beard, and a certain reserve and mystery in his manners and deportment, contributed to environ him with a superstitious awe; and he was noted, far and wide, as a necromancer and wizard. He himself enjoyed the wonder and dread with which this reputation inspired his country neighbours. He surrounded his pleasure-grounds with walls, in which he had formed secret passages, which enabled him to overhear much that went on while he was supposed to be at a distance; and, in the house of Binns, there are hidden stairs and corridors, and concealed doors, which enabled the general to maintain a character for ubiquity as well as preternatural knowledge.

One of the nearest neighbours of General Dalzell was the laird of Duddingston, George Dundas, a gentleman of very ancient family, being a cadet of the old and distinguished line of Dundas. He was proprietor of an extensive estate, and dwelt in an ancient manor-house standing on the outskirts of a beautiful wood, about two miles above the Frith of Forth, and four miles and a half from Binns House.

George Dundas and Katherine Moneypenny, his wife, were most exact in the punctual performance of their devotional duties; and the exercise, as it was called, of prayer, praise, and reading of God's word was regularly engaged in three times every day. On these occasions every member of the family, without exception, was expected to attend. And a goodly sight it was to see the numerous children of the laird and lady, their large body of domestic servants, and the guests who were in the habit of surrounding their hospitable board, kneeling before the throne of grace, and lifting up their voices with one accord in the praise of their heavenly Father.

Though Dundas was a strict religionist, he was anxious to perform the dutiful offices of a country gentleman; and, as one of them, he considered the keeping up a friendly and neighbourly intercourse. Much, therefore, as he disapproved of General Dalzell's severity in the exercise of his office of commander-in-chief, and sincerely as he deplored the working of the measures of government, he was anxious to be, as much as possible, on a footing of kindness and civility with him, as one of his nearest neighbours, and one with whom his family had always kept up intimacy, notwithstanding an hereditary opposition of principles. No sooner, therefore, was Dalzell returned from Moscow, than Dundas sought to renew his friendship with him, and the general gladly met him half way; so that the puritan laird surprised many of his covenanting friends by the familiar intercourse which subsisted between him and the king's lieutenant. But when persecution broke out this intercourse slackened, although it did not cease.

It happened one day, during a visit which the commander-in-chief paid to Binns House, to enjoy a little relaxation from the fatigues of duty among his groves and gardens, that he sent to say to Dundas that he would go to Duddingston to dine with him. With a heavy heart the Lady Duddingston heard her lord return a favourable answer to this proposal. She had learnt to look upon her old neighbour as a wicked persecutor and enemy of God's people, and on that account alone she would have shunned his society. But she was

moved with immediate fears for the safety of her husband and family. She knew that the daily mid-day prayers would not be omitted before the commander-in-chief; and she was well aware that many expressions occurred in them which might offend Dalzell, and perhaps bring his vengeance upon her husband and children. She, therefore, secretly gave orders to her old grey-l y-headed butler to cause dinner to be served up in the hall without the usual preliminary exercise of prayer and praise. Dalzell and the other guests were assembled; Duddingston, his lady and family, had done the honour of reception with due courtesy to their distinguished guest. The great bell was rung; Dundas's countenance wore for the moment an expression of stern solemnity. He had a duty to his God to perform, which he knew might involve him in trouble, for he would not omit one iota of his usual services before the king's lieutenant.

Dundas, being thus prepared to brave the lion in the pride of his power, was much displeased when his train of servants appeared in the hall, not bearing his usual cushions for prayer, bibles, and psalm books; but the smoking trenchers, capacious vessels, and portly flagons for the noontide meal. He immediately ordered all these preparations to be delayed, and the cushions, psalm books, and bibles to be brought in in their place. The Lady Duddingston's heart sank within her when she saw the firm purpose of the laird. She thought of the fate of many of the heroes of the covenant, and expected to see her husband, as soon as prayers were over, ordered down to his own hall door, and borne away by the dragoons who had waited on the general, and who were at that moment being regaled with the best that the larder and cellars afforded. But there was no help for the laird's constancy to his cause and his custom, and all that she could do was to pray God to soften the persecutor's heart.

