icles, Esdras, Nehemiah, and Esther, were written in this æra; also the septuagint translation of the Hebrew scriptures, which, as the title denotes, is ascribed to the labors of seventy learned Jews.

The sixth period of scripture history begins with the family of the Maccabees, and continues till the reign of Herod the Great, containing one hundred and twenty-four years. In this period the contending sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees rose up; the Pharisees, in general, took the lead in number, and also on account of their supposed piety and austerity of manners, which recommended them to the people; they were the strenuous asserters of Jewish traditions. The Sadducees were inferior in numbers, but supported by the favor of the great, gave much trouble to the Pharisees. In fact, the Sadducees seem to have been quite Latitudinarians in principle, which probably rendered them very acceptable to the heathens. Besides these there was a great variety of other sects, which it is not necessary to notice in this place.

The institution of the Sanhedrim or grand senate, is referred to this period, which consisted of persons venerable for age, and remarkable for wisdom and knowledge, by whose authority the power of the reigning prince was, in a great measure, restrained within certain prescribed limits. This period is likewise celebrated for the encouragement given to literature by the Maccabean princes.

CIRCLE OF THE SCIENCES, WITH SUITABLE REFLECTIONS.

ASTRONOMICAL SKETCHES-NO. II.

Besides the revolution of the Sun round its axis in 25 days, 14 hours, and his irregular motion about the centre of gravity of the solar system, he appears to have a progressive motion in absolute space. As all the bodies of this system naturally partake of this motion, it can only be perceptible from a change in the fixed stars, to which the system is advancing, or from which it recedes. This change of place, or proper motion in

the fixed stars, as it is called, was first observed by Halley, and afterwards by Le Monnier. If the Sun has a motion in absolute space, directed towards any quarter of the heavens, it is obvious that the stars in that quarter must appear to recede from each other, while the distance between those in the opposite region should seem gradually to diminish. The proper motion of the stars, therefore, in those opposite regions as ascertained by a comparison of ancient with modern observations, ought to correspond with this hypothesis. Dr. Herschel has examined this subject with his usual success, and he has certainly discovered the direction in which our system is advancing. He found that the apparent proper motion of about 44 stars out of 56, is very nearly in the direction which should result from a motion of the Sun towards the constellation Hercules,* or, more accurately, to a point whose right ascension is 250° 52′ 30′′, and whose north polar distance is 40° 22′.

The Parallax of the Sun is computed, by some astronomers, to be 8" 8"; by others, to be 8" 35". Trifling as this discrepancy may appear, it makes a difference in the Sun's distance from the Earth of 4,653,138 miles: and the difference of 1", or the 60th part of 1 minute of a degree, makes a difference in the computation of the Earth's distance from the Sun of 10,000,000 of miles.

The Sun is the fountain of light, heat, and animation to all the planets which revolve around him; and God is the Father of Lights to all His rational creatures. From Him all his people derive their light and power; through His influence they grow in grace, and live a life of faith, love, and obedience. The Ministers of his word shine by reflection; from Him they receive their light, spiritual life, and ability to dispense the word of salvation; and their success in promoting his glory depends upon His agency. Without Him they are nothing, and can do nothing. The light and heat of the Sun are not more essential to the production,

* A northern constellation, which lies between the stars Arctu rus and Lyra.

growth, and perfection of vegetation, than the light and influence of God are to the spiritual life and usefulness of the Ministers of his word. It is this divine influence which awakens, enlightens, quickens, and purifies the souls of men. He is the Sun of Righte ousness, and the beams of his mercy are as free as the beams of that sun which shines upon the evil and upon the good.

The

The Sun is the common centre of attraction to all the planets. This will appear from their unequal motions at different times. When these immense bodies approach the Sun, their motion is accelerated; but as they recede from the Sun, their motion is retarded. motion of the Earth is fully proved to be quicker in the winter than in the summer, because the Earth is nearer the Sun in the former than in the latter time of the year. Indeed, all the motions of the heavenly bodies, connected with the solar system, fully prove that the Sun is the great attractive power to all the planets and comets; and that it is his influence which retains them in their respective orbits.

Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun, and revolves round him in 87 days, 23 hours, 15 minutes, 44 seconds, at the rate of 109,400 miles an hour. The diameter of this planet is 3,130 miles. Its rotation on its axis is performed in 24 hours, 5 minutes, 28 seconds. Its distance from the Sun is 37,000,000 of miles.

Mercury moves in an orbit within the orbits of Venus and the Earth; and changes his phases, like the Moon, according to his positions with regard to the Earth and the Sun. This small planet is seldom seen, being generally hid from our sight in the solar rays.

We are not to suppose that the heat of this planet is in proportion to its short distance from the Sun, when compared with our Earth; for the quantity of heat received by a planet depends entirely on the state of its atmosphere. Some parts of our Earth are covered with perpetual snow and ice, though exposed to the rays of a vertical sun; which fully proves that the light and heat which a planet derives from the sun depends more on the density or rarity of its atmosphere than

on its distance from that luminary. From the same principle we may infer that the light of Saturn and Herschel may be equal to that of our Earth, although the one is ten times, and the other twenty times, further from the Sun than we are.

The planet Venus is the next in order to Mercury. Her orbit is also within the orbit of the Earth, but without the orbit of Mercury; consequently she is never seen in opposition to the Sun. The diameter of Venus is 7,700 miles; very near as great as the diameter of the Earth, though she appears so small to the eye of the observer. Her distance from the Sun is 68,000,000 of miles; from the Earth, when nearest, 27,000,000. Her annual revolution is perfomed in 224 days, 16 hours, 49 minutes, at the rate of 80,000 miles an hour; and her diurnal rotation is perfomed in 23 hours, 15 minutes, 40 seconds.

EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY.

FILIAL LOVE.

The ancient Romans, as well as some other people, gave parents the absolute right of life and death over their children; and the Chinese, at present, are remarkable for the reverence they exact from children to their parents. Their punishment of parricide, if such a thing ever happens, is the most exemplary and severe: the criminal in this case is cut into ten thousand pieces, which are afterwards burned; his houses and lands are destroyed, and even the houses that stand near them; to remain as monuments of so detested a crime or, rather, that all remembrance of so abominable a villany may be effaced from the earth!

Let their commands be ever sacred in your ears, and implicitly obeyed, where they do not contradict the commands of God: pretend not to be wiser than they who have had so much more experience than yourselves; and despise them not, if happily you should be so blest as to have gained a degree of knowledge or of fortune superior to them. Let your carriage towards

them be always respectful, reverent, and submissive: let your words be always affectionate and humble; and especially beware of pert and ill-seeming replies; of angry, discontented, and peevish looks. Never imagine, if they thwart your wills, or oppose your inclinations, that this arises from any thing but love to you: solicitous as they have ever been for your welfare, always consider the same tender solicitude as exerting itself, even in cases most opposite to your desires; and let the remembrance of what they have done and suffered for you ever preserve you from acts of disobedience, and from paining those good hearts which have already felt so much for you, their children.

Doubtless you have all too much ingenuousness of temper, to think of repaying the fears and bleeding anxieties they have experienced for your welfare by deeds of unkindness, which will pierce them to the soul; which will perhaps break the strings of a heart of which you, and you only, have long had the sole possession! No, my young friends, so far from this, you will think it the greatest happiness of your lives to follow your blessed Saviour's example, and to show the most tender concern for your parents; particularly if, like his, your's should happen to be a widowed parent; a mother deprived of her chief happiness and stay, by the loss of a husband; for which nothing can compensate, but the dutiful and affectionate behaviour of her children; who are bound, in that case, to manifest double kindness, and to alleviate, by all the tenderness and affection imaginable, the many difficulties and sorrows of widowhood.

EXAMPLES.

A beautiful illustration of this virtue will be found in the scriptural story of Naomi and Ruth, in the first chapter of Ruth, which is particularly recommended to the young reader's attention.

CYRUS, King of Persia, having conquered Crœsus, King of Lydia, in battle, the latter fled into Sardis; but Cyrus following, took the city by storm; and a soldier running after Croesus with a sword, young