pressed along with rival eagerness, putting every humble foot passenger on the alert, and sometimes driving him so close to the wall as scarcely to allow him the chance of escaping. For as the streets are without side-walks, and often so narrow as just to admit two carriages abreast, there is really difficulty and danger in getting along. The liveried gentry pay little regard to the safety or affright of those below them, and each one learns to take care of himself when closely pressed, and to gain a timely shelter in a gateway, portico, or any recess which is nearest at hand. One or two coachmen, two, and sometimes three footmen, (and occasionally two bareheaded avant-coureurs, or heralds, holding silver verges in their hands, and running before with the speed of the horses,) are the usual appendages of every carriage. family has its appropriate livery; but though they differ in the style of their decorations, yet the cocked hat, the powdered head, or bag wig, and the party coloured dress of Merry Andrews, are common to all. This tinsel show and real splendour, this haste and confusion, this mixture of high and low in the pursuit of the same objects, this holiday recreation, in which all were so busy and yet so idle, made a most lively and amusing scene. Some things were impressive and affecting, but still the Holy Week at Rome is more like a carnival than the season of our Saviour's death and passion.

THE PSALMS.

Each

Extracts from the New Family Bible now publishing by T. & J. Swords, under the direction of the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart. (The passages within brackets are added to this edition by the American editor.)

PSALM XXIX. In this Psalm the supreme dominion of God, and the awfulness of his power, are demonstrated from the tremendous noise, and the astonishing force of the thunder, which the Hebrews, by a bold but very apt figure, denominated "the voice of the Most High." It is enough to say of it, that the sublimity of the matter is perfectly equalled by the unaffected energy of the style. Bp. Lowth.

Ver. 3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. VOL. V.

[The reason why the mighty are exhorted to serve Jehovah, is because of his wondrous works in the world, and in the God, the "waters" were driven down into church. By the "voice" or "word” of the deep, and forbidden to overflow the earth any more; by the voice of God the tumultuous and raging nations subsided, and the church was immoveably fixed upon the rock of her salvation; and by the Gospel of the "God of glory," all those effects were produced in the hearts of men, which are wrought upon terrestrial substances, by its well known and most significant emblem, in the material heavens. Bp. Horne.]

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

[4. The voice of the Lord is powerful;] Of the power and majesty of God's voice when he speaketh from heaven in thunder, few hearts are insensible; of the power and majesty of his voice, when he spoke from heaven by his apostles, those "sons of" the spiritual "thunder," the world was once fully sensible. Bp. Horne.]

5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

[The force of lightning is known to rend in pieces the tallest and strongest trees in a moment; nor is the word of God less effectual in bringing down the loftiest pride, and rending the hardest heart of man, by the Spirit which accompanieth it. Bp. Horne.]

9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

[Storms of thunder and lightning, attended often with whirlwinds, strip the trees of their leaves and bark, and disclose the recesses of forests. It is by the "word of God" that the "hidden things of darkness are manifested," and the counsels of all hearts revealed:" for "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him, with whom we have to do." 1 Cor. iv. 5; Heb. iv. 13. For these his marvellous works, in the natural and spiritual world, God is daily "glorified" in the "Church." Bp. Horne.]

The practice of the great duty of prais ing God for his works, and for his mer cies, will preserve in our souls a constant and lively sense of his glorious perfections; which will be a means of making us truly religious, and will make all other religi almighty power will make us dread offendous duties easy and pleasant to us. His ing him; the sense of our dependence upon him, and his continual carê over us, 14

will incline us to love him with all our heart and soul; and the grateful remembrance of his past mercies will make us put our whole trust in him for the time to come. Bp. Wilson.

11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

[11 The Lord will give strength &c.] From Jehovali, whose power and majesty have been with so much sublimity displayed in this whole Psalm, we are to expect, through faith and prayer, strength" to overcome our enemies, whether ghostly or bodily; and also the blessing of "peace," which must be the fruit of vistory. Thou, Christ, art the "mighty God;" and, therefore, thou art the "Prince of Peace,' Isa. ix. 6. Bp. Horne.]

