head upon me; who knows what fine ideas I may be able to furnish you with?

"I remain yours, "From Broadmead Table-pew."

Should any sympathizing reader wish to know the result of the above "Humble Remonstrance," I inform him with as much grief as the occasion demands, that Mr. Hall remained inexorable, and never reinstated the unhappy petitioner in his "place in the church." But if I am further questioned, whether Mr. Hall granted the other part of his petition and admitted him into his service as a confidential domestic? That, I must beg to say is a "family secret," which I do not feel myself at liberty to divulge. S. J. B

CHURCH GOING SLEEPERS IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.

SOME have supposed that it is a fortunate circumstance that queen Elizabeth was not born a little later; as her method of correcting the evil of sleeping in the sanctuary would have found ample scope for its exercise in our times.

The following was the form of confession which every man who slept in time of divine service was expected to make. Some such regulation would be an excellent thing at the present day. Decimo Martii A confession to be made by Jno. 1595. Aspland, of Witcham.

The said party shall upon Sunday, being the 4th day of June next commencing, come forth of his seate in the parish church of Witcham, aforesaid, into the middle alleye there, ymmediately after the reading the gospel, and there shall stand, and with a loud voyce shall say and confesse as followeth,

viz :

"Good neighbours, I acknowledge and confesse that I have offended Almighty God, and by my evill example you all, for that I have use to sleepe in the churche, for which I am most heartily sorry, and I aske God and you all, most heartily, forgiveness for the same, promising, by God's help, never to offend hereafter in the like againe."

And at the doing hereof hee shall under the hands of the minister and churchwardens, there personally certifie, together with these presents, upon Munday, being the 22nd day of July next, at Trinity parish church in Ely, and then and there receive such further order herein, as shall be appointed.

John Aspland hath done the penance described, within the church, the date and year above written. Signed by us,

JOHN ALLEN,

WILLIAM GILL.

GEORGE WRIGHT, Churchwardens.

XERXES AND ARTABANUS. "SITTING in darkness and the shadow of death," and "without God and without hope in the world," are strikingly illustrated by the following fragment of ancient history::

When Xerxes wept at the sight of his fleet and army, which he reviewed on the shores of the Hellespont, and the adjacent coast, Artabanus expressing his wonder, the king spoke thus to him: "When I consider the shortness of human life, I could not restrain the effects of my compassion; for of all these numbers of men, not one shall survive a hundred years." But," replied Artabanus are we not exposed during our lives, to other things much more to be lamented? Is any man so happy, either among

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those, or other men, who, even in the short course of life, would not often choose rather to die than to live? The frequent calamities and diseases incident to all, disturb the best of our days, that life, though really short, seems of a tedious length; and death remains the only desirable refuge of unhappy mortals!"

BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR ON SICK-BED REPENTANCE.

HE that washes in the morning, when his bath is seasonable and healthful, is not only made clean but sprightly, and the blood is brisk, and coloured like the first springing of the morning; but they that wash their dead, cleanse the skin, and leave paleness upon the cheek, and stiffness in all the joints. A repentance upon our death-bed, is like washing the corpse; it is cleanly and civil; but makes no change deeper than the skin. But God knows it is a custom so to wash them that are going to dwell with dust, and to be buried in the lap of their kindred earth, but all their life-time wallow in pollutions, without any washing at all.

WHO IS THE HAPPY MAN?
"He is the happy man, whose life ev'n now
Shows somewhat of that happier life to come :
Who doom'd to an obscure, but tranquil state
Is pleas'd with it, and were be free to choose
Would make his state his choice."

THERE are many periods in the history of human
life, when the power of religious principles over the
mind, commands the respect and excites the admi-
ration of the most inveterate infidel. Go, and see
the poor Christian contented amidst his privations-
the suffering Christian, patient under his protracted
affliction-the dying Christian resigned and happy
in prospect of approaching dissolution-and if you
can return from such a scene without admiring the
influence of those principles which have such a fine
effect in elevating and supporting the soul of man,
when visited by such direful calamities, it must be
referred either to a want of taste, or want of a capa-
city for right feeling.
E. R.

ANECDOTE OF SULLY. SULLY, the great statesman and minister of Henry IV. king of France, always retained at his table, in his most prosperous days, the same frugality to which he had been accustomed in early life. He was frequently reproached by his courtiers for this simplicity, but he used to reply to them in the words of an ancient philosopher: "If the guests be men of sense, there is sufficient for them; if not, I can very well dispense with their company."

