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away in calm uniformity; leaving only the placid remembrance of enjoyment. In the month of June, 1745, one of his sisters, who had been married some time before, and who had a daughter, came with her infant to spend a few days at her father's. When the child was asleep. in the cradle, Mrs. West invited her daughter to gather flowers in the garden, and committed the infant to the care of Benjamin during their absence; giving him a fan to drive away the flies from molesting his little charge. After some time the child happened to smile in its sleep, and its beauty attracted his attention. He looked at it with pleasure which he had never before experienced; and observing some paper on a table, together with pens, and red and black ink, he seized them with agitation, and endeavoured to delineate a portrait; although at this period he had never scarcely seen an engraving or a picture, and was only in the seventh year of his age.

Hearing the approach of his mother and sister, he endeavoured to conceal what he had been doing; but the old lady observing his confusion, inquired what he was about, and requested him to show her the paper. He obeyed, entreating her not to be angry. Mrs. West, after looking some time at the drawing with evident pleasure, said to her daughter, "I declare he has made a likeness of little Sally," and kissed him with much fondness and satisfaction. This encouraged him to say, that if it would give her any pleasure, he would make pictures of the flowers which she held in her hand; for the instinct of his genius was now awakened, and he felt that he could imitate the forms of those things which pleased his sight.

This curious incident deserves consideration in two points of view. The sketch must have had some merit, since the likeness was so obvious, indicating how early the hand of the young artist possessed the power of representing the observations of his eye. But it is still more remarkable as the birth of the fine arts in the New World, and as one of the few instances in the history of art, in which the first inspiration of genius can be distinctly traced to a particular circumstance. But the fact, though in itself very curious, will appear still more remarkable, when the state of the country at that period, and the peculiar manners of the Quakers, are taken into consideration.-Galt's Life of West.

FINDING FAULT WITH PREACHING. -This is especially injurious to children, when it comes from their parents. They will naturally feel more confidence in their parents than in their minister; and if they get the impression that he is wrong upon one point, they will conclude he is wrong in every thing. This prejudice, existing in their minds, may wholly destroy the effect of preaching. Again, when the sinner's conscience is smarting under the truth, if members of the church represent, in their convers1tion, that the preacher has been to hasty or too harsh, they thereby ease his conscience, and sustain him in his rebellion against God. Such professors of religion often act the part of traitors in the camp of the living God, by strengthening the hands of his enemies in opposing the extension of his kingdom.

A LITTLE WORLD. Mrs. Somerville, an eminent writer on astronomy, states that the diameter of Pallas does not much exceed 79 miles. So that if one of our steam carriages could be transported to that planet, an inhabitant might go round his little world in a few hours.

IMPORTANT PRECEPTS.-Follow God. Obey the law. Reverence thy parents. Understand what thou learnest. Know what thou hearest. Command thyself. Relieve thy friends. Govern thy anger. Exercise prudence. Honour providence. Disparage none. Do what is just. Practise generosity. Speak words of good omen. Husband time. Regard the future. Hate injury. Fear deceit. Converse with the wise. Envy none.

Hate calumny. Return benefits.

CURE FOR THE LAZY FEVER.-The following amusing extract is taken from an old book on physic, entitled "The Breviary of Health," by Andrew Boorde, Physicke Doctoure, an Englishman, anno 1557:

"The 151 chaptire doth shew of an evyll fever, the which doth combat young persons, named the fever burden (lazy fever.) Among all the fevers, I had almost forgotten the fever burden with which many younge men, younge women, maydefis and other younge persons bee sore infected now-a-days. The cause of this infirmitee: This fever doth come naturally, or els by evyll and slouthful

brynging up. If it do come by nature, then the fever is incurable, for it can never get out of the fleshe that is bred in the bone. If it come by slouthful brynging up, it may be helpen by diligent labor. A remedy: There is nothing for the fever burden, as is unguentum baculinum that is to say, take a stick, or wand of a yard of length and more, and

let it be as great as a man's fynger, and with it anoynt the back and shoulders well, morning and evening, and do this 21 days; and if this fever will not be helpen in that time, let them be aware of wagginge on the gallows: and whyles they do take theyr medicine, put on lubberwort in theyr potage."

Domestic and Foreign Entelligence.

LONDON AND MIDDLESEX.

ABOLITION OF Slavery.Our Magazine enters the world on a very delightful day. On this day eight hundred thousand of our fellow-creatures, for the first time, breathe the air of liberty. We were delighted a few weeks since to hear Mr. Knibb, to whom the now free negroes of the British colonies owe SO much, say that our sovereign ascended the throne to rule over slaves, but that he shall die the king of freemen. Our friends will fully sympathize in our joy that the British and Foreign Bible Society have resolved to present every negro thus released from bondage, who is able to read it, a copy of the New Testament and Psalter. A very admirable way of commemorating the most delightful day which we have known. We trust that the warmest prayers of our readers, as they bow at the family altar, will ascend to God on the behalf of this interesting class of our fellow-creatures.

