friends thought his influence with the viceroy was of the greatest moment to them all, they bore him close to one of the windows, and scarcely had he begun to shew signs of animation, when the nabob awoke and was informed of the events of the night; upon which, he hastily demanded whether the English chief was among the living; and being informed that he was, and might possibly recover, he sent an order for their immediate release. When the dungeon was unlocked, the dead were so piled one upon another against the door, and the survivors retained so little strength, that nearly half an hour elapsed before their feeble efforts could make a passage between the bodies so as to enable them to go out one at a time. Their liberation being at length effected, it was then found, horrible to relate! that of the one hundred and forty-six human victims who had been immured the preceding night, THERE NOW BREATHED BUT TWENTY THREE! Nor was even this late deliverance the result of any compuction of conscience in the viceroy for the misery and death he had so ruthlessly inflicted. No, avarice had so steeled his heart that, though Mr. Holwell had immediately upon his release been seized with a putrid fever, he was in this miserable state dragged into the presence of the tyrant to be again questioned about the supposed concealed treasure. Seeing Mr. Holwell unable to stand without support, he ordered him a seat and a draught of water, but no other mark of compassion whatever did he evince. In vain did Mr. Holwell solemnly protest that he knew of no treasure: the inhuman tyrant discrediting these protestations, ordered him and three of his friends to be loaded with chains and conveyed to the Indian camp, three miles distant, where they lay all night exposed to a heavy rain. The other survivors were set at liberty, while the hundred and twenty three dead bodies of their companions were with disgusting levity and brutality, thrown into a ditch. The following day Mr. Holwell and his three fellow sufferers were carried back to Calcutta under such an intensely scorching sun, that they must inevitably have died had not nature providentially expelled the fever through large and painful boils which broke out upon them from head to foot. In this pitiable state they were transported in an open boat to Muxadavad. The relation of the the cruel treatment they received and the misery they endured in their passage, is truly shocking to humanity. Upon their arrival, they were led in chains through the city as a spectacle to the inhabitants, lodged several days in an open stable, and treated as the worst of criminals. After a cruel captivity of several months, the grandmother of the viceroy, moved with compassion, interposed warmly in their behalf; and the tyrant at length convinced that the treasure existed only in his own imagination, signed an order for their liberation. The pious Christian, like the psalmist, is sometimes perplexed at beholding the oppression of the upright, and the prosperity of the wicked; and is ready with him to cry, Awake! Why sleepest thou, O Lord?" While on the other hand, the reprobate, presumptuously says in his heart, "God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” Ps. 10-11. But though the vengeance of God may sometimes appear to slumber, and the wicked for a season triumph; yet, seldom do crimes of a die so black and deep as that above narrated, fail to awake that vengeance, and, even in this life, bring down upon the heads of the remorseless perpetrators, a just and terrible retribution. Of such a retribution, the fate of this cruel viceroy affords a fearful example. On the first of January 1757, a fleet commanded by admiral Watson, having on board Col. Clive and a strong body of troops, appeared before Calcutta to avenge the cruel tragedy acted upon their countrymen the preceding year. Col. Clive landed and invested the town under a brisk fire from the batteries. The salute however was so warmly returned, that in less than two hours the guns were silenced, and the fort abandoned. Capt. Coote with his Majesty's troops took possession of it, and found ninety-one pieces of cannon, four mortars, abundance of ammunition, stores, provisions, and every requisite for sustaining a long siege. This brilliant achievement was effected at the inconsiderable loss of nine seamen and three soldiers. A few days afterwards, the troops advanced to Hughley, a city of great trade situated higher up the river Ganges; which city they quickly reduced and demolished; thus inflicting a terrible blow on the nabob; as here, his storehouses of salt, and vast granaries for the support of his army were entirely destroyed. Infuriated almost to madness, he assembled an army of twenty thousand horse, with fifteen thousand foot, resolving to take ample revenge for the losses and disgraces he had sustained, and wholly expel the English from his dominions. Col. Clive immediately applied to the admiral for a reinforcement, and six hundred men under the command of capt. Warwick were drafted from the different ships. Clive then drew out his forces and advanced in three columns on the enemy, whom he attacked so vigorously, that the viceroy after a feeble resistance, retreated with the loss of a thousand men, five hundred horses, great numbers of draft bullocks, and four elephants. This engagement, though by no means decisive, so intimidated the viceroy, that he immediately opened a negociation, and