66 land.) Again, the necessity of the merits and blood of Christ was equally strongly and clearly insisted on: also sanctification by the work of the Holy Ghost, etc. All this was, however, at the conclusion, richly seasoned with the most absurd superstitions.' "There are emissaries sanctioned and encouraged by him in the work of proselyting for many miles round Oxford, for the purpose of beguiling the poor unstable cottagers to embrace their soul-destroying system: they go amongst them, exercising their worldly callings, as hawkers, tea-dealers, etc., and are furnished with concise compendiums of controversy, which comprise the most ingenious arguments against Protestantism." Mr. Maurice adds: "That Roman Catho year 1833, prior to the first indication of this movement, and before a single Oxford tract had issued from the press, a pamphlet was published, although as far as we are aware, it did not meet with much attention, by the Rev. P. Maurice, chaplain of New College, entitled, Popery in Oxford," and the object of which was to sound an alarm as to the manœuvres of Romanists, and of the Jesuits in particular, at that time. He states that the Roman Catholic population of Oxford had greatly increased, and that, contrary to the general prohibition with respect to entering places where heretics assemble, Romanists were allowed, and might be seen to frequent, either regularly or occasionally, every church in Oxford, in order to make the more igno-licism is looked upon as a harmless thing rant Protestants imagine that there is no great difference between the two religions. Such was obviously the policy best adapted to the time. He adds: "The priest, who is a Jesuite, is very active in his avocations, though he has the prudence to confine his personal labours in proselyting to the neighbourhood in which he resides.' "The priest's manner in his public preaching is in the highest degree animated and energetic, with all the semblance of real piety and sincerity; in a word, what many would term methodistical; and, indeed, I fear, were a similar question put to the Romish priest, which was addressed by a bishop of Rochester to a late celebrated stageplayer, 'Why do we proclaim the most awful truths without making any impression on the people; while you, by your fictions, attract the greatest sympathy in your hearers? we might expect a similar reply. The reason is this: We speak fiction as if it were truth; you speak truth as if it were fiction.' The substance of the discourses of the Oxford priest is equally calculated to seduce the unwary. I was told by a person who heard a discourse there lately, that the total corruption of the human heart, and the absolute necessity of a change by God's Holy Spirit, was insisted on, in terms that could scarcely proceed from the lips of the most serious Arminian. Among others, this illustration was employed. It would be as unreasonable to go into a grave-yard, and expect to see a corpse arise of its own accord, as to see any dead sinner turning in his own strength to God. (We would not wish for a more apt illustration of the ninth and tenth articles of the Church of Eng by some of the members of the university 66 "The spirit St. Ignatius Loyola left on earth only grows more vital every day, because truth is on its side, and noble mindedness, and heavenly principle, and marvellous sanctity."- Newman's Lives of the Saints, p. 149, 150. This is speaking out. war with the Lamb," but "the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful," Rev. xvii. 14. A VISIT TO HANWELL ASYLUM. No. II. My last paper on Hanwell Asylum referred to that portion in which females are confined. This, however, is only one side of the picture. No sooner had my guide led me through this section of the building than she conducted me to another, in which are those of the opposite sex, and where she provided me with another guide. As she left me I could not help praying inwardly, that if the rod of affliction should ever be her portion, she might find a friend who would requite her for her kindness to the unhappy daughters of misery among whom she is placed. The wards on this side of the building are threefold: the refractory ward, the epileptic ward, and those which answer to that in which poor Mary is confined. A feeling of horror mingled with fear stole over my frame as I passed through the former, and I hastened to escape from the din of the confused noises which rang through every part. Not such were my feelings in the epileptic ward. Here was food for contemplation. On entering the door, my attention was first attracted towards a group in a recess, one of whom was playing the flute not inharmoniously, while a second was dancing to its sound with all a madman's energy. As I was ruminating on this scene, I fixed my eyes upon a poor creature, who sat with all the calm dignity of a Turkish bashaw, puffing away at a pipe, the contents of which had long since ceased to send forth "the curling smoke." Near him stood a youth, who seemed to fancy that he had a very large and attentive auditory before him, although his eyes were fixed upon the bare walls. He was making an oration on political subjects, and I thought it would be happy if politicians always harangued thus innocently. I was still listening to this harmless demagogue, when the performer at the end of the room came up panting for breath, asking me for my applause, adding, "You see I can foot it well still." I could not refuse the windy honour he requested, and he repaid me for it with such a grasp of the hand as I have no wish that every friend should give me. As I turned from him, I thought that this poor madman resembled the giddy world at large. How anxious is man to gain the applause of his fellow-man-how regardless is he of the "honour that cometh from God only!" He will stretch_every nerve, like this poor madman, so that he may gulp the windy diet on which his heart is set; forgetful that a day is coming when the loudest round of applause with which his ears have ever been greeted will appear to him