besought the king, Regard us, O king; use not thy subjects with so much cruelty; rather exact from us our gold and silver vessels, or abundant gifts; even all that every Jew possesses, if he may still abide in his country.' I entreated likewise my friends, the king's officers, to allay his indignation against my people. I implored the councillors to advise the king each in his turn, to recall the decree. But as the adder closes her ear with dust against the voice of the charmer, so the king hardened his heart against the prayers of his suppliants, and declared that he would not revoke his decree to

gain all the wealth of all the Jews. At his right hand was the Queen, the Jews' enemy, urging him with an angry voice to pursue what he had so happily commenced. We exhausted all our power for the removal of the king's sentence, but there was no wisdom nor help remaining. Our nation, wherever the decree had been proclaimed, or its fame had spread, bewailed their condition with a great wailing. Tossed in these fearful billows, they exhorted and confirmed the minds of each other. 'Whatever befals, let us surmount every calamity for the honour of our nation and our religion by a brave endurance. Let us defend these from the hateful persecutors. If they leave us our life we will live: if they take it from us we will die; but never let us violate our holy law, the fulness of our affections, or the counsels of wisdom. O rather (and may God turn it all to good) let us abandon our settlements, and seek for homes elsewhere'.

"Thus excited, there departed on one day three hundred thousand, on foot and unarmed, collected from every province, the young and the old,

infants and women, all ready to go in every direction. Of that number was I; and with God for our leader we set out."*

No tongue can tell the sufferings of these poor exiles. One who reached the coast of Africa thus describes his arrival there. "I first saw my wife and then my two sons expire of hunger on the sea shore; I covered them with sand, and I cried, 'My God, my misfortunes would almost tempt me to deny thy law; but I am a Jew, do what thou wilt with me, I will remain faithful unto thee!'

.

To escape banishment, the loss of all that they possessed, and suffering and death, great numbers embraced Popery and were baptized. Many of the descendants of these are living in Spain. Some of them outwardly conform to the idolatry of the country, which they falsely call Christianity, whilst they remain Jews in heart, and secretly observe some of the ordinances of Judaism. Mr. Borrow in his "Bible in Spain," informs us that he met with proof of this. We extract from that most interesting book the fellowing instances,

He is travelling at night. After a period of gloom "the moon shone out faintly, when suddenly," says Mr. B., "by its beams I beheld a figure moving before me at a slight distance. I quickened the pace of the burra and was soon at its side. It went on neither altering its pace nor looking round for a moment. It was the figure of a man, the tallest and bulkiest I had hitherto seen in Spain, dressed in a manner strange and singular for the country. On his head was a hat with a low crown and broad Sephardim,

brim, very much resembling that of an English waggoner; about his body was a long loose tunic or slop, seemingly of coarse ticken, open in front, so as to allow the interior garments to be occasionally seen; these appeared to be a jerkin and short velveteen pantaloons. The brim of his hat, broad as it was, was insufficient to cover an immense bush of coal black hair, which, thick and curly, projected on either side; over the left shoulder was flung a kind of satchel, and in the right hand was held a long staff or pole.

"There was something peculiarly strange about the figure; but what struck me the most was the tranquillity with which it moved along, taking no heed of me, though of course aware of my proximity, but looking straight forward along the road, save when it occasionally raised a huge face and large eyes towards the moon which was now shining forth in the eastern quarter.

"A cold night,' said I at last. 'Is this the way to Talavera?

"It is the way to Talavera, and the night is cold.'

"I am going to Talavera,' said I, ‘as I suppose you are yourself.'

"I am going thither, so are you, Bueno.'

"The tones of the voice which delivered these words were in their way quite as strange and singular as the figure to which they belonged; they were not exactly the tones of a Spanish voice, and yet there was something in them that could hardly be foreign. The pronunciation also was correct, and the language, though singular, faultless. But I was most struck with the manner in which the last word bueno was spoken. I had heard something like it before, but where or

A pause

when I could by no means remember. now ensued; the figure stalking on as before, with the most perfect indifference, and seemingly with no disposition either to seek or avoid conversation.

"Are you not afraid,' said I at last, 'to travel these roads in the dark? It is said there are robbers abroad.'

You

"Are you not rather afraid,' replied the figure, 'to travel these roads in the dark? who are ignorant of the country, who are a foreigner, an Englishman ? '

"How is it that you know me to be an Englishman?' demanded I, much surprised. "That is no difficult matter,' replied the figure; the sound of your voice was enough to tell me that.'

"You speak of voices,' said I, 'suppose the tone of your voice were to tell me who you

are.'

"That it will not do,' replied my companion, 'you know nothing about me-you can know nothing about me.'

"Be not sure of that, my friend; I am acquainted with many things of which you have little idea.'

"Por exemplo,' said the figure.

"For example,' said I, 'you speak two languages.'

"The figure moved, or seemed to consider a moment, and then said slowly bueno.'

"You have two names,' I continued, 'one for the house, the other for the street; both are good, but the one by which you are called at home is the one which you like best.""

(To be continued.)

A TRIBUTE OF AFFECTION TO THE MEMORY OF ELIZABETH ANNE KIRBY.*

UNDER this title a very interesting little book has just been published. It is a brief memoir of one of those lambs which the good shepherd carrieth safely through the dangers of time to the green pastures, where his redeemed go in and out in his presence for ever.

Elizabeth Anne Kirby lived amidst some of the most beautiful scenery of nature; but “ as regarded spiritual things, in a desolate place, an uncultivated wilderness." The hamlet of Haverigg consists chiefly of fishermen's cottages and farmhouses it lies at the mouth of the Duddon, where

'Not hurled precipitous from steep to steep,

Lingering no more mid flower-enamelled lands
And blooming thickets; nor by rocky bands
Held: but in radiant progress tow'r'd the deep,
Where mightiest rivers into powerless sleep
Sink, and forget their nature; now expands
Majestic Duddon over smooth flat sands,
Gliding in silence with unfettered sleep.'

WORDSWORTH.

A Christian family went to lodge in the house of the father of Elizabeth. She was the elder of two sisters; and to her it pleased God to make their visitors instruments of good. "We were

permitted to tell her," says one of them," that for her was born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord." The Spirit of God changed her heart, and she became a true Christian. She was then about thirteen years of age. From the time of her becoming truly religious she was most active and diligent in the service of her Saviour. It is

* Price two-pence. Published by Nisbet and Co.