to it.

Frequently, also, travellers grievously mis- vances, than which nothing can be more judge them, by assigning to what they are vitiating. Yet the principle which underpleased to call an incurable natural de- lies all such customs is the same as that pravity that which is simply the result of which led the Greeks to regard as the some terrible belief, that at one period or most sacred persons those who in the another has been the creed of all races. City of Corinth were consecrated to the The Africans are very superstitious. worship of Venus. But while we have They are great believers in witchcraft, admitted the Hindus and other Asiatics which means with them that certain men into the fellowship of the old classic and women have personal intercourse idolaters of Europe, we have excluded with unseen spirits, who are generally the Africans, and misrepresented them supposed to be malevolent, and gain from because we have not understood their them the power of inflicting mysterious position, and the causes which have led sicknesses and other forms of evil upon man and beast. But this belief is com- What the Africans now are, the people mon to the heathen in all parts of the that once inhabited these islands were. world; and as a vestige of the old There is no superstition there that had heathenism which existed in this land, it not its counterpart here, no deed of foulis not uncommon to meet with it amongst ness and barbarity committed there, that ourselves. Only the other day a farmer was not perpetrated here. We now enin Dorsetshire was fined by the magis- joy all the benefits which have accrued trates for beating an old woman nearly to to us through long ages of civilization, death, and he did so because he thought through having been brought into harher a witch, who had wrought harm to his mony with the highest forms of the cattle. Of course this belief with the world's progress; whereas they have Africans frequently leads to the perpetra- been, until lately, isolated from the rest tion of horrible cruelties. Somewhat akin of the world by physical causes, quite as to belief in witchcraft is faith in fetich. surely as the ocean separated the SandThis is elaborated into many customs, wich Islanders from our knowledge; and but in principle it simply means the of no people, is it recorded that unaspower which certain people are supposed sisted they have been able to raise themto possess, of imparting to an insignifi- selves from barbarism. It was the Slave cant thing, such as a stick, or a stone, Trade that broke the spell of Africa's or a bone, for instance, a supernatural seclusion, and in this fact lies the exefficacy. This superstition also is per- planation of its continued degradation. petuated amongst ourselves in the belief but looking at the tone of public feeling in charms. I know a parish in England amongst all civilized nations with referwhere it assumes a revolting form. On ence to slavery and the slave trade, and a certain day in the year, which is the interest now excited amongst all known in the district as "toad-bag day," classes by the geographical discoveries many people resort to a man to pur- of Livingstone and others, the future is chase a charm against certain kinds full of hope for Africa. Africa is a great of disease, the said charm consisting fact, we cannot get rid of it, and we are of a leg of a toad sewed up in a fast becoming convinced that it may be bag, which is thought to have derived turned to a better use than we have some mysterious virtue from the hands hitherto made of it. The Africans are of him who sells it, for half-a-crown. irrepressible, they have the gift of vitality Dahomey's bath of blood, and other above most men, and live and multiply monstrous practices, which travellers under circumstances that would be death have described, to our loathing, are the to other races. The natives of Tasmania outcome of these superstitions, and have have disappeared; the Australians are been called into existence by the brutal nearly extinct; it is but an actuary's caprice or diseased brain of some more question as to when we shall see the last than ordinarily inhuman creature, in of the New Zealanders; and the Indians whom has been invested supreme power. of America die out in the presence of the In a grosser form than the ancient white man. Not so the Africans. Place heathen, maybe, the Africans are wor- him where you will, so long as he gets shippers of certain powers of nature, sunshine, and under what circumstances and assign to them attributes which min- you may, and Israel in Egypt scarcely ister to sensuality. The reproductive increased faster. It is estimated that powers, for instance, are held in high there are nearly fifteen millions of peoesteem, and honoured with many obser-ple of African descent on the mainland

