Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

ity ought to be craved to enable us to convey this instruction aright, yet from my own experience, I must confess, that a little petulance arising from cross occurrences; volatility arising from excitement, even though this may have arisen out of pleasurable circumstances; or, if surrounded by a large family, bringing indispensable cares in its train,-these, and many other causes which might easily be enumerated, I have often found to my inexpressible distress, have disqualified me from always sitting down at these stated times, in that frame of mind, which alone can be satisfactory. If I were to address a young teacher, on this momentous subject, I should say ;-after all, rely more on the effects likely to result from private, and what may be called incidental exertions, than on those made at these stated times; for though these latter are often blessed to our humbling admiration, yet when the mind is more especially exercised under the immediate operation of divine love, seeking the salvation of the soul, and the enlightening of the youthful mind, earnestly desiring to store it with divine truths, or fortify it against the insidious attacks of an unwearied adversary, or point it to the alone source of safety, &c., &c.; then, and then more especially, may we hope for a blessing on our labours. This leads me to express my dissent from the opinion of some, whose views I approve on almost every other subject of this nature; but who contend that to sit down at stated times to the performance of these duties, with sincere desires for the inculcation of religious knowledge is sufficient, and all we ought to look for or expect; and that, if our hearts be but sincerely desirous to perform our duties in this way, and we make the attempt, we have good grounds to believe our labours will be blest. Now whilst I would on all occasions, desire to leave the event in the hands of Him, who alone can bless or mar our exertions, whenever, and under what circumstances soever they may be performed, yet my experience has taught me to look for, and carefully to avoid entering into these interesting exercises without some evidence of the only right qualification, which I conceive to be more than these desires, however sincere. To illustrate my meaning. It has been my practice to question the boys, after reading a chapter previous to retiring to rest, on what has just been read. It often happens that from some cause or other, not under my control, I have felt so destitute of matter suited to an exposition of the portion just read, that to have addressed the youth under these circumstances, would have produced an effect different from what I could have wished, and deadness to my own mind. But not unfrequently when I have felt light arise on the subject read, and I have endeavoured to apply it to ourselves, then I have felt a degree of satisfaction which has been an ample reward for the effort."

It will be quite to our purpose to introduce

in this place a brief outline, furnished in the instructive Memoir of the late Edward F. Brady, of the nature of the religious instruction, which he was concerned to impart to the children of Croydon School: and in making the quotation, it may not be unsuitable to add the testimony of his biographer, to the great tenderness into which the minds of the children were not unfrequently brought, when he was engaged to speak to them on the important subjects to which it refers. The extract is as follows: "He often felt it to be his duty to direct the attention of the dear children to the source from whence all our blessings flow, and to encourage in them feelings of gratitude to the most High: when suitable opportunities presented, he would earnestly entreat them cheerfully to serve the Lord. The consequence of any departure from his righteous law, was at various times pointed out to them, and the joy attendant upon a life spent in the filial fear and love of God, was very suitably brought before the view of their minds. It was also his frequent engagement to remind them, that they were at all times under the notice of the Almighty, who knows our inmost thoughts and witnesses our most secret actions; and whilst expressing the desire that they would endeavour to bear this solemn truth in constant remembrance, he was most anxious to impress upon them that our heavenly Father is a God of love. As his own mind had happily been brought under the precious influence of the Spirit of Truth, he was enabled to speak with much feeling on this subject; and he was anxiously solicitous that the dear children might attend to the gentle monitions of the Holy Spirit, from time to time manifested in the secret of their own hearts."

One of our correspondents defines the nature of religious instruction thus. After a few preliminary remarks, he goes on to say: "Observation has greatly confirmed a long formed opinion, that as religion does not consist in knowledge stored in the head, or in external observances, but in the regulation of the affections, in the subjection of the will to the divine law, and in the surrender of the heart to the government of Christ; so must the communication of instruction to children in the truths of Christianity, always have more or less a practical bearing, and must be imparted under a measure of holy help the affections must be warmed, and we must let the children see and feel, that the religion of the Gospel is a religion of love, and a religion which continually influences conduct. I have observed, that children are generally most interested, and of course most attentive, when subjects of a practical nature, in which they feel they are individually concerned, are brought before them. The theory, therefore, which I endeavour to reduce to practice, in the communication of religious instruction, is to aim as much as may be, to direct the examination to a practical end; to call forth the religious feelings and

affections, and always to set small store upon head knowledge, where these are not brought into exercise."

