"The difficult task of holding out the city against the arms of Saladin was now confided to Balian of Ibelin, and the presence of a considerable party of Templars and Hospitallars encouraged the people, and gave them hope of successful resistance. As a constant friend and supporter of the Count of Tripoli, however, Balian was not likely to be very popular with the Knights of the Temple or with the patriarch; and unsupported against a powerful faction, having no experienced nobles within the walls on whom he could rely, no knights on whose co-operation and valour he could depend, the Lord of Ibelin had recourse to an act of a very singular and extraordinary character. Choosing out fifty young men, the most promising and distinguished that he could find amongst the class of burghers, he knighted them for the defence of the Holy City. His next step was an endeavour to provide for the multitude of women and children which had taken refuge in the place; but so great were the numbers, that even after all had been done that was possible to lodge them in the houses, many were still obliged to sleep in the streets. The Queen Sybilla, indeed, with her train, received notice from Saladin that she might retire in safety to Naplouse, to which place he had sent her husband, Guy of Lusignan; and she accordingly quitted Jerusalem under a safe conduct from the Sultan; but none of the rest of the unfortunate fugitives dared to show their faces beyond the walls, round which the parties of Arabian horsemen were hovering night and day.

"It is a lamentable, though perhaps not an extraordinary fact, that moments of great difficulty and danger generally bring dissension rather than concord; and such would appear to have been the case in Jerusalem at this time, the only resolution in which all the inhabitants seemed to unite being the determination of resisting to the last. From beneath the walls of Ascalon, Saladin summoned the Holy City to surrender, pointing out to the citizens that every fortress in the realm had fallen with the exception of Tyre and Carac, considered by many the two strongest places in the land. The people of Jerusalem replied that by God's will they would defend it to the last; and Saladin then swore that if they drove him to take the city by storm, he would put the whole of the male inhabitants to the sword, and reduce the women to captivity. The Christians, however, remained undaunted; and as soon as he had obtained possession of Ascalon, the Sultan began his march towards Jerusalem. The mighty army by which he was accompanied, and the complete state of subjection to which he had reduced the neighbouring country, left little probability that a town, crowded with inhabitants, and scantily supplied with provisions, torn with factions, and unsupported by any external allies, would be able to resist his arms. Nevertheless, by some Arabian accounts, we find that Saladin hesitated, and that there were persons who attempted to dissuade him from the enterprise; while, from every statement, we learn that the Christians were full of resolution, if not of confidence. When his determination was once formed, however, the Sultan showed himself immoveable therein, and on being told by an astrologer that he would take the city if he attempted it, but that it would cost him an eye, he replied, Were it to cost me both I would take it.';

"Marching on then from Ascalon with the whole force of his mighty army, preceded by clouds of light horsemen, and displaying all the pomp of eastern war, the Sultan commenced his advance on Jerusalem, on Monday, the 21st of September, 1187, having employed less than three months in subjugating the whole country after the battle of Tiberiad. The first day he arrived at Beersheba, the second he paused at Bethlehem, and on the third his vast host looked forward upon Jerusalem from the hills by which it was surrounded. Joy and satisfaction took possession of the Mussulmans, and shouts of gratulation rent the sky as they beheld the city not less holy in their eyes than in the eyes of the Christians. At the same time, from the walls of Jerusalem might be seen the innu

merable standards of the Mussulman host, yellow, white, and brown, their floating garments, their glittering arms, and their light Arabian chargers, amidst clouds of dust, which, to use the expression of the historian, turned the light of the morning into the twilight of night.' But the resolution of the Christians did not give way before the sight. The cry in the city, according to the account of Al Siuti, was, Beneath the Sepulchre of our Lord we will die, and on account of the dread of its separation from us will we be strong. From it will we procrastinate the evil day, and towards the relics in the city and the sepulchre will we hasten. Wherefore shall we not fight? Wherefore not do battle in this quarrel?""

Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the other British Provinces in North America; with a Plan of National Colonization. By JAMES S. BUCKINGHAM.

