On her son's Bible; with a trembling hand
She open❜d it, scarce knowing what she did,
And hurriedly from text to text she glanced.
But th' abstracted mind no import gave

To threat'ning, or to promise; both alike
Fell unregarded; till, as with a spell,

These solemn verses fix'd both eye and soul:
Brethren, I would not have ye ignorant
Concerning them that sleep, that ye weep not
Even as others do which have no hope;
For if we do believe that Jesus died

And rose again, even so them also

Which sleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
She read them o'er and o'er, until it seem'd
To her excited mind as if a voice,

'A still, small voice,' did breathe them in her ear. She knew that he so slept, he-whom she mourn'd, Then wherefore thus in hopeless sorrow grieve?

"The rock was smitten, tears, soft, healing tears, Gush'd from her aged eyes; she knelt, she pray'd,— Pray'd from her inmost heart; and she did find, By the sweet hopes which dawn'd upon her heart, The earnest of an answer ere she rose.

Hard task was hers, and slow was she to learn,

But her resource was prayer; and strength was given
When most 't was needed, so that she bore up
Against the cruel storm, which all had deem'd

Even to the earth would crush her; and at last
Upon the sod, the very sod that wrapt

Her soul's dear idol, could she kneel and say,
Thou, Lord, didst give, and Thou didst take away.
For ever blessed be thy holy name!'

"Now know'st thou why that story of the cedar Blent with my musings by those lowly graves"

THE SANDAL TREE.

SANTALUM.

"Groves of myrrh,

And flowering odours, cassia, nard, and balm :
A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will,
Her virgin fancies pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art; enormous bliss!"

THIS exquisitely glowing picture of the bowers of Paradise seems, as regards the vegetable productions of the East, even at the present day, scarcely overcharged. The very prose descriptions of modern travellers assume much of the character of poetry from the varied and fervid terms they are constrained to use in order to convey even a faint idea of the fragrance and beauty of the oriental forests and groves —

"Groves, whose rich trees weep odorous gums and balm."

Palms of various species, guavas, plantains, bananas, tamarinds, mangos, sandal trees, and a long train of etcæteras, are seen adorning both their woods and

P

hedgerows, often yielding support to the most lovely climbing plants, such as the Epidendrum, Artimucta, and Ipomea. The latter Sir W. Jones describes "as the most beautiful of its order; its elegant blossoms are 'celestial, rosy red, love's proper hue,' and have justly procured it the name of Cámalatá, or Love's creeper." "The same word," he adds, "may also mean a mythological plant, by which all desires are granted to such as inhabit the heaven of Indra;” and if ever flower was "worthy of Paradise, it is our charming Ipomea.” How beautifully our author introduces this elegant genus in the hymn to Lacshmi: —

"Where sportive creepers, threading ruby flowers

On emerald stalks, each vernal arch entwin'd,

Luxuriant though confined;

He heard sweet-breathing gales in whispers tell

From what young bloom they sipp'd their spicy smell."

But we must cease these digressions, and turn to the subject chosen, the celebrated Sandal tree. It grows in many parts of India, and is one of the most valuable productions on the Malabar coast, where, when permitted by the traders, it attains a considerable size, somewhat resembling the myrtle in appearance. Forbes describes it as a beautiful tree, the branches regular

and tapering; the leaf, like the narrow willow, shorter and delicately soft, with pendulous bunches of small flowers, sometimes white and sometimes red. It was supposed the white and yellow sandal-wood was the produce of different trees, but Miller denies this. When the Sandal has acquired some bulk, in common with most old Indian trees, it becomes coloured towards the centre, and this heart-timber, as it may be called, is the part most esteemed, not only on account of its tint, but also for its superior fragrance and durability; the exterior part being white and scentless. This inner wood is much used for cabinets and other ornamental furniture, and forms an article of great importance in oriental commerce.

The Sandal is one of the sacred trees of the Hindoos. It is made frequent mention of by their ancient writers, both in poetry and prose. It is planted near their temples, and from its shavings and dust an aromatic oil is extracted, which, with other odoriferous offerings, is used by them in their sacrifices and religious ceremonies, particularly at the cremation of the bodies of the higher casts. An allusion to their dark idolatry at

once casts a veil over

"This gay profusion of luxurious bliss.

This pomp of nature;"