“Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy," with some of the author's accompanying remarks. Speaking of the practical verifications of astronomical predictions, he says: "Eclipses, comets, and the like, afford but rare and transient displays of the powers of calculation, and of the certainty of the principles on which it is grounded. A page of lunar distances' from the Nautical Almanac is worth all the eclipses that have ever happened for inspiring this necessary confidence in the conclusions of science. That a man, by merely measuring the moon's apparent distance from a star with a little portable instrument held in his hand, and applied to his eye, even with so unstable a footing as the deck of a ship, shall say positively, within five miles, where he is, on a boundless ocean, cannot but appear, to persons ignorant of physical astronomy, an approach to the miraculous. Yet the alternatives of life and death, wealth and ruin, are daily and hourly staked with perfect confidence on these marvellous computations, which might almost seem to have been devised on purpose to show how closely the extremes of speculative refinement and practical utility can be brought to approximate. We have before us an anecdote communicated to us by a naval officer,* distinguished for the extent and variety of his attainments, which shows how impressive such results may become in practice. He sailed from San Blas, on the west coast of Mexico, and after a voyage of eight thousand miles, occupying eighty-nine days, arrived off Rio de Janeiro, having, in this interval, passed through the Pacific Ocean, rounded Cape Horn, and crossed the South Atlantic, without making any land, or even seeing a single sail, with the exception of an American whaler off Cape Horn. Arrived within a week's sail of Rio, he set seriously about determining, by hinar observations, the precise line of the ship's course, and its situation in it at a determinate moment, and having ascertained this within from five to ten miles, ran the rest of the way by those more ready and compendious methods, known to navigators, which can be safely employed for short trips between one known point and another, but which cannot be trusted in long voyages, where the moon is the only sure guide. The rest of the tale we are enabled by his kindness to state in his own words: We steered towards Rio de Janeiro for some days after taking the lunars above described, and, having arrived within about fifteen or twenty miles of the coast, I hove to at four in the morning till the day should break, and then bore up; for, although it was very hazy, we could see before us a couple of miles or so. About eight o'clock, it became so foggy that I did not like to stand in farther, and was just

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bringing the ship to the wind again before sending the people to breakfast, when it suddenly cleared off, and I had the satisfaction of seeing the great Sugar-Loaf Rock, which stands on one side of the harbour's mouth so nearly right ahead that we had not to alter our course above a point in order to hit the entrance to the Rio. This was the first land we had seen for three months, after crossing so many seas, and being set backwards and forwards by innumerable currents and foul winds.' The effect on all on board might well be conceived to be electric; and it is needless to remark how essentially the authority of a commanding officer over his crew may be strengthened by the occurrence of such incidents, indicative of a degree of knowledge and consequent power beyond their reach."

Another anecdote illustrating the same thing I remember to have met with somewhere; but, not being able to find it, I cannot give the authority of the minor details. Among the passengers of a certain vessel was a mathematician, who in the course of the voyage occasionally amused himself by making observations from which to obtain the ship's place on the ocean. On one of these occasions, after thus obtaining the vessel's position, he found upon examining the chart, that the course they were pursuing would very soon bring them upon some dangerous rocks. He immediately informed the Captain; but he found him unwilling to admit that they could be in the position indicated. The mathematician returned to the cabin, went over his calculations, and, finding them correct, he applied again to the Captain, who still persisted that the calculations of the mathematician were wrong. The latter, confident of the correctness of his results, resolutely demanded that the course of the vessel should be changed; and at length, by resorting to threats, induced the Captain to yield. The vessel was turned aside, and soon after they passed in sight of the danger they had so narrowly escaped.

But to return to the spider's web. I will add one more illustration to show what it is capable of accomplishing. Those who attended the lecture of Professor Mitchell, delivered in this city on the 10th instant, will at once know upon allusion, in this connection, to that exceedingly interesting discourse, what this illustration is. Professor Mitchell, after stating that the great obstacle in the way of determining the parallax of the fixed stars, and from it their distance, is the difficulty of noting the precise time when a star crosses the meridian, proceeded to describe the usual method, that of counting the beats of the clock during the time of cbservation, by which means the most practised observer cannot obtain the time nearer than within two-tenths of a second. The lecturer then explained to his

audience how, by an invention of his own, he is able to divide a second into a thousand appreciable parts. To do this he converts time into space, seconds into inches, by causing the beats of the clock to be recorded (by means of a little magnetic telegraph) on a revolving disc, so that the distance between the marks thus made represents a second. Now the instant a star crosses one of the spider-lines in the telescope, the observer touches the telescope-key with his finger, and thus causes a mark to be made on the same revolving disc. The position of this mark among those made by the beat of the clock, gives the time of the observation; and, as its distance from the preceding second's mark can be very accurately measured, the time is obtained with corresponding accuracy. Now, the great difficulty in this arrangement was to break and connect the galvanic circuit, at every giving of the pendulum, by an apparatus so delicate as not to interfere with the regularity of the clock's motions.