(To be continued.)

For Friends' Review.

QUADRUPEDS AND INSECTS.

and thus some are found to delight in the rose tree, and some in the oak. Had it been otherwise, the balance of vegetable life would not have been preserved. It is for this reason that the contrivances which an insect employs for obtaining its food are curious, in proportion to the natural difficulties of its structure. The antlion is carnivorous, but he has not the quickness of the spider, nor can he spread a net over a "We often speak of our own admirable strucof the human frame to the high position assigned He is, therefore, taught to dig a trap, where he ture, and of the perfect adaptation of every part large surface, and issue from his citadel to seize a victim which he has caught in his out-works. to man in the scale of living beings. And well may we do so! and well may we admire and sits, like the unwieldy giants of fable, waiting for some feeble one to cross his path. How laadore the infinite power and wisdom of the Contriver. The following just and appropriate ob-borious and patient are his operations, how unservations confirm the reflecting mind in the sentiment, that it is not only in man, or in the higher orders of the brute creation that this power and wisdom are displayed, but that they are equally manifest in the tiniest insect that

[blocks in formation]

certain the chances of success! Yet he never

shrinks frem them, because his instinct tells him his own existence, and continue that of his spethat by these contrivances alone can he preserve cies."-Rennie's Insect Architecture.

MARY DUDLEY OF PECKHAM, ENGLAND. About the close of 1813, being confined by indisposition from attending the Quarterly Meeting, she wrote as follows:

After parting with two of my beloved children this morning, whom I would gladly have accompanied as to a solemn assembly, I was sensible of a degree of overshadowing goodness; under the calming influence whereof I seemed drawn to consider, how at such seasons there might be a profitable mingling in spirit, even under external separation; whereby united prayers might ascend, that the return of these convocations should be holy, like the solemn feasts or fasts divinely appointed and consecrated to the Lord.

As the larger quadrupeds of prey are provided with a most ingenious machinery for preying on the weaker, so are these furnished with the most admirable powers of evading their destroyers. In the economy of insects, we constantly observe that the means of defence, not only of the individual creatures, but of their larvæ and pupa, against the attacks of other insects, and of birds, is proportioned, in the ingenuity of their arrangements, to the weakness of the insect employing them. Those species which multiply the quickest have the greatest number of enemies. Bradley, an English naturalist, has calculated that two sparrows carry in the course of a week above three thousand caterpillars to the young in their nests. But though this is probably much beyond the truth, it is certain that there is a great and constant destruction of individuals going It appears clear to my best feelings, that if forward, and yet the species is never destroyed. those gathered, and such as are in right ordering In this way a balance is kept up, by which one personally absent, were first to feel after the reportion of animated nature cannot usurp the newings of inward strength, bringing their spirits means of life and enjoyment which the world into a state of humble waiting, resignation would offers to another portion. In all matters relating be their peaceful covering as individuals; and in to reproduction, nature is prodigal in her arrange-proportion to the degree of spiritual life attained ments. Insects have more stages to pass through to, concern felt that the assemblies_might be before they attain their perfect growth than other creatures. The continuation of the species is, therefore, in many cases, provided for by a much larger number of eggs being deposited than ever become fertile. How many larvæ are produced, in comparison with the number which pass into the pupa state, and how many pupæ perish before they become perfect insects! Every garden is covered with caterpillars, and yet how few moths and butterflies, comparatively, are seen even in the most sunny season! Insects which lay few eggs are, commonly, most remarkable in their contrivances for their preservation, of the most perfect kind, and invariably adapted to the peculiar habits of each tribe. The same wisdom determines the food of every species of insect;

crowned by the presence of the King Immortal; or if he proved a God hiding himself, that His devoted children might continue the acceptable exercise of faith and patience until he was pleased to command light to shine out of obscurity, and their darkness to be as the noonday.' Yea, such would be encouraged to put up a prayer for the remnant that is left, whether in vocal or mental a spiration, till the Lord turn the captivity of the people generally, and cause a glorious breaking forth as on the right hand and on the left.