in a few days the following treaty was concluded; viz. That he (the viceroy) should not disturb the English in any of their privileges or possessions granted by the Mogul. That all merchandize belonging to the company should pass and repass in every part of Bengal, free from duty. That all the English factories seized the preceding year should be restored, with money, goods, and effects appertaining. That all damages sustained by the English should be repaired, and their losses repaid. That the English should have liberty to fortify Calcutta in whatever manner they thought proper. That they should have liberty to coin all the gold and bullion they imported, which should pass current in Bengal. That he (the viceroy) should remain in strict amity and alliance with the English, use his utmost endeavours to heal up the late divisions, and restore the former good understanding between them. Though all these several articles were signed and sealed with the nabob's own hand, the English commanders had too much discernment to rely on the faith of the barbarian who had so perfidiously violated former engagements; but they prudently concealed their distrust, till they had thoroughly reinstated the Company's affairs, and reduced the power of the French in the province. In order to adjust the points that required discussion, Mr. Watts was appointed commissary at the court of the nabob at Muxadavad. The French having been subdued, the commanders now turned their attention to the fulfilment of the treaty; which as they had surmised, the viceroy was in no haste to complete. Mr. Watts from time to time sent them intelligence of the viceroy's intrigues with the French, who cajoled him with promises that he should be joined with such a body of European troops as should enable him to crush the Engfish; and although that faithless prince had publicly declared that the instant the English troops were put in motion he would cause Mr. Watts to be impaled, yet did that gentleman bravely sacrifice his own safety by earnestly exhorting them to proceed with vigour in their military operations. During these deliberations an incident occurred that determined the commanders to come to open rupture. The insolence and tyranny of the viceroy was not exercised over the English alone, but his own subjects also of every rank were exposed to such grievous and cruel oppressions, that at length a spirit of discontent appeared both among the chief men of his court, and the principal officers of his army; between whom a plan was concerted for deposing him. The conspiracy was conducted by Jaffier Ali Khan, his prime minister and chief commander and a nobleman of great influence and authority. The project was communicated to Mr. Watts, and through his instrumentality, an alliance between Ali Khan and the English was secretly concluded. Mr. Watts having illuded the vigilance of the spies set over him, escaped to the English camp. Clive and his little army now took the field and marched to meet the enemy. At daybreak on the twentythird of June, the viceroy advanced to attack him with fifteen thousand horse, thirty thousand infantry, and forty pieces of cannon officered by the French. After a short but severe conflict, the enemy fled; leaving their camp and the whole of their baggage and cannon in the hands of the English. Clive pursuing his victory, marched to Muxadavad, the capital; and was there joined by Ali Khan and the other malcontents. It had been previously concerted that this nobleman should be invested with the dignity of nabob; accordingly the colonel proceeded solemnly to depose Surajah Dowlat, and, with the like solemnity to substitute Ali Khan in his room; who was then publicly acknowledged by the people as suba, or viceroy of Bengal, Baha, and Orixa. Soon after, Suraja Dowlat was taken and put to death by his successor. Thus, exactly one year after his perpetration of the horrid Black-hole outrage, fell this tyrannical and powerful viceroy; thus, were the fellow-countrymen of those he had so cruelly murdered, made, by divine providence, the instruments of his deposition and final ruin; and thus, did this "Mighty man" in bitter anguish experience that "Neither his silver nor his gold was able to deliver him in the day of the Lord's wrath." Ali Khan readily and punctually fulfilled all the conditions of his elevation. He conferred on the English the most liberal rewards, and granted the Company such extraordinary privileges, as fully demonstrated how justly he had merited their assist ance. The French were entirely excluded from the commerce of Bengal and all its dependencies; while the English commerce was restored and increased beyond their most sanguine hopes. A vast sum was paid to the Company and the sufferers at Calcutta, the soldiers and seamen were gratified with six hundred thousand pounds as a reward for their courage and services. In a word, in the short space of fourteen days, a great revolution was effected, and the government of a country superior in wealth, fertility, extent, and population, to most European kingdoms transferred, by a handful of troops conducted by an officer untutored in the art of war, and a general by intuition rather than by instruction and experience. "The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth." Higgaion. Selah. Ps. 9-6. Mr. Holwell on his return to Calcutta, not only published an affecting narrative of his sufferings, but erected a splendid monument forty-eight feet in height to the memory of his companions. On the front, he inscribed the names of the hundred and forty-six unhappy prisoners, adding at the bottom, "This monument is erected by their surviving fellowsufferer J. Z. Holwell." On the reverse, "This horrid act of violence was as amply as deservedly revenged on Suraja Dowlat, by his majesty's arms under the conduct of vice-admiral Watson, and Col. Clive. Anno. 1757." S. J. B *****. THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN OF MODERN TIMES. MR. EDITOR.