PSALM XXX, Ver. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

[5. For his anger endureth but a moment;] The accomplishment of God's pro mises must, as to the season of it, be left to the disposals of his all-wise providence, and there may be a considerable time, and many afflictions, between the giving the promise and the performance of it. However, good men shall not finally be disappointed, and though some events may seem to be arguments of his displeasure towards them, yet, as the Psalmist found by his own experience, the duration of his anger is but short, comparatively "but for a moment," but the effects of his favour substantial and durable. Dr. Chandler]

[This is a most beautiful and affecting image of the sufferings and exaltation of Christ; of the sorrows and joys of a penitent: of the miseries of time, and the glo ries of eternity; of the night of death, and the morning of the resurrection. Bp. Horne.]

6 And in my prosperity I said, I

shall never be moved.

7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast 7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

[David, after his success against Goliah, and Christ, upon his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, were hailed by the acclamations and hosannas of the people, as the Christian may sometimes meet with the applauses of the world, and be led to think himself established in prosperity; But other troubles awaited David; and the blessed Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Let not the disciple expect to be above his master; nor in the season of light and joy

neglect to prepare for the approaching days of sorrow and darkness. Bp. Horne, 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

This religious song of thanksgiving is particularly adapted to persons who have escaped great danger. Those whom God has thus delivered ought to celebrate his goodness, and invite all men to celebrate it with them. But, above all, we ought to take notice of the instructions here given us concerning the usefulness of afflictions. Even the best of men sometimes forget themselves in prosperity: but God makes use of adversity to inspire them with a holy fear, to bring them to a sense of their duty, and to oblige them to have recourse to him; and then he is reconciled, and hears their cry, changing their sorrow into joy, and their complaints into songs of praise. Ostervald.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.

[11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: &c.] This might be true of David, delivered from his calamity; it to die no more; it is true of the penitent, was true of Christ, arising from the tomb, exchanging his sackcloth for the garments of salvation; and it will be verified in us all at the last days, when we shall put off the dishonours of the grave, to shine in glory everlasting. Bp. Horne.]

Anecdote of GEORGE HI.

(From a recent English publication.)

M. MOUNIER was president of the National Assembly in France on the famous 5th and 6th of October, 1789, and conducted himself on that trying

occasion so as to merit and receive the approbation of every good man in France. The high sense of his conduct entertained by the present king, I have seen expressed in the strongest manner in his own hand. Not long after the murder of Louis XVI. M.Mounier came to England, and passed about three months in London. His reputation carried him into the first society, and his talents and acquirements secured him attention and regard, The king expressed a wish to see him, and a time was fixed for the interview, to which M. M. yielded with something like regret.

I en

tertained," said he, "for George III. great respect as a king of a free people, and as a man in private life, of great personal worth; but I had made up, I know not how, a very low estimate of his talents, penetration, judgment, and public character. Our interview took place as appointed, and I must confess, after a long and minute conversation on the most important and interesting topics of the day, that I found myself compelled to change, in every essential point, my previous estimate of your king's character. His inquiries respecting our disasterous revolution were very particular, and remarkably pertinent, and the observations which he made on particular epochs, and on the general process by which the royal authority was overthrown, were at once liberal and just. He was anxious to know every the minutest detail respecting the conduct and the fate of the unfortunate Louis. His questions and his remarks on my answers continued to display not less sagacity than sensibility. At length, with great feeling and force, the king said, in some such terms as these

