THE engraving which we furnish in the present Number represents a Nova-Scotian landscape. Nova-Scotia itself, as our readers are aware, is one of our British North-American provinces, situated at the southern entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its form is very singular. It is a peninsula, joining New-Brunswick (on the American continent) at the north-western corner; and, speaking in very general terms, somewhat resembles a parallelogram in shape, placed slantingly, so that the longest line that could be drawn in it, would be from north-east to south-west. Such a line would be nearly three hundred miles in length; but the breadth varies from fifty to a hundred miles. The eastern line of coast is open to the Atlantic; and about the middle of it is the noble harbour, in which Halifax, the metropolis, is situated, being in 44° 40′ north latitude, and 63° 40′ west longitude.

The western side of Nova-Scotia is, in its whole length, opposite the American continent; from which it is separated by a long gulf, called the Bay of Fundy, fifty or sixty miles across. It is on this bay (about opposite to Halifax, on the other coast) that Digby is situated.

The engraving will enable the reader to form some conception of the extent and beauty of the scenery. Two or three statistical notes will show that the beauty is not dissociated from value. The township to which Digby VOL. IV. Second Series. Ꮓ

gives its name, according to the returns of which Montgomery Martin has made use in his "British Colonial Library," contains (or did contain when the returns were made, the volume from which we take them being published in 1837) a population of 3,614. Under cultivation there are 2,492 acres of land. The produce, in wheat, was 195 bushels; and of all other kinds of grain 78,688 bushels. Of potatoes, 4,055 bushels were raised; and 3,632 tons of hay. The amount of stock follows that for produce, and is described as consisting in 216 horses, 2,799 horned cattle, 5,605 sheep, and 1,037 swine.

Nova-Scotia was first visited by the Cabots, about 1497; but, a century after, the French made several attempts to colonize the country, which they called Acadia. In 1621 Sir William Alexander obtained a grant of the country from James I. After this, for many years, there was always strife, generally war, between the English and French. In 1713, however, all Nova-Scotia was either ceded to Great Britain, or recognised as already subject to the British crown. In 1758 a constitution was granted to the Nova-Scotians, consisting of a House of Assembly, a Legislative Council, and a Governor.

The superficial contents of Nova-Scotia are said to be about 15,617 square miles; and of these, one-third are occupied by lakes, &c., of various shapes and sizes. In fact, there is scarcely a point in the province more than thirty miles from navigable water. The surface of the country is undulating; but the highest hill is not quite 1000 feet above the level of the sea.

The scenery throughout the province is beautifully picturesque, owing to the great variety of hill and dale, and the numerous rivers and lakes scattered throughout the country.

EVENING COLLOQUIES:

BETWEEN A FATHER AND HIS CHILDREN.

Children. We want you to explain to us a phrase often used, and on which we have heard such different opinions, that we scarcely know what to say to it. We feel the

greater difficulty in finding the word used even by good writers.

Father. What is the phrase? and give me an instance of its use by good writers.

Children. We refer to the term "natural religion." As an instance of its use, may we not adduce the title of Bishop Butler's celebrated work, "The Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed?" Here, natural religion is evidently distinguished from that which is revealed; and the natural conclusion is, that, being thus distinguished, it is not, like the other, given by revelation.

Father. Most assuredly the distinction is very plainly suggested; and whether the good Bishop himself thought so or not, by many writers on theology, natural religion and revealed religion are in this way, by reference to the manner in which the knowledge of each is acquired, distinguished the one from the other.

Children. But is this a just distinction ?

Father. Many writers, on the other hand, take an opposite view of the subject, and regard all religion as revealed. Children. Would such writers, then, suppose that Bishop Butler was wrong in the subject to which he referred, as well as in the way in which he referred to it?

Father. Perhaps some of them might; but both the greater and the better part would admit the existence of two distinct systems, though they might not agree to the opposition between them denoted by the terms which are used to describe them.

Children. We have sometimes met with the phrase "natural theology." Does that refer to the same subject as the other?

Father. In one sense it does; in another it does not. It refers to the same general subject, but not as considered under the same aspect. The word "theology" refers to the divine existence and perfections. It is the science which relates to God, the word being formed in the same way as "geology, mineralogy, etymology," and the like. Whereas, "religion" relates to the divine government, and the worship and service required by it.