and islands of America. Africa itself is slept in my hut and was under my own more thickly peopled than was supposed, care for nearly three years, and a better instead of thirty, it probably contains a youth I have never known. I have seen hundred millions of people. We cannot a great owner of slaves in Africa turn hope to possess ourselves of Africa as out, as a present to a friend of mine, a we have of America, for side by side with boy whom he had not long had from his us on his own soil the African would native village, from the slaves' sleeping surely prove the stronger. So whether pen, as he would a pup from a litter in a we meet with him in his own land, or dog-kennel, and I have had that boy elsewhere, it is manifestly to our own under my care in England, where he won interests (to say nothing of higher motives) the hearts of all he met by his ready symto make the best of him. It is in Africa pathy with that which was good and true. itself we must look for the highest possi- I have stayed at the Kaffir College at bilities of the race, for those outside are Capetown, where youths but lately slaves or the descendants of slaves. gleaned from their native kraals were beThey live also in the lands of their thral- ing educated, and manifesting an ability dom, and in the presence of those who and a tone of life far superior to that of are, or who have been their masters. the lower classes of England, and scarceYou may free them all, but you will not ly inferior to our own youths of a higher purge them from the ill effects of slavery station. And while I write, I recollect simply by emancipating them. It will that there is an African who when a child take many years to get rid of the mis- was taken out of the hold of a slave ship chief which long generations of slavery by our English sailors, and who now have wrought in their natures. Had the holds the high position of a Bishop of the Israelites after their emancipation re- English Church, the chief pastor of an mained in Egypt in the presence of their African diocese, where all the clergy are former masters, they would have been Africans. The Africans must from their slaves in nature still. And so it was with character and position in the world have the free coloured men in the United an important part to play in the future, States and the West Indies. Their as- and it mainly depends upon us whether sociations tend to keep alive the recol- that part will be played for good or for lections of the past and to check noblest evil. In many things they are as necessary aspirations. The galling discomfort, if to us as we to them, for in many things not of legal prescription, yet of bitter they are our complement. And indeed caste-prejudice in the whites, and which this is true of all the differing races of manifests itself in every day life in a men. The members of a single family thousand cruel and annoying ways, are greatly against them. These people therefore, afford as yet no fair criterion of what the African race is capable. I believe, however, that the possibilities of the Africans on their own soil are not inferior to those of any race of men on the earth. Their civilization may, in some things, prove unlike our own, their range of virtue and vice somewhat different, yet I do not think they will prove mentally our inferiors, or that their moral standard will be lower. I say this from no theory evolved from my own inner consciousness, but from a conviction which is the result of a personal knowledge of them. I have helped to deprive the slave trader of his prey; and I have seen those whom we released gradually rise higher and higher under the benign LOUISE returned from Molsheim in the influences that are brought to bear upon beginning of September. She had also them. One of them, Chuma, is now with completed her studies, and called to see Dr. Livingstone, and has been his faith- us on her arrival, as she had always done ful friend and trusted companion in all when coming to Chaumes for the holihis weary wanderings and trying expe- days. riences. This young man, when a boy,

generally differ in character, yet the variety of disposition and capacity instead of producing discord, contributes to the higher life and happiness of the home; and so with the various families of men, the Africans not excepted, they are members one of another, and, rightly esti mated, are indispensable to the forma tion of one perfect humanity.

From The St. James Magazine. THE TWO BROTHERS.

A TALE BY MM. ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN, AUTHORS OF "THE CONSCRIPT," ETC.

CHAPTER X.

She was the prettiest girl far and near;

tall, cheerful, and as light as a feather. It was not possible to see a lovelier head of fair hair nor more intelligent soft blue eyes. Yet she was a Rantzau, and their spirit was in her. One could not help laughing at her satirical way and look when she spoke of her kind uncle Jacques, his good-natured face, tender looks, and her cousin George's beard.

It was easy to see she had been to Molsheim, where the good sisters, as Monsieur Jacques used to say, were preserved in the sugar of charity. Louise was very good and truthful at heart for all that.

"Quite correct, Monsieur Florent! Let us put on our things."

The curé took off his cassock; and when I had changed my coat for a blouse, we put on our masks, drew up our gloves, and pulled down our capes. I then told Suzanne she was to shut all the windows so as not to lose many bees, for these insects persist in pursuing one into the farthest corners of rooms. When all this was done I went into the kitchen, placed a few burning pieces of charcoal on a、 shovel, and came back to the hives.

Any one would have thought the bees knew what we were about, for, although My two best scholars having come they allowed us to approach them every home again, I looked forward to the pleas- day, they now covered us from head to ure of calling on them now and then, and foot, buzzing about our masks in great exof spending a more pleasant existence. Icitement; but of no avail, for their honey was equally fond of both, they were at- had to be taken. tached to me in return and that was the chief point, for we all have our faults, and the best way is not to notice those of others.

I commenced smoking them out by holding a piece of rag over the burning embers in front of the three middle hives, Monsieur le Curé blowing meanwhile. I then went to the back and turned the first hive upside down, all the bees having flown out with the exception of a few which hung about as if benumbed. The curé held the pots, and I began to cut the under layers of honeycomb out, placing the snowy flakes delicately one on the I followed her directly. It was a fine, top of the other, out of which streamed warm autumn day, and bees were swarm-the most transparent golden-coloured ing by thousands in the air.

Two or three days later, one Thursday afternoon, towards one o'clock, Mdlle. Suzanne, who was the cure's old servant, came to tell me that her master was waiting in the garden of the presbytery for me to assist him in taking the honey from his hives.

Monsieur le Curé had got our masks out, to which were appended long collars for the neck and shoulders, like the capes which are joined to chimney-sweepers' hoods; our gloves, of coarse linen, reached above the elbows. I had taken care to draw my boots over my trousers, for bees do not relish being robbed of their honey, and resent the theft by filling every aperture they can get into. Large sharp spoons and honey-pots stood by, with a piece of linen rag, which I was going to burn and fumigate the hives with.

I arrived in high spirits, and found the curé no less well-disposed for the work.

"We shall have a very large quantity this year, Monsieur Florent," said he; "I would not mind betting there are thirty pounds' weight of honey, putting all the hives together."