I

Poor Louis XVI! it must be admitted, even by his enemies, that he possessed all the patient virtues of a Christian and a martyr; and it must be granted, even by his friends, that he wanted all that decision and energy of character, which were so necessary in the circumstances in which he was placed. In looking round the world, Sir, I know not when or where these disasterous principles may be arrested. am not sure that even we, free as we are, and happy as we may be, shall escape the contagion. But, Sir, in anticipating, as is my duty, this painful alternative, my resolution is fixed, the faithful part of my people will find me firm; I am persuaded that no king ever should die on a scaffold, nor will I If I must fall, I will fall at the head of my army and faithful adherents, as the king of a free people should fall, in de fence of the constitution and of social order.' I was much astonished and gratified, continued M. Moumier, with the whole conversation. I was much af fected by his remarkable reference to himself, and by the fine mixture of feeling and of force with which he uttered

these words, so worthy of the constitutional king of a free people. In short, I left the presence of George III. with very different feelings, and with a very different estimate, from those which I brought with me. He is a man of most respectable talents, judicious in his views, strictly constitutional in his purposes, and of the most determined and decisive character." It may be proper to add, that M. Mounier (who died in 1806, yet comparatively a young man) was one of the most independent-minded men who ever lived; that he was utterly incapable in any circumstances of flattery or of exaggeration. We consider his opinion of George III. thus contrasted with his previous estimate, formed in ignorance, as furnishing a superior eulogium to any thing which we could ourselves say or collect.

Indian Theory of Astronomy.

(From Asiatic Researches.) THE Hindus, as is well known, place the earth in the centre of the world, and make the sun and moon, and minor planets, revolve round it, apparently in concentric orbits, with unequal or irregular motion. For a physical explanation of the phænomena, they imagine the planets driven by currents of air along their respective orbits (besides one great vortex carrying stars and planets, with prodigious velocity, round the earth, in the compass of a day). The winds or currents impelling the several planets, communicate to them velocities, by which their motion should be equal, and in the plane of the eliptic; but the planets are drawn from this course by certain controlling powers, situated at the apogees, conjunctions, and nodes. These powers are clothed by Hindu imaginations, with celestial bodies, invisible to human sight, and furnished with hands and reins, by which they draw the planets from their direct path and uniform progress. The being at the apogee, for instance, constantly attracts the planet towards itself (alternately, however) with the right and left hands. The deity of the node diverts the planet, first to one side, then to the other, from the ecliptic. And, lastly, the deity at the conjunction

causes the planet to be one while stationary, another while retrogade, and to move at different times, with velocity accelerated or retarded. These fancied beings are considered as invisible planets; the nodes and apogees having a motion of their own in the eliptic. This whimsical system, more worthy of the mythologist than of the astronomer, is gravely set forth in the Suryasiddhanta; and even BHASCARA gives into it, though not without indications of reluctant acquiescence; for he has not noticed it in his text, and only briefly in his notes.

African Superstition.

(From the Christian Observer for Dec. 1820.) ONE of the Missionaries of the London Missionary Society, in Africa, gives the following account of the ignorance and superstition of the natives among whom he resides.

"The King of Lattakoo, on returning from a long journey to the east, reported that he had met with tribes of men, who had never seen any of his people (the Bootchuanas,) but had heard reports of them, which stated, that they had tails like cows; they flocked together from all quarters to see him and his people, and were greatly astonished to find that they were like themselves.

'A wooden clock, with three little figures which strike bells, denoting the hours and quarters, which was sent to Lattakoo by the society, has excited great astonishment. Some of the natives disputed among themselves whether these little men were made by God or man; they also wished to know whether they ate meat and drank milk. It was also reported among them, that these three little men had come in the night, in a waggon without oxen. In short, this clock appears to them the most wonderful thing ever known in the country.

'After a season of great drought, one of the people called Rain-makers visited Lattakoo. These people are considered as a kind of inferior deities. Many of the inhabitants went out to meet him, and made him a present of a sheep.

'On the same day, a rain-meeting was held at Maklak's kraal, and the rain-maker was presented with a fat ox. He then issued an order, forbidding the men to go into the fields to dig, &c. threatening that if they disobeyed this order, lightning would come down and kill them. This mandate was punctually obeyed. How ready are they to listen to the word of man, but how backward to regard the word of God! After this some clouds appeared; and great hopes were entertained that the rain would soon fall.

'In one of the rain-meetings, held about this time, the rain-maker complained that the Dutch people (so the natives call the missionaries) hindered the rain, and caused the clouds to pass away, by reason of some of their customs: he therefore recommended it to Mateebe to send them away. But, though many probably wished this, nothing was done.

