her desires that others might love Him also. She was often brought into a state of great selfabasement; she knew she had nothing but what she had received, and felt altogether unworthy to be employed in the service of her Lord; but receiving the religion of Christ as full of consolation to the true believer, she did not indulge in gloom or distrust; on the contrary, it was her endeavour to hope continually, and in every thing to give thanks.

Her last journey, in the service of the gospel, was into Scotland and some of the northern counties, in company with her beloved husband. She returned home in the Ninth month last, and was seldom absent from our meetings afterwards. During this period, her communications in the ministry and vocal petitions at the throne of grace were not unfrequent, and were attended with peculiar brightness and power. In the persuasive, constraining love of the gospel, she was enabled to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to set before us a view of the shortness and uncertainty of this life, and the necessity of preparation for that which is to come. She was then in possession of more than a usual share of health, and of that cheerful yet chastened enjoyment of life, of which a Christian may lawfully partake, until the sudden commencement of her last illness, a hemorrhage from the lungs, on the 15th of the Twelfth month last.

At

one occasion, after recovering from a severe fit of coughing, our dear friend said, in a very emphatic manner, "Peace, be still! and there was a great calm. The winds and the waves rage, till He speaks the word, but no longer." another time she said, "I want not only to think that my will is resigned, but to know it." She several times during her illness repeated the words, "I am the Lord that healeth thee;' this word seems given me night after night, I am the Lord that healeth thee.'" On its being remarked, "There is no limit to his power or his love," she rejoined, "Nor to his compassions; they fail not!"

The peaceful repose of her soul in her God and Saviour, was appropriately and beautifully described in the following language of the psalmist, which she often repeated: "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." On one occasion, before settling for the night, she said, "And now, O Lord! thou Keeper of Israel, thou Guide and Guardian of thy people, to Thee we commend our souls." On awaking in the course of the same night, she said, "We sit under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet to our taste.' At another time, she said, "We are having a balmy night,—' He giveth his people a song in the night;' "adding afterwards, "Songs of deliverance, songs of gratitude, songs of praise, and songs of thanksOn the first attack of the disorder she was giving." Two days before her decease, after perfectly tranquil, saying, "I am very calm, being relieved from an attack of pain which lasted several hours, she repeated these lines:

"When first thou didst thy all commit, To Him, upon the mercy-seat, He gave thee warrant from that hour, To trust his wisdom, love and power." In the course of Second-day, the 15th of the First month, it was evident to those who were watching her, that the last moment was approaching. It would be impossible to convey

an idea of the sweetness of her manner and countenance. When much exhausted, she said, "Jesus is my living bread,

He supports my fainting head."

I feel that I am in my Heavenly Father's hands." | Some days subsequently, after a similar occasion of great exhaustion, our dear friend said, in a very faint voice, "My Heavenly Father knows all; and his will is a perfect will. Sometimes I think that, in his great mercy, He will raise me up, in degree, and at other times, it seems as if the frail tabernacle would give way." On her medical attendant remarking, that he believed many hearts were lifted up in prayer for her restoration, if it were right in the divine sight, she replied, "Rather let them desire for me, that I may be enabled to say fully and entirely, Not my will, but thine, O Lord! be done.' 2.99 A short time before her departure, on her During the whole of her illness her mind husband's asking her whether she was comwas sustained in patience, humility, and sweet-fortable, she answered, with marked emphasis, ness. She delighted in hearing or repeating "Yes, thoroughly." When the power of artishort portions of Holy Scripture or of favourite hymns, and was frequently engaged in vocal prayer and thanksgiving to her Heavenly Father, whose tender love and compassion were so evident throughout this season of trial, and were so often acknowledged by her, saying at one time, "I am sweetly folded in my Saviour's arms;" and at another, "My comforts are very great, they flow as a river,-all is peace, and rest, and joy." Her illness was not attended with much bodily pain, but she often suffered from weakness and difficulty of breathing. On

culation was nearly gone, he said to her, "My dearest knows her Saviour loves her;" to which she distinctly replied, "Yes, and I am reposing in his love." Soon after, her spirit gently and peacefully quitted its earthly tabernacle, to enter, we reverently believe, into the joy of her Lord.

M. Arago states that there is in Siberia an entire district where, during the winter, the sky is constantly clear, and where a single particle of snow never falls.

From the N. Y. Courier and Enquirer.
AMERICAN TELESCOPES.

