the coasts certain colonies, which, in the midst of populations of a very different origin, bear incontestable marks of the Euskarian type. The Basques pushed their fishing expeditions into distant seas. They very early visited Greenland, and, according to some writers, they discovered the banks of Newfoundland and Canada about a hundred years before Christopher Columbus approached the American shores.

The Euskarian race is extremely noticeable for the beauty of its type, of which the chief ethnographic characters are, a rounded skull, a large and prominent brow, a straight nose, a mouth and chin finely marked, an oval visage, flattened at the bottom, great black eyes, black hair and eyebrows, a brownish tint, a person of the middle size, but perfectly proportioned, and hands and feet small, and well-formed. Owing to the rarity of mixture, this type, especially in the mountains of Guipuzcoa and Biscay, has preserved a surprising purity. Oftentimes, when at St. Sebastian, and present at large reunions of the people, I have been struck with admiration of the fact, that for one unattractive figure, I could count twenty or thirty truly magnificent. The women possess in the highest degree the characteristic traits of the race, a fact observable in other cases. Their face, so regular, and yet animated, their large eyes full of expression, their mouth almost always half open with a smile somewhat mockish, their long hair falling in tresses even down to the limbs, or rolled round their heads like a natural diadem, strike all at once the most inattentive observer. Almost all have the neck and shoulders remarkable for the purity of the outline; and this element of beauty, so rare in general, gives to the humblest peasant an air of grace and nobility which more than one Duchess would envy. Without exaggeration, even in the gait of the aguadoras, who bear heavy pails of water on their heads, there is the ease and even the majesty of Diana. The men have perhaps less distinction than the women in the style of their visage, but they yield in nothing as respects elegance of form and harmony of movement. With the red cincture round their loins, the vest thrown lightly back on the left shoulder, and the stick in hand, the Guipuzcoans seem always ready to take a bound; and when they make a bow, as they do with the

head erect, and a proud look, one feels that a real courtesy mingles in an act sometimes tainted by servility elsewhere. On beholding these populations, among whom each knows how to protect his own dignity while respecting that of others, I understood the ancient charter granted by the Kings of Spain. The Guipuzcoans and the Basques are indeed a nation of nobles.

sans.

as

The moral and intellectual characters of these populations plainly correspond to their exterior. A neatness truly tasteful announces the presence among the Euskarians of a respect for themselves too often forgotten by our peasants and artiThe sentiment of independence and love of country are the two great main-springs of their life. Proud of their origin, they despise all their Spanish and French neighbours: however, the Castilians and Gallicians are more especially the object of their contempt. Enterprising and active, they easily quit their country, but only to return to it as soon they have made a fortune. Capable of giving themselves up to exertions the most sustained, they speedily become excellent workmen; and this quality alone, at an industrial epoch like ours, insures to the Biscayan populations, perhaps at no distant period, a decided preponderance over the other populations of this state. Endowed with a lively and penetrating spirit, they are fond of a joke, even of raillery. The instinct of poetry and music, favoured by a language in which the same consonants return at every instant, is very much developed among them. Sometimes, at a festival, the inhabitants of rival villages will join in poetical competitions. During entire days the improvisatori of the two hostile camps will defy and respond to one another in verse, sometimes spoken, sometimes sung to the national airs called sorbicos. The slightest event becomes the theme of a song, which immediately runs through the country, supplying a formidable instrument of wild justice for many petty faults. For example, every lover betrayed or deceived puts his mistress into a song; and for some time she will be unable to step across the door without hearing her coquetries trilled by even the errand-boys of the streets. This profusion of productions has perhaps its inconvenience. The new-comers make the

old forgotten; and, of several pieces which I have got translated, one only has the marks of antiquity. It is necessary at present to penetrate to the very centre of the mountains, in order to find some old man who knows those songs which date from the time of Charlemagne, and record the ancient traditions of the Euskaldunacs.

NAAMAN THE SYRIAN.

In no station of life, however exalted, are men exempt from affliction and sorrow. We are sometimes disposed to envy the lot of those who are above us; but if we were fully acquainted with their circumstances, we should perhaps conclude that, notwithstanding all their greatness, their condition is not happier than ours. Even Kings and Princes have trials, and indeed their dignity itself frequently involves them in distress; and a Monarch once said that no man would take up his crown, who knew the weight of the cares connected with it.

