To ascertain the height of towers, steeples, or other inaccessible points with positive accuracy, requires expensive instruments and considerable practice; but there are some very simple methods by which the traveller may ascertain, with tolerable correctness, the height of a building, or the distance of an inaccessible place.

In order to measure the height of a building, when the base is accessible, two plans may be resorted to; the following is extremely simple, but it can only be employed when the sun shines, and when the object is between the sun and the spectator. Place in the ground, as nearly perpendicular as possible, a stick, A, of any height, say three feet; let this be at such a distance from the base of the obelisk, as to cause the shadow of the obelisk just to pass the summit of the stick at s, and to reach the ground at o; measuring then the distance from A, to the base of the obelisk at D, O A will bear the same proportion to the height of the stick. as A D does to that of the obelisk; so that supposing o A to be equal to five feet, and the stick three, if the distance A D is equal to fifty, the height ofthe obelisk will be thirty feet.

But as the bright face of the sun is at times overcast with clouds, and this method cannot always be employed, the same purpose may be almost as readily effected by the use of the following simple instrument.

Take a thin piece of wood or card-board, in the shape of fig. 3: let A в, and в C, be each nine inches in length; D is a small plummet attached to a thread; hold this triangle betwixt the pillar and yourself, keeping the plumb-line parallel to the side в C, that is perpendicular to the horizon. Then either approach to or go backward from the pillar, until a line drawn from the eye, along the side a c of the triangle would, if continued, reach the top of the building. Measure then the distance from the spot on which you are standing to the base of the pillar, and add to its amount five feet, about the distance from the base of the triangle to the ground, and the amount of these two measurements will give the height of the pillar.

THE CASTLE OF ST. ELMO.

This fortress is built on the extremity of the peninsula of land which seperates the two chief harbours of the island. The present site of St. Elmo was anciently called Della Guardia; as here a watch was constantly kept to notice the entrance of all vessels into both harbours. Here also was a small chapel dedicated to St. Erasmus or St. Elmo, the tutelar saint of seamen; from which the fort derives its name. The fort was first erected by order of the viceroy of Sicily, on the occasion of an attack of the

Turks in 1488. When the knights of Rhodes took possession of Malta, they soon saw the importance of having this point well fortified, and after an invasion of the Turks, when it was first projected to build a new city on Mount Shaab-er-Ras, by order of the Grandmaster Jean D'Omedes, in the year 1552, this fortress was much enlarged, and destined to form the citadel of the town. The work was carried or and completed under the direction of the Grand Prior of Capua; masons and other workmen were brought over from Sicily for the purpose.

In 1565, the eighth year of the reign of La Valetta, Solyman, enraged at the seizure of a Turkish gallion belonging to the chief black eunuch of his seraglio, vowed the destruction of Malta; and for that purpose destined a formidable armament under Dragut, the admiral of the Algerine fleet, which appeared off the island in the month of May. The first point of attack determined on by Solyman's general was St. Elmo, which was usually garrisoned by sixty men, under the command of one knight; but such was the importance of the place, that it was thought expedient to add a reinforcement. Accordingly, sixty knights and a company of Spanish infantry were sent to support it.

On the 25th. of the same month the Turkish artillery began to batter the fort both from the sea and land. In a few days a breach was effected, and a most bloody contest ensued, which must soon have ended in the entire destruction of so small a garrison, had not fresh supplies of troops continually arrived during the night, from Borgo, in boats, which took back the wounded from the fort. The ravelin was next stormed by the besiegers, and fell into their hands after a loss on their part of about 3000 men; but insensible to this loss, they continued the attack with unexampled ardour. In the mean time the courage of the garrison was unabated; but seeing that the ravelin was taken, the fort exposed, the greater part of the artillery dismounted, the ramparts in ruins, with but very few soldiers to defend them, they deputed a knight to wait upon the Grandmaster to request that they might evacuate the fort. La Valette, though secretly deploring the fate of so many brave men who had fallen, yet, knowing the importance of the place, would not consent to its abandonment on the most urgent entreaties from many of the Order. By a stratagem which he formed, he raised the emulation and jealousy of the petitioners, who were now determined to die rather than yield up their posts. On the 16th. of June, a general assaur was made by the enemy, and the walls were laid even with the rock on which they were built. The Turks now entered the ditch, where a fierce engage

ment took place; for while a continual fire was kept up from both sides, the parties grappled with each other, after they had broken their pikes in the contest. The assault continued for six hours, when the enemy began to give way, and sounded a retreat after having lost 3000 men. Seventeen knights perished in the breach, and 300 soldiers were either killed or wounded.