-Some time ago, I copied from an American newspaper a brief notice of the death of the "Oldest Woman in the World," and which appeared in the Christian's Penny Magazine for April 30. I rather doubted the accuracy of the statement as she was said to have been 162 years of age: but in travelling with Rev. Dr. Cox soon after, he assured me that he had seen her, conversed with her, and believed that she was a Christian. I have since found an account of her in his interesting volume, "The Baptists in America," which I now extract, assured that it will be regarded on many accounts as worthy of a place in your useful Magazine. BENEVOLUS. "Slavery presents itself to our view in one of the most extraordinary and offensive forms of which it is possible to conceive, while we were in this city [Providence]. The name of Washington, the father of his country, is revered by every patriot of every land. Our politicians, and even our princes and captains, may have quailed before his surprising genius; but his memory is enshrined in the hearts of the wise and the good in both hemispheres. We had visited the sanctuary of his home, wandered amidst the decays of his domain, and paid our homage to his worth before his unaspiring tomb. We here saw, still living, the very woman who nursed his infancy; and she has worn the chain and badge of slavery from that hour to the present time! Britons blushed for America, and were oppressed with a sickness of the very heart, to think that for more than a hundred years after the infant hero had been pillowed on the bosom of this stranger, Joyce Heth should have remained a slave. We were ready to ask, when we visited her, where are the sensibilities of a people who can tolerate so gross an outrage upon every soft and holy feeling, as to allow this living mummy, this breathing corpse, to be dragged through the country, exhibited to the idle gaze of strangers, and often exposed to the rude, offensive merriment of thoughtless youth? This mysterious antiquity, whose age we found to be 161 years, ought rather to have been cradled in silk, and nursed, in her second infancy, with all the tenderness with which she watched over one of the greatest of men. She was stolen from Madagascar, and was owned by the father of Washington at the time of his birth. It was evident that her person had been shamefully neglected, since she had sunk into the helplessness of an almost miraculous old age-her nails being suffered to grow till they bent, like bird's claws, and those of one clenched hand penetrated into her very flesh. She was left in the extremest destitution, and would have died in Kentucky, had it not occurred to some keen and shrewd calculator, that something might yet be made by exhuming, as it were, this living relic of a former age, to exhibit as a show! During many months, she had been conveyed from place to place, as the last sands of life were thus running out, and more had been gained than the sum for which Washington's father sold her in 1727, when, as appears in the existing copy of the bill of sale, she was fiftyfour years of age. It was often necessary for her to be addressed in the authoritative manner with which a slave is commanded, in order to rouse what remained of vital energy, so as to gratify the curious; but, at other times, she spoke with vivacity. She has been the mother of fifteen children, but all have died before her, excepting two or three grandchildren. This venerable slave is a Baptist, was immersed in the Potomac, and received into a Baptist church 116 years ago. She sings a few hymns, in a voice which brings Homer's grasshoppers to mind. She is often observed in prayer, and expresses herself, on a few essential points, with great clearness. The few sentences we heard, were in answer to our inquiries, at a time when she appeared greatly exhausted. She said, she wished to die and go to heaven in that minute of time, but must wait God's pleasure, and dare not be impatient;' expressed herself very clearly in reference to the blood of Christ as her only hope, declaring that the happiness she felt was of the Lord, through faith in Jesus.' In reply to some questions about her baptism, she said, 'it was in a river, and she was sure that it was the Potomac."