RUINS OF ALEXANDRIA.

ALEXANDRIA is a celebrated city of Egypt; but not so ancient as some of those cities mentioned in the Bible in the times of Joseph and Moses. Some suppose it was the city called "No," mentioned by some of the Prophets, especially Nahum, who asks, "Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?" But there is no doubt that the city of Alexandria, which afterwards became so famous, was first laid out and founded by Alexander of Macedon, B. C. 332, and it was, perhaps, the one good thing that this young mad soldier, who went about the world doing mischief, ever did. At all events it is the only place of his times that preserves the memory of his name. I have not space now to tell you much of its history, but it is very interesting, and I would advise you to read it when you have the opportunity. You will find how it became a place of great commerce and splendour, and a seat of learning and intelligence, until those savage Mahommedans came and robbed and ruined it, and burnt its famous library of 700,000 written volumes!

Ever since then the city has been in the hands of the Turks, under whom it lost all its former greatness, and sunk into the condition of a small wretched town. Ten years ago (1848) there were but 8459 inhabitants. Since then, the English having made it their port on the Mediterranean Sea for what is called the overland route to India, it has become much more populous, and Alexandria is again becoming a

place of considerable importance. All around the present city are ruins of its former magnificence-shattered remains of marble pilasters, obelisks, towers, and pillars, in some places heaped one upon another, higher than the houses. Its famous tower of Pharos has perished. One of the obelisks, covered with hieroglyphics (see the picture), is called Cleopatra's Needle, after a beautiful but wicked Queen of Egypt, who reigned a few years before the times of the New Testament. But one of the most splendid ruins yet to be seen is a pillar, called "Pompey's Pillar," after the Roman General Pompey, the great rival of Julius Cæsar. Of this, however, and how some English sailors managed to get to the top of it I must tell you another time.

PRINCE ALFRED.

PRINCE ALFRED ERNEST ALBERT was born August 6, 1844, and so he has just turned fourteen. You know it is the custom in England for boys to go out apprentice when they are fourteen; and so it seems that Prince Alfred is to do as other English boys do, for he has just gone to learn to be a sailor. Let me tell you about it.

This Prince is the fourth child and second son of the Queen-the Princess Royal, lately married to the Prince of Prussia, was the first-the Prince of Wales was the secondthe Princess Alice the third-and Prince Alfred the fourth.

King George III., the grandfather of the Queen, like her Majesty, had a large family, and his third son William, afterwards King William IV., went to sea when he was a boy, and so when he ascended the throne they called him the

"Sailor King." I remember very well, more than fifty years ago, an old farmer who was fond of singing, sitting in the corner of his fireside, and in a strong but not very tuneful voice rolling out these lines about Prince William, who was then a great favourite

"He's noble, he's chosen; he's born for to be,

The guard of this isle, and reign Prince of the sea!"

Not very good grammar or poetry certainly, but they did not seem to mind much about that in those days.

Well: Prince Alfred was to go for a sailor. Mind, he had been at school under private tutors, and so he was ready to go. Care was taken very wisely by the Queen and the Prince Consort about the vessel he was to go in, and the captain, and his companions. The vessel was what is called

a frigate that is, a small man of war, with guns. He was to go just like any other young gentleman who goes as a naval officer. He had a strong oak box made for his own things, and when it fitted up, the Queen sent for it to look at it, and said it

was

would do; just as any other good mother would wish to see that her boy's box and things were all right before he went out as an apprentice.

When the ship was quite ready the Prince bade his royal mother farewell, and we believe it would be a tender parting. The Prince Consort, his father, then took him down to Portsmouth by rails, and saw him safe on board the ship, just as any other kind father would. The Prince of Wales was with them too, and we are told that the parting between the two brothers was very touching.

The Prince will have to eat, and drink, and sleep, and do his duty, just like all the other young officers, and perhaps he will get some hard bumps sometimes as well as the rest of them. But we are very glad that his honoured father took care to know the character of the young officers who would be his companions; that, as we have said, was very wise and very necessary, or he might be taught things which he ought not to know. No doubt the captain, too, is the right man, and will take care that, whilst he does his duty like a good sailor, he is not taught any bad ways.

Well he is gone, and all the lads in England will, we think, be glad to hear of his health and safety. As for us, we would hope that he may never be exposed to the peril of a sea-fight.

THE SERPENT TRIBE.

AN eminent French writer, who, some years ago, travelled in various parts of the world, says:—

The serpent has frequently been the subject of our observation, and we have often imagined that we could discover in him that pernicious sagacity and that subtlety which are