in prayer they grow willing evento die, and go and be with Jesus. Are your sabbaths days of prayer? Hambleton.

CHEMISTRY.-No. XVII.
SALTS. NO. I.

THE acids have the property of combining in different proportions with the earths, alkalies, and metallic oxides. Some of the most corrosive acids, when combined with these bodies, form compounds that have no such property; and hence, these acids were said to be neutralized, and the compounds were termed neutral salts. The word neutral, however, is now used only when the acid and the other body mutually saturate each other.

The salts are named after the acid and the other body of which they are composed; while the substance united with the acid is called the base. When there is not a sufficient proportion of the base to saturate the acid, the term super is employed: thus we say the super sulphate of potash; and if there be an excess of the base, the term sub is prefixed, as sub-borate of soda. Acids whose names terminate in ic, form salts which end in ate; those which end in ous, form salts ending in ite thus we have the sulphate and sulphite of soda.

There was once much confusion in the science of chemistry, arising from the use of terms that did not describe in any degree the origin or nature of the substances themselves. This circumstance induced a number of French chemists to unite and form a new nomenclature, on an entirely new plan; and although it has many defects, it possesses many advantages over that formerly employed; and especially offers facilities to those who are studying the science. The substance formerly called gypsum or plaster of Paris, is now known by the name of sulphate of lime, being formed of sulphuric acid and lime; green copperas is now called sulphate of iron; salts of wormwood is carbonate of soda; saltpetre is the nitrate of potash. In the one case, there is no connexion between the name of the substance and its composition, in the other there is; and a person, with a very imperfect knowledge of chemistry, may be thus able to determine the composition of a substance.

The salts have been sometimes classed, according to the nature of their bases, under the three following divisions: the earthy,

the alkaline, and the metallic. We shall only attempt to describe a few of the salts formed by some of the most important acids. When we consider the variety of combina tions which the acids are capable of producing with the earths, alkalies, and metallic salts; and that some of the acids will combine with two bases, producing what are denominated triple salts; it is evident that there must be an immense number of this class of bodies. It has been said, that there are more than two thousand. We cannot therefore be expected to do more than briefly describe some of the most remarkable among them.

The salts formed with sulphuric acid are called sulphates. This acid unites with all the earths and alkalies, except silica, and with many of the metals. The sulphates are remarkable for their bitter taste, and insolubility in alcohol, by which substance they may be precipitated when in aqueous solution. They are generally incapable of decomposition by heat. Allusion has been already made to some of this class of salts, such as the sulphate of barytes or ponderous spar; sulphate of soda, lime, alumina, and others.

The salts formed by the sulphurous acid called sulphites, are distinguished by a disagreeable smell, resembling the fumes arising from burning sulphur; and, when subjected to heat, sulphur may be obtained from them; and they may be converted into sulphates by exposure to the air.

The muriatic salts are distinguished by the following properties: they are easily volatilized without decomposition, unaltered by fire, and yield muriatic acid when united with sulphuric acid. The most important of these salts are the muriates of barytes, potash, soda, strontites, lime, gold, silver, and iron.

Many of the salts that are formed with nitric acid are possessed of important properties: such as the capability of dissolving in water, and of crystallizing when in the act of cooling. When heated to redness, they will ignite and explode with combustible bodies, which may be proved by throwing a small quantity of powdered charcoal on heated nitric acid. The nitrates are decomposed by heat, and yield during the process oxygen gas. The principal of these salts are the nitrate of potash, or saltpetre, found' native in great abundance, particularly in the East Indies; the nitrate of barytes; strontites; magnesia; silver; copper; and lead.

The phosphates are not decomposed by

him.

OLD HUMPHREY, ON THE ABUSE OF
RICHES.

"HE DIED WICKEDLY RICH," said a good man in speaking of one who had left the world with great reputation; and though the words were neither spoken to you nor to me, we may perhaps both find something in them that may suit us. I know not how it may be with you, but my money bags are not so many as to stand in my way, nor to occupy much of my reflection. If you are differently circumstanced, look about you, for the words, "he died wickedly rich," are well worth your attention. I think it was John Wesley who said that if he died worth more than ten or twenty pounds, I forget which, he would give the world leave to call him a thief, or something like it; but I am afraid that, whether we are churchmen or dissenters, the benevolence, the self-denial, the zeal, the perseverance and devotedness of heart to God, of that servant of Christ, are beyond what we even hope to attain: happy for us if we attain them in a degree. But though the John Wesley standard of self-denial be too exalted for men of meaner graces to attain to; though we may not be quite willing to go so far as he did, in giving up all we possess, except ten or twenty pounds, nor may it be quite right for us, yet may it be worth a thought how far we are at all acting on his principle; how far we shall be quite clear of the charge, when the green sod is springing up over us, of having "died wickedly rich."

Old Humphrey is no meddler; he has no wish to pry into your affairs; and whether you are worth twenty thousand pounds, or have only twenty groats in the world, he will neither think the better nor the worse of you on this account. The question is not, What are you worth? but, How are you using it? One man may die worth thousands, clear from all reproach; and another "die wickedly

It is the case sometimes, and Old Humphrey fears too often, that people of property persuade themselves, that in leaving money to poor relatives and charitable institutions when they die, they do all that can be reasonably required of them, and that indeed they deserve the reputation of being considerate, kind, and charitable.

But what kindness and charity can there be in leaving that behind them which they cannot take with them? It would do them no good to have it crammed into their coffins. Whoever has riches, and neglects to do works of mercy during his lifetime, "dies wickedly rich," even if he leaves every farthing he has in the world to charitable purposes. I do not know the chapter and verse in the holy scriptures that particularly directs us to leave our property to do good after our death, but I know plenty of texts that direct us to do deeds of kindness while we are alive. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father," is, not to leave money to the widow and the fatherless when we can no longer keep it ourselves, but, while we are alive, to "visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world."

