LIGHTHOUSES are strong high buildings of stone, with a gallery and large glass lantern at the top, in which is a powerful light. They are generally fixed on or near some dangerous rocks, that vessels in a storm at night may avoid them. The most celebrated Lighthouse on the English coast, is built on the Eddystone rocks, near Plymouth. These rocks are about one hundred fathoms in length, running from north to south. The sea is very deep all round them, and this causes the heavy swell of the ocean to beat on them with greater fury when there is a storm. Indeed, when the sea is calm, the interruption to the course of the sea by these rocks, causes a great commotion and dashing of the waters. In moderate weather the water will fly to the height of thirty or forty feet when the waves are interrupted by these rocks.

In former times seamen avoided these rocks as much as possible, and yet many vessels were wrecked upon them and many lives were lost.

It is not surprising that the dangers to which navigators were exposed by these rocks, should make a commercial nation desirous of having a lighthouse on them. The wonder is, that any one should be

found hardy enough to undertake the building. Such a man was first found in the person of Henry Winstanly, of Littlebury, in Essex, gent., who, in the year 1696, was furnished by the master, wardens, and assistants of the Trinity-house, of Deptford Strond, with the necessary powers to carry the design into execution. He entered upon this undertaking in 1696, and completed it in four years. This gentleman was so certain of the stability of his structure, that he declared it to be his wish to be in it "during the greatest storm that ever blew under the face of the heavens."

Mr. Winstanly was but too amply gratified in his wish, for while he was there with his workmen and light-keepers, that dreadful storm began, which raged most violently on the 26th of November, 1703, in the night; and of all the accounts of the kind which history furnishes us with, we have none that has exceeded this in Great Britain, or was more injurious or extensive in its devastation. The next morning, Nov. 27th, when the violence of the storm was so much abated that it could be seen whether the lighthouse had suffered by it, nothing appeared standing; but, upon a nearer inspection, some of the large irons by which the work was fixed upon the rock still remained; nor

were any of the people, or any of the materials of the building, ever found afterwards.

In 1709, another lighthouse was built of wood, on a very different construction, by Mr. John Rudyerd, then a silk mercer on Ludgate-hill. This was a very ingenious structure; after it had braved the elements for forty-six years, it was burnt to the ground in 1755. On the destruction of this lighthouse, that excellent mechanic and engineer, Mr. Smeaton, was chosen as the fitest person to build another. It was with some difficulty that he was able to persuade the proprietors, that a stone building, properly constructed, would, in all respects, be preferable to one of wood; but having at last convinced them, he turned his thoughts to the shape which was most suitable to a building so critically situated. Reflecting on the structure of the former buildings, it seemed a material improvement to procure, if possible, an enlargement of the base, without increasing the size of the waist, or that part of the building which is between the top of the rock, and the top of the solid work. Hence he thought a greater degree of strength and stiffness would be gained, accompanied with less resistance to the acting power. On this occasion, the natural figure of the waist of a large spread

ing oak, occurred to Mr. Smeaton. He describes it as growing up from the ground with a very thick trunk, which gradually becomes thinner, and then spreads out again to be very thick where the first branches shoot from it. Now he thought if this tree, thus made, can, when all its leaves are on it, stand the fury of a storm of wind, a building made in the same form, would resist the action of the water: and he was right. Whenever we want to do anything, we should always look and see how the Great Architect has done in such cases, and take pattern by Him.

With these views, as to the proper form of the superstructure, Mr. Smeaton began the work on the 2nd of April, 1757, and finished it on August 4th, 1759. The rock is cut into steps, into which are dovetailed, and united by a strong cement, Portland stone, and granite. The whole, to the height of thirty-five feet from the foundation, is a solid of stones, ingrafted into each other, and united by every means of additional strength. The building has four rooms, one over the other, and at the top a gallery and a lantern. The stone floors are flat above, but concave beneath, and are kept from pressing against the sides of the building by a chain let into the walls. It is nearly

eighty feet high, and since its completion has been assaulted by the fury of the elements, without suffering the smallest injury.

Young Reader! Does not the lighthouse remind you of something else? What is that bright light, which fixed by a divine hand in this dark and stormy scene, is a beacon to warn us of the fatal rocks on which our fragile barks might perish? THE BIBLE! This light, shining in a dark place, not only warns us of peril, but points to the haven where we may rest in safety,

"And not a wave of trouble roll
Across our peaceful breast."

THE TIME TO PLAY.

O YES! there is a time to play and for my part, I love to see children amusing themselves in innocent and healthful play.