A very delicate wire lever was constructed, which, by being made to vibrate, alternately

broke and completed the circuit. How to connect this with the clock without interfering with its rate of motion, was the next question. A very fine human hair was tried; but, as the Professor told us, it was "too rough, too coarse, too cable-like” to answer the purpose. A fibre of silk was next tried, with no better success. At length a SPIDER'S THREAD was selected; and it worked to entire satisfaction. For turenty months that slender line has been moving to and fro in the Cincinnati Observatory, measuring off second after second on the revolving disc, and in this way exhibiting accurately the time of a multitude of astronomical observations, thus connecting, as it were, as the distinguished lecturer remarked, the heavens and the earth.

Reader, when next thou brushest the cobweb from the wall, or thine eyes light upon the circular webs glittering with pearly dew-drops on the hedge-row and the grass by the way-side, remember what the spider's thread has accomplished.-Philadelphia

Friend.

MARTYRDOMS IN MADAGASCAR. IN May, 1850, (observes the late Mr. Freeman,) it was ascertained by the Government that many of the people were still, in defiance of the law, assembling for Christian worship. Officers were accordingly sent to apprehend them; and, on reaching the spot, many miles distant from Antananarivo, they themselves were astonished to find so many assembled in the act of worship, and having, moreover, a chapel, which they had built for themselves. They were in number upwards of one thousand. The first step was to ascertain who were the leaders of the party, and who had built the chapel; and then to discriminate between those who had been already convicted on previous occasions, and those who had recently united with them. An immense assembly of the people was convened to be present at their "trial;" or rather, at the delivery of a message from the Sovereign, and the final sentence regarding the punishments to be inflicted. Four of the Christians, nobles of the land by birth, were condemned to death at the stake. Fourteen were also put to death by being thrown over a steep and precipitous rock. They were bound with cords, and suspended for a time over this dreadful precipice, and asked if they would take the oath proffered to them, implying that they would never transgress in this matter again; and, on their steady refusal, the cords were let go, and they were dashed to pieces. Hurled from the rocks, their

cry went up to heaven, and their spirits joined the glorious company of the martyrs.

Penalties have been imposed on all the rest, whose total number, it afterwards appeared, amounted to upwards of one thousand six hundred!

Now, "thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory," that His word is still mighty to subdue the hearts of men to obedience and faith; that so goodly a company of confessors could be found in Madagascar, and that so large a number has proved "faithful" even "unto death."

GENOTE, THE KAFFIR.

THE late Mr. Freeman mentions a Kaffir, of the name of Genote, whose case is remarkable. Some years ago he went, in sheer curiosity, to see a Missionary. Zwart Booy, as Genote was usually called, remembered much that was said, and could not dismiss from his mind the exhortation to "fice, for there was danger." Yet the poor Kaffir knew of no danger except that of being wounded or killed in war. A little later a friend brought him to the Missionary, and said, "Have the kindness to speak to this old man he has been restless and sleepless these two nights." When asked about the cause of his uneasiness, “OP said he, "my sins! my sins! The immen sity of my sin makes my heart as heavy as a mountain of lead. I have no knowledge,

no wisdom.

Tell me, therefore, what to do." The Missionary spoke of God, and found he had now a tolerably clear perception of Him as Creator and Preserver, "But," said the man, "I want something more. I cannot be satisfied. I cannot rest. Tell me what it is." To his anxious and prepared mind, the words of life and the wonders of redeeming mercy were unfolded. The poor Heathen listened with breathless interest. Light was breaking in. "Tell me again," said he; "for I am old and stupid." His eyes were fixed; tears streamed down his sable cheeks; his tall figure trembled with mental agitation; and, as soon as he could find utterance, he expressed his wonder at the mercy of God. At length he resolved to come and live near the Missionary. He tried to arrange this with

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some of the people; but he had some difficulty in securing pasturage for his cattle, In his perplexity, he nobly said, "I ar Kaffir, and I am fond of my cattle; but I'll get rid of the last of them, if I cannot otherwise come to reside here to hear the word." As the Missionary was needing a shepherd, he proposed to him to come and tend the herd, and that he might graze his cattle with them; and he should be paid for his services. Genote was silent a few minutes, and then said, "That is not your plan: it is," said he, pointing upwards, "it is He who has put it into your heart."

