down, and then cut another in halves, and put the half one on its straight edge on the whole one. But both have their feelers, or roots, (for they look like potatoe-shoots,) underneath.

C. Well, now for something else.

U. It was sometimes very amusing to see whole shoals of porpoises, a large, black-looking fish, gamboling about the vessel. I remember one afternoon, we had a whole pack of them, not fewer than forty or fifty, on each side of us. The vessel was going through the water at the rate of eight or ten miles an hour, but the fish beat us hollow. There they were, their dark backs rolling above the waves, and darting before us; then going more slowly, and we saw them behind. Then forward again, as if they were determined to show that they could go before us, and do as they liked. I could almost have thought that the fishes wondered what sort of a thing it was, that was floating along on the top of what they would consider was their own region.

But all was not always pleasant. Mournful things sometimes happen at sea, as well as on land. There was a young man on board, who had been so ill, that he had not left his cabin. He was somewhat better, and one fine forenoon he came on deck, wrapped up in a heavy top-coat, to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. He sat down near the middle of the deck, and was resting himself in this position, when the vessel rolled suddenly on one side, and as he was taken by surprise, he slipped off his seat, struck in his fall against part of the bulwarks of the deck that was not fastened, and slipped through into the water. There was a cry directly that a man was overboard. As soon as possible the vessel was turned round to get back to the spot, and a boat was lowered with men to go to his assistance. He was seen for a little time floating near the surface, the boat rowed quickly towards him, and on the side of the vessel men were placed to catch hold of him, as they went by; but they were too late. His dress was too heavy; and just as the boat got to the place, he had sunk to rise no more.

Thus unexpectedly and suddenly did he pass into eternity; and the whole ship's company were plunged in gloom. Such events, whether they happen at sea, or on land, should remind us that "in the midst of life we are in death." We may die young; we may live to be old: but die we must; and to die is to go before God our Judge. My dear children, remember that there is a throne of grace, and that you are called to come to God the Saviour who sits on it. Be obedient to the heavenly call, and so shall you be prepared to stand before the throne of judgment.

REMARKABLE PRESERVATION FROM

DROWNING.

(From Campbell's "Memoir of Mr. David Nasmith.") I HEARD to-day of a most remarkable instance of the goodness of God towards the eldest son of Mr. Hercus, the Minister of Greenock; a lad about seventeen, whom I know very well. In walking along the pathway, his foot caught the place cut out in the stone for catching the ropes by, when thrown out from vessels; in consequence of which he was pitched into the sea.

He

went down head foremost, and sunk in the mud; from which he tried to extricate himself, but in vain. He became immediately insensible: completely covered with the water, there he lay. No person saw him fall in. When he fell he had a book in his hand; which, being picked up by a sailor passing, as it floated on the water, was taken by him to an officer in the neighbourhood. The person in the office, seeing the book wet, immediately asked him where he got it. On being told, he said, "Come, and point out the spot." He immediately ran down, supposing that some one might have fallen in, took a long pole from a shed on the quay, with a pike at the end of it, got into a little boat, and made towards the spot pointed out. The sea was perfectly calm, nothing but a few bubbles rising from the bottom. He drew along the pike, but found nothing. On a second throw of it, he got hold of the boy by the arm, brought him up, and, although the man knew the boy perfectly, being twenty times a day in his office, he could not recognise him, he was so much disfigured. He laid him on his knees on his belly, put the boy's hands behind his back, and pressed his own hands to his side to make him vomit, which he did. A large quantity of water ran from him. He was next removed to the office, where every means were used to restore him. He at length gave a groan as they rubbed him, which was the first symptom of animation. He gradually came round; and in six hours after being taken out of the water, he was conveyed to his father's house, where, I am happy to say, he is now, and getting well.

[We may observe, by the way, that in all such cases, the great object should be to restore warmth and breathing. Nothing should be done having a tendency to occasion any determination of blood to the head. Where animation is suspended through immersion in the water, the brain is always greatly oppressed; and holding the head downwards might at once fatally decide between life and death. The body should be put as soon as

possible into warm blankets, or by a fire, and the skin be rubbed. The lungs, too, if possible, should be artificially inflated, so as to raise the chest, and then the chest gently pressed so as to force out the air, thus imitating breathing. The best way is to get good help as soon as possible; and, in the mean time, to do nothing that would be mischievous, every thing that may be useful. People under water die, not because they swallow too much, (for that is seldom the case,) but because the action of the lungs is stopped, and so that of the heart; and thus the circulation of the blood comes to an end. Should any of our readers ever meet with such a painful case, our advice is, as far as possible, get skilful help directly; and, in the mean time, let all be done that can be done to promote warmth, and to set the lungs and heart in motion again, avoiding allowing the head to hang down. A horizontal posture, with the head gently raised, as if on a pillow in bed, is the best.EDIT.]

ST. ANTHONY AND THE COBBLER.

GOOD old Bishop Latimer, in one of his sermons, tells a curious tale, but one that has an excellent moral. It is this: :

"I read once a story of a holy man which had been a long season in the wilderness, neither eating nor drinking anything but bread and water. At the length, he thought there should be nobody like to him, and he desired of God to know who should be his fellow in heaven. God commanded him to go to Alexandria, and there he should find a cobbler, which should be his fellow. He went thither, and tarried with him three or four days. In the morning, his wife and he prayed together, and then they went to their business. At dinner-time they had bread and cheese, and took it thankfully. Their children were well taught to fear God; and so he spent his time, doing his duty truly. I warrant you he did not so many false stitches as cobblers do now-a-days. St. Anthony perceiving that, came to

knowledge of himself, and laid away all pride and presumption. By this ensample you may learn that honest conversation and godly living is much regarded before God; insomuch as this poor cobbler, doing his duty diligently, was made St. Anthony's fellow."

LUTHER'S EARNESTNESS IN PRAYER.

Ar the time when the German Diet (assembly of the various Princes, Nobles, Deputies, &c., who constituted what may be called the Parliament of the empire) was meeting at Augsburg, in 1530, it was not thought advisable that Luther should himself be present, but that Melancthon and two other Divines, should conduct the Protestant cause, which was then in perilous circumstances. But that Luther might be at hand for counsel and advice, he came to Coburg, half way between Wittemberg, his usual residence, and Augsburg. Here he studied and wrote; and here, too, HE PRAYED; for the Divine who was his companion there, thus describes his conduct.

It once

Blessed God!

"Not a day passes but he spends three hours, and the very hours most suited to study, in prayer. happened to me to hear him at prayer. what spirit, what faith, there is in his very words! He offers his petitions with all the reverence that is due to God, and yet with such hope and faith as if he felt that he were conversing with a father and a friend. 'I know,' he said, 'that thou art our Father and our God; I am therefore well assured that thou wilt destroy the persecutors of thy children. But if thou shalt not This whole

do this, the peril is thine as well as ours. affair is thine. We engaged in it only by compulsion. Thou, therefore, wilt defend it.' When I heard him from some distance praying with a clear voice almost in these words, my own soul was likewise inflamed with a peculiar emotion; with such friendly familiarity, with such seriousness, with such reverence, did he converse with God. And amidst his prayers he vehemently pressed the promises from the Psalms, as if he was sure