MORALITY IS NOT PIETY-THOUGH IT IS THE CERTAIN FRUIT OF GRACE. MORALITY is not grace, because it doth not change nature; if it did, many of the heathen were as near to God as the best of Christians. Whatever may be done by the strength of nature, cannot alter it; for no nature can change itself. Poison may be great within the skin, like a viper's. But freedom from gross sins argues not a friendship for God. None were ever so great enemies to Christ as the Pharisees, to whom Christ gave no other title than that of the devil's children, and charges them with hatred both of himself and Father (John viii. 44).-Charnock.

"MY MOTHER TOLD ME THIS!"-The Christian will look back throughout eternity, with interest and delight, on the steps and means of conversation. "My father told me this! My mother told me that! Such an event was sanctified to me! In such a place God visited my soul." These recollections will never grow dull or wearisome.-Cecil.

CHRISTIAN DILIGENCE.-Let every man that hath a calling be diligent in the pursuance of its employment; yet ever remembering so to work in his calling as not to neglect the work of his higher calling, but to begin and end the day with God.-Dr. Jeremy Taylor.

EXPLANATION OF ECCLESIASTES
VII. 16-18.

IN REPLY TO THE INQUIRY OF A WESLEYAN SUNDAY-
SCHOOL TEACHER OF SOUTHWARK,

"Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou die before thy time? Be not over-much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? It is good that thou shouldest take hoid of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine band: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all."

DIFFICULTIES in the interpretation of various passages of Holy Scripture may reasonably be expected. Readers of the Bible should remember how large a book the sacred volume is-written originally in an oriental language-in the early ages of the worldand by a people whose national customs were agricultural, and very different from those of the inhabitants in Great Britain.

Solomon's style was remarkably sententious; and the language of Ecclesiastes is similar to that of the Book of Proverbs. In explaining this somewhat difficult passage, therefore, we will take it up in its several clauses, the more easily to simplify their meaning.

Ver. 16.

:

"Be not righteous over-much." This cannot be meant of true, real, personal, moral righteousness: because the thing is impossible. A man cannot be too holy and while the grand design of the Divine revelation is to promote the glory of God in the holiness of mankind, agreeably to the tenor of all its precepts; and God specifically commands, "Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Pet. i. 26; Lev. ix. 44).

Ostentatious righteousness is supposed by some commentators to be intended: such as that which distinguished the Pharisees. These pretended to observe the institutions of religion with the most scrupulous exactness; while they were extremely censorious of all who differed from them, or were inferior in station: they "trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:" (Luke xviii. 9) but hypocritically neglected the holy commandments of God.

Our Saviour thus addressed them:-"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation, Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone" (Matt. xxiii. 14, 23).

Political righteousness, or the administration of

justice is, by many believed to be principally intended; and that the design is to prevent the too strict and rigorous exercise of justice in the punishment of offenders. There is a well known maxim which declares extreme justice is oftentimes the extreme of injury; and this is the case of many of our old laws; the administration of which is a violation of the clearest principles of justice. We need only refer to the enormities which were permitted till within the last two years in relation to the buying and selling of our fellow-men, the negroes of the West Indies; and much of this iniquity still remains in the present modified state of negro slavery now called apprenticeship, the rigours of which many unfeeling masters and managers exercise, beyond the possibility of legal relief to the injured sufferers.

We may further mention, in illustration of this point, that our English laws allow our magistrates to mitigate penalties for offences, according to their discretion in various cases, when the extreme of the law would be manifestly unjust. Some judges and magistrates, however, have been notorious for their severity and cruelty, in punishing individuals according to the utmost penalty allowed by law thus being righteous or rigorous overmuch. The history of religious persecution affords many most painful examples of this policy, especially when pious men were burnt to death, according to law, for the alleged crime of reading the Scriptures in English; and imprisoned, according to law, for assembling to read the Scriptures and prayer, under queen Elizabeth, James I., Charles I., Charles II., and James II.

Neither make thyself overwise. Really to be too wise is impossible: but many pretend to be wiser than their neighbours, and to know more than others. These are generally the most uncandid persons in society; the most addicted to find fault with others, setting up themselves as infallible critics and judges.

Why shouldest thou destroy thyself? Happiness, influence, and even life, have frequently been sacrificed by rigorous, censorious, and vindictive persons, both in public and private conditions, by their meriting and bringing upon themselves the ill will of the whole community.

