that he was a mere book-worm, or might have been naturally deficient in animal spirits. On the contrary, nothing was taught him by compulsion, and no child could be more full of happiness. His sports, his rambles in the garden, and the demonstrations of infantile pleasure were sweet to him. His mother was his companion, his play-mate and his instructress. Deeming her child's mind of more value than any other feminine pursuit or enjoyment, she devoted her time to its cultivation; and to her perseverance, and the entire concurrence of his father, in the intellectual system, devised for him, his uncommon attainments may be imputed, more than to any peculiar gift of nature. Still, I am not prepared to say that there was not something originally extraordinary in his capacity; at least I have never seen his docility, application and retentive power equalled in the early stages of existence. There seemed no undue prominence of one department of intellect, to the injury of another. Perception, understanding, and memory, advanced together, and seemed equally healthful.

It might possibly have been feared that the mind, by starting into such sudden expansion, would have left the heart at a distance; but the germs of gentleness and virtue kept pace with the growth of intellect. There was also preserved a fine and fortunate balance between the mind and body; for his physical education had been considered an important department of paternal care and responsibility. His erect form and expanded chest revealed the rudiments of a good constitution, while his fair brow, bright black eyes, and playful smile, bespoke the union of health, beauty, and cheerfulness, which never failed of attracting attention. There was less of light and boisterous mirth about him than is common to children of his age. His features expressed rather a mild and rational happiness, than any exuberance of joy. This might have arisen

partly from the circumstance of his having no young companion to encourage wild or extravagant sports; but principally that the pleasures of thought were so continually resorted to, as to modify and elevate the

countenance. His whole appearance was that of a healthful, happy and beautiful infant, in the possession of a degree of learning and intelligence, to which infancy has usually no pretension.

But it was forbidden us to witness the result of this interesting experiment upon mind; or to trace the full developement of a bud whose unfolding was so wonderful. An acute dysentery that prevailed in the neighbourhood, numbered him among its victims, and after a fortnight's painful languishing, he died on the 11th of August, 1829, at the age of two years and five months.

I saw him after the breath had forsaken him. He was emaciated, but still lovely. Fresh roses and orange flowers were around his head, and on his bosom, and a bud clasped in his snowy hand. He seemed like one who had suffered, and fallen asleep, and there lingered a peaceful and patient spirit around his silent, wasted lip. His mother was seated by the side of her dead son, pale, but resigned. She had never been separated from him since his birth, and she wished to continue near him till the grave should claim its own. The parents were strengthened as true christians, to yield their only, their idolized one, to the will of his Father in heaven. And the anguish of their affliction was undoubtedly mitigated by the recollection that nothing in their power had been omitted to promote his improvement and heighten his felicity; and that his dwelling was now to be where knowledge is now no longer gained by slow and laborious effort; but where light is without cloud, and the pure soul freed from the fetters of clay.

This sketch, which was commenced for the entertainment of youthful readers, seems to bear a moral for parents. Did they always estimate the extent of their influence over the infants entrusted to their care, and bestow the same zealous attention on their intellectual and moral culture which they lavish on their physical comfort, their importance in the scale of being would be sooner evident, and their capacity for wisdom and true happiness, earlier awakened and nourished. Especially, would mothers, to whose eye the fountains

of the head and heart are first unsealed, but enter the field of education, while the dews of the morning are fresh, and amid their persevering toil, look over to the God of harvest, might they not hope to rear flowers such as angels wear, and fruits that ripen in heaven's unwithering clime?

Hartford, January, 1830.

L. H. S.

THE ANCIENT AND MODERN HISTORY OF

NATIONS.

ANCIENT SACRED HISTORY.

THE seventh and last period of this history begins. with Herod, who is usually denominated the Great, and reaches down to the destruction of Jerusalem, the seventieth year of the Christian æra, containing one hundred and six years.