-Baptists in America, pp. 450, 454. ILLUSTRATION OF ROM. IV. 8. "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute (or reckon) sin." A MAN Owes me a debt; I cancel it: I have now no charge against him. Thus the blessed God acts when he pardons a transgressor. He cancels the sinner's debt. Pardon does not, in fact, make the sinner no sinner, but it renders him free from the charge of transgression, as if he had never sinned. This forgiveness is most full, reaching to every offence; and it is most free, "Without money and without price." Many expressive images are employed in the Scriptures to represent the completeness of forgiveness. It is said, "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the DEPTHS OF THE SEA." Forgiven sin is thus removed and hidden as if buried for ever in the depths of the unfathomable ocean. God is represented as removing sin to the greatest possible distance from the soul. "As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." In the most expressive of images it is said by God himself, "Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow." Snow just fallen from the clouds is whiteness itself, unsullied whiteness; it presents to view only one sheet of dazzling white. Thus completely pardoning mercy blots out transgression, and renders the pardoned soul as free from the charge of sin, as the newly-fallen snow from every darkening stain. AT AN END. But where sin is thus forgiven the REIGN OF SIN IS Sin may harass the soul, and temptation may distress it, but sin no longer governs it like a mighty tyrant driving at his pleasure his crouching slave. Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" (Rom. vi. 12). "For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law but under grace" (ver. 14). "But Now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness: and the end everlasting life" (ver. 22). J. G. P. CHRISTIAN LADY'S FRIEND. REV. BASIL WOODD'S TESTIMONY CONCERNING HIS MOTHER. MRS. HANNAH WOODD, mother of Rev. Basil Woodd, an excellent clergyman of London, was born April 19, 1736, married in July 1759, and lost her affectionate husband by death, Jan. 12, 1760, when they had been united only about six months. Having been acquainted at school with Mrs. Wilberforce and Mrs. Conyers, she was now introduced to the acquaintance with Rev. H. Venn of Clapham, and Rev. Dr. Conyers of Deptford, by whom she became acquainted with the Gospel, and, under the blessing of God, an eminent Christian. Her son was born August 5; she devoted her life to his welfare, and lived to see him an eminent and useful minister of Christ. Mrs. Woodd's piety will be evident from the following meditation on her last birth-day on earth, April 19, 1784. "This is the day of my birth. Oh, my gracious Lord, make me sensible of thy mercies! I would be all praise and thanksgiving. I would praise thee for my birth, for there thy mercies began, and they have followed me all my days. Dearest Lord! I cannot express my thanks; but thou seest my heart, and I trust seest me longing to be thankful! Oh! that I could render praise and gratitude to thee, who, I humbly trust, hast new created my soul. This, this alone, makes the day of natural birth to be looked back to with comfort. Oh for a grateful heart! Help me, gracious Lord, to praise thee for all that is past! My heart is full. I want wordsoh, help me to look forward! I have lived here a long time; help me to look beyond the grave; to look to thy right hand. Increase my faith; help me to believe that thou hast indeed called me by thy grace; begun the good work, and that thou wilt carry it on and keep me, that where thou, my blessed Jesus, art, there thy poor unworthy servant shall be ! Oh, glory be to thy name, the work is thine own, and my trust is in thee! Oh keep me and save me, blessed Lord! I give myself to thee! Oh bring me to those blessed mansions of peace, where I shall be able to praise thee; where I shall be delivered from the painful clog of this body, which weighs down my soul! Prepare me for thy coming! O make me watchful and ready to meet thee when thou shalt please to send thy messenger, death, for me-make the pain I continually feel of use to me. cannot be long here! O quicken my soul! Fix my affections on heavenly things. Give me clearer views. Oh give me a sense of pardoned sin! Wash me in thy precious blood. Clothe me with thy perfect righteousness. Conform me more to thy divine image; and help me to meet death as a kind friend, come to fetch me home to thee! Amen, amen, thou dearest Lord!" Sure I On Evidences of the joyful state of her mind may be collected from what she said on her death-bed. her son's return from St. Peter's, Cornhill, five days before she died, she took hold of his hand and seemed much animated, "God," said she, "my dear, has been very gracious this afternoon; he sent my son from me, but he sent himself to me. O, I am very happy! I am going to my mansion in the skies. I shall soon be there: and oh! I shall be glad to receive you to it: you shall come in, but you shall never go out: never." Pausing a little, she said: "If ever you have a family, tell the children they had a grandmother who feared God, and found the comforts of religion on her death-bed. And tell your partner I shall be glad to see her in heaven: when you come to glory, you must bring her with you. Let me tell you by your own experience, when you come to lie upon your death-bed, an interest in Jesus will be found a precious possession. O what a mercy of mercies, that we should be brought out of the bondage of Egypt, and united together in the kingdom of God's dear Son! I exhort you to preach the Gospel; preach it faithfully and boldly; fear not the face of man; endeavour to put in a word of comfort to the humble believer, to poor weak souls. I heartily wish you success may you be useful to the souls of many." Dr. Conyers frequently said that he never saw such an instance of maternal affection. Her son observed, "This is a subject on which I hope I shall never think without heartfelt gratitude to her and to God, who so favoured