The Harmony of Prophecy; or, Scriptural Illustrations of the Apocalypse. By the Rev. Alexander Keith, D.D. Edinburgh: Whyte. London: Longmans.

From a number of other recent publications, now claiming our attention, we select the following for immediate an

nouncement:

No Popery! A Course of eight Sermons, preached at the Episcopal Jews' Chapel, Bethnal-Green. By the Rev. J. B. Cartwright, M.A., Minister of the Chapel. Published by Request. Wertheim and Macintosh.

The Reasons of the Protestant Religion. By John Pye Smith, D.D., F.R.S. Enlarged and adapted to the Popish Aggression of 1850, with some remarkable Disclosures of Romanist Policy in the Age of the Reformation. Jackson and Walford.

Lectures delivered at the Monthly United Service of the Nonconformist Churches in Nottingham. With other Discourses, preached on public Occasions. By Samuel M'All. Jackson and Walford.

Man by Nature and by Grace: or, Lessons from the Book of Jonah. By

the Rev. W. K. Tweedie, Free Tolbooth Church, Edinburgh. Johnstone and Hunter.

Notes, critical, explanatory, and practical, on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, with a new Translation and Introductory Dissertation. By the Rev. Albert Barnes. Edited and carefully corrected by the Rev. Ingram Cobbin, M.A. Two Volumes. Partridge and Oakey.

A Christian Jew on the Old-Testament Scriptures; or, a critical Investigation of the Historical Events, Institutions, and Ordinances, recorded in the Pentateuch, considered as typical and emblematical of a new and better Dispensation. By Benjamin Weiss. Dundee: Middleton. Johnstone and Hunter; &c.

Journal of a Tour in Italy, in 1850, with an Account of an Interview with the Pope, at the Vatican. By the Rev. George Townsend, D.D., Canon of Durham. Rivingtons.

The Publishers' Circular, of December 16th, gives the titles of one hundred and eighty publications on the Papal Question, issued from the press in one month. This is conceived to be an unprecedented fact, and well worthy of attention.

FLOATING BATHS OF THE RHINE. ----Another arrangement which I observed appears worthy of notice, and might be imitated with beneficial results to the community in Britain and other countries. I allude to the floating-baths, which abound on the Rhine, and serve for more extensive purposes than individual comfort or profit, cleanliness or health. They seemed to be regarded as a part of the national economy. The youth of the localities resorted to them as a sort of gymnasium; and especially the young men, who anticipated employment in the army, assembled at them for daily discipline, and were taught to swim, under the direction of men appointed by the authorities for such a purpose. There are inclosures with awnings and shades, platforms, floating beams, buckets, and ropes, to afford every facility and inducement for the healthful exercise. The rope was held by the hand, or girt around the waist, and the floating beams were moved to and fro, so that the novitiate might try his attainments, or

be sustained in courageously venturing beyond his depth, and become ultimately independent, and capable of casting aside all aids; and, plunging headlong into the stream, might dash forward with the freedom and indulgence of a pastime. Swimming is practised, not as a momentary recreation, but as part of a regular training, in which hours are spent. I think that, were there more bathing among ourselves, there would be more health; and were our youth more extensively taught to swim, there would be less fatality attending accidents, whether in rivers or at sea.-A Summer Ramble in Germany.

INSTINCT OF PLANTS.-Observation shows that plants have hours devoted to rest, during which time they make little or no progress in growth. A curious proof of this statement was afforded by an account of a gentleman who had an artificial illumination kept up in his graperies throughout the night, and where this was done the grapes

ripened sooner by several weeks; but subsequent accounts inform us that the vines thus stimulated were much weakened. Some plants, like some animals, have been ordained for night; and these, accordingly, are active only during those hours. The night-blowing cereus is an example of this sort. Others, that increase and flourish during the day, close their flowers, and frequently their leaves, remaining inactive throughout the night. Magazine of Science.