Ver. 17. Be not over much wicked. No man should be wicked at all: and some commentators render the Hebrew words do not fright thyself much. No man should be wicked at all; but some, observing that wicked men prolong their days in wickedness, are encouraged to go into greater lengths in sin than they had previously done, and give up themselves to all iniquity, running into excesses of riot, and the grossest and most scandalous enormities. This exhortation, therefore, is intended to prevent sinful behaviour, and the aggravation of sins, by making them greater and more heinous than they really are, and a man's case worse than it is, and so sink into despair: thus it stands opposed to an ostentatious show of pretended righteousness.

Neither be thou foolish: that is, do not give up thyself to a profligate life, to go on in a course of sin, which will issue in the ruin of body and soul.

Why shouldest thou die before thy time? Why shouldest thou bring diseases on thy body by a wicked course of life? which will issue in premature death; or fall into the hands of the civil magistrate for capital offences, for which sentence of death must be executed, before a man comes to the ordinary term of human life.

Ver. 19. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this seasonable and wholesome counsel, yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand. Do not be remiss in profiting by this advice and making it prac

tically useful by diligent personal application. For he that feareth God shall come forth of them all: he shall escape the guilt, misery, and premature death, which are the necessary fruits of hypocrisy, folly, and sin.

Genuine experimental godliness is the most elevating and purifying possession which can be enjoyed by him; for while it leads him to "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement, it forms the soul to kindness, charity, and modesty. Having the Spirit of Christ, by which believers are sealed to the day of redemption; being made free from sin, and become servants to God, they have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom. vi. 22).

Our inquiring "Sunday-school Teacher," will find an exposition of the other passage to which he refers (Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6), in the Christian's Penny Magazine for last year, pp. 108, 109, No. 148. We shall feel pleasure in endeavouring to satisfy the pious enquiries of any Sunday-school Teacher.

REVIEW.

The Elysium of Animals: A Dream. By EGERTON SMITH. 8vo. stitched, pp. 110. London: Nisbet. CRUELTY to animals is cowardly and inhuman, and indicates a mind more than ordinarily depraved. Divine inspiration declares, "a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast;" Christianity confirms this sentiment in its most extensive import, and no man deserves the appellation of Christian, who does not endeavour to counteract the operations of wanton cruelty towards animals to the full extent of his influence.

Cowper's well known lines convey the elevated sentiments of every Christian, and they should be cherished and recommended by every one who appreciates the dignity of his professed character as a disciple of the Saviour, or even as a native of Britain :

"I would not enter on my list of friends
(Though graced with polished manners and fine

sense,

Yet wanting sensibility) the man

Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm." Mr. Egerton Smith's "Dream" is worthy of his head and his heart; its remarkable ingenuity will afford uncommon delight to those who have pleasure in works of the imagination-and its illustrations of the wanton cruelty of many in Great Britain, and even in the polished metropolis of England, cannot fail to secure the support of its readers as friends of the "Association for Promoting Rational Humanity towards the Animal Creation."

Numerous anecdotes are given in this publication, which afford a most affecting illustration of the depravity of the human heart, especially among those who have not been favoured with the advantage of education, or education on the sanctifying principles of Christianity.

A History of Slavery, and its Abolition. By ESTHER COPLEY. 18mo. cloth, pp. ix-634. London: Sunday School Union.

NEGRO slavery, the foulest blot on the character of nations professing the holy religion of Jesus Christ, is happily abolished legally in the dominions of Great Britain and though interested and corrupt planters, attorneys, and managers, may grievously

impede the operations of the late benevolent act of the imperial parliament, the death-blow to the whole system has been struck; and the period is not, as we trust, far distant, when the liberty of the negro will be completed, and by the regenerating means of scriptural knowledge, each will be invested with civil and religious liberty, equally with the most favoured Briton.

Slavery, however, should not be forgotten, by any member of the community; and some record of the degradation, miseries, and murderous system, under which our unhappy dark coloured fellow-men groaned, ought to be possessed by every family, and every village, vestry, and Sunday-school library.

Mrs. Copley's comprehensive and instructive volume is peculiarly appropriate for such a purpose, and most worthy of a place in every popular and religious library. For small or juvenile libraries, probably the Rev. T. Timpson's NEGRO JUBILEE, would be more suitable, as it includes most of the same branches of information in a more condensed and cheaper form.

LINES ON THE SUDDEN DEATH OF THE
REV. ISAAC SAUNDERS, M.A.
BLEST servant of Christ, distinguished by grace,
Thy victory's won, thy labours are o'er;
Thy spirit dismantled, in Jesu's embrace,
Cross'd Jordan's dark flood and reach'd heaven's
shore.