Now, do not mistake Old Humphrey. He honours the memory of that man, who closes a life of kindness and christian charity by a benevolent bequest of his property, giving to christian institutions liberally; neither neglecting those who have a reasonable claim on his remembrance, nor passing by his poorer relations, friends, and servants. "These things" we ought to do, if we possess the means, and "not to leave the other undone." "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of thine increase;" and "Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut up thy hand from thy poor brother," are cominands that are to be obeyed in our lives, and not to be put off to our deaths.

But if it should happen that you are not rich in money; nay, that you are absolutely poor, do not think, on that account, that there is no danger of your dying "wickedly rich." One man may be rich in money, another in leisure time, a third in health and bodily strength, a fourth in talent, a fifth in influence, and so on. Now if you have either all or any of these kinds of riches, and do no

good with them, you are in the same situation as the selfish miser who keeps his gold uselessly locked up in his coffers.

6

THE FOUNDATION OF HOPE.

THE late Rev. Joseph Hughes, in referring to his sister's death, in a letter to his cousin, says," It is not a maxim with me that every one who dieth, is saved; but in the present instance, I can no more doubt of my sister's happiness than I can of Abraham's. But you, my dear cousin, place this hope upon a false ground, when you speak of her blameless life as the sure foundation: many (humanly speaking) of a blameless life have found themselves miserably deficient (I believe) when entered into the world of spirits: and suppose this blamelessness to be connected with internal universal holiness, still that holiness is not the ground of salvation,—it is only the evidence of being interested in it. Christ is the way and the hope of sinners; his blood,' not our merit, cleanseth from sin.' Be persuaded of this, and remember that 'by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified.' By grace alone we are saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God.' Trusting in our own honesty, benevolence, and acts of piety, is treason against God, as it calls in question the veracity and authority of him who has affirmed that Christ is the propitiation, and that his is the only name given by which we can be saved. My dear sister would have willingly renounced all idea of merit; she would have been shocked at the thought; she would have owned herself a poor helpless sinner, and given God all the glory of

6

her salvation."

FACTS often carry more force than arguments. Bishop Hall, speaking in tender and affectionate terms of his mother, says, "How often have I blessed the memory of those divine passages of experimental divinity, which have heard from her mouth! What day did she pass without being much engaged in private devotion? Never have any lips read to me such feeling lectures of piety as hers. In a word, her life and

death were saint-like."

Philip Henry, usually called, on account of the spirituality of his mind and the amiableness of his conduct, the "heavenly Henry," was, in his earliest years, trained up by his fond parents in the

nurture and admonition of the Lord, and he retained to the end of life a lively and grateful sense of the benefit thus received. "If ever," says he, "any child, such as I was, between the tenth and fifteenth year of my age, enjoyed line upon line, and precept upon precept, I did; and was it in vain? I trust not altogether in vain. My soul rejoiceth and is glad at the remembrance of it. The word distilled as the dew, and dropped as the rain. Bless the Lord, O my soul; as long as I live I will bless the Lord; I will praise my God while I have my being! Had it been only the restraint that it laid upon me, whereby I was kept from the common sins of other children and youth, such as cursing and swearing, and sabbath-breaking, I was bound to be very thankful; so that it prevailed, through grace, effectually to bring me to God, how much am I indebted to him! what shall I render to him!"

"She

Mr. Gilpin gives a pleasing picture of the attention given by Mrs. Gilpin to the education of his excellent son, especially in the earlier stages of the work. was skilled in all the proper methods of dealing with his gentle spirit, and could elevate his yielding thoughts to God by the most familiar representations. She knew all the direct approaches to his heart, and was constantly watching the most favourable opportunities for making serious impressions on his mind. By her intimate acquaintance with the holy scriptures, she was prepared to entertain him with narratives of the most interesting kind; while, by her piety, she was enabled to turn that entertainment to some profitable purpose. Methinks I see him, at this moment, sitting in his little chair by the side of his tender guardian, and listening to her instructions with a face full of eager attention. Many a time have I seen her so occupied, while I have silently solicited a blessing upon their happy employment. Such were our joint labours, to raise our willing child, step by step, towards the fountain-head of blessedness; and our efforts were crowned with more than ordinary success.'

We are not warranted to conclude, that early religious instruction is all lost, even when it seems so. The precious seed often lies long hid under ground, but springs up at last. One of the most touching passages in the confessions of the celebrated Augustine, is that in which he speaks of the tender solicitude of his devout mother, and owns the influence which her prayers and tears had,

THE THAR, OR BUBALINE ANTELOPE. AMONG that extensive group of ruminant animals, the antelopes, which are so widely distributed throughout the central latitudes of the old world, there are several whose habitat is limited to the elevated alpine regions, where they experience a temperature reduced to that of the more northern portions of the globe. Expressly adapted to the localities assigned them, these antelopes, though strong, active, and resolute, have little of the grace, fire, and elastic tread which characterize the gazelle or spring-bok of the plains of Africa, or the common antelope (A. cervicapra) of the plains of India. Of the mountain antelopes thus discriminated from their more elegant congeners,

VOL. III.

the researches of Mr. Hodgson in Nepal have brought to light (among other valuable additions to science) a species entirely new to naturalists, and of no ordinary interest. To this species he has given the name of bubaline antelope (antilope bubalina. Hodgson) and has transmitted a detailed account of it to the Zoological Society, which is published in their proceedings for 1832.

Approximating in its general form and characters to the goat tribe, as it does also in its manners, which dispose it to solitude, and to mountainous situations, it is, as Mr. Hodgson observes, entirely devoid of the usual elegance of the genus to which it belongs. "It is a large, coarse, heavy

M M