The

GOSSIPING NUNS.-A Monastic Legend. Two ladies of an illustrious family had joined the sisterhood of St. Scholastica. Though in other respects exemplary and faithful to their religious profession, they were much given to scandal and vain talk; which being told to St. Benedict, it displeased him greatly; and he sent to them a message, that, if they did not refrain their tongues and set a better example to the community, he would excommunicate them. Nuns were at first alarmed and penitent, and promised amendment; but the habit was too strong for their good resolves. They continued their vain and idle talking; and, in the midst of their folly, they died. Being of great and noble lineage, they were buried in the church near the altar and afterwards, on a certain day, as St. Benedict solemnised mass at that altar, and at the moment when the officiating Deacon uttered the usual words, "Let those who are excommunicated, and forbidden to partake, depart and leave us;" behold! the two Nuns rose up from their graves, and in the sight of all the people, with faces drooping and averted, they glided out of the church!! And thus it happened every time that the mass was celebrated there, until St. Benedict, taking pity upon them, absolved them from their sins, and they rested in peace !—Mrs. Jameson.

HIGH NOTIONS AMONG LUNATICS. When the first violence of an attack of acute mania has passed away, but the mind still remains excited, we find the patient, in an extraordinary number of cases, suddenly affecting high rank. I think this is most common in the poorest class of patients; and it is to be remarked, that among our crowd of lunatics at Hanwell, although we have several Queens of England, our male patients do not at present assume the title of King, although several assert that they are married to the Queen. We have

also Noblemen and Lord-Mayors at all times, and a few Baronets, but scarcely a General or an Admiral, and not one Bishop or Dean. In the form of insanity combined with general paralysis, the patient will sometimes assume the highest rank in the navy, army, and state, all together. In all asylums there are patients who consider themselves divine persons. A very elevated idea of their talents and powers is extremely common among those who have recently become insane. They detail the vast plans which they were about to execute, and deplore the loss of time and money to which they are subjected. Their demands for writing or drawing materials are extensive; and they make ambitious but fragmentary efforts to sketch designs for railways, palaces, or even asylums; or to write poems such as the world has never seen. One of our most intelligent patients has spent months in painting on the walls of three sides of his bedroom innumerable faces, and figures, and forms, representing the defective state of the sccial and political world; and has exercised in this work what may almost be called an eloquent ingenuity. As the three walls set forth "what is," the fourth is destined to indicate "what ought to be;' but at present these words alone are painted on it, and a mysterious blank remains to be filled up.-Dr. Conolly's Lectures at the Royal College of Physicians.

EULOGIES ON THE DEAD.-The practice of having eulogistic harangues on deceased members of the Académie, would be more honoured in the breach than in the observance. When the deceased is a man of some note, (like Chateaubriand, for example,) his successor is sure to carry laudation to the very verge of extravagance; and when he is of no note at all, as generally happens, it becomes supremely ridiculous to chant his éloge,-nay, sometimes even impossible, from his insignificance, to say anything at all of him. M. de Saint Priest, when received into the Academy in the room of M. Vatout, labours under this difficulty. "What can I say of my dead man ?" he asks everybody. "He wrote nothing that anybody remembers-did nothing-was nothing: I really don't know what to say of mon mort!" "Eh, Monsieur," was the sarcastic answer,

your successor will have the same dif

ficulty with respect to you!”—Paris Correspondent of Literary Gazette.

Ashbourne.

ADELINE.

CHINA. So far as our Missionary brethren [of the London Missionary Society] located in the free ports of China have enjoyed opportunities for extending their researches to the mysterious regions beyond, they have been uniformly struck with the kindly and affable dispositions of the natives of the interior, and their comparative freedom from those restraints which have retarded the growth of confidence between the inhabitants of the seaport towns and their foreign visiters. In further corroboration of this encouraging fact, we have now to record the incidents that took place on occasion of two visits recently paid by the Rev. T. Gilfillan to Chang-Chew, distant about fifty miles from Amoy, and the capital of the FubKien province. In this spacious and opulent city, and the surrounding vil lages, no known obstacle exists to the free and unimpeded access of the Gospel, save that which is imposed by the inadequacy of the resources at command. May He who has all hearts and all means under His control, speedily send forth more labourers into the vineyard!

Mr. Gilfillan, who had recently removed from Canton to join the Mission

at Amoy, thus writes from the latter city under date 29th June :

"Shortly after my arrival in this place I heard mention of a great city not more than fifty miles distant, to which Amoy is but the seaport. I had a wish to visit this Chang-Chew, of which I was daily hearing as a great and wealthy city-famous, also, for its men of letters. My desire having lately been gratified, I send you the following brief account of the excursion, knowing that you are much interested in all that relates to the progress of the Gospel in China.