Matt. xiii. 45, 46"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.'

A NEGRO LOVEFEAST. WHILST innumerable difficulties crowd upon the pathway of the Missionary to the blacks in our "sunny south," and he is denied many of the social and religious privileges his brethren on Circuits and stations enjoy, and meets with much to discourage him in his arduous and responsible work, he is not entirely destitute of seasons of enjoyment. In the wilderness through which he travels he occasionally finds an oäsis, where he is refreshed and invigorated, and prepared for the duties and trials that await him. In the black man's smoky cabin, beside his dying bed, he often feels that he occupies a "privileged" spot, and stands "quite on the verge of heaven." In the lovefeast, the class-meeting, the prayermeeting, as well as the great congregation, he not unfrequently realises the presence and blessing of God, and rejoices in witnessing the manifestations of His grace to others. The coloured people are strongly attached to the peculiarities of Methodism. They love class-meeting and lovefeast; and who, that has attended one of their lovefeasts, has not returned home with the conviction that many of them were the children of God by spiritual regeneration? Not a great while ago, I attended a lovefeast on one of the Missions of the SouthCarolina Conference, where the members of the church seemed to enjoy much heartfelt picty. After the usual introductory services, the members were permitted to tell each other something of their Christian experience.

The first who spoke was John. He said: "I feel tankful to my Preacher dat I am preserb to see de fust Sunday in de mont. Tongue can't 'spress my feelins when I hear de bell ring dis mornin. I tink I feel like King David, when he say, "I was glad when dey say, Let us go up to de house ob de Lord." My Preacher, I lub my Jesus. I want to lub Him wid all my heart, and sarb Him wid all my might. I lub all my bredren and sister, and determine, by de grace ob God, to meet dem in heben."

Old Richard. "My Preacher, I feel tankful I lib to see anoder lub-feast. I been long time in de sarbis of God; and dis mornin feel determine to go all de way to heben. Glory to God, my bredren; dere's noting like 'ligion! I feel de joy ob de 'ligion in my soul: God bless me on de way to dis lub-feast; and now, while talking, I feel de lub ob God burnin on de altar ob my heart. I want to be faitful till det; and when I'm ded an' gone, I want my bredren to know dat one more sinner been sabe from de debil. Glory to God! I almost home."

Thomas. "Tank God, my Preacher, I'm

alive, and allow to meet you here to-day. I don't git along so fast as some of my bredren in de way to heben; but I feel determine to do de best I can. I know I got to die, and after dat to go to judgment;* and I know if I don't sarb God in spirit and in trute while I lib in dis world, I neber can see His face in peace. Pray for me, dat God may make me a faitful man, and sabe me at last in heben."

William. (Class-Leader.) "Tru God's good probidence, I lib to see anoder lub-feast. I feel tankful dat I am here to-day. When I was a young man, I was awaken by de' preaching ob de Gospel. The Spirit ob God stribe wid me day after day, and week after week. I cry and pray at home, in de field, at church, and ebery way I go, but I find no peace till one day God help me to trus in Jesus. Den light shine into my soul. Den de Spirit bear witness wid my spirit, dat all my sins was pardoned, and I got berry happy, and gib glory to Jesus. Since den I try to be faitful. To-day my heart burn wid de lub of God. I beg you all to pray God to make me a useful Leader, and sabe me and my class in heben."

Nancy. "I feel, my Preacher, dat I'm not wordy to come unto de house ob de Lord. But God for Christ's sake hab mercy on me, and pardon my sins, and gib me an ebidence ob acceptance wid Him, and I feel dis my duty to speak for Jesus. I aint ashamed to own my Lord. He is de Friend of sinners. He lub me, and gib Heself for me, and now prays for me in heben. I don't expect to see anoder lub-feast. I'm goin down de riber bery fast in a little time I'll cross de bar, and den enter de ocean. I want to lib a holy 'oman. I neber will gib up my shield, or lay down my arms, till I march up de hebenly street, and ground my arms at de feet ob Jesus. My Preacher and my bredren, pray for old Nancy; pray dat God will gib me grace to conquer, and den take me home to rest."

(As the old woman resumed her scát, I looked round upon the congregation and say but few who did not appear deeply moved. None doubted Old Nancy's piety. She had been a faithful servant and a consistent Christian many years.)

