a free field for the multitudes in the rear. Sometimes the colonists

succeed in scaring them into the air again, and if a lake or the sea (Black Sea) be at hand, it is a great point to drive them, if possible, into the water, into which they fall in such enormous masses that their bodies form at last little floating islands. Upon these their more fortunate companions establish themselves, to the height of twenty or thirty inches. If a strong wind blow from the shore, these pyramids of locusts are of course driven out to sea, and no more is heard of them; but if the weather is tolerably calm, they work their way back to the shore, where they soon dry their wings, and prepare themselves for fresh depredations. The millions, meanwhile, that have found a watery grave, give a blackened hue to the foam of the breakers, and lie scattered along the coast in long lines, that look like huge masses of seaweed thrown up by the waves. The cunning of the locusts on these occasions is surprising; for, when driven out to sea by a strong wind, they will often get back to the shore by not attempting to fly in the wind's teeth, but beating to windward with a succession of tacks, in regular seamanlike style.

The locusts appear to be perfectly aware, that in the village gardens they shall find many things to suit their palate, and seldom fail to step a little out of their way, when they see a village to the right or left of their line of march. The terror of those attacked by one of these swarms may be readily imagined. Fancy a heavy fall of snow, each flake being a little black voracious insect; and these, as they fall, covering the ground to the depth of two or three inches, while the air still continues obscured by the myriads that remain fluttering about.

The roofs of the houses and every inch of ground covered by a thick mass of crawling vermin, crackling, hissing, and buzzing. Every aperture of the house may be carefully closed, yet they come down the chimney by thousands, and beat against the windows like hail.

During the locust years, many of these swarms settled upon Odessa, covering the streets and public places; dropping by hundreds into the kettles and saucepans in the kitchens; invading at once the drawing-room and the granary, and crawling along the public walks by millions. The sudden darkness occasioned by a swarm of them, on a fine day, is quite as great as would be occasioned by a succession of black rainy clouds. Not a ray of sunshine can pierce through; and, on a hot summer's day, the shadow cast on the ground is so dense, as to diffuse an agreeable coolness all around. When they alight on a tree, it will seem ready to break under the sudden load, and so much ground is covered by their armies, that it is calculated that these swarms must consist of a thousand million. When at length they depart, they leave behind them a scene of desolation, such as no other calamity could produce.

Abridged from Kohl's Russia.

"I would not be so presumptuous as to say positively that I am able to bear so great a trial; but according to my sincere thoughts of myself, I could, through God's assistance, lay down my life, upon the condition that all those who dissent from the Church of England were united in her communion."-Bishop Bull.

Chaplain. The privileges which, the Church, by her Services, offers to all her children, if duly appreciated and diligently carried out, were to be the spiritual comfort and support of all who sought shelter from the storm of the world's adversity; and, as a co-operating aid to the Warden and Chaplain, it was thought that among the associates of the Charity, many might be found who, whether professional men or others possessed of more leisure, would, as Visitors of the House, join in the good work, under fixed regulations.

The old Parish Workhouse of St. Ann's, Soho, subsequently fitted for a commercial school, and not ill adapted for the purpose contemplated, was taken and furnished; and the house was opened for the reception of inmates soon after St. Barnabas' day. The general object aimed at, in the first instance, was to hold out the hand of Christian love to the deserving destitute and afflicted, both of the metropolis and of country parishes, needing, for instance, the treatment of London Hospitals; and to administer to their necessities, otherwise than by the usual legal and parochial rate process. The fact that, up to that comparatively recent date there had been actually no such Institution formed for the reception of the classes indicated in the prospectus, may surely read a lesson to Churchmen, on the duty of looking deeper into our shortcomings; and ought to induce us to strive more heartily, to meet the growing wants of our and the Church's poor and outcast brethren and children; or else, how can we look forward to that great day, when we shall all have to give an account of our obedience to the Divine rules-"Feed my sheepfeed my lambs." "Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye belong to

Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward." "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." "Visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction;" and many other practical texts, of equal and vital import.