We have seen a beautiful and cheap medal, designed and executed by Mr. Davis, of Birmingham, to commemorate this event; which we hope our young friends will obtain. It is advertised on our cover this month.

PUBLIC EXECUTIONS. We often complain of the times, and the awful prevalence of crime; but it-is quite possible that we may not have so much room for saying "the former days were better than these," as we may imagine. It is said that in the days of Henry VIII. no fewer than 72,000 criminals were hanged. Sir Thomas More describes them as gibbeted by scores all over the country. Even in the days of Elizabeth, the public executions were from three to four hundred annually.

EDUCATION.-In Russia one child is educated out of every 367 inhabitants; in Portugal, one in 88; in Poland, one in 78; in France, one in 20; in Austria, one in 13; in England, one in 11; in Bavaria, one in 10; and in Prussia, one in 6.

THE HEBREW LANGUAGE.-We are glad to see that in the King's College and elsewhere this beautiful and important language has more attention paid to it than formerly. We know some young ladies who are diligently and successfully studying it, with a view of reading the Old Testament in its " own tongue." Why should not this be universally done?

SERVANTS' SOCIETY.. A meeting was held on July 1st of "The Society for the encouragement of Female Servants," when 16 Bibles, and 1347.18s. 6d. in money were distributed to 72 servants who have lived in their respective places from one to nineteen years. Since this society was formed more than sixteen hundred Bibles, and nearly 7,8007. have been thus given to the servants of the subscribers. The Rev. H. G. Watkins, M. A., is one of the secretaries, and the office of the society is at 110, Hatton Garden.

POST OFFICE.-The Duke of Richmond, the late Postmaster General, states that about one thousand letters are annually put into the Post-office without any address whatever. In a single year one hundred of these, which were opened with the design of returning them to their writers, were found to contain from twenty to thirty thousand pounds.

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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

There is a spot of ground near Amersham, where no corn will come to maturity, which is stated to be a consequence of the burning of a martyr in that place. Although it has been regularly sown, and appears to vegetate, producing the grass-blade, yet it never produces corn. Fox, in his "Lives of the Primitive Martyrs," gives the following statement:- "In the days of Henry the Seventh, anno 1506, in the diocese of Lincoln, in Buckinghamshire, (William Smith being bishop of the same diocese,) one William Tylsworth was burned in Amersham, in a close called Stanley; at which one Joan Clark, being a married woman, which was the only daughter of the said William Tylsworth,

and a faithful woman, was compelled with her own hands to set fire to her dear father; and at the same time her husband, John Clark, did penance at her father's burning, and bare a faggot.After that, by the space of two years, was burned at Amersham Thomas Bernard, a husbandman, and James Mordon, a labourer, they two were burned at one fire; and William Page (who is yet alive) compelled to be burned in the right cheek, and father Rogers and Rever, or Reeve, which was afterwards burned. The cause was, that they would talk against superstition and idolatry, and were desirous to hear and read the Scriptures."-Bucks Gazette.

[We have frequently heard the foregoing statement, and regard it as one of the most remarkable facts with which we are acquainted.-ED. FAM. MAG.]

CORNWALL.

It is said to be the intention of the inhabitants of Truro to erect a monument in that town to the memory of Mr. Richard Lander, the enterprising traveller, who was recently murdered in Africa. It is a somewhat singular fact, illustrative of the kindness of Providence over Christian Missionaries, that while travellers are murdered one after another, those holy men are preserved from the designs of their enemies.

KENT.

Very recently a large portion of the cliff directly in front of the Royal Crescent, at Ramsgate, consisting of several tons of chalk, fell with a tremendous crash; and, singular to relate, five or six men, who were at work at the foot of the cliff at the time, were most providentially saved from being buried alive, a small piece of chalk which fell first hitting one of them on the back, who instantly exclaimed to his companions, "Run, for your lives!" They had scarcely time to get out of the way before the whole mass fell, and buried the spot where they were standing fifteen or twenty feet. Thus, but for this timely warning the whole must in one moment have been hurried into eternity.

LANCASHIRE.

It is well known that the Wesleyan Methodists are divided into different

sections, chiefly, we believe, on matters of discipline. As we shall regard it as a part of our duty, as public journalists, to record whatever may be deemed interesting to our readers, we now proceed to state that the Thirty-eighth Annual Conference of the Methodist

NEW CONNEXION, was held in Manchester, May 19, and following days. It has in England and Ireland 186 chapels, 258 societies, nearly 700 travelling and local preachers, and 15,284 members. They are devising methods to unite themselves more closely with their brethren in America. A committee was appointed to adopt some plan by which a few young men may be placed under the care of an experienced minister, for the purpose of preparatory instruction for the ministry. A mission is to be established either in Canada or the West Indies. The principle of temperance societies was recognised. A five shilling volume of sermons, by preachers in the Connexion, is to be published, and the profits arising from the sale will go towards the erection of a new chapel in London. The Conference, in its annual address, recommends the members of the connexion to "read and study their rules," and "to compare them with the word of God." The funds are in a prosperous state, and the increase of members during the year is upwards of 600.