The recent erection of numerous Observatories in this country, furnished with instruments of the largest class, is a subject of congratulation with every friend of astronomy. The Observatory at Cambridge has been provided with a refracting telescope of twenty-three feet focal length, and fifteen inches aperture, at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars, exclusive of the duties, which amount to thirty per cent. This instrument is of the same dimensions as that of Pulkova, which hitherto was the largest refracting telescope ever manufactured. The Observatory at Cincinnati is provided with a telescope of eighteen feet focal length and twelve inches aperture, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. The Observatory at Washington has a telescope of fourteen feet focal length, and nine inches aperture, which cost six thousand dollars; and the Observatory at Philadelphia has a telescope eight feet focal length and six inches aperture, which cost two thousand dollars. All these telescopes were from the establishment of Merz & Mahler, successors to the celebrated Fraunhofer, at Munich in Germany.

from veins which are demanded in a lens in order that it may produce a perfect image. Hence, notwithstanding some high pretensions to the contrary, no good telescope of large dimensions has yet been manufactured of American glass. The Munich telescopes are all made of glass manufactured under the direction of Merz & Mahler themselves, by peculiar methods which are concealed from the public, and which are the results of the experiments of Guinand and Fraunhofer.

The experiments which have been made in this country in the manufacture of refracting telescopes with the aid of foreign glass, have been more successful. Passing by several very good instruments of small dimensions, it is believed that the telescopes executed by Mr. Henry Fitz, of this city, are the most remarkable of any hitherto made in America, for their size and quality. Mr. Fitz has completed three telescopes of five feet focal length, one of seven, and one of eight feet. Two of these I have had an opportunity carefully to examine. One is a telescope of five feet focal length, and four inches aperture, now in the possession of Lewis M. Rutherford, Esq.; the other is of eight feet focal length, and six inches aperture. These are both achromatic; that is, each of them consists of two lenses, one of flint and the other of crown glass. The flint lens is made of glass imported to order from Paris; the crown lens is of French plate glass. The five feet telescope is mounted upon a substantial equatorial stand, under a revolving dome, which affords every facility for directing the

The question is almost daily asked, why do you not patronise American artists? Can we not make good telescopes in this country? To this question the answer has uniformly been in the negative. Some very good reflecting telescopes have been made by Mr. Holcombe, of Southwick, Massachusetts, and by several amateur astronomers. But although these tele-tube towards any part of the heavens. Having scopes afford a good light, and perform remarka- turned the instrument towards Saturn, the planet bly well on double stars and on nebulæ, still the appeared of a beautiful white light without any style of mounting is very rude. They are not sensible prismatic dispersion, and with a perfectly furnished with graduated circles for measuring sharp outline. The shadow of the ring cast the place of a heavenly body, and such append- upon the body of the planet, and the shadow of ages are considered almost indispensable in a the planet cast upon the ring, were both beauregular Observatory. Moreover, the mirrors are tifully seen, and also the belted appearance liable to tarnish from exposure to the air, so that of the planet. It showed distinctly five satelthe preference is now generally given to refract-lites. The planet Neptune was seen without ing telescopes.

The experiments which have been made in this country in the manufacture of refracting telescopes may be divided into two classes: namely, those which have employed American glass, and those which have employed foreign glass.

any appreciable disk; but its light was such that it was distinctly visible in a brightly illumined field. The planet Mars was seen perfectly round and sharp, with an irregular stripe of a dark shade across the middle of the disk. Very faint stars are exhibited in this telescope with remarkable distinctness. The small star "debilissima," near Epsilon Lyra, which is considered a good test object for a seven feet achromatic, can be seen in it with comparative ease; and the companion of the Pole star is visible in an illumined field.

Several telescopes of small dimensions have been made of American glass, which have performed quite satisfactorily; but the attempts to make large telescopes with American glass, so far as the results have been laid before the public, have invariably proved failures. At several The trial of the other object glass of eight establishments in this country, glass is manufac-feet focus was made under more unfavourable tured which answers perfectly all the ordinary purposes of the arts, and for transparency compares well with foreign glass; but it has been found impossible to obtain large specimens possessing that entire homogeneity and freedom

circumstances, as the telescope is not yet entirely completed. The glass is finished, and it is set in a neat mahogany tube; but it has no permanent stand, nor appropriate set of eye-pieces. We were obliged to mount it upon a tremulous stand

The ardent mind of the writer of the article re-orbits, but would describe parabolic or hyperbolic ferred to, seems to have led to a censure upon those who adhere to the forms of worship which he disapproves, more indiscriminating than we should be willing to endorse. We are fully convinced that much true piety and religious sincerity are quite compatible with considerable diversity of sentiment in regard to the doctrines of Chris

MARRIED,-On Fifth-day, the 30th of last month,
at Friends' Meeting in Haddonfield, New Jersey,
John Gill, all of that vicinity.
SAMUEL S. WILLITS to REBECCA M., daughter of

DIED,-On Fourth-day, the 29th ult., MARY MASTER, widow of William Master, in the 78th year of her age. She was a member of the Northern District Monthly Meeting of Friends, Philadelphia, and amid many trying circumstances gave proof of her allegiance to the Saviour of men. Having acknowledged him on earth, and her sins, we trust, being blotted out in the blood of the Lamb, the comfortable persuasion is felt, that she also was acknowledged before his Father and the holy angels.-The Friend.