But to proceed. In 1847 the House of Charity opened, under a staff, consisting of a Chaplain, and a Steward, whose wife filled the office of matron. Both had been trained to the conduct of a large Institution, by the experience of a Union Workhouse. At starting, there appeared to be no objection to this arrangement. The practical knowledge and quick insight into character which the Steward and his wife brought to the House, proved of the greatest use, inasmuch as the Members of Council were inexperienced in the detection of trickery and fraud. The sight of rags, and the hearing of a plausible story, became too often the keys of admittance, where no admittance ought to have been given; and the investigations of the Mendicity Society show the necessity of caution. Still, as any approach to the work-house system was entirely at variance with the principle which the Council had most at heart, and on which the Charity was based, it was gratifying to find, after a trial of a few months, they were in a position to give a new and more satisfactory character to the Institution. A resident Warden and Chaplain (the offices were now united) with a Matron, superseded the first arrangement; and a liberal system of dieting was now established, instead of the work-house principle of a scale. The cases now fell more and more within the scope and meaning of the classification mentioned in the early prospectus; and previous investigation, of a private nature, by those who

wished to recommend cases, preceded more systematically their appearance before the Council for admission.

The Warden's efforts to raise the spiritual tone of the House, began to tell. A lumber room within the building, not inappropriate in shape, was adapted and arranged as a domestic Chapel. The only other point of importance in the new arrangements, was the appointment of a resident Sister, to live constantly with the female inmates.

Emigration took its place in the work of the House; and many families, and individuals of both sexes obtained passages to America, the Australian Colonies, and the Cape of Good Hope. The personal service of the Associates pledged to assist the House, effected much in forwarding its interests; but here again experience was at fault; for it requires much insight into the practical working of "visiting,' to be able to lay down a correct code of rules for regulating the intercourse between Associates and the inmates of a House of Charity, so as to avoid positive harm to the recipients, by engendering a false reliance on external aid, rather than on their own energy.

The progress of the Institution was slow, but sure, until, at the Annual Meeting, in 1850, the time seemed to have arrived, in the opinion of the Council, when they ought to make an effort to provide for two classes of cases not originally contemplated, namely,

(1) The incurably sick, discharged from Hospitals with little or no hope of recovery, and needing nothing more than gentle treatment and spiritual offices.

(2) The aged or infirm persons, who can by themselves or their friends contribute to their support.

These last two classes complete

the whole scheme and scope of the House of Charity, which appears to embrace in its nine* classes, most cases which can require the sympathy and aid of those who devote their time and attention to the wants and sorrows of their poorer brethren.

To go into a history of the cases relieved, by way of illustrating the practical utility of the House, in the great cause of Christian charity, would lead us too far from the point we have in view; which has been rather to shew the nature and history of this interesting Institution, so invaluable as it has proved to be to the parochial Clergy, District Visitors, to the Chaplains and Medical Officers of Hospitals, and to other Societies. Surely we cannot think this beyond the truth, when we consider that no case will be rejected, if there be present or prospective accommodation within the walls of the House; provided that a satisfactory recommendation be presented, and the real merits of the case be ascertained. we hope, then, that this Charity will prove no solitary instance, but a parent of similar Institutions, which God may put it into the heart of liberal Churchmen to found, not only in other parts of the metropolis, but in the chief towns of the kingdom.

May

The other seven classes of cases are thus described in the original circular of the Institution:

1. In-patients discharged from Hospitals, and ont-patients unable to do full work, wanting food, quiet, and rest, and unable to obtain either without assistance. 2. Persons dependent on those who, by accident or sudden disease, have been taken into Hospitals. 3. Persons suddenly, and by no fault of their own, thrown out of work, as in the case of fire, or the bankruptcy or death of an employer. 4. Persons who come to London in search of friends, or of employment, and are not successful in their object. 5. Persons, especially females, whose health requires a short respite from laborious work, though they cannot afford the loss of wages which it would involve. 6. Persons having no friends in London, and waiting either for the means or the opportunity to emigrate. 7. Persons for whom an asylum is desired, in which they can be received on probation, before they receive further assistance towards recovering a position which they have lost by misconduct.