At length, no rain having fallen, the people began to be impatient, and to curse him, saying, that the rainmaker was a liar, and too old to make rain. Not knowing what to do, he went up to the top of one of the mountains, and rolled down stones. This was done to amuse them, and gain time, for they were ready to drive him away.

'About twelve days after this, the people rejoiced greatly on account of copious showers, which fell for two or three days in great abundance. After which, the rain-maker, with a great number of women, paraded the town, singing, and begging presents, on ac

count of the rain."

The missionary relates several disputes and battles between the Bootchuanas and the Bushmen, in consequence of stealing cattle: and the former were much displeased with the missionaries, who would have dissuaded them from killing some of the thieves when taken, and informed them, that though they might preach to them, they must not attempt to alter their laws, In one instance, a feast was held on occasion of the execution of a Bushman, who had stolen an ox, and who was not able to restore two in its stead, according to their law. “

Several storms of thunder, lightning,

and rain, having occurred, by which a woman, and several of the cattle were killed, a ceremony took place to prevent further mischief. The rain-maker gave orders that no women should go out to work in the field, for that the clouds must have medicine, or they would kill more. The king then, with the rain-maker, and a great number of people, went forth to bury the woman, stabbing the ground with their assigais, and making fires to form smoke for the clouds; and then, having washed the body with water, they permitted one of the missionaries to bury it in their usual way.

Bonaparte at Elba.

THE following particulars respecting this extraordinary personage, are extracted from Williams's Travels in Italy, &c. and will, we presume, be neither uninteresting or unentertaining to our readers.

His mode of life was peculiar. He rose at two in the morning and studied till daylight, being particularly fond of French history and Egyptian researches. At daylight he went out on foot, or on horseback, whatever the weather, to superintend his public roads, or the building of his country house at Saint Martino, about three miles from the town. At nine he returned to breakfast, which consisted of a dish or two of meat, of which he eat sparingly, and various kiuds of wine, all of which he tasted. A cup of coffee followed. He then retired to bed, and slept two hours; after which he remained in his cabinet till the evening (in summer,) receiving strangers, directing his government, giving audience on business, arranging his plans, and latterly, perhaps, preparing those spirited proclamations which he issued on his landing in France. ** In the evening, attended by Bertrand or Drouet, he took an airing to Saint Martino or Longone, with more than his usual state, and always in his carriage. He dined at eight, and never without company. Persons of distinction he placed beside him; but at the opposite side of the table there was left an open space. He eat rapidly of a great variety of dishes, calling for them

promptly as he wanted them; a few glasses of French wine, swallowed hastily, concluded his dinner; and a dish of coffee was the signal for rising from the table, which all were expected to obey, whether they had dined or not. Half an hour sufficed for this meal. If ladies were at table, he would generally help them himself, and sometimes, when gay, was full of compliment to all around. When thoughtful he said nothing, and nobody presumed to address him. His drawing-room after dinner was usually the little garden behind the palace, where he spent the rest of the evening in conversation with his friends. He retired at eleven, but his mother, and his sister Pauline, still remained till the company separated. On Sunday he went regularly at twelve o'clock to mass, where all the authorities were expected to attend; the mass was celebrated in the palace.-A levee followed, when he addressed himself in order to each person round the circle. When officers attended with their colonel, it was his practice to inquire what was their rank, and where they had served, and to ask the explanation and use of some military manoeuvre. If pleased, he passed on; if not satisfied, he sometimes expressed his opinion rather can→ didly than courteously, to the commanding officer present. He noticed every thing, and always asked the reason of whatever he remarked as additional or wanting in uniform or accoutrements. His eye was every where; and military gentlemen were often much more comfortable after this catechism than before it. The perché, or why was always on his tongue.'

The eleventh Report of the Board of Trustees of the Protestant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South-Carolina; made at the Anniversary of the Society, January 6, 1821.

THE anniversary of the Protestant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South-Carolina, being the day on which the trustees of the institution are required to report their proceedings, and represent to its