less than nothing, and lighter than vanity itself. It may be that popular applause, or the desire for it, created "the king," whom I encountered on leaving the epileptic ward. The king, as old John imagines himself to be, stood with all the dignity of majesty at a window, and not knowing his exalted station I greeted him with a familiar nod. I never met with such a repulse before. Old John drew himself up to the full height of his stature, and returned my familiarity with such a look of scorn as will teach me better manners if ever I should encounter his majesty again. How strongly did the urbanity of the poor mad philosopher contrast with the haughty air of this mock monarch! “This, sir," said my guide, "is the room in which Chiswick lives; perhaps you would like to see it. I had no time for reply, for as he said the words he tapped at the door, and a tall, gentlemanly man came out, with his hand extended to welcome me into his studio. The walls of poor Chiswick's room are covered with figures that would puzzle the brains of the most skilful antiquary. Mine, at least, would have been sadly puzzled had he not entered into an explanation of his symbolical paintings. It would require much space to recount all his explanations, and a few, therefore, must suffice. "You see these three figures," said he; "they are Pusey, Ward, and Newman." Below them is this sentence: "The retrograde movement; in the nineteenth century we are going back to Popery." There is method in his madness, thought I, and was about to say that there was unfortunately too much truth in his symbol, when he drew my attention to "one of the strangest metamorphoses that could be imagined." So saying, poor Chiswick placed his hand on the lower part of a figure painted black, and then continued, "Now, you ""Tis not, as heads that never ache suppose, see this upper part exactly resembles a | and their knowledge. The theologian sweep with a club foot. He is bending may there learn the folly of indulging forward and reading a letter-a love- in idle and vain speculations; the philoletter, we will say. Well, if I take my sopher, that all his wisdom can in a mohand away, this sweep will form the head ment, if God pleases, be turned into of a lady.' And so in truth it did; there foolishness; and the statesman, that his stood before my face the figure of a lady, counsels may be, notwithstanding their and I praised his ingenuity in having wisdom, defeated. Above all, the visitors produced so strange a métamorphosis, to Chiswick's room may learn how frail a one which, though strange, was yet more thing man is when God lays his hand natural than any which could be found upon him. in the pages of Ovid. "But the grand attraction of my room," continued poor Chiswick, as he turned round, "is this boa constrictor, which you see extends its length over two sides of it. You will observe that near its head are these words: 'It is unfortunate that no class of society, however enlightened, is wholly free from superstition.' Now if you turn to the tail of the serpent you will see within its coil the figure of a globe, certain marks in which represent superstition, and which will one day be destroyed by the boa constrictor." I could not discover poor Chiswick's real meaning in this representation, for his ideas seem to have become confused, so that he could not fully explain himself. He appears to have been aware of his wanderings, for at this point he led me to the door-post of his room, remarking that he had forgotten argue, How many immured within the walls of this asylum have learned this truth by sad experience! Tongues that could could give advice, could censure, could could jest, could join in song, commend-in a word, could perform all the functions for which they were created, are mute and silent as the lips of statues ; and arms once busied in the arts of industry hang idly down, forgetting the end for which they were formed by a benefi cent Creator. A sad truth it is, that, in induced by intemperate habits. Here many instances, this calamity has been to tell me what was his true character. are lodged many a victim of dram-drink"Who I am," he observed, "no one ing; many who have destroyed their knows; it is a secret; but I am not a reasoning faculties by their morning, madman. This you will see written on my door-post. You there read, 'This is noon, and nightly visits to the ginChiswick's room, who is no madman. No, reads a powerful lesson to all to beware palaces of the metropolis, and whose fate dear visitor, he is a philosopher, who is of strong drink. It is sad, indeed, when able and willing to teach mankind.' Following out the idea of his being a philo-his comfort and his well-being on earth; man destroys that which God creates for sopher, he then continued, that his study when he robs himself of the chief glory contained some fine lessons for statesmen, of his being. It is a suicidal act of the and suggested that Sir Robert Peel might deepest dye. But this consideration derive many a lesson from the walls of renders the institution in which these his apartment. I could not gainsay his poor self-destroyers are confined more assertions; for from the little that I saw noble in the sight of the Christian philanthropist. Time has been when these sentiments concerning the poor maniac were strictly founded in truth. of it I felt that I could gather more from the vagaries of his genius run mad in one day, than I could learn in a whole year from the mystic cells devised by the genius of the wise men of Egypt. Hence when he said that he should not long remain there, and that he hoped his room would be preserved, not merely to satisfy idle curiosity, but to convey instruction to mankind, I could not help expressing a similar hope. Chiswick's room, indeed, affords many a lesson to his more sober-minded species; to men who pride themselves on their wisdom "This is a sight for Pity to peruse, And such emollients as his friends could spare, 296 FORCE OF THE CATARACT OF NIAGARA-MOUNTAIN BIRDS AND QUADRUPEDS. With limbs of British