will be sure to see a score of little darkies hovering about him, drinking in the strains with evident delight.

Being interested in their musical powers, I gathered collections of their popular airs, and felt indignant at the ineffable nonsense of the words which are in nearly every case attached to them. If they be real, what sin attaches to enlightened men, who keep in purposed ignorance a set of immortal beings who dwell in the midst of them! If they be the invention of hired musicians, who profess to be Ethiopians, then how low is the public taste in that matter, and how insulting is it to the poor black people! Yet kind ladies told me that much of this nonsense comes from the south, and is fostered by the owners, as the favourite singing of their pet slaves, which they like to repeat, as we do the imperfect prattle of our children. One may be allowed to question if that be the real state of the case, especially when, ever and anon, in the negro melodies, you catch a strain which has been metamorphosed from some familiar Scotch or Irish tune, into somewhat of a chiming jiggish air. It is remarkable, that all their love for music and for negro melodies, if these be indeed such, has not led the dark people to seek a corner in those halls where white men with sooty faces sing their airs well, and play their favourite banjo as well as it can be played. It is too obviously satire, and not sympathy, which these minstrels aim at. The ridicule is too broad and

contemptuous to be tolerated, much less enjoyed by them.

The sight of a dark complexion has long since ceased to be rare in a place of worship. Besides having churches of their own, you will, if you look well about you, find a few in a left-hand gallery, or in some odd corner of many churches. The time is also happily long gone by since New York state and city cleared themselves from the bondage and disgrace of slavery. In that unhappy time, when old Katy Fergusson was yet a girl, she was converted under the teaching of the Rev. Dr J. M. Mason. Her examination before the session, and the purpose of admitting her to communion, excited some murmuring and much speculation amongst those whose skins God had made fair. For thus far could an evil habit of mind prevent even Christians from rejoicing, when, according to His promise, "Ethiopia stretched forth her hands to God." The good and resolute doctor took no notice of these murmurings, but, with the dignity which his commanding figure and grave deportment rendered so becoming, and with the solemnity which the occasion demanded, he passed down to Katy's distant seat, led her to the table in presence of his great congregation, and exclaimed with deep emotion, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." "There is neither Greek nor Jew, there is neither bond nor free." "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Pre

judice in her case was disarmed and abashed, and by and by Katy's freedom was purchased. She, like most of her tribe, is a capital cook. They have the knack of it, and can stand any amount of heat. She has made many wedding-cakes and wedding-suppers, and had many young women under her training as pastrycooks, to whom she has been made useful in spiritual things.

In her house was held the first Sabbath-school of New York, and for forty years she has had a weekly prayer-meeting there. When we joined the little group, her pastor and a city missionary were present. There was a curious gathering of us-three coloured, three Jewesses, and a young couple lately from Glencairn, whose amazement was unbounded at being hailed by us as fellow-Dumfriesians. It touched us to sing the Scotch version of Psalms to the old airs of French and Balerma, and brought melting feelings of a quiet seat now vacant, and a voice now silent, a whole tribe of strong memories which are not read nor even suspected by any bystander.

It is striking to observe the contrast ;-while some professors, drawn aside by prosperity, are one day at the Lord's table, and another introducing their offspring to crowded dancing-parties, here is an aged and now feeble and poor woman, for years keeping an altar in her house, and helping others on the way to heaven. She is a person of varied talent and much energy still, and one day brought in to us a bouquet of waxen flowers, made by her

own trembling hands, good and pretty imitations of

nature.

It is to be hoped the church will care for her increasing wants till she ceases to want any more. A friend observed to me that evening, "These Glencairn people will presently change their house, and slip out of Katy's influence." When I, uninitiated, asked the reason with surprise, I was told, "They are still in happy ignorance about the prejudice, against colour, but they will soon be taught, and, because they will be ashamed to break off from so good a woman, they will just slip away by removing to another place." This, with many other examples, proved to me that the sentiment is not so much an instinctive aversion, as an educational prejudice, which prevents the one race from eating, or even worshipping, in company with the other.

One of the leading and popular ministers in the city stated to me that he had resided for months with a family in a southern state, who assembled their negroes every evening while he conducted worship, including a short and simple exposition of a passage of Scripture. He said it was one of the most trying exercises he was ever engaged in, from the extreme excitability of the people. He had' reasoned with them apart, against giving way to their feelings he had rebuked them when together, on the first symptom of strong emotion-he had been calm even to coldness itself-but night after the plainest statement of gospel truth

some into uncontrollable passions of tears, and others into convulsions. One woman, a nursingmother, and confided in by all on the plantation, by reason of years of Christian and prayerful consistency, fell nightly into convulsions and must be carried out. This gentleman imputed these violent emotions to a peculiarity in the negro constitution; while in my secret heart I questioned what manner of nerve-shaking events a day may produce in such a situation—or what known, and perhaps forced sins, might be then making conscience tremble. He adduced other instances of similar agitations and seizures, and specially that of a strongly built free coloured man, whom he had seen, on different occasions, seized with what might be termed catalepsy. His frame would become rigid, or one limb would be as inflexible for hours as if it were a bit of timber, while the power of speech would be taken from him. The same affections seized the South Sea Islanders, who, under convictions of their lost condition, were subject to nearly similar paroxysms. Such uncontrollable emotions are to be deplored as very disturbing where instruction should be conveyed, besides giving the evil-disposed opportunity to impute them to hypocrisy or design. Yet when we weigh the immense horror arising from a view of dangers that refer to a never-ending condition, it is not the convulsed and the groaning, but the unconverted, who are laughing and trifling, that are more suitable subjects of wonder.