Universal as this desire may be, extending from sea to sea, and from shore to shore, I have been, and am now afresh sensible, that there are desires peculiarly earnest for the people among

whom we dwell, and bonds of spiritual unity, those transcendant pleasures which are at God's with those of our brethren, whom in a measure right hand. Let the Lord then work in your of pure life, we feel as bone of our bone. While hearts, beloved young friends, convincing how for these the desire is renewedly raised, that true substantial rest is to be found, and through each may stand faithfully in their lot, willing converting goodness entered into. to do or suffer according to the divine will; fervent also is the solicitude, that such as have not stept further than the outer court, may be brought under the awakening power of Him who sitteth between the cherubims, and whose name is holy.

I am thankful to feel, in my secluded state, and while tried with pain hard to nature, but I hope not murmured at, the prevalence of that love which drew me hither; where, as in my home, I feel settled in concern for a Quarterly meeting, large and important, as composed of various members, each designed to fill some place in the militant and be fitted to join the triumphant, church, when to them time shall be no longer.

I pray that the harmonizing power of divine love may be so known, as for the great design to be fully answered, and that none may rest in a name without an experience of the nature of true religion.

The choice is left to us all, none will be forced into the path of happiness; but as the awakening attractive influence of divine love is yielded to, and the light which maketh manifest obediently followed, the work of transformation will gradually advance; the new man, which after God is created in 'righteousness and true holiness,' will strengthen and mature, until there is a reaching to the fulness of the stature mercifully designed.-Friends' Library.

AERIAL VOYAGE.

Of all the wonderful discoveries to which modern science has given birth, there is perhaps not one which has been applied to useful purposes on a scale so unexpectedly contracted as that by which we are enabled to penetrate into the immense ocean of air with which our globe is surrounded, and to examine the physical phenomena which are manifested in its upper strata. One would have supposed that the moment the power was conferred upon us to leave the surface of the earth, and rise above the clouds into the superior regions, a thousand eager inquirers would present themselves as agents in researches in a region so completely untrodden, if such a term may here be permitted.

I have viewed mentally an assembly such as our Quarterly meeting, collected under the solemn profession of being spiritual worshippers, sitting in outward silence before the Lord, and apparently waiting only upon Him. Oh the awfulness wherewith I have often beheld these meetings, while my eye has affected my heart, and the language forcibly arisen, let us be as we appear, let us gather to the Source of unfailing help; fully believing that if all were properly engaged in feeling their wants, and the only way of having them supplied, the unit-powers, has been allowed to degenerate into a ed breathing would ascend as pure incense, and the lifting up of the heart be an acceptable sacrifice.

The Lord is powerfully at work in the earth, operating through various means to effect his unsearchable purposes. Oh! that the respective ranks of society holding in profession the standard of Truth, the sufficiency of divine light, the necessity of redeeming, sanctifying grace, may not only see, but daily consider, their high and holy calling.

It is religious consideration which all have need increasingly to dwell under, and were the mind sufficiently withdrawn from sublunary objects, to the contemplation of those which are alone pure and permament, many would assuredly be prepared in a spiritual sense, to unite in the testimony which was borne on a very inferior occasion, by one coming from far, the one half was not told me. Nay, verily for had the Lord's messengers the tongue of the learned,' or could they utter with angelic power the sensation they may, at times, be favoured with, all would fall short in describing the beauty of Zion, the safety of her inhabitants, and

Nevertheless, this great invention of aerial navigation has remained almost barren. If we except the celebrated aerial voyage of Gay-Lussac in 1804, the balloon, with its wonderful

mere theatrical exhibition, exciting the vacant and unreflecting wonder of the multitude. Instead of being an instrument of philosophical research, it has become a mere expedient for profit in the hands of charlatans, so much so, that, on the occasion to which we are now about to advert, the persons who engaged in the project incurred failure, and risked their lives, from their aversion to avail themselves of the experience of those who had made aerostation a mere spectacle for profit. They thought that to touch pitch they must be defiled, and preferred danger and the risk of failure to such association.

It is now about two months since M. Barral, a chemist of some distinction at Paris, and M. Bixio, a member of the Legislative Assembly (whose name will be remembered in connection with the bloody insurrection of June, 1848, when, bravely and humanely discharging his duty in attempting to turn his guilty fellow-citizens from their course, he nearly shared the fate of the Archbishop, and was severely wounded,) resolved upon making a grand experiment with a view to observe and record the meteorological phenomena of the strata of the atmosphere, at a

greater height and with more precision than had
hitherto been accomplished. But from the mo-
tives which we have explained, the project was
kept secret, and it was resolved that the experi-
ment should be made at an hour of the morning,
and under circumstances, which would prevent
it from degenerating into an exhibition. MM.
Arago and Regnault undertook to supply the
aerial voyagers with a programme
of the proposed
performance, and instruments suited to the pro-
jected observations. M. Arago prepared the
programme, in which was stated clearly what
observations were to be made at every stage of

the ascential movement.