The foundation-stone of a new convent was recently laid in Manchester. About twenty of the Catholic clergy were present on the occasion, and a vast concourse of spectators. The convent is intended for the education of four or five hundred female children.

WARWICKSHIRE.

PRIMITIVE METHODISTS. May 22, the Fifteenth Annual Conference of the Primitive Methodists commenced its sittings in Birmingham. The number of members in connexion with this zealous and rapidly increasing body is 51,837; increase during the year 3,597.

YORKSHIRE.

A shock of an earthquake was lately felt at Ripon, which threw the inhabitants into considerable agitation. It is said that, in a field about a mile from the town, a fissure was made nearly

twenty yards wide, and twenty-four deep.

A respectable shopkeeper at York has been committed to prison, charged by a coroner's warrant with manslaughter, for the administration of a quackmedicine, called Morison's Pills, composed, it is said, of cape-aloes, gamboge, sulphate of potas, and gum-guaiacum, to a young man ill of the small-pox, and who died as the result.

From a paper published by authority of the Factory Commission, we find that in a certain number of factories, taken indiscriminately, there are, in Yorkshire, 9087 persons who can read; 1630 who cannot read: 5523 who can write; and 5194 who cannot write. In factories in Lancashire there are 11,393 who can read; 2344 who cannot read: 5184 who can write; 8553 who cannot write. The proportion of those who can read and write in the agricultural districts of these counties, is, it is feared, much less.

At a recent communion service, connected with a Missionary Anniversary at Sheffield, a gentleman placed in the collection-plate a medal, valued at ten guineas, which had been conferred on his deceased son by the London University. It appears, that the lovely youth has been lately removed to a better world, and the bereaved father feels it to be his duty to devote to benevolent purposes whatever property belonged to him. The Literary and Philosophical Society of Sheffield have since purchased the medal for preservation, as an honour to their town; it being the first ever given by the London University.

SCOTLAND.

The following somewhat curious fact, in Natural History, we transcribe from the Elgin Courier:

It is not an uncommon occurrence for persons residing in the country to place trouts in their wells, as they find them very useful in destroying insects and keeping the water pure. About eight years ago, a trout three inches in length was put into a well at Delnashaugh, and it is now full eighteen inches in length, and so tame that it will eat out of the

hand of any person who may choose to hold out food for it.

IRELAND.

We are sorry to learn that the potatoe crops, in many parts of Ireland, are an entire failure. How much of the sympathy and prayers of Christians in this country do the poor inhabitants of that unhappy country need. When! O when, shall their miseries be removed!

Some Christians in Scotland are making arrangements for the publication of an Irish Metrical version of the Psalms. It is rather singular that no such version has hitherto existed.

AMERICA.

JOSEPH LANCASTER. An appeal has been made to the public on behalf of Joseph Lancaster, the able and energetic founder of that widely diffused system of education which bears his name. This highly meritorious, though in a worldly sense, we must admit, by no means prudent individual, it appears is now upwards of sixty years of age, residing in Canada, earning for himself, his wife, and children, a hard and scanty subsistence as a common labourer.

ICE. The exportation of ice has become an important article of commerce in the United States. They have recently conveyed a cargo, in admirable condition, from Boston to Calcutta.

POST. In 1790 there were only 75 post-offices in the whole Union; there are now upwards of 9,000, and more than 115,000 miles of mail communication. The letters in America, instead of being put into separate bags for each

town, as in England, are carried in one huge leather case, which each postmaster is allowed to detain two minutes, to enable him to pick his letters out of the general mass. The coachman, there being no guard, drives up to the office, sometimes a small town, and throws the bag, about the size of a flour sack, upon the hard pavement, or muddy road, as most convenient; it is then trailed along into the house, and being unlocked, the lower end is elevated, and out tumble all the letters, newspapers, and pamphlets upon the floor; a process which is repeated at nearly every five miles on the road. In the article of postage, however, they have the advantage of us, the charge for letters from Boston to Baltimore, a distance of 400 miles, being only 9d.

LIBERIA.

The natives of Liberia, on the coast of Africa, have stated times to assemble in what they call the "Devil's Bush," to carry their offerings and pay homage to the Devil; or, as they assert, to appease his anger and make him their friend. They have a select man whose office it is to find the Devil. He carries a bowl of palaver sauce, a great dish among them, prepared with rice and palm oil, and a certain leaf, with which it is seasoned, every evening. On the morning the bowl is found empty, and the people made to believe the Devil has eaten the food. This fact reminds us of the story of Bel and his priests, in the Apocrypha. So true is it, that there is no new thing under the sun.

BRUSSELS.

Paper has been manufactured from straw, by the proprietor of some mills near Brussels. It is said that the experiment has been very successful.

Notices of Books.

Mr. Edmund Fry has just published, in a very neat and attractive style, on beautiful tinted paper, a shilling book, which we are sure will be popular. It is called "Clavis Botanica: a Key to the Study of Botany; on the System ar

ranged by Linnæus." Our young friends who wish to be acquainted with this pleasing science, cannot do better than commit every word of this book to memory. Having done this, they will no more complain of Botany as a dry study.

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