A reinforcement of 150 men from Borgo, who voluntarily offered themselves for the service, was now sent over to the fort; but this was the last time such assistance could be afforded. The Turkish commander managed to laud a force on the opposite side, at the Renella creek, which hindered any boat from crossing over to the help of the besieged. On the 21st. three assaults were made, and were as often repulsed, until night put a stop to the contest.

On the following day the assault was renewed by day-break, and after defending the breach for four hours, only sixty men remained to man it. At 11 o'clock, the Jannisaries made themselves masters of the cavalier, and the Turkish commander entered the fort. Not one knight was left alive, and the few remaining soldiers perished in the breach. The loss of the enemy is estimated at 8000, while the Order lost 300 knights and about 1300 soldiers.

The inhuman Turk, wishing to revenge the death of his troops, ordered a search to be made among the dead and wounded for the knights, whose hearts he had ripped out, and after cutting their breasts in the shape of a cross, commanded them to be set afloat on boards, designing that the tide should carry them over to St. Angelo, towards Borgo. towards Borgo. By way of reprisal, La Valette ordered all the prisoners to be put to death, and loading his cannon with their still bleeding heads, fired them into the enemy's camp.

In the following year, after the reimbarkment and defeat of the Turkish expedition, when the first stone of the city of Valetta was laid, the Fort of St. Elmo was repaired and fortified, and built in a more regular form than it was before. In the year 1687, under the Grandmaster Carafa, the fortress

was almost rebuilt, and in the commencement of the eighteenth century, the surrounding bastions were added by the Grandmaster Raimondo de Perellos e Roccaful. These bastions, as also the fort, are built of a very hard limestone, called by the natives zoncor, and are well supplied with bombs and cannon, and other pieces of artillery. On the angles of the ramparts which commanded the entrance into both harbours are two turrets, formerly intended for the purpose of watching the vessels which entered and left the harbour. At present, the entrances to these are closed up with two marble slabs, one bearing an inscription to the memory of Admiral Sir A. Ball, once governor of Malta, below which are interred his remains surrounded by an iron railing; and the other in memory of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, whose embalmed body is enclosed in a barrel within the turret, just as it was brought from Aboukir. From this circumstance, the ramparts to the west are called after the name of the former, Ball's bastions, and those to the East, Abercrombie's bastions.

From the watch-tower surmounting the fort vessels may be seen at a great distance; the quality of the sail in sight is marked by different signals, and the points from which they are coming may be known by the position in which these signs are placed, on a stand prepared for the purpose. This custom existed in the time of the Order, and is continued to the present day. Men-of-war are signified by two balls suspended on a small pole, a packet by one, and a merchant vessel by a small square white flag.

The treble row of magazines, nineteen on each story, now forming a barrack for two regiments of the line, was erected under the auspices of the Grandmaster Emmanuel Pinto, and intended for store-houses of am

munition for the Order, and a safe asylum for females in case of a siege. These magazines are bomb proof, and are built within the walls, under the western wing of the Fort, from a design by the Cavalier Tigné. The terrace of this building is well paved, and forms a delightful walk, enjoying an extensive view of the sea. In the square, in front of the barracks, is a fine fountain,

surmounted by four large stone shells, from which the water was formerly made to spring. Over the two gates which open the descent to the square, were placed the arms of the Grandmaster Pinto, surrounded with warlike trophies and other ornaments. Those on the north-western side have been thrown down; but those opposite, towards the town, are still to be seen, though somewhat destroyed by the hand of time.

The fort of St.Elmo is at present garrisoned by English Artillery, and a small detachment of infantry. The quarters which they occupy are very healthy; those on the walls are open to the air, and those below are built with spacious corridors along the ranges of rooms. There was a small chapel in the fort, which is now used for a different purpose. The light-house, which rises from one of the angles, has lately been improved by the English Government.

Since the year 1565, when St. Elmo unhappily fell into the hands of the Turks, but was afterwards retaken by the knights, the fort was seized upon by a mob of priests and malcontents amounting to between three and four hundred persons. This event took place during the short reign of the Grandmaster Francis Ximenes de Taxada: but the conspirators were soon obliged to abandon their position. On being seized by the Bailiff de Rohan, who had the charge of the attack, some were executed, whilst others were either banished or imprisoned.

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MANIFESTATION OF CHARACTER.-"When you see a dog following two men," says Mr. Ralph Erskine in one of his sermons, you know not to which of them he belongs while they walk together: but let them come to a parting road, and one go one way, and the other another way, then will you know which is the dog's master. So, at times re

ligion and the world go hand in hand. While a man may have the world and a religious profession too, we cannot tell which is the man's master, God or the world; but stay till the man come to a parting road; God calls him this way, and the world calls him that way. Well, if God be his master, he follows religion, and lets the world go; but if the world be his master, then he follows the world and the lusts thereof, and lets God and conscience and religion go.”

EFFECT OF MUSIC.

In my early youth, I went with some other young people, equally devoid of care, one day during the extreme heat of summer, to seek for coolness and fresh air on one of the lofty mountains which surround the Lago Maggiore, in Lombardy. Having reached by day-break the middle of the assent, we stopped to contemplate the Borromean isles, which were displayed under our feet, in the middle of the lake, when we were surrounded by a large flock of sheep, which were leaving the fold to go to their pasture. One of our party, who was no bad performer on the flute, and who always carried his instrument along with him, took it out of his pocket. "I am going," said he, "to turn Corydon; let us see whether Virgil's sheep will recognize their pastor." He began to play. The sheep and goats, which were following one another towards the mountain, with their heads hanging down, raised them at the first sound of the flute, and all, with a general and hasty movement, turned to the side from whence the agreeable noise proceeded. Gradually they flocked round the musician, and listened with motionless attention.

He

ceased playing: still the sheep did not stir. The shepherd, with his staff, obliged those nearest him to move on. The shepherd, out of patience, pelted them with clods of earth; but not one would move. The fluter played with additional skill; the shepherd fell into a passion, whistled, scolded, and pelted the poor fleecy amateurs with stones. Such as were hit by them began to march, but the others still refused to stir. At last, the shepherd was obliged to entreat our Orpheus to stop his magic sounds: the sheep then moved off, but continued to stop at a distance, as often as our friend resumed the agreeable instrument. The tune he played was nothing more than the favourite air of the opera at that time performing at Milan. As music was our continual employment, we were delighted with our adventure; we reasoned upon it the whole day, and concluded that physical pleasure is the basis of all music.-Life of HAYDN.

A GOOD CONSCIENCE.

What is there in all the pomp of the world, and the enjoyment of luxury, the gratification of passion, comparable to the tranquil delight of a good conscience? It is the health of the mind. It is a sweet perfume that diffuses its fragrance over everything near it without exhausting its store. Unaccompanied with this, the gay pleasures of the world are like brilliants to a deceased eye, music to a deaf ear, wine in an ardent fever, or dainties in the langour of an ague. To lie down on the pillow after a day spent in temperance, in beneficence, and piety, how sweet is it! How different from the state of him who reclines at an unnatural hour, with his blood inflamed, his head throbbing with wine and gluttony, his heart aching with rancorous malice, his thoughts totally estranged from Him who has protected him in the day and will watch over him, ungrateful as he is, in the night season! A good conscience is indeed the peace of God. Passions lulled to sleep, clear pleased with every obvious and innocent object thoughts, cheerful tempers, a disposition to be

around; these are the effects of a good conscience; these are the things which constitute happiness; and these condescend to dwell with the poor man, in his humble cottage, in the vale of obscurity. In glitter the exteriors of happiness,-the gilding, the magnificent mansion of the proud and vain the trapping, the pride, and the pomp; but in the decent habitation of piety is oftener found the downy nest of heavenly peace; that solid good, of which the parade of the vain, the frivolous, and voluptuous, is but a shadowy semblance.-Christian Philosophy.

RELIGION is not so much taught by lessons, as it is by our examples, and habits of speaking, acting, and thinking. It should not be a garment reserving for sunday wear. We should always be in the habit of referring everything to our Father in Heaven. If a child is reminded of God at a moment of peculiar happiness, and is then told to be grateful to him for all his enjoyments, it will do him more good than any words we can learn. To see the cherry-stone he planted becoming a tree, and to be told that God made it grow, will make a more lively impression on his mind, than would be produced by any lesson from a book. The people called Quakers, or Friends, says every day should be Sunday, and certainly no day should pass away without our using some of the opportunities which are occurring of leading our hearts to God.-MRS. CHILD.