some distance, interestingly observing all that passes, and waiting for its part of the spoil, which the hunters never forget to leave, though not enough to satiate the bird.

This account was confirmed by a gentleman, who assisted at the destruction of many bees' nests, and procured two of these ANON. birds that had been killed.

THE GRATEFUL LIONESS.

"AT the French fort St. Louis, there was a lioness which was kept chained. She had a disease in the jaw which reduced her to great extremity, and she was at length thrown into a neighbouring field. In this state she was found by Monsieur Compagnon, as he returned from hunting. The eyes were closed, the jaw open, and already swarming with ants. Compagnon took pity on the poor animal, washed the mouth with water, and poured some milk down her throat. The lioness recovered by degrees and was brought back to the fort, and conceived such an affection for her benefactor, that she would receive food only from him; and when cured followed him about the island with a cord round her neck, like the most familiar dog." LECTOR.