me. The whole of her deportment was calculated to win my early attention to religion. I saw in her what it could do; how happy ! how cheerful! how humble! how holy! how lovely in life, and afterwards in death! how full of mercy and good fruits it could render the happy possessor! As I was the only son of my mother, and she a widow, she might, perhaps, lean to the side of over indulgence. Yet, if my heart do not deceive me, in trusting that I love the ways of God, I am indebted, through divine grace for that inestimable benefit, to the impression of her great and tender kindness, her uniform example, and particularly her pious and affectionate letters, when I was about thirteen years old. Such, indeed, has been the impression of her parental affection, that though my friends, I believe, have never charged me with filial negligence, yet, since her decease, I have regretted very frequently that in many little instances I conceive I might have shown her still more respect and affection." MRS. HOUSEMAN'S REFLECTIONS AT THE CLOSE OF A SABBATH. "JULY 22. I that have trifled away so many sabbaths have been intrusted with another. In the morning when I awaked, I hope I was truly thankful for the return of the Sabbath; and I was desirous to improve the prize put into my hands, and made it my errand at the throne of grace for his assisting and accepting presence. After I had read some part of God's word, I set myself to get a few serious thoughts; and they were led first to take a view of my present state, and in what relation I stood to God. I was enabled to discern the footsteps of the Spirit upon my heart, and that his real workings were after God and universal holiness. Methinks I could most feelingly say, Whom have I in heaven but thee! and there is none upon earth that I desire like thee!' "When I came to attend upon God in public ordinances, I cannot say I was without some serious desires and affections in my first engaging. Mr. Spilsbury preached: the word came in a most lively convincing manner to me, it reached my very case. But in my return home I felt deeper touches. Such impressions it made, that I could scarce contain myself from the observation of others. I made all the haste I could to retire, that I might give myself liberty; and I think I never had more sensible impressions made upon me. O what was it? Mr. Spilsbury preached from Rev. iii. 3. "Remember how thou hast heard." I begged these impressions might not wear off, as others had done. It cost me some tears. Lord, leave me not to my dark, dead, con AMERICAN MOTHERS' HYMN. MATERNAL associations exist in some Christian circles in Great Britain, and their fruits have been found most delightful and beneficial. We wish they were universal. America is blessed with many of these associations; and they meet for prayer in behalf of schools, colleges, and seminaries of learning. The following is a hymn composed for their use; and it will happily illustrate the spirit of these mothers of the American Israel. Wake, mothers in Israel! O hasten to plead Let pure clouds of incense be wafted to heaven That wisdom and grace to our youth may be given, O'er the green hills of science, O Spirit, preside, And moisten the germs and the flow'rs. Pour salt in these fountains, shed light in these halls, Bid Shiloh's pure waters arise; Till the tide of salvation surrounding these walls, Rolls high in the breezes of prayer. From the youth of our country shall armies arise The gospel of peace to proclaim, O'er the lands and the seas, the glad message Shall re-echo Immanuel's name. For the hands that in faith are uplifted to-day, that NECESSARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN AN INSTRUCTRESS OF CHILDREN. THE following "Answer" was written by an eminent poet, addressed to a lady's inquiry respecting the necessary accomplishments for an instructress of children. O'er wayward childhood would'st thou bear firm But Love is subtle, and will proof derive Yet haply there will come a weary day When overtasked, at length, Both Love and Hope beneath the load give way; Then with a statue's smile, a statue's strength, Stands the mute sister, Patience, nothing loth, And both supporting, does the work of both. S. T. COLERIdge. INFLUENCE OF SABBATH-SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS IN BIRMINGHAM. 66 BIRMINGHAM is eminently distinguished for the zeal and activity of Sabbath-school teachers; and, considering the magnitude of that vast toyshop of Europe," as a great statesman called it half a century ago, though now it may with truth be regarded as the "toyshop of the world," no system of instruction and moral discipline CAN BE MORE admirably adapted to the children of the poorer classes of that populous town. In visiting several of the Sabbathschools in that town, during the present month, I have been delighted with much that I saw and heard; and the following extracts from the Forty-first Anniversary Report of the Cannon-street Sundayschools, Birmingham, presented at the annual meeting, held April 5, 1836, I have no doubt will be perused with peculiar interest by the numerous Sabbath-school teachers who read the Christian's Penny Magazine. OBSERVER. "Since the establishment of these schools thousands of destitute children have been taught to read that Word which is able to make them wise unto salvation; and although many have withdrawn without any visible change of character, your committee cannot