Naaman, Captain of the army of Benhadad, King of Syria, was "a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour; but he was a leper." (2 Kings v. 1.) What an exception! The leprosy of Scripture, (impa, from emig, “ a scale, though not always very painful, was a very loathsome disease. Among the Hebrews, lepers were shut out from society: but this does not appear to have been the case amongst the Gentiles; and hence Naaman, though a leper, was Commander of the forces. But how must his condition have affected him! The meanest soldier in the army was probably happier than he. Had he known the one true God, and been sustained by the comforts of religion, he might have been content, notwithstanding his affliction; but he was a Heathen, and had not been taught submission to the will of Heaven, so that his distress must have been great, and perhaps for health he would willingly have sacrificed all that he possessed.

Events which in themselves seem trifling are often fraught with most important consequences. The Syrians had taken

captive out of the land of Israel a little maid, and she waited on Naaman's wife. What deep distress would pervade the family whence she was carried away! and how would her parents, in particular, lament their loss! But God designed her captivity for good. He was then, as now, the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews; and through the instrumentality of this little maid, He made known His power in the court and camp of the King of Syria. The child, when at home, had heard of the Prophet Elisha; and, sympathising with the distress of Naaman, she one day told her mistress that if her Lord were with that Prophet he would cure him of his leprosy. There was something very noble in the disposition of this child. She did not say, "I know that the Prophet could heal my master; but these wicked Syrians have dragged me from my home, and therefore I will not tell them of him;" but she thought of the sad disease under which her master suffered, and, with a generosity worthy of the highest admiration, did what she could to obtain for him relief.

The story of the little maid found credit; for persons in distress are often ready to catch at any hope that may be held out to them; and Naaman resolved to go and see the Prophet. The King of Syria, his master, favoured the design; and, supposing, perhaps, that the King of Israel had authority over the Prophet to command him to do whatever he required, sent a letter with Naaman to the King, stating the object of his visit. But when the King of Israel received the letter, he thought that Benhadad, who had been his enemy, wished to seek a quarrel with him, and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy ?" Leprosy of long standing was incurable; and hence the King of Israel looked upon the letter as an insult: but Elisha heard of it, and requested that Naaman might be sent to him.

Leper as Naaman was, and coming, as he did, to seek a cure, he should have come humbly, and been ready to comply with any condition. But, like men in general, covered with the leprosy of sin, he was proud, self-willed, and given to anger; and, but for the superior wisdom of those around him,

would probably have remained a leper to the day of his death.

Observe his pride. He came to the door of the house of Elisha with horses and chariot, and probably with a long train of servants, and camels laden with treasures. Though a leper, he would display his dignity, and that even when he came to ask a cure. Would it not have been more becoming to have assumed a humble attitude? His coming with all this pomp seemed as if he thought he had a right to be healed; as if he thought that the Prophet was bound to heal him. Elisha saw this, and was resolved not to bend, even before the Syrian. He could not admit him into his house, as that would have been contrary to the Hebrew law. Neither did he come out to him, but merely sent him a message to go and wash in Jordan seven times. Had he been less haughty, the Prophet might have shown him more respect; but his spirit was so lofty, that in this way only could Elisha deal with him. "I thought," said he, angrily, "He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper." Just such is fallen man. Though spiritually a leper, and not unconscious of it, he is vain, arrogant, and proud; and often imagines that even those on whom he is dependent should become his servants, and wait upon his will. His place is in the dust, but he would aspire to heaven. He has no right to any favour, and yet he would lay claim to all he wants.

Mark, too, the anger of Naaman. His pride was mortified, and he went away in a rage. The proud man expects every one to stoop to him. Thinking himself superior to those around him, he looks for their homage, submission, and obedience. Forgetting that he is but a sinful creature, like his fellow-men, he would assume airs of dignity and greatness; and if his claims to superiority are not admitted, is angry and revengeful. Because Naaman was not treated with all the courtesy which he thought he had a right to, he was wroth. He forgot that he was a leper. He forgot that he came to ask a favour. But how often is this feature in the character of unregenerate man displayed! We see it in the young,