Herod is celebrated in history for his infamous cruelties. He however restored the temple, or adorned it in so magnificent a manner, as to render it one of the most stupendous works of the age. After his death the government was divided between Herod Antipas, and his brothers Archelaus and Philip. Each division was called a tetrarchy, or fourth part, and the brothers reigned under the title of tetrarchs. The wife of Herod Antipas was the famous Herodias, by whose persuasion John the Baptist was beheaded. The third Herod was a prudent and excellent governor; he is the Agrippa to whom St. Paul addressed his celebrated oration. He was succeeded by Herod the Fourth, who annexed Judea once more to Syria. And in the next reign, under Herod Agrippa, Jerusalem was besieged, taken, and, together with the temple, was utterly destroyed.

During this period frequent mention is made of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians; and as these different sects are continualy referred to in the NewTestament, it may be proper to give a brief account of them here. The Pharisees were so called from their mode of separating themselves from the rest of the people. The Sadducees derive their name from Sadock, the chief of their sect. The Herodians are sup

posed to have been the flatterers of Herod, to have embraced his religion, and to have accommodated themselves to the fashion of the times in which they lived. They were also distinguished from the Pharisees and other Jews, by their falling in with Herod's scheme of subjecting himself and his dominions to the Romans, and introducing among his own nation the manners and customs of heathen countries. In their zeal for the Roman authority they complied with a variety of idolatrous practices introduced by Herod, who, we are informed by Josephus, built a temple to Cæsar, erected a magnificent theatre at Jerusalem, instituted pagan games, and placed the Roman Eagle over the gate of the temple.

(To be coutinued).

INTERESTING AND INTSRUCTIVE EXTRA CTS. ANECDOTE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION,

(From an eye-witness.)

That the crimes of the French Revolution were mainly to be attributed to the infidel and irreligious opinions, which had been industriously propagated by Voltaire, and other writers of the same school, is now a matter of history. It were in vain to attempt to trace to the pure love of civil liberty, the unheard of cruelties and massacres which were committed under her name. These can only be referred to the deistical and atheistical notions, which denied Revelation, set up the goddess of reason as the idol of popular worship, declared death an everlasting sleep, and stripped man at once of immortality and future accountability.

It will be remembered, that in 1792, when the approach of the Prussians had spread an alarm in Paris, a meeting of the populace was called by Robespierre, Danton, Marat, and others of the most sanguinary and atrocious characters, in the Camp de Mars. Here it was resolved, that "the domestic foes of the nation ought to be destroyed before its foreign enemies were attacked." Accordingly, parties of armed men, infuriate and thirsty for blood, proceeded to the prisons, where the non-juring clergy, the Swiss officers and

other state prisoners, confined since the 10th of August, were in custody. They were taken out, one by one, and, after a kind of mock trial, some few being acquitted, the rest were murdered. The massacre lasted for two days, and more than 1000 persons were put to death. Among these was the beautiful and accomplished Princess Lamballe. She was taken from her bed, and carried before this bloody tribunal, massacred, and her head carried by the populace to the Temple, to be seen by the Queen, whose friend she was!

It was on the evening of the second day which had witnessed this dreadful carnage, that a number of the Royalists, male and female, sought an asylum in a mansion, once the scene of revelry and gaiety-now of sadness and terror.-There were assembled many of the soi-disant philosophers, and many who had been deluded by them. Among the former, was Monsieur A***, distinguished not less by his learning and talents, than by his licentious, yet sprightly sallies, at the expense of every thing sacred. But now, even the facetious Monsieur A. was mute. All was silence and despair. At length, Mademoiselle C., a young lady celebrated at Court for her personal charms and general amiableness of character-who had been seduced from the religious principles which at an earlier age had been too faintly impressed on her mind-advancing towards Monsieur A., and throwing herself upon the floor, exclaimed, with a piercing shriek, "O give me back my God!" The company immediately dispersed. What a theme is here for meditation!

RELIGION.

We pity the man who has no religion in his heartno high and irresistible yearning after a better and holier existence-who is contented with the sensuality and grossness of earth-whose spirit never revolts at the darkness of his prison house, nor exults at the thought of its final emancipation. We pity him, for he affords no evidence of his high origin-no manifesVOL. I.-8.