"There is no knowing, Monsieur le Curé," I replied; "we often find a great deal where we did not expect much, and nothing where we fancied we should have a great deal. Then we must leave a quantity in reserve for the bees' food next winter. After this very hot summer we may expect severe cold."

honey.

The heat being excessive, many bees returned to the hives, and we had to smoke them out a second time.

We thus went through Monsieur Jannequin's ten hives, taking great care of the younger swarms that had not yet had time to lay in all their provisions. True enough, we had over thirty pounds' weight of honey, eight large pots being quite full. I had been cautious not to hurt the grubs rolled up in their cells, for they are the hope of the future, and none but the unskilful ever make havock among them.

We now restored everything to order, plastering a layer of fuller's earth mixed with cow-dung at the bottom of each hive to keep the cold out. There is no other word to define the nature of the substance thus mixed; but, however crude it may sound, it is a good hint to apiarists.

We had attended to everything and were just going in, when we heard some very loud shouts and whipping in the lane at the back of Monsieur le Curé's hedge. it was a large cart coming down; our infuriated bees had settled on the driver and the people with him.

As I went down the street I saw a group of neighbours standing in front of Monsieur Jean's house; others were coming that way; girls carrying dead leaves "I know, and am much obliged to in grey linen cloths threw their burden you," said he, taking me out. "Au re-down to look in through the open win

"Oh, Monsieur Florent," said she, "here you are just in time; walk in. Come and look at the beautiful piano father has bought me."

"That is what brings me here, my dear," said I, going into the best room, which had been newly papered with a beautiful sky-blue leaf-pattern.

The piano stood between the two windows that looked out on the street.

Monsieur Jean, with his large bald forehead, was walking up and down in deep thought, and his arms crossed behind him.

"Ah! so here you are, Monsieur Florent; you have come to see our piano?" he asked, stopping in front of me. "Well, now look at it; what is your opinion?"

time; but I had no fault to find with her. I told her I was very much pleased, and congratulated her, saying I was proud to call her my scholar, at which her eyes sparkled.

"So, really, you are satisfied, dear Monsieur Florent?" she asked.

"I am indeed; you do me great credit in every respect, my dear."

"Then please do sit down," she exclaimed. "I must sing to you now. You will accompany me, Monsieur Florent, and sing with me."

"What are you thinking of, my dear?” I exclaimed. "I sing with you? I know nothing but church music: Kyries, Glorias, Alleluias."

"What does that signify? We can sing church music. At the convent He seemed quite proud, and not with- chapel I used to take the contralto out cause, for it was a splendid piece of parts. You have such a fine bass voice, furniture, and surpassed my expectations. Monsieur Florent! We must sing toIt was made of rosewood, shone like a gether." mirror, and had gilt bronze handles. It was somewhat in the shape of a chiffonier, and any one could guess by its outward appearance that it was first-rate. No such finish is wasted on Harchkirch instruments; but all I could have imagined was nothing compared to what I was soon to hear.

Louise, in her great eagerness to display her musical talent, hastily opened the piano and exhibited the ivory and ebony notes on which the sun now shone, then she ran up and down the keys with her white taper fingers as fast as lightning. The different sounds of the flute and hautbois at the top, and the full, sonorous bass tones at the bottom sent me off in a perfect ecstasy.

Louise was much more of a proficient in music than I was. Her fingering showed that a great deal of trouble had been taken with her accomplishments at Molsheim, and it is but justice here to say a good word for the sisters, they did not neglect the fine arts.

Finding she had made up her mind to it, I sent one of my barefooted scholars, who was looking in at the window, to fetch the organ book at my house. Off he went in the dust, and came back five minutes later with the right copy.

Monsieur Jean, who knew no other will than that of his daughter, seemed pleased at the idea of hearing us sing together. I opened my book, after placing it carefully on the polished music-stand, then beat the preliminary one-two- three, and we both started on a grand Kyrie just as if it were full cathedral service.

"Kyrie-e-e, Kyrie-e-e-e eleison.”

I never should have believed Louise had such a fine voice if any one had told me. It was full-toned, touching, and went up-up-as high as heaven. At first a shudder crept over me, and I opened my eyes very wide, thinking we were going up higher and higher still. The notes were fortunately written down before us, and we had to keep following

them.

When

Only, if I may be allowed an observa- As nothing encourages and stimulates tion, the harmonious blending or union so much as feeling one's self supported of chords one in the other, which can by a magnificent voice, I don't remember only be obtained by organ practice, on ever having sung so well in my life. I which instrument all sounds have gradu-actually considered my bass was a worthy ally to swell, and the passage of one tone accompaniment to such singing. to another, which we call fugue, a thing old Monsieur Labadie so excelled in, besides a few other details of expression, were wanting in Louise's performance. It does not ensue that it was at all an indifferent one, no, it was not; though her haste to show all she could do was perhaps her cause of not keeping perfect

This is the result of emulation. a man has to accompany himself on a worn-out, asthmatic organ in a low church without any echo, in which five or six choir-boys are shrieking out in a straggling sort of way to aged people who don't even listen, because they have grown deaf, then he may pull out all the