Of all Mr. Buckingham's writings we consider this last his best. His progress through the British Provinces of North America seems to have been less hurried than his previous journey through the United States; at all events, his writing is less rapid, and his narrative consequently more satisfactory as well as more interesting. Something also may be owing to the different tone of feeling which prevails; for Canada, alternately under the subjection of France and England, differs essentially in both its political and domestic aspects from the republican land on the other side of her boundary line. The prevalence of an established creed, more especially that of the Church of Rome, manifests itself throughout the ramifications of society, and, we must acknowledge, with an improving influence. The tendencies of religion are so fine, so subtile, so almost impalpable, that a general observer may easily altogether overlook them; and yet if the eye be once turned inquiringly upon the subject, it will be found that its almost unrecognised and unchallenged operations, like those of nature beneath the surface of the earth, which from a thousand roots is evermore propelling those buds and blossoms which clothe her bosom with verdure and beauty, are manifest in the production of every social grace and virtue which adorns society. Those who repudiate religion little estimate how much the disposition of a country is affected by its silent influences, and thus we think that Canada, less torn into the diversified shreds of multiplied sectarianism, presents a fairer surface of society than the harsher featured communities of the United States. Such, at least, are the impressions which a perusal of this work has left upon us. Aspects in themselves more amiable seemed naturally to win fairer delineation, and thus, both inherently and from their transcription, to possess a higher value.

In truth, Mr. Buckingham is much more leisurely in his descriptions here than in his former work on America. He does not suffer his pen to travel with so much railroad speed, but pauses to paint with nicer care and gentler touch. Departing from the United States, Mr. Buckingham embarked at Queenstown, crossed Lake Ontario, and arrived at Toronto, which he amply and happily describes; from thence passing to Kingston, visiting its Penitentiary, and noticing the working of its silent system; from thence again to Montreal, through

a most interesting line of land and water travel; afterwards on to Quebec, visiting the Falls of Montmorenci and Chaudière; again journeying on to Halifax, Fredericton, Woodstock; again recrossed the boundary line, and by the route of Worcester, Norwich, and New London, arrived at New York. Such was the line of travel, and not passed along unobservingly. Whatever partisanship on either side may say to Mr. Buckingham as a politician, both must allow him to be an enterprising traveller, not easily discouraged, but energetic and indefatigable. He undoubtedly chose the most efficient mode of pursuing his inquiries into the condition of the country by taking up his residence in these various localities, and pausing long enough to become familiarized with their features, and to gather up the current information; and we are bound to say that he has adhered to an equable line of impartiality in his general views, which is not only honourable to himself, but will have the effect of confirming the confidence of his readers. During these sojourns Mr. Buckingham gave lectures in all the principal towns, and held temperance meetings, strongly advocating the abstinence principle, and supporting it right zealously with argument and persuasion. The work is indeed valuable on many grounds: fairness and capability are the highest, but in addition to these, the recentness of their exercise ought not to be overlooked. The latest accounts of interesting subjects must ever naturally have a superseding interest over those which have gone before however worthy, inasmuch as the newness of information must always be of primary importance where there exists either necessity or desire to perfect our knowledge on any given subject. The surface of the world being always changing, it is necessary that there should be a continual issuing of observation on its progressive stages; and thus it follows that however valuable the old may be, there still will ever be something new to be desired. Mr. Buckingham has met this requisition in his work on North America, which, in addition to all its other merits, has the great one of bringing down our information to the most recent period, and is likewise a really clever, sterling, instructive, and interesting book.

We are thus put into possession of Mr. Buckingham's complete views on America; his former two volumes being devoted to the United States, his present one to Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick; and we are happy thus to express our favourable opinion of them as a collective work.

Our extract introduces some of the native Indians, and may, to some of our readers at least, recal the memory of an old acquaintance.

"During our stay at Toronto, I received a visit from the celebrated Indian Kah-ke-wa-quon-a-bee, or the rapidly flying feather,' who had embraced Christianity, and become himself a missionary to the Indian tribes, under the name of Peter Jones. He was dressed in the European costume, as a Methodist minister, and spoke English perfectly well. He had visited England some years since, and there married an English lady, whom we also saw, and recognized in her a former acquaintance in London. She had returned home once since her marriage, in company with her husband, but had come back again to Canada with him, and professed herself to be perfectly happy in her present position. She had with her a fine little boy, whom the tribe had named Wa-weya-kuy-megoo,' or,

10

the 'Round World.' The body of Indians over whom Mr. Jones presides are a portion of the great tribe of the Chippewas, settled on the banks of the river Credit, seventeen miles to the westward of Toronto, and numbering about 250 souls. These are all Christians, and the elder portion of them are said to be truly devout. They have portions of the Scriptures and hymns in the Chippewa tongue, and speak both it and the English well; though the sermons and prayers are most acceptable to them in their native language. The chief had attended my lectures on Egypt, and expressed himself so pleased with them, that he sent up to the settlement to request as many of the Indians as could be spared from their labours to come down and attend with him the lectures on Palestine; this being the first occasion at which any Indians had ever been assembled for such a purpose in Canada.