Long here didst thou stand and point to the cross,
To Calvary's work, as the sinner's great plea;
To Jesus directed the sinful and lost,

And bid them for grace unto Jesus to flee. Thy voice has proclaim'd salvation by grace To myriads of mortals who hung on thy tongue; That voice is now hush'd, but in nobler praise, Thou bearest thy part in salvation's grand song. The message of truth proclaimed by thy tongue, Shall ripen on earth, and redound to the praise Of Immanuel's great name, who led thee safe on, To tell of his matchless, his infinite grace. In the master's own time, in the master's own work, He came for his own, for thee he had bled; He came and he took thee proclaiming his name, He came and we find thy blest spirit has fled. Whilst leading thy flock to look on the Lamb, He suddenly took thee to mansions above; Yet grace led thee on, by grace ye o'ercame, And through grace ye are treading the temple of love.

Thy purposes bent, thy intentions denied,

The destroyer of life has cut short thy days; To thy spirit 'tis gain-to thy people 'tis lossThou'rt join'd in the anthem of blessing and praise.

Thy death has a voice-that voice is severe

That voice tells us all that death is at hand; On Christ may he live, though death be so near, And shout at the last, that "Worthy's the Lamb!" RALPH.

STATISTICAL NOTICES OF BRIGHTON, AND ITS ROYAL PAVILION.

BRIGHTON, properly BRIGHTHELMSTONE, derives its name from Brighthelm, a famous Saxon bishop, who lived in this vicinity more than a thousand years ago. Until within the last century Brighton was only a poor fishing-town, chiefly noted for its being exposed to the attacks of the French, and for the encroachments made upon it by the mighty element of the sea, which at different periods has made fearful inroads upon the dwellings of its inhabitants. In the year 1665, a violent tempest swept away twenty-two houses, besides a considerable extent of land; and in the memorable storms of 1703 and 1705, there were washed away no less than 113 houses, including an entire street, called Southstreet, besides part of the block-house and gates. Human ingenuity, however, has contrived means to prevent the further encroachment of the stormy

ocean.

Brighton was brought into notice principally by Dr. Russell, about the middle of the last century, when that physician published his treatise on seabathing, recommending that part of the south coast as peculiarly beneficial to those afflicted with glandular and scrophulous complaints; and he caused the valuable chalybeate springs at the west end of the town to be enclosed. Dr. Rhellan, his successor, still further added to the reputation of this town, by publishing a Natural History of Brighton. His majesty, George IV., however, while prince of Wales, made this beautifully situated town to be

VOL. V.

come so popular; for, after his first visit in 1782, he was so delighted with its delightful scenery and salubrious air, that he usually made it his summer and autumn residence, and at length purchased a noble mansion from the lord of the manor, in 1814, and shortly after built the present royal palace, denominated the "Pavilion."

Brighton being the favourite residence of the prince of Wales-the prince regent-attracted crowds of the fashionable and the great, and it has now become one of the most populous and elegant towns in England. Brighton, according to the census of 1831, had a population of 40,634; but in the most frequented season of the year, the number of its inhabitants is estimated at little short of 80,000. Kemp-town, at the eastern extremity, and Brunswick-terrace, in the west, with several new squares, contain some of the most magnificent mansions of the nobility, by no means inferior in grandeur to the most splendid edifices in Regent's-park near London.

Brighton being the resort of the fashionable, wealthy, and dissipated, must necessarily be distinguished by much that is offensive and distressing to the mind of every Christian; and vice in every form, both vulgar and refined, powerfully prevail in this elegant town. Still there is much to excite a spirit of gratitude to God on the subject of religion in Brighton; and no small degree of that progress which the Gospel has made in this place of fashionable resort, ought justly to be ascribed to the opening of a chapel above fifty years ago, by that eminent disciple of Christ, the countess of Huntingdon. That

X

may justly be regarded as one of the principal means of creating, under the Divine blessing, a spirit of pious zeal in many to extend the knowledge of evangelical truth in Brighton..

EPISCOPAL PLACES OF WORSHIP IN BRIGHTON. Brighton contains, including the Chapel Royal, nine episcopal places of worship ; all of which, except the "Old Church," are of recent erection, as will be seen by the following brief notices of them; but most of them, having been built by the voluntary contributions of the people, are occupied by clergymen who are reputedly evangelical in their doctrine, and therefore zealous for the salvation of their hearers, and supporters of our noble Christian institutions.

