OBITUARY OF MARIA BROTHERS.

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she attended in the morning, and the last at night; and she very frequently took her meals with the precious Word of Life in her hand. About two years and a half before her death, she lost her mother; and nearly the whole management of the family devolved upon her. Having eight younger brothers or sisters, her situation required uncommon wisdom, fortitude, and patience; and her surviving parent makes honourable mention of her prudence, industry, and economy. Symptoms of the affliction which brought her to "the house appointed for all living," appeared early in the summer of 1820; but did not at first hinder her usual attention to domestic affairs, nor prevent her waiting on the LORD in his ordinances. Indeed, she attended the means of grace several times, when she was obliged, after the service, to be led home; 90 great was her love to the house of God! At length she was confined to the house; and for about seven weeks. before her death, to her bed. Till within a short time before her departure, she was painfully exercised by unbelieving fears, and complained that she could not keep her mind sufficiently stayed on GoD; and that family concerns engrossed her attention, when her heart should have been engaged about heavenly objects. This she repeatedly lamented; and prayed earnestly to be delivered from it. Her sufferings too became very great; but a murmuring word never escaped from her lips, nor did she betray the least impatience. The night on which she died, she said, that all her dependance was on CHRIST, and added, "The LORD is still gracious to me." A few minutes before she expired, a female friend inquired, "Are you happy." She said, "Yes;" and almost immediately, "the weary wheels of life stood still."

In industry, frugality, modesty, strict attention to truth, tenderness of conscience, and love to the means of grace, and to the cause, the people, and the word of GOD, MARIA BROTHERS was truly exemplary. O that our youth in general, and Sunday-Scholars in particular, may follow her as she followed CHRIST! Dursley. A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.

THE JUVENILE NATURALIST,

FOR APRIL, 1822.

(From "Time's Telescope for 1822.")

Now the wint'ry gusts give over strife

With the conquering sun of SPRING, and leave the skies
Warm and serene, but yet with moistened eyes

In pity of the shattered infant buds.” (KEATS's Endymion.) "This pleasing season of the year invigorates nature through her inmost recesses, and flings over every object an air of gaiety and cheerfulness. The weather is mild, with gentle showers, affording to vegetables an abundant supply of water, which is so indispensably necessary to their existence.

"Behold how lovely shine the gems of rain,

Like sparkling diamonds on the glitt'ring plain;
How hanging on the flowering shrubs they blaze,
And dart beneath the leaves their silver rays.

The plants, refresh'd, their flowers to Heaven disclose,
As grateful for the good its hand bestows.'

"Such is the general character of April; yet we have sometimes very sharp frosts in this month as well as its successor, May. "The arrival of the swallow about the middle of the month, foretells the approach of Summer. The next bird that appears is the nightingale.

"The nightingale, as soon as April bringeth

Unto her rested sense a perfect waking,

While late base earth, proud of new clothing springeth,
Sings out her woes, a thorn her song-book making;

And mournfully bewailing,

Her throat in tunes expresseth

What grief her breast oppresseth.'

(SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.)

"The blackthorn or sloe puts forth its elegant flowers; a host of others follow. The blossoms of the apple and pear present to the eye a most agreeable spectacle. The beech and the larch are now in full leaf. The larch, also, exhibits its red tufts or flowers, which soon expand into cones, and the fir tribe show their cones also. The larch has been lately applied to the purpose of shipbuilding.

"That magnificent and beautiful tree, the horse-chesnut, now displays its honours of fine green leaves, and its handsome 'spikes pyramidal' of white and red flowers. It is quite the glory of forest trees. The common laurel is in flower.

66 Many and lovely are the flowers which are showered, in profusion, from the lap of April; among them may be named the jonquil, anemone, ranunculus, polyanthus, and the crown imperial. Other flowers which adorn our fields, at this time, are that universal favourite the violet, the checkered daffodil, the primrose, the cowslip, the lady-smock, and the hare-bell.

BRIEF ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES.

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"The tenants of the air are, in this month, busily employed in forming their temporary habitations, and in rearing and maintaining their offspring.

"Various kinds of insects are now seen sporting in the sunbeams,' and living their little hour.' The wood-ant now begins to construct its large conical nest. The shell-snail comes out in troops; the stinging-fly and the red-ant appear.

Dry weather is still acceptable to the farmer, who is employed in sowing various kinds of grain, and seeds for fodder, as buck-wheat, lucerne, saintfoin, clover, &c. The young eorn and springing grass, however, are materially benefited by occasional showers. The important task of weeding now begins with the farmer, and every thistle cut down, every plant of charlock pulled up, may be said to be not only an advantage to himself, but a national benefit.