The religious services were accordingly performed as usual. The prayers were said, the psalms were sung, God's mercy was invoked for his suffering servants, the king's cruel purposes were deprecated, and especial allusion was made to the general himself, whose hard and stony heart the Lord was entreated to soften. Dalzell quietly took his part in all the exercises, knelt, listened, and stood up with the rest; and when all was over, he went up to Dundas, embraced him, and congratulated him upon being an honest, highprincipled, and courageous man, who did before his face exactly that which he would have done behind his back. He said that he honoured his sincerity, and would scorn to take advantage of the opportunity which his hospitality had afforded, of letting his real sentiments be known. He then sat down to dinner with much cordiality. Next morning he sent a score of pikes and halberts to Duddingston, with which he laird might arm his servants to defend him or his house in case of any sudden attack during those times of trouble

WORTH REMEMBERING.

OCCASIONS arise to every man living in which the hopes offered by religion are the only stay left to him. Godly men have that within which cheers and comforts them in their saddest hours. Ungodly men have that which strikes the heart like a dagger in its gayest moments.

RAILWAY TRAVELLING IN TUSCANY." A journey on a Tuscan railway (which is government property) is no trifle," says Von Rochan. "At the railway terminus in Florence there are formidable difficulties to be encountered. In the first place, the entire body of the Florentine flower-girls have their station here. Before the coachman can open the door they sound their war-cry, and pour forth a flood of sweet speeches and good wishes for the journey of the hapless traveller. One pokes a nosegay into his right hand, another into his left; one bestows a decoration on his button-hole, a fourth stuffs a handful of flowers into his coat-pocket; and all these manœuvres do not for a moment interrupt the flood of chattering which makes your ears sing again. A swarm of porters have meanwhile thrown themselves on the luggage, the coachman is in a hurry to be paid, fruit and cake-sellers pester you with their very superfluous wares; in short, ten tongues and twenty hands would be but a scanty allowance to rid your self of the locust-swarm by which you are overwhelmed, "When at last I had actually escaped into the peaceful harbour of the waiting-room, the inexorable bell warned me that I must not spare a moment to recover breath; and I obeyed its summons to the carriage. What a carriage! Perhaps I have been put by mistake into the fourth class, thought I, and applied to the guard. We have no fourth class,' was the reply; 'there is the third'-he pointed to an open truck, without any seat, and with a railing about a foot high as its sole protection: 'this,' he added, in conclusion, is the second class. The bench on which I sat was a good span across, stuffed, I should imagine, with hazel nuts, and provided with a bolt-upright wooden back -a real martyr-bench.

JAMAICA COPPER MINES.-Considerable attention is at the present time directed to the discovery of copper in Jamaica, which is probably destined to produce a great change in the commercial aspects of that island. Tradition has long pointed to its existence, and a survey undertaken about three years ago, by some American gentlemen, proved it beyond any doubt. Several companies have since been formed for the purpose of opening mines in the most promising situations. A considerable quantity of ore has been already extracted from the mines; and a recent steamer from Jamaica brought a specimen weighing 380lbs., which it is intended to place in the new Crystal Palace. The locality of the mines is understood to be most beautiful, presenting mountain scenery scarcely to be sur passed in any country. The climate is also agreeable, with a moderate and comparatively unvarying temperature.

PORTABLE IRON CHURCH FOR MELBOURNE.—The application of galvanized iron to structures of various kinds is extending with astonishing rapidity. We have either seen or heard of railway termini, warehouses, manufactories, cottages, villas, hotels, and parsonage houses; one of the last examples is that of a church for the district of Melbourne, Australia. It comprises a nave and two side aisles, with pulpit, reading-desk, baptistry, vestry, and a tower; the whole covering an area of seventy feet by forty-eight. The outside casing is entirely of galvanized corrugated iron; the inside walls being lined with half-inch boarding, canvas, and paper. The ceiling, under the roof, is of inodorous felt, also lined with canvas and paper. The church contains nearly 700 sittings, besides every fitting complete for divine service; and the whole was erected in five weeks, at the cost of £1000.