1. ST. NICHOLAS'S CHURCH, the "old" or parish church, is very ancient, part of it at least, having been built little short of a thousand years. There is nothing striking in the appearance of this venerable edifice, it being externally rather mean; and perhaps the most remarkable thing connected with its monumental records is the following inscription, which epitomizes the curious history of Phoebe Hessel. In memory of PHOEBE HESSEL,

who was born at Stepney, in the year 1713.
She served, for many years

as a private soldier, in the 5th regiment of foot, in different parts of Europe;

and in the year 1746, fought under the command of the duke of Cumberland,

at the battle of Fontenoy,

Where she received a bayonet wound
in her arm.

Her long life, which commenced in the reign of queen Anne, extended to George the Fourth, by whose munificence she received comfort and support in her latter years. She died at Brighton, where she had long resided, December 12, 1821, aged 108 years,

And lies buried here.

4. ST. JAMES'S CHAPEL, in St. James's-street, was opened in 1810, under the Toleration Act, and therefore was regarded as a Dissenting place of worship; but it has for many years been an Episcopal chapel.

5. ST. MARGARET'S CHAPEL, Cannon-place, was erected in the year 1827.

6. ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL, near Kemp-town, was completed in the year 1827.

7. TRINITY CHAPEL, Ship-street, was a Dissenting place of worship; but in 1827, it was enlarged and connected with the church of England.

8. ST. MARY'S CHAPEL, St. James's-street, was erected in 1827.

9. ST. ANDREW'S CHAPEL, Brunswick-terrace, was completed in 1828.

DISSENTING PLACES OF WORSHIP IN BRIGHTON.

1. UNION-STREET INDEPENDENT CHAPEL. This is the oldest Dissenting place of worship in Brighton; it having been erected in 1698; but considerably enlarged in 1818, and 1825.

2. LADY HUNTINGDON'S CHAPEL, North-street. This was originally built with the produce of the jewels of that pions and devoted countess.

3. SALEM CHAPEL, Bond-street. This belongs to the Baptist denomination.

4. WESLEYAN CHAEL. This was erected in 1808, in Dorset-gardens.

5. PROVIDENCE CHAPEL, Church-street, was built by the followers of the late William Huntingdon. 6. HANOVER CHAPEL, Church-street. This was erected in 1825, belonging to the Independent denomination.

7. EBENEZER CHAPEL, Richmond-street; this belongs to the Baptists.

8. CHURCH-STREET CHAPEL was built in 1827. 9. ZION CHAPEL, Upper Bedford-street, is in the Independent connexion.

10. BETHEL CHAPEL, West-street; this was built for the fishermen and seamen, by the Independents at Brighton.

11. LONDON-ROAD CHAPEL is in the countess of Huntingdon's connexion; it was built in 1830. 12. UNITARIAN CHAPEL.

13. FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE in Ship-street. 14. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL in High-street. 15. JEWS' SYNAGOGUE in Devonshire-place. Besides the above, the Evangelical Dissenters have several preaching stations in and near Brighton.

ROYAL PAVILION, BRIGHTON.

"Brighton Pavilion" is a unique and splendid edifice, there being no mansion resembling it in the whole of Great Britain. It is said to have been modelled after a Chinese plan brought over to England by lord Amherst; while others think the design was suggested by the Kremlin at Moscow; and others again believe it to have originally emanated from the genius of Mr. Nash the architect. Probably, however, it was modelled and improved by that ingenious architect from sketches originally brought both from China and Russia.

The principal entrance to this palace is through a vestibule and hall on the western or garden side; our engraving exhibits the front or eastern side facing the Steyne. The square building on the left hand contains the banquetting room, sixty feet long and forty-tro wide. It rises forty feet to the dome, which is thirty feet in diameter and eighty five in height, having minarets of Bath stone at the four corners of its base. Corresponding to this on the right hand is another square looking division which contains the music-room, a most splendid apartment, forty-two feet square, with two recesses of ten feet each, in one of which is a superb organ of prodigious powers. Centrally between these is the rotunda or saloon, which forms an oblong of fifty-five feet, having a cornice supported by columns and pilasters. Between the rotunda and the larger divisions are the yellow room, fifty-six feet long and twenty wide; and the withdrawing room of similar dimensions. The royal bed-room is admirably arranged, having a dressing-1 -room attached, which opens into a delightful bath, furnished with pipes for conveying hot and cold sea water. The Chinese gallery is behind all these, together with various other apartments, whose magnificence it is scarcely possible to describe; the furniture and decorations of the whole being the workmanship of our own country, and presenting a noble display of native talent. The royal stables attached are built in a similar style of magnificence, to contain sirty horses, with carriages, offices,

&c.