"When the warmth of the season has caused the sap to rise in the oak, so that the bark will run, or strip off easily, this is the time for felling that sort of timber,"

BRIEF ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES,

FOR APRIL, 1822.

On

"The MOON is on the meridian at thirty-nine minutes past eight at night on the 1st Above her, to the east, is MARS. the 2d, she is on the meridian at twenty-five minutes past nine. MARS still farther to the west; and in this and the preceding evening this planet, and the star REGULUS, may be made familiar to the common observer.

"MERCURY is a morning star. The favourable time for observing him is, of course, in the early part of the month; but his unfavourable position and southern latitude give him so low an altitude at sun-rise, at his greatest elongation, that he will elude the attention of most observers.

"VENUS is a morning star. Her great northern latitude at first overcomes in some measure the unfavourableness of her position, so that she has an altitude of about twelve degrees at sun-rise, and is about an hour and a half above the horizon before that time; and this duration continues nearly the same the whole month. The teacher of astronomy has now a good opportunity of pointing out to his pupils the effects of the daily increasing distance between her and the Sun, her approach to the ecliptic, and the variation in the favourableness of her position. "MARS is on the meridian at fifty-two minutes past eight at night on the 1st, and about sun-set at the end of the month.

"JUPITER is an evening star. He is first seen to the north of west; but the Sun will gain so much upon him, that he will soon cease to be visible.

"SATURN is in his inferior conjunction on the 20th, and of course a morning star after that time. He will be seen at first to. the north of west, but will soon be lost in the overpowering light of the solar rays.

"HERSCHEL is a morning star."

(Evening Amusements.)

POETRY.

EDMESTON'S HYMN ON THE CRUCIFIXION.
Was it not a dreadful death !
Nail'd up to a cross on high!
When he yielded up his breath,
What an agonizing cry!
'Twas a dreadful death indeed,
Dreadful as a death could be!
Let me think too, while I read,
All that pain he bore for me!
Surely I can never feel

Half the love to him I ought:
This he bore my soul to heal;
By this death my life he bought.
May I, as my minutes roll,

Live to him, the CRUCIFIED ;
And, with all my heart and soul,

Hate the sins for which he died.

MESSIAH'S CONFLICT AND TRIUMPH:

(4 Paraphrase on Isaiah lxiii. 1—5, by MR. NORRIS.)
WHO is this mighty Hero, who,

With glories round his head, and terror in his brow?
From Bozrah, lo he comes; a scarlet dye
O'erspreads his clothes, and does outvie
The blushes of the morning sky.
Triumphant and victorious he appears,
And honour in his looks and habit wears.
How strong he treads, how stately does he go!
Pompous and solemn is his pace,
And full of majesty, as is his face.
Who is this mighty Hero, who ?—

"Tis I, who to my promise faithful stand;
I who the powers of death, hell, and the grave
Have foil'd with this all-conquering hand :-
I who most ready am, and mighty too to save."
Why wear'st thou then, this scarlet dye ?
Say, mighty Hero, why?

Why do thy garments look all red,
Like them that in the wine-fat tread ?-
"The wine-press I alone have trod ;-
A mighty task it was, worthy the SON OF Gon!
I look'd, and to assist was none;—

-

POETRY.

My angelic guards stood trembling by,
But durst not venture nigh;

In vain too from my Father did I look
For help, my Father me forsook!
Amaz'd I was to see

How all deserted me:

I took my fury for my sole support,
And with my single arm the conquest won.'
Loud acclamations filled all heaven's court;
The hymning guards above,

Strain'd to a higher pitch of joy and love,
The great JEHOVAH prais'd, and his victorious SoN.

A DAY IN APRIL;

OR, THE CHANGES OF LIFE.

(Communicated by MR. W. B. BROWNE.)
BEHOLD! with glory crown'd,
The rising sun appears;
While nature, smiling all around,
A cheerful aspect wears:

A sweet perfume the gardens yield,
And verdant honours clothe the field.

But ah, in one short hour,

How chang'd the prospect is!

The clouds with threat'ning aspect lower,

And furious tempests rise:

Such sudden changes often may

Be seen upon an April day.

Thus oft with gilded rays

The morn of life begins:

With plenty bless'd, by friends caress'd,
How bright our prospect shines.

Whilst health and active strength endure,

We fondly think our bliss secure.

And yet, alas! how soon

The pleasing landscape fades!

Our health, and friends, and fortune gone,
We sink into the shades:

Like with ring grass our joys decay,
For life is but an April day.

Such changes must we know,

While in this vale of tears;
Where now elate with joy we go,-
Now overwhelm'd with fears:
Yet though our spirits often droop,
We still indulge a pleasing hope,

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