oak, and nerves of wire, Influenced, however, by the benign spirit of the gospel, man has at length learned to treat the poor maniac as a fellow-man-as a brother of humanity. It is cheering to the heart to observe, as one passes through this asylum, the spirit of kindness diffused through every part. Is an inmate violent in his habits, he is effectually shielded from all harm to his person by being lodged in a soft padded room; does he show signs of returning reason, he is supplied with everything which can conduce to the full restoration of his reasoning faculties. Amusements are provided to divert the mind's sad melancholy; and gentleness is used to disarm the unconscious rage of the refractory. I left its walls with a deep conviction that such institutions as these reflect greater honour upon England, than the pyramids upon ancient Egypt, the temples upon Greece, or the triumphal arches upon old Rome. May their walls never decay! May Christian philanthropy ever keep pace with the frightful ravages of human misery. F. MECHANICAL FORCE OF THE CATARACT OF NIAGARA. WHEN it is considered that the waterpower of the cataract of Niagara is unceasing by night as by day, and that the power for practical purposes in Great Britain is only applied, on an average, about eleven hours per day during six days of the week, it may be assumed that the motive power of Niagara Falls is at least forty-fold of the aggregate of all the water and steam power employed in Great Britain, and probably equal to the aggregate of all the motive power employed for mechanical purposes on this earth. The surface of Lake Erie is found to be 331 feet above the surface of Lake Ontario, and 565 feet above that of the ocean. The descent of the waters of Niagara River, in the few miles of distance between Black Rock and Queenston, is about 171 feet, exclusive of the grand cataract itself, forming a succession of rapids which, in some places, present to view the sublime spectacle of the agitated surface of the ocean in a storm; and these rapids continue to occur during the subsequent descent of the river St. Lawrence, from the level of Lake Ontario to | that of the sea, making, in the aggregate, above three-fold of the waterfall of the grand cataract, and consequently one hundred and twenty-fold of all the physical power derived from the use of all the waterfalls and steam-engines employed, as above stated, in Great Britain, omitting to take into account the several huge rivers that are tributaries of the St. Lawrence. Such, and on so great a scale, are the ordinary operations of the impulses of physical power employed in the "mechanics of nature" in governing the movements of the waters of a single river, exceeding manifold the portion of physical forces rendered available and employed by all the inhabitants of the earth as a motive power in the "mechanics of the arts."-American Journal of Science and Art. MOUNTAIN BIRDS AND QUADRUPEDS. A TRAVELLER says:- "Observing a number of those very beautiful and curious birds, the Ibiscalva, flying about the clefts of the mountain, and to all appearance engaged in building their nests, I ascended, as far as I could advance, and endeavoured to conceal myself from their view, but without success, as they kept flying at a considerable height round the peak, watching all my movements, as if aware of being above the reach of powder and shot. While I was here, two young dasses, or rock rabbits, fell from a projecting crag, which I caught alive and kept for several weeks. This little animal, the hyrax, is generally supposed to be the coney of Scripture, and abounds in all the rocky and mountainous parts of this country: from the nature of its internal formation, it is classed in the order of Pachydermata. Although, to a superficial observer, there appears not the slightest resemblance between the little hyrax (or daman) with its skin of soft fur, and the huge and naked rhinoceros, yet the classification of animals being founded upon the affinities of internal structure, zoologists have placed it in order close to that ponderous animal, with which it agrees in dentition, the character of the stomach, and alimentary canal. Hence, Baron Cuvier has termed it a "rhinoceros in miniature." It is an extremely quick and active little animal, skipping along the shelving ledges of the overhanging cliffs, and darting with incredible swiftness into the holes and crevices of the rocks, by which it frequently eludes the grasp of its pursuers. THE valley of Chamouni is one of the most remarkable spots in Europe, exhibiting most fully all the features of wild and Alpine grandeur. It forms a narrow dell, through which the Aveyron dashes its impetuous waves, and above which rises Mont Blanc with its train of attendant mountains. The first object of the traveller is to ascend Montanvert, where he is on the borders of the Mer de Glace, the sea of ice, spreading from this point for many leagues, like the waves of a stormy ocean arrested and frozen in a moment. It is a mile and a half in breadth. The surface, discoloured by the falling of the dirt from the adjacent heights, appears like a snow drift that has lasted the winter. The crevices in the ice are three or four feet wide at the surface, and narrow as they descend; and looking down, the ice appears of a greenish hue, transparent, and very beau tiful. The crevices have been measured to a depth of three hundred and fifty feet. They are passed over by the aid of an Alpine staff, shod with iron. ENGLISH HISTORY. GEORGE II. PEACE having afforded some leisure to attend to home concerns, a bill was passed in 1751, to adopt the Gregorian computation of time, thus making all future dates in England harmonise with those of the rest of Europe. This obviated a great inconvenience. It was accomplished by calling the day after September 2nd, 1752, the 14th, and directing that in future, the year should begin on January 1st, instead of March 25th. Strange to say, it was opposed by many on the pretext, or plea, that it was departing from the established |