"River scenery.-In company with a Missionary brother I embarked, about day break, in a small junk hired for the occasion. Wind and tide favouring, we were soon clear of the harbour, and standing towards the entrance of the river leading up to Chang-Chew. As we entered the river the whole scene around us was suddenly changed in character. From the mountainous and rugged sterility of a rock-formed coast, all at once it softened down to the smiling and cultivated beauty of a rich valley. The scenery grew more strikingly picturesque as we sailed on. Farm-houses began to peep out from under old um

brageous banian-trees-towns and vil lages nestled at the foot of every hillwhile the far-stretching paddec-fields, whitening to the harvest, told of past industry and coming plenty. The varying distance and contour of the hillranges lent an indescribable charm to this valley, and precluded any approach to monotony or tameness. Here the hills were lofty and abrupt, there rounded off in outline and sloping down the strath, the nearer ones clearly embroidering the blue sky with their fringes of pine-trees; the more distant, cloudlike, melting away in the horizon. In the midst of all these beauties of hill and dale flowed the broad, bright river, now creeping amongst the low rice-fields, and anon squeezing its way between hilly banks; now hemmed in by waving fields of tall sugar cane, and anon laving the door-steps of some temple or mansion.

"The whole scene was calculated to inspire joyous emotions. Yet a shadow came over it-the very shadow of death! -as I thought that, amidst all these beautiful and bounteous works of God, there was no man doing Him honour, but every one, on the contrary, wholly given to idolatry; or, as Heber sang it,

Here every prospect pleasos,

And only man is vile.'

From the pressure of such sad reflections I was fain to seek relief, in the anticipation of the good time coming, when all the plains and valleys of China shall be adorned with the beauty of holiness, and every home be a little heaven. He is faithful that hath promised.'

"Reception at Chung-Chew.-As we approached Chang-Chew, the villages became more frequent and town-like. And we soon came in sight of a goodly granite bridge, consisting of immense slabs of granite stretching from pier to pier; while on each pier was erected a house or two. This is Chang-Chew lower bridge, and here we must step ashore.

"I had expected that the appearance of foreigners would have raised a considerable hubbub amongst the people. But, on landing, I was agreeably disappointed to find the on-lockers few, and these few modest and civil. We pur sued our way through the extensive suburbs, meeting with little annoyance, and no rudeness. At length we reached the city itself, which we entered by boat on a canal passing through an archway in the city-wall. Within the walls the streets are somewhat broader, and houses and shops better than those outside.

As

it was now sunset, our guide conducted us to an inn, where we took up our quarters for the night. In this inn we found about twenty travellers, to whom we gave some of our Christian books, which doubtless would find their way to distant places in China, and, we trust, lead some to a saving acquaintance with the Saviour. By the time we had supped, we found that a number of visiters had come to pay their respects and ask for books. The news had spread quickly that two foreign teachers had come; so that we had the opportunity of distributing many of our tracts in our own room. As, however, neither Mr. G— myself could speak much of the local dialect, the instruction we could convey to the group of visiters was but meager: yet the news of the one God and one Mediator was told, however imperfectly; and the books they received could tell them more of these precious truths. When the last of our visiters had gone, we retired to rest, thanking God, and taking courage, that we had hitherto been permitted so peacefully to visit this great city.

nor

"Descriptive notices of the city and population. Next morning we again set out on our walk; and, in order that it might be in some measure also a 'walk of usefulness,' we took with us a good supply of tracts. Ascending the city-wall at the western gate, we walked for some time along the broad, grassy path, whence a fine view of the city and surrounding country is obtained. Here we could perceive that the city stands in a fertile plain, which is completely encircled by hills, some green and bosky, others grey and rugged. Of the city itself there is not much room for description. The walls seemed to be fully three miles in circuit. But the larger half of the population is suburban,within the walls there being much space occupied by parade-grounds, archeryfields, gardens, &c. On the whole, the people are not so crowded together as in Canton and Amoy. The average width of the streets is considerably greater than at either of these places. And the proportion of families in easy circumstances struck me as very great. Any estimate of the population must be regarded as a guess,-shrewd or otherwise, but still guess-work. I had heard it estimated at 500,000. But I myself incline to a much smaller number, viz., 300,000, more or less; that is, about double the population of Amoy. The latter place, indeed, is but the entrepôt to Chang-Chew and the sur