"To our inquiries respecting the progress of Christianity among the Indians, and the influence of the new faith on their lives and actions, he replied, that the work of conversion from the pagan superstitions of the adults was very difficult, and its progress accordingly extremely slow; and that their chief hope lay in the education of the children. The Credit settlement was supported entirely by agriculture, at which all the Indians laboured with industry; though in the winter they indulged themselves with the pleasures of the chase, and supplied themselves with venison from the deer of the woods, for the remainder of the year. The men adopt the European dress, but the women retain the Indian robe or blanket. The stream along the banks of which they live, is called by the Chippewa name of Muhze-nuhega-zeebe,' which means The river where credit is given,' commemorating this feature of its history in the early days of the province, when the only men that ever visited it were the fur traders, this was the place of their meeting with the red men; and as articles were sometimes supplied to them above the value of the furs they had in hand, and payment of these was deferred till their meeting in the same place in the following year, the stream was called by the name mentioned, which it is always likely to retain.

"Among the pagan Indians that inhabit the northern and western borders of Upper Canada, Peter Jones had sometimes gone for the purpose of persuading them to embrace Christianity, but hitherto he had met with no success; nor did he think it likely that any of the men who had passed the middle period of life would ever be prevailed upon to change their religion. On the last occasion of his preaching to such a tribe, he was listened to with silence and respect-this being an attention which Indians always pay to any discourse, however opposite to their own views those of the speaker may be-a courtesy well worthy the imitation of their more civilized white brethren in Europe. At the close of the sermon, however, one of the chiefs rose, and addressed the missionary to the following effect. He said that he had no doubt the religion of Christ was a good religion, but it was made for the white man-though he did not seem to regulate his conduct very much by its precepts. But, he added, God has made another religion for the red man, which is much better for him to follow. In proof of this, he related the fact of one of the Indians of another tribe, who had embraced Christianity, dying, and remaining dead for three days. When they were about to bury him, however, he recovered, and awoke again to life; after which he related that during the last three days he had been in the beaven of the Christians, where he was very happy; but God at length observing him among the white men, asked him how he came there? to which he replied, that having embraced Christianity, and died in that faith, he came naturally to the Christian's heaven. God then told him he was entirely mistaken, as the Christian religion and the Christian heaven were for white men only. He hade him, therefore, instantly to leave the place-go back to earth again-and follow the religion of his fathers; when, at his death, he would be admitted into the heaven of the

red men, and there enjoy with them the pleasures of the hunting-ground and the wigwam, with plenty of game. The Indian accordingly renounced the new religion, and went back to the old, lived a long while afterwards, and died happily in a good old age. 'After this,' said the chief,' I cannot think of leaving the religion of the red man for the religion of the white; for, like the Indian whose history I have recounted to you, I might be turned out of the white man's heaven by the Almighty, as having no right to be there; and the opportunity might not be afforded me of returning again to the earth, to win the red man's heaven by a return to my own proper religion, and thus I might risk the loss of both.' This speech, said Mr. Jones, made such an impression on the pagan hearers of the tribe, that it was in vain to address them further on the subject."

The Perils of the Nation. An Appeal to the Clergy, and the Higher and Middle Classes.

We would willingly open our notice of this work with the feeling with which we closed the work itself-that of the highest respect for the humanity, the mind, and the religion which have influenced the pen of the author. The only drawback to our satisfaction is, that we are obliged to pay this tribute of esteem to an anonymous writer. We think that a work of this grave character ought to have come before the world with the credential of a signature-it would have honoured any name, and ought to have been honoured by one. Nevertheless, it may well rest upon its own honest integrity, and we are content to receive it at its intrinsic value, without seeking a gua ranteeing responsibility. After all, the signature of a bankbill is only the promise for so much gold, and the precious metal is here presented instead of the intermedial responsibility.

The work is written on a strong and clear perception of the highest moral responsibility, and desiring as we do in all fairness to look upon it on equable grounds, we are willing at once to discard from our minds the trammels of partisanship, the feuds of faction, the discord of clashing politics, and every species of political rivalship. The author takes, indeed, the highest stand from which philosophy can look-the eminence of Christianity;-Christianity, the alone principle from which the vast fields of human sorrows and human grievances may be fairly contemplated, and in the strong light of which the truth of man's position struggling in the wide arena of the world's warfare can at all be estimated. It is in vain that men, pent up in the narrow dungeons of their own prejudices and passions, gazing from the nar row loopholes, and that too into the thick darkness of blind ignorance, fancy that they can estimate the miseries and devise remedial measures for wants and woes as numberless as the grains of sand on the seashore ;-nay, this is but an idle numbering, since the sufferers are themselves as numerous, and their individual necessities as multiplied as their numbers.

Certain it is, that where the politician is not also the Christian, his vison is curtailed of anything like scope and comprehensiveness. He June 1843.-VOL. XXXVII.—NO. CXLVI.

G