Joseph. "I'm glad to see and enjoy dis lub-feast. I feel dis mornin dat 1 lub my Jesus; and I feel determine, by de Lord's help, to follow Him to de end. I know dat I am weak and helpless, and widout Jesus I can do noting dat is good. My bredren, when you bow at de mercy-scat, cry out for poor. brudder Joe, who is trying to get to heben."

Betty. "Tank God, I'm spared to see dis glorious Sunday mornin, and meet you all once more. I no been here for some time. I been 'flicted-had great pain ob body.

but Jesus been wid me, and make all my bed in my sickness. Sixteen years ago I was converted, and joined de church; and I hab enjoy religion eber since. I would not gib my religion for de world. My religion make me happy, and all de wicked people on de plantation can't make me unhappy. I can lub dem dat hate me, and pray for dem dat tell lies on me. I try to grow better as I grow older. I feel to-day dat I hab hold on Jesus. I hold Him wid a tremblin hand, but I will not let Him go. My heart feel like a bowl dat is full and runnin ober. Glory! glory! glory to Jesus for ever!"

Jack. "Me is one poor African. Me born in dat koontry. Neber hear 'bout Jesus

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and heben, till dey bring me to dis koontry. Here Missionary tell me 'bout Jesus. Jesus die to sabe poor Jack; and Jesus hear me, and forgib me sins. Now me happy. Now me lub Jesus. Me can't talk better. Pray for Jack: pray God to send Missionary to Africa to tell all de people 'bout Jesus."

Others spoke, but I heard them not. The last words of old Jack had taken possession of my mind. I thought of Africa. The bones of Cox and Barton are there! They fell with "victory" on their shields. They have gone to their reward. Thank God! thousands of Africa's sons and daughters have received the Gospel, and have been made wise unto salvation.-American Paper.

+

FASTING AND MURDERING. SIR T. FOWELL BUXTON gives the following chapter of facts, in illustration of the practical results of Romanism at home, where there is the most of it, and it is in its best estate:

"THE jail at Civita Vecchia is an old, strong fortress, close to the sea, and contains one thousand three hundred and sixtyfour desperate-looking criminals, all for the most aggravated offences. I am sure you never saw such a gang of malefactors, or such a horrid dungeon. We went first into a vaulted room, with a low ceiling, as I measured it, thirty-one yards long, and twenty-one broad. The noise on our entrance was such as may be imagined at the entrance of hell itself. All were chained most heavily, and fastened down. The murderers and desperate bandits are fixed to that spot for the rest of their lives; they are chained to a ring, fastened to the end of the platform, on which they lie side by side, but they can move the length of their chain on a narrow gangway. Of this class there were upwards of seven hundred in the prison; some of them famed for a multitude of murders; many, we are told, had committed six or seven; and, indeed, they were a ghastly crew, haggard, ferocious, reckless assassins. A Sergeant, in uniform, was ordered to keep close by me; and I observed that he kept his hand upon his sword as we walked up the alley between the adjacent platforms. The Mayor afterwards told us that he, in his official capacity, knew that there was a murder every month among the prisoners. I spoke to a good many of them; and, with one exception, each said that he was condemned for murder or stabbing." Of Gasparoni, a Chief of bandits, Sir Fowell says,-"He greatly

It

Perche sono ('Because I Which do

underrates his own exploits. To my question, 'How many people have you murdered?' he replied, 'I cannot exactly recollect; somewhere about sixty:' whereas it is notorious that he has slaughtered at least double that number. Indeed, the Mayor of Civita Vecchia assured me that he had received authentic information of two hundred; but he believed that even that number was still below the mark. is odd enough that Gasparoni is very religious now he fasts not only on Fridays, but adds a supererogatory Saturday. But, curious as his theology now is, it is still more strange that, according to his own account, he was always a very religious man. I asked him whether he had fasted. when he was a bandit? He said, 'Yes.' 'Why did you fast?' said I. della religione della Madonna.' am of Our Lady's religion.") you think was worst; eating meat on a Friday, or killing a man?' He answered, without hesitation, 'In my case it was a crime not to fast: it was no crime to kill those who came to betray me.' With all his present religion, however, he told the Mayor of the town the other day, that, if he could get loose, the first thing he would do would be to cut the throats of all the Priests. One fact, however, shows some degree of scrupulosity. The people of the country bear testimony that he never committed murder on a Friday!....You will wish to know how Gasparoni was taken. He became such a nuisance, that, partly from the strength of the military parties which were constantly sent in pursuit of him, and partly from the diminution of traffic on the road, his funds became short, and he could not pay his spies. Without money, and half-starved, unable to obtain intelligence, and surrounded on all sides by