SIAMESE TWINS.-These unique beings, who have been for years flourishing farmer in North Carolina, are, it is stated, about again to visit the principal American and European cities.

SAFETY LAMPS.-Mr. Reuben Plant, of Holly Hall, near Dudley, has patented a new modification of the safety lamp, strictly on the principle propounded by Sir Humphry Davy; but, by an introduction of a novel material in a portion of its construction, a greatly increased illuminating power is obtained, superior to one with a glass cylinder, and without being subject to the objections attached thereto, of their liability to fracture from drops of water falling on them while in a heated state.

Daring of the ITALIAN BANDITTI.--One of the most astonishing instances of effrontery on the part of these pests of the Italian peninsula that we ever remember to have met with, is recorded by Von Rochan, in his "Wanderings through the Cities of Italy." Speaking of the Bolognese, he says:-"The whole province is now full of the sayings and doings of one Belloni, surnamed Il Passatore, who, for some time past, has been playing the robber-captain in it on a grand scale, and after the most approved fashion of romance. The governor of the province set the price of 1000 scudi on Belloni's head; Belloni set 2000 scudi on the governor's head, and everybody is convinced that he could and would pay the money if the conditions were fulfilled. His master-stroke was struck in Forlimpopoli three days before I passed through. This town counts five or six thousand inhabitants, and one evening, while the greater part of the people were at the theatre, without the slightest idea of what was going forward, Belloni entered it with a numerous band and took possession.

"The audience were awaiting the second act of the performance, when the curtain drew up, and showed the muz zles of ten or twelve guns pointed into the pit by as many men with blackened faces. This scene was not in the play, but the explanation of it was soon received from the mouth of the robber-captain. I hope, gentlemen,' said Belloni, stepping forward, that you will not force me, by a useless resistance, to measures of violence, which would really pain me and must certainly frighten the ladies. The gensd'armes are overpowered, these keys in my hands are those of the town-gates, every outlet of the theatre is well guarded; in short, you are in my power. But do not fear that that power will be abused; fulfil my moderate wishes, and not a hair of your head shall be hurt.' He then drew a paper from his pocket, and read the names of the wealthi est inhabitants of the town, imposing on each a tax in proportion to his supposed fortune. As each was named, he was despatched home in charge of one of the robbers, and in every case brought back the desired sum.

"In the meanwhile those remaining in the pit had been stripped of their watches, rings, and purses: the ladies in the boxes, however, were not molested. Towards midnight Belloni departed, carrying with him a booty of from 10,000 to 12,000 scudi. The boldness of the undertaking is only rightly understood, when it is considered that about four miles from Forlimpopoli is the town of Forli, strongly garrisoned with Austrian troops, which would have had time twice over to come to the rescue, if they had received intelligence of what was going on."

SACKCLOTH ARCHITECTURE.-The architectural pomp of Florence, it is found, on close examination, is for the most part mere show. One of the worst examples of this On each side of the great door, in that side which is turned sort of deceit may be seen in the grand-ducal palace itself. to the Boboli gardens, there are eight handsome-looking pilasters, and they are made-of sackcloth stretched over lattice-work. "I would not," says a recent visitor, "have that of touch, for I never rested till I had felt with my believed my eyes had their evidence not been confirmed by hands the object of my astonishment."

THE HEAD-QUARTERS OF POPERY.-There are cer tainly some rich families in Rome; but to every rich man there are at least a thousand who are receiving alms, the number of whom indeed (if you include all who receive any kind of assistance from public institutions) amounts, according to the most accurate calculation, to no less than 50,000. So much for the pauperizing influence of Popery!

BABYLONIAN INSCRIPTIONS.-Dr. Grotefend, of Han over, in deciphering the inscriptions of Behistun, has discovered one containing the offer of Nebuchadnezzar to let his son be burned to death in order to ward off the affliction of Babylon; which is very similar to what we read of the king of Moab, 2 Kings iii. 27. A second transcription tells us about the hanging gardens laid out for his consort. To these Dr. Grotefend has added some other descriptions which elucidate the Babylonian custom of child sacrifices, as illustrated by the cylinders published by the SyroEgyptian Society.

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