but indulge in a confident hope, that the seed sown in their youthful minds does, in numerous instances, in their riper years, bring forth fruit to the praise and glory of God. Cases frequently come under their observation where youth have left your schools apparently unconcerned, but afterwards the instruction they received has been savingly applied to their minds, and they have united themselves with various Christian churches. Doubtless occurrences of this kind are very frequent, but eternity alone will develope, to its full extent, the amount of good produced by this and kindred institutions. Your committee need not allude further to those who have left unconcerned, but would remind you, that for many years the schools have been a nursery for the church, hundreds who have been scholars in them have come forward to declare what the Lord has down for their souls, have been baptized in the name of Jesus, and admitted members of the church, many of whom, after a consistent walk and conversation, have been called to exchange time for eternity, and are now joining the heavenly choir in singing praises to Him that redeemed them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood. Your committee, for the want of any authentic document upon the subject, are unable to state the precise number of scholars who have been united with the church, but one of their number, from recollection, is enabled to communicate the pleasing intelligence that one-fifth of the present members of the church in Cannon-street, were once scholars in your schools, viz. one hundred and thirtytwo, and they feel confident they should be able to report considerably more had they the means of ascertaining the exact numbers. Amongst the many animating symptoms that vital piety is rising in your schools, your committee would relate the interesting fact, that fourteen of the present scholars are now members of the church, and one is waiting for baptism: were any thing wanting to show the utility of these institutions, surely here we have sufficient to convince the most doubtful mind, and every one present must feel grateful, and acknowledge, that hitherto the Lord hath helped us. -Although of minor importance, your committee think it worthy of notice, that many who received their education in these schools have, by their own industry and perseverance, raised themselves to affluence, and are now filling honourable and respectable stations in society. Your schools have always been remarkable for continuing the youth under their care to a more advanced age than similar institutions, and your committee observe, with feelings of satisfaction, that at the present time a system of discipline is maintained which, under the Ďivine influence, retains a greater number of youths from sixteen to twenty-one years of age than has hitherto been known in its history; and there are now under tuition three hundred and twenty-five boys, one hundred and eighty-nine girls, and sixty female adults, making a total of five hundred and seventy-four, out of which number eight young men, all above twenty years of age, and thirteen young women, have reputably completed their education, and will, in the ensuing month, at the anniversary sermons, be publicly dismissed, and each of them presented with a Bible. It affords your committee great pleasure to be able, after many examinations, to bear testimony to their excellent deportment and acquirements, and hope, that by their means, the influence of this institution may be felt through the various families and manufactories in which they may be called to move. During the past year the Spirit of God has been manifestly at work, and eight of the scholars, after a profession of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, have been admitted members of the church." OCEANIC WONDERS OF THE CORAL THESE Seemingly insignificant creatures are employed by their Creator to construct and rear mighty fabrics in the bosom of the deep. Some by their union form a long narrow ridge or reef, which extends uninterruptedly several degrees, opposing an immovable rampart to the great currents of the sea which it often traverses, the solidity and magnitude of which increases daily. Captain Beechey has given a most interesting account of the proceedings and progress of these minute animals in erecting these mighty works, and of the manner in which the sea forms ridges when the animals have carried their work as high as they can; upon these, at length, a soil is formed beyond the reach of its waves: a vegetation next commences; in time plants and trees spring up, animals arrive, and man himself finds it a convenient residence. When the Creator formed the coral worms, what foresight, as well as power and wisdom did he manifest! That a minute pouch of animated matter, with no other organs than a few tentacles surrounding its mouth, should be fitted to secrete calcareous particles from food collected by it, to transpire or regurgitate them so as to construct for itself a limestone house: that it should be empowered perpetually to send forth germs that could also act the same part, and thus, in process of time, by their combined efforts, build up in the midst of the fluctuating ocean-not merely insignificant islets but whole groups of islands, which, in due time, are rendered fit for the habita. tion of man himself, and do, in fact, become his permanent abode ! God's works, the wonders of his might |