Aug. Here is another German story; a simple, but sweet and touching narrative. The German writers appear to delight in sketching scenes of difficulty and trial; for the purpose of showing how God can both sustain the tried and distressed believer under the pressure of his calamities, and also deliver him from them in many and wonderful ways. The title of this little book itself illustrates my meaning, and gives an insight into the story: THEY THAT SOW IN TEARS SHALL REAP IN Joy.* It is the history of a village schoolmaster, who by a succession of misfortunes loses his private income, is turned out of his office as schoolmaster and out of his beloved cottage; has his retiring pension taken from him, and, what deeply pains him, is forced to sell his old piano. His son, who was completing his studies at some college, stoops to become a goat-herd; and the pretty Mary obtains a situation as nursemaid in the nearest town. Thus do troubles come thick and fast, and press heavily upon this good family; yet they bear up bravely, in full, undoubting confidence in God's goodness. They call these trials "Sowing in tears." They believe, although they cannot see how, that by-and-by they shall "Reap in joy.' Yet this reaping seems far enough distant; Mary gets into disgrace through the wicked conspiracy of her fellow servants; and David the goatherd's discovery of a lost child, adds a new source of anxiety and expense to his aged parents. The reaping time however comes. And, what is carefully brought out by the author, Franz Hoffman, the reaping is the result or effect of the sowing. The happiness which eventually brightens the family lot, is owing to David's and Mary's troubles. But for these, things would have happened very differently. There are one or two incidents in this story that border a little on the romantic; in real life, perhaps, such striking and fortunate coincidences do not often occur.

Ed. I am not sure of that. I have myself met with much truth that was stranger than fiction. I really believe that the life of many an humble Christian furnishes illustrations of a wonder working Providence, such as would far outshine the most romantic inventions of a daring novelist.

Mrs. M. I am of your opinion. A good man once told me, that he could trace all the prosperity of his life to an early disappointment, which at the time it occurred, not only bowed him down in sadness, but seemed to ruin all his prospects for life.

Ed. I believe that the history of Providence will become the BIBLE of Eternity.

London: Ward and Co.

Assyrian Monarch.

ORE than 2,000 years had Nineveh lain in its unknown grave, when a wandering English scholar, and a French savant, urged by a noble inspiration, sought the seat of the once powerful empire, and searching till they found the dead city, threw off its shroud of sand and ruin, and revealed once more to an astonished and curious world, the temples, the palaces and the idols,

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the representations of war, and the triumphs of peaceful art of the ancient Assyrians.

The Nineveh of Scripture the Nineveh of the oldest historians-the Nineveh, twin sister of Babylon, glorying in a civilization of pomp and power, all traces of which were believed to be gone-the Nineveh in which the captive tribes of Israel had laboured and wept-has, after a sleep of twenty centuries, been again brought to light. The long lost has been found; the dead palaces exhumed; the strange, huge sculptures dug out, and the inscriptions deciphered. The proofs of ancient splendour have been again beheld by living eyes, and, by the skill of the draughtsman, and the pen of the antiquarian travellers, made known to the world. Patience and industry have rescued from the earth these treasures of a long gone people, giving proof of a great civilization existing in the earliest stages of the history of the human race.

We have ventured, in the engraving at the head of this article, to render visible to the eye, the costume, architecture and customs of this ancient people. The scene is not imaginary, although the aid of the artist has been called in, to remove the appearance of mere sculpture, and to give somewhat of the animation of life to the picture. Scrupulous care has been taken to furnish an accurate portraiture. The sculptures in the British Museum, and the illustrations in Dr. Layard's books, have been strictly followed.

The monarch who appears in our engraving, may be supposed to be Sennacherib, the reputed builder of the magnificent palace which has been already described in our pages (see Vol. 1), and which just appears in the background. Or, our readers may imagine him to be that Sardanapalus who converted his palace into his funeral pile, gathering around him his wives and his riches, and preferring to die in this manner, rather than to live as the captive slave of the triumphant Mede.

W. M. W.

THE HEAVENLY ATTRACTION.

Nor to the things of earth, however dear,

Should the warm heart's most fervent love be given ; There is no object worthy of it here,

We seek for one in vain, except in heaven.

But are there not beloved ones who are twined
Around our spirits by affection's chains;

Who in our heart's recesses are enshrined,
Whom we must fondly love while life remains ?

Precious indeed are the sweet ties of home,
The choicest blessings God bestows for earth;
Home is the type of brighter joys to come :
Then is it not a gem of priceless worth?

But highly as we value home's dear ties,

They cannot give that grace for which we pine;
We dare not offer, justly though we prize,
Our fondest love upon an earthly shrine.

For grief and sadness find an entrance here;
Sorrow may cloud the happiest home with gloom;
We may be parted from the friends so dear,
Or mourn in anguish by a loved one's tomb.

But where then shall the loving heart find rest?
Oh, think of Him, who died that we might live,
Who has endured so much to make us blest;
Your best affections to the Saviour give.

For it will render all our joys more sweet,
And lighten every grief to trust his love;
Through Him, in heaven's home, we hope to meet,
"Set your affections" then "on things above."

A. L. R.

THE BRAVE AMBASSADOR.

WHEN John Quincy Adams was ambassador to the Netherlands, and, comparatively, a youth, he was invited to join the several ambassadors of different nations at that court, in a gathering for social enjoyment, in which cheerful conversation, and gaming for amusement, we believe, bore a part. Once they adjourned to a Sabbath evening. The time came, and the ambassadors collected; but the American minister was missing. It occasioned inquiry and disappointment; but, supposing that some invincible obstacle had prevented his attendance, they said little of the circumstance, and adjourned again to the Sabbath evening. Still the American ambassador did not attend.

The next meeting was on a week-day evening, and the American was in his place. They were glad to see him, and signified their disappointment at his previous absence. Instead of making an apology, or assigning a fictitious reason, he frankly stated to them, that his principles would not allow him thus to employ any part of the Sabbath. He was born in a country settled by Puritans, of Puritan parents, who believed in the Bible and regarded the Sabbath as a sacred institution. He had witnessed the good influence of its religious observance, in the greater intelligence, the pure morals, the energy, enterprise, and orderly habits of his countrymen. As a servant of God, and a friend of his country, therefore, he could not pervert the day-in whatever part of the world he might be, or by whatever customs surrounded.

It would be difficult to name an instance of moral courage superior to this. And it so completely overawed his distinguished companions, that, by immediate and general consent, they met no more on Sabbath evenings.

T. C.