On the 24th of 12th month last, at the resi

Co., New York, SARAH JANE WILLETS, aged nearly Willets, late of Indianapolis, Ia. In the summer of sixteen years, daughter of Jacob S. and Esther 1846, while at Westtown School, she had a spell of illness, from which she never entirely recovered. In the 10th month last she became more poorly, and about three weeks previous to her decease, the hope of her recovery was given up. For this solemn event her mind had evidently been preparing. On the day of her death her faith and hope were severely tried; but she was afterwards heard to say, "after being so near thee, thou wilt not leave me now; I know thou wilt not-I feel it-I see it-I hear it; but wilt make me to lie down in green pastures, and lead me by the still waters." Half an hour before her final close she fell into a sweet sleep, from which she did not awake.

There are many propensities of the human mind, stamped upon us for salutary purposes, which, if not properly guarded, are liable to run into excess, and betray us into error. Of these propensities, there are probably none more liable to lead the judgment astray than those which are connected with our affections, and wear the appearance of virtue. When any of those whom we loved and valued are removed by death, we naturally feel and indulge an inclination to forget their errors, and remember their virtues. The admonition to tread lightly upon the ashes of the dead, is one which ought not to be disregarded; and perhaps there are few who have followed their particular friends to the grave, without fancying they discovered excel-dence of Henry Wood, in Bedford, West Chester lencies in their characters which they had till then overlooked. The tender emotions awakened by their removal, cast a shade over their defects, and double the lustre of all that was excellent. Hence, it not unfrequently happens, that obituary notices of particular friends indicate the feelings of the survivors, rather than the characters of the deceased. Epitaphs are proverbially exaggerated; and yet, from the solemnity of the occasion, we may reasonably question whether they are often, if ever, intended to disguise or disfigure the truth. But even when nothing is asserted in relation to the departed, which encroaches on the strictest veracity, the attachment of surviving friends is very liable to invest the character with a degree of importance, which others, not similarly attached, cannot allow it. The circumstances and observations attendant upon the close, though calculated to make lasting and salutary impressions upon the witnesses of the scene, may be incapable of improving the understandings, or softening the hearts of those who only hear them described. It thus sometimes happens that editors of periodicals, to whom such notices are sent for insertion, are undesignedly placed in an unpleasant situation. Knowing, as they must, the tenderness of surviving friends, they are unwilling to wound their feelings by the omission or abridgement of their obituaries, and yet may be sensible that extended narratives, unaccompanied with extraordinary and instructive circumstances, must, to the generality of their The planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, readers, be destitute of interest or advantage. With Jupiter and Saturn, only were known to the regard to our course in conducting the Review, we early astronomers, and these, with the Sun and can assure our friends who have favoured us with Moon, were supposed to complete the planetary notices of this kind, that no disrespect to the living system. To these, the discovery of Dr. Heror the dead was designed by any elisions hitherto schell, in 1781, added the Georgian Sidus, or made; and we trust that no injustice will in future Uranus, as it is now called. Here, for about On the be done to any which shall come into our hands, and twenty years, discovery seemed to rest. first day of the year 1801, an Italian astronomer, which we hope our friends and correspondents will by the name of Guiseppe Piazzi, discovered the continue to furnish. We must, however, use the free-first of the Asteroids, which astronomers agreed dom of reducing those that appear too long, to such to call Ceres. In the following year, Dr. Olbers, dimensions as we can afford them in our columns. of Bremen, from his private observatory, disco

On the 1st inst., at her residence in Burlington, New Jersey, in the 71st year of her age, MARY S. MORRIS, widow of Richard Hill Morris, known as a valuable member, deeply interested in formerly of this city. The deceased was well the welfare of our religious society.

In Clinton, Dutchess Co., New York, on First-day, the 2d inst., ABIGAIL, wife of John Wood, aged about 29 years, a much esteemed member of Creek Monthly Meeting.

For Friends Review.

THE ASTEROIDS.

Herschell, to that family of ultra-zodiacal planets, This title was given, by the celebrated Dr. Herschell, to that family of ultra-zodiacal planets, which, by the discoveries of the early part of the present century, were added to our knowledge of the Solar System.