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In fