mountebank is unmasked, and the delu- | the outside show and the inward feeling; but approaches to something like the same thing are to be seen around us, every day of our lives. sion is made clear; but it is too late-the invalid has been robbed of his remaining strength. Things are not what they seem! The thoughtless spendthrift, who has involved himself in numberless embarrassments; who has mortgaged his means, and anticipated all his resources; whose way is hedged up with thorns, by accident casts his eye on a paragraph in some public journal. "Money on easy terms,' seems like a sunbeam to his delighted vision, and with breathless haste, he hurries off to the kind-hearted and generous lender. Gladly he puts his name to the proffered bills, and in another hour is to receive the seasonable supply. Things are not what they seem! When he returns, the lenders are vanished! His golden expectations are but a dream; but the responsibility he has incurred is a fearful reality. One of the most striking instances of a deceitful outside show, in the natural creation, that I ever remember to have witnessed, was in the trunk of an oak. To all appearance, there stood a goodly tree before me, and its giant branches were redundantly clad with verdure; but on a closer inspection, I found the trunk to be a mere outside shell. The side opposite to that on which I had at first gazed, had, with the heart of the tree, altogether decayed away. Much of a similar nature may sometimes be found among mankind, an outside flourishing appearance, without a heart. In a tree this is to be regretted; but in a human being it is a wretched spectacle. I once conversed privately with a public jester, whose avocation was, dressed in gay apparel, to excite merriment in the multitude that gathered around him. What a world of comicality could he throw into his expressive face! What an exhaustless fund of drollery did he possess and what roars of irrepressible laughter did he call forth amid the crowd! He was, to all appearance, one of the most light-hearted and happy beings that ever wore a smile. But what did he tell me in private? that the colour in his cheek was painted, that the jests he uttered were hackneyed, that the mirth he manifested was feigned, and that he was one of the most miserable of mortals on the face of the earth. This may be no ordinary instance of the striking difference between the fiction and the fact, the shadow and the substance, Thus have I, in a rambling, unconnected way, dwelt a moment on the subject of outside show. Should you pursue the thought, you may be more happy in your reflections than I have been in mine. Certain it is, that things are not what they seem; and the knowledge of this truth should lead us more and more to mistrust our own judgment, and to look above for wisdom and instruction. ANECDOTES OF A BABOON AND A CAT. I HAD on board of a ship which I commanded, a very large Cape baboon, who was a pet of mine, and also a little boy, who was a son of mine. When the baboon sat down on his hams, he was about as tall as the boy was when he walked. The boy, having a tolerable appetite, received about noon a considerable slice of bread and butter, to keep him quiet till dinner time. Í was on one of the carronades, busy with the sun's lower limb, bringing it in contact with the horizon, when the boy's lower limbs brought him in contact with the baboon, who having, as well as the boy, a strong predilection for bread and butter, and a stronger arm to take it withal, thought proper to help himself to that to which the boy had been already helped. In short, he snatched the bread and butter, and made short work of it, for it was in his pouch in a moment. Upon which the boy set up a yell, which attracted my notice to this violation of the articles of war, to which the baboon was equally amenable as any other person in the ship; for it is expressly stated in the preamble of every article, “All who are in, or belonging to." Whereupon I jumped off the carronade, and, by way of assisting his digestion, I served out to the baboon, monkey's allowance, which is, more kicks than halfpence. The master reported, that the heavens indicated that it was twelve o'clock, and with all the humility of a captain of a man of war, I ordered him to make it so, whereupon it was made, and so passed that day. I do not remember how many days it was afterwards, that I was on the carronade as usual, about the same time, and all parties were precisely in the same situation, the master by my side, the baboon under | very inconsolable. She prowled about the booms, and the boy walking out the house, and on the second day of of the cabin with his bread and butter. tribulation, fell in with the little spaAs before, he again passed the baboon, niel who was nursing the other three who again snatched the bread and puppies. "Oh, oh," says puss, putting butter from the boy, who again set up up her back, "is it you who have stolen a squall, which again attracted my at- my children ?" "No," replied the spantention. I looked round, and the ba- iel, with a snarl; "they are my own flesh boon caught my eye, which told him and blood." "That won't do," says the plainly that he'd soon catch what was cat. Thereupon issue was joined; that not all my eye;" and he proved that is to say, there was a desperate comhe thought so, for he actually put the bat, which ended in the defeat of the bread and butter back into the boy's spaniel, and the cat walking proudly hands. It was the only instance of off with one of the puppies which she which I ever knew or heard, of a took to her own bed. Having deposited monkey being capable of self-denial this one, she returned, fought again, where his stomach was concerned, and gained another victory, and redeemed I record it accordingly. another puppy. Now, it is very sin LAWS AND CONSTITUTION IN THE I have been reading Jesse's Glean-gular that she should only have taken ings. Is he quite correct? I have my two, the exact number she had been doubts. In one point, I certainly do deprived of. Does not this prove to not agree with him, in his favourite a certain extent the power of calcuopinion of cats. I do, however, know lating numbers in animals ? and does an instance of misplaced affection of a not the precocity of the two puppies cat, which, although it does not add brought up by the cat, infer there is to the moral character of the race, is some ground for the supposition that extremely curious for more reasons than with the milk is embued much of the one, and as it happened in my own nature and disposition of the mother? family, I can vouch for its authenticity. A few experiments made on these points A little black spaniel had five puppies, would be interesting; and we should which were considered too many for have a new science, that of Lacteology her to bring up. As, however, the to add to Craniology in our nurture breed was much in request, her mis- and rearing of the species.- Captain tress was unwilling that any of them Marryatt. should be destroyed, and she asked the cook whether she thought that it would be possible to bring up a portion of them by hand before the kitchen fire. In reply, the cook observed, that the Ir is not intended to enter far into this cat had that day kittened, and that subject here. The principal feature to perhaps the puppies might be sub-notice, is the decline of the feudal powers stituted for her progeny. The experiment was made, two of the kittens were removed, and two puppies substituted. The cat made no objection, took to them kindly, and gradually all the kittens were taken away, and the cat nursed the two puppies only. Now the first curious fact was, that the two puppies nursed by the cat, were in a fortnight as active, forward, and playful, as kittens would have been if they had the use of their legs, barked and gambolled about, while the other three, nursed by the mother, were whining and rolling about like full slugs. The cat gave them her tail to play with, and they were always in motion; they very soon ate meat, and long before the others they were fit to be removed. This was done, and the cat became and customs, and a greater attention to the forms of legal proceedings. The royal prerogative was asserted strongly, and became almost absolute during the reigns of the house of Tudor; but it is important to remark that this was under the forms of legal proceedings. Henry VII., as well as the succeeding monarchs, humbled many by process of law. An instance of this appears in the Plumpton correspondence: Empson caused legal proceedings to be instituted against sir Robert Plumpton, who had been knighted by Richard III., and put into possession of his estate by an award of that monarch. As there was an opening to raise a legal question to his title, this was done. The first warning was in May 1501, when Plumpton was cautioned that Empson was taking means to strength, as the wealth of the middle classes increased; and herein the peaceful policy of Elizabeth did much for the advantage of her subjects. secure favourable jurors. We cannot go interference of the monarch that kept through all the proceedings; but a ver- down the rising spirit of liberty. Yet dict being given against him, sir Robert the House of Commons always retained determined to keep possession of his the power of taxation; this was a right "place" by force, and wrote immedi- upon which Elizabeth did not infringe; ately to his wife, to lay in provisions the attempt to do so by weaker monarchs and prepare accordingly. He was not was successfully resisted. This indedriven to this extremity, but had to at-pendence of the Commons increased in tend farther proceedings in London. His wife, the granddaughter of an earl of Westmoreland, wrote in most despairing terms of their circumstances; she sent to borrow money, by her husband's directions; but the answer was, "he hath it not to len;" "as for wood there is none that will bey, for they know ye want money-tha will bey none without they have tymmer tres, and will give nothinge for them." Nor could a purchaser be found for land, "and your henten stoufe is to bey, and I wote not what to do." She had not money to purchase the salt fish, then the only food allowed in Lent. She adds, Sir, for God's sake, take an end, for we are brought to begger staffe, for ye have not to defend them withall; sir, I send you my mare, and iiijs. iiijd. by the bearer hereof, and I pray you send me word as sone as ye may.' 66 The difficulties of sir Robert Plumpton increased. On the death of Henry VII., he lost a protection from arrest, which he had as a nominal servant of that monarch, and was imprisoned in "the counter in the Paistres" where he "paid fer every maile of meate" iiijd. for himself, and iid. for his servant. His wife soon after came to share his imprisonment. The disgrace and death of Empson, however, changed the circumstances of the suit, and a compromise was effected with the other parties, the particulars of which need not be noticed. During the reigns of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth, we find the same employment of legal proceedings. If a person suffered for political causes, it was under a process for high treason, accounted regular at that day. If a nobleman was to be humbled, it was by a prosecution under some obscure or obsolete statute, which, if in any way abated, was so by the exercise of the royal prerogative. The humbling of the aristocracy, though for a time it was effected by the prerogative, gave additional strength to the commonalty. The House of Commons was more attentive to its privileges, and more inclined to assert them; and it was the personal character and Even the complaints of crime, at the close of this century, indicate the increased wealth of the people at large: they were rather crimes against_property, than against the person. Fleetwood, the recorder of London, mentions his having taken in one day, "seventyfour roogs, whereof some were blynd, and yet great usurers, and very riche.' He also mentions an alehouse neere Byllingesgate, where there was 66 schole house sett upp to learne younge boyes to cutt purses." He says they conferred the degrees of "a publique Hoyster, and a judiciall nypper." the description of England, in Hollinshed's Chronicles, are the names of twenty-three sorts of idle vagabonds, beginning with "rufflers," and ending with walking mortes and kinching coves.' a In The administration of justice was improved, though not wholly independent. The judges were removable at the pleasure of the monarch, and usually inclined to favour the crown; but there were some decided cases of opposition to the will of the monarch, as in the cases of sir Thomas More and judge Hales. There were also instances of corruption and undue favouritism; of this evil, Latimer spoke openly, and in strong condemnatory language, when pleading before Edward VI., charging that monarch solemnly to look to it. Fleetwood complained of retainers of the court, who when they had done amiss, and were complained of, "they then runne unto me, and no other excuse or answere can they make, but saye, 'I am a jyntylman, and being a jyntylman, I am not thus to be used as a slave, and a colions handes."" The reports of this active and worthy official are very amusing. An account of the prisoners in the Tower, in the reign of Edward VI., shows how the process of law was subject to the royal prerogative. The duke 66 of Norfolk had been confined ten years, | Edward Courtenay twelve. Two prisoners had been pardoned; but the bill for their pardon was steyde by the lorde chanceler. Robert Allen hath bene there twelve monethes and more, for matters of astronomie, and suspicion of calculation." Another was imprisoned "for suspicion of imbecillynge of certeyn jewels and money" of the duchess of Somerset. Still this was preferable to the murderous atrocities of the feudal times. On the subject of law, as well as others at this period, England was in a state of transition. Much evidently would depend upon the course pursued in the next half century. HEART PURITY. GOD is for that man, and that man is for God, who carries about with him a pure heart. Heart purity makes a man the darling of Heaven. Many affect pure language, pure houses, pure habits, pure hands, pure air, pure meat, pure drink, pure gestures, etc., who yet for want of purity of heart shall never see the face of God in glory. Heart purity speaks a man eternally happy. Holiness is that noble principle which fits a man for the happiest sight of God; it makes a man a meet companion for God both here and hereafter. Without this principle, no man can have communion with God in this world; much less can he have communion with God in heaven, if this precious principle of holiness be not seated in his heart. It will not stand with the holiness of God, to have any thing to do with those that have no principles of holiness in them. It is a principle of holiness that fits a man for the service of God, that fits a man for fellowship with God, that fits a man for walking with God, that fits a man for correspondence with God, and that fits a man for the delight of God, and that fits a man for an everlasting fruition of God. And therefore certainly without holiness, there is no happiness; without a principle of purity there can be no seeing of the face of God in glory. Brook's Beauty of Holiness. WRITING. WRITING diverged from Assyria to all those nations, which either through rusti THERE has of late years been much intercession made to God in behalf of China. And we know he will, in his own time, and in his own way, bring the Chinese to acknowledge his supremacy, and to bow to his peaceful and holy commands. I cannot for one moment entertain the idea that China is to be closed, like Japan, and for centuries, or even for tens of years, to exclude the light of God's glorious gospel. Neither can I believe that those who bring glad tidings and publish peace are much longer to be hindered from their work. The pride and the haughtiness of man God will humble. The mountains shall be levelled, and the rough places be made smooth. Jesus shall reign. More and more do I long for the time when I may go among this people, and day after day, and hour after hour, discourse to them about the things of God and heaven. We are on the eve of a new era, and a great revolution has commenced. We have long mourned over the_evils and the desolations around us. For these the gospel is the only remedy. And now we trust the God of nations is about to open a highway for those who will preach the word.-Rev. J. Bridgman, Macao. EARLY PRINTING. Ancient Printing Office. Ir is now generally believed that the art of printing was introduced and first practised in England by William Caxton, a mercer and citizen of London. Having travelled abroad, and resided many years in Holland, Flanders, and Germany, engaged in trade, he availed himself of the opportunity he enjoyed to become acquainted with this process, and encouraged by the great, and especially by the abbot of Westminster, he first set up a press in the abbey of that city, soon after the year 1471. In 1478, several books were printed by Caxton, of which the titles have been preserved; but nothing can be inferred, either from their number or contents, except the progress of the art. He continued to pursue his business with reputation and success, until the year 1491 or 1492, and numerous volumes issued from his press. Few rivals appeared to share his fame, or divide his emoluments. In 1483, no more than four printing presses were known to be established in England. It is pleasing to observe, that Caxton, as a merchant, appears to have been a man of strict integrity; and, as a tradesman, when he established printing, diligent in business." He seems to have been desirous to spread among the people books likely to promote their welfare. Would that a si 66 milar testimony could be borne to all those who followed him in the practice of an art, incalculable in its benefits when rightly directed, but widely injurious when perverted to evil purposes ! The first printers in the metropolis, in 1480, were John Lettou and William Machliana, who are supposed to be foreigners, and were probably encouraged by Caxton to come over and settle in England. They printed near Allhallows church, in London. Wynken de Worde appears also to have been induced to come hither by the same means. He is celebrated for his great skill. One circumstance induces many to think that he was his own letter founder; it is, that in some of his first printed books, the letter he made use of is used by all the London printers at this time, and it is therefore concluded, that they were all struck from his punches. He is the first printer who introduced the roman letter into England, which he employed to distinguish any thing remarkable. Most of his books, now remaining, were printed at London, in St. Bride's parish, Fleet Street, at the sign of the Sun. Others followed in the career thus opened; and towards the end of the reign of Henry VIII., besides the books that were printed at home, several were printed for us abroad, by the encouragement of English merchants and others, as they found it advantageous to do so. X |