It was intended that the balloon should be so managed as to come to rest at certain altitudes, when barometric, themometric, hygrometric, polariscopic, and other observations, were to be taken and noted; the balloon after each series of observations to make a new ascent.

The precious instruments by which these observations were to be made were prepared, and in some cases actually frabricated and graduated, by M. Regnault himself.

To provide the balloon and its appendages, recourse was had to some of those persons who have followed the fabrication of balloons as a sort of trade, for the purpose of exhibition.

The net-work which included and supported the car was new, and not originally made with a view to the balloon it enclosed, the consequences of which will be presently seen.

The night, between Friday and Saturday, was one of continual rain, and the balloon and its netting became thoroughly saturated with moisture. By the time the inflation had been completed, it became evident that the net-work was too small: but in the anxiety to carry into effect the project, the consequences of this were most unaccountably overlooked. We say unaccountably, because it is extremely difficult to conceive how experimental philosophers and practiced observers, like MM. Arago and Regnault, to say nothing of numerous subordinate scientific agents who were present, did not anticipate what must have ensued in the regions of the air. Neverthelesss, such was the fact.

On the morning of Saturday, the instruments being duly deposited in the car, the two enterprising voyagers placed themselves in it, and the balloon, which previously had been held down by the strength of twenty men, was liberated, and left to plunge into the ocean of air, at twenty-seven minutes after ten o'clock.

The weather, as we have already stated, was unfavorable, the sky being charged with clouds. In this part of their enterprise the voyagers As it was the purpose of this project to examine were not so fortunate, as we shall presently see, much higher regions of the atmosphere than and still less so in having taken the resolution those to which it had been customary for aeroto ascend alone, unaccompanied by a practiced nautic exhibiters to rise, the arrangements of æronaut. It is probable that if they had selected ballast and inflation which were adopted, were a person, such as Mr. Green, for example, who such as to cause the ascent to be infinitely more had already made frequent ascents for the mere rapid than in the case of public exhibitions; in purpose of exhibition, and who had become fa- short, the balloon darted upwards with the speed miliar with the practical management of the of an arrow, and in two minutes from the momachine, a much more favorable result would ment it was liberated, that is to say, at twentyhave ensued. As it was, the two voyagers nine minutes past ten, plunged into the clouds, ascended for the first time, and placed themselves and was withdrawn from the anxious view of the in a position like that of a natural philosopher, distinguished persons assembled in the garden who, without previous practice, should under- of the Observatory.

take to drive a locomotive, with its train, on a While passing through this dense cloud, the railway at fifty miles an hour, rejecting the hum-voyagers carefully observed the barometer, and ble but indispensable aid of an experienced engine

driver.

knew by the rapid fall of the mercury that they were ascending with great velocity. Fifteen The necessary preparations having been made minutes elapsed before they emerged from the and the programme and the instruments prepared, cloud; when they did so, however, a glorious The balloon, emergit was resolved to make the ascent from the gar-spectacle presented itself. den behind the Observatory at Paris, a plateau of ing from the superior surface of the cloud, rose some elevation, and free from buildings and other under a splendid canopy of azure, and shone The cloud obstacles, at day-break on Saturday, the 29th of with the rays of a brilliant sun. June. At midnight the balloon was brought to which they had just passed was soon seen several the spot, but its inflation was not completed until thousand feet below them. From the observanearly 10 o'clock A. M. tions taken with the barometer and thermometer, it was afterwards found that the thickness of the cloud through which they had passed, was 9800 feet a little less than two miles. On emerging from the cloud, our observers examined the barometer, and found that the mercury had fallen to the height of 18 inches; the thermometer showed a temperature of 45° Fahr. The height of the balloon above the level of the

It has since been proved that the balloon was old and worn, and that it ought not to have been supplied for such an occasion.

It was obviously patched, and it is now known that two seamstresses were employed during the preceding day in mending it, and some stitching even was found necessary after it had arrived at the Observatory.

sea was then 14,200 feet. At the moment of, to it. It is not a little singular that small emerging from the cloud, M. Barral made polariscopic observations, which established a fact foreseen by M. Arago, that the light reflected from the surface of the clouds, was unpolarized light.

The continued and somewhat considerable fall of the barometer informed the observers that their ascent still continued to be rapid. The rain which had previously fallen, and which wetted the balloon, and saturated the cordage forming the net-work had now ceased, or, to speak more correctly, the balloon had passed above the region in which the rain prevailed. The strong action of the sun, and almost complete dryness of the air in which the vast machine now floated, caused the evaporation of the moisture which enveloped it. The cordage and the balloon becoming dry, and thus relieved of a certain weight of liquid, was affected as though a quantity of ballast had been thrown out, and it darted upward with increased velocity.

To be continued.

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

figures of it occur in the casts from the ancient tombs of Siberia, which are now in Paris; whence it is concluded that the worship of it had been by some means introduced into the north, though the animal was unknown to the inhabitants. We may, however, mention that fossil remains of four distinct species have been discovered in various parts of the old world, and it is possible that some of these fossil forms, like those of the mammoth, another huge pachyderm, may have been sufficiently preserved to give rise to the notion of the sculptor. The Egyptians certainly held it sacred, and in one district even revered it as a god; yet they scrupled not to make war against it, and to slay it—a practice which still exists among certain negro tribes who worship, and yet eat it; very justly regarding it as one of the most valuable products of their rivers, and in a great measure relying on it for their stock of animal food, yet at the same time holding it as a power whom it is necessary to propitiate, on account of the damage it sometimes does to their crops, trampling and destroying by its enormous weight that which it does not devour.

The flesh is described by Europeans as an exWhen, in the year 1827, the pasha of Egypt cellent substitute for beef, while that of the presented two living giraffes to the kings of Eng-young animal greatly resembles poor veal; the land and France, so great was the interest excited tongue, and the layer of fat which is found under by the appearance of a creature which for near- the skin, are regarded as great delicacies; and ly three centuries had been a stranger to Europe, the Dutch colonists of the Cape frequently exthat every fashion of the year was, in the French hibit a ludicrous eagerness to obtain the first capital, à la giraffe. Ladies bore the pictured offer of these comestibles from the natives. It form of the graceful animal on their dresses, men is curious that the fat, which they call see-koecarried it on their handkerchiefs, and little child-spek-sea-cow's pork-is concentrated in this ren rejoiced in giraffe-bordered pinafores. Such a distinction will probably not be extended by the English to the unwieldy form of the hippopotamus now in Regent's Park; yet his arrival will, we think, render the following notes not unacceptable to our readers.

Herodotus is the earliest writer extant who mentions the hippopotamus by name, but there remains little doubt that the Behemoth of Job may be referred to this animal, whose habits are accurately and characteristically portrayed in the description given in the 40th chapter, which, after alluding to his great strength, and stating that "he eateth grass like an ox," proceeds, "the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Behold he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not," &c.

The hippopotamus is peculiar to Africa, though it was supposed by an ancient writer to exist in the Indian rivers; and some more modern authors have believed that it is also found in Sumatra an opinion which is unsupported by proof, while every negative evidence is 'opposed

layer, while the remainder of the flesh is entirely lean; an arrangement which appears to be accounted for by the necessity of lucubrating the skin, caused by its amphibious habits. Pliny recommends this fat as a eure for "cold fevers," and we believe that some medical virtue is still supposed to abound in it. In the year 1776, Sparrman brought a dried tongue of the hippopotamus, which measured two feet eight inches in length, to Europe, and presented it as a rarity to the king of Sweden.

The teeth of the animal are also much valued, as, from their superior hardness, aud from their not becoming yellow, they are preferred by dentists to the ivory of the elephant: these qualities apply not only to the canines, but also to the incisors. Nor are they without their superstitious uses: Pliny prescribes the teeth of the left jaw to be rubbed against the gum as a remedy for toothache; while the native Africans, believing them to be a charm against poison, form them into trinkets, which they suspend round their necks.

Nor is the hide without its economic value. Herodotus and Aristotle mention that it is so thick as to be formed into spear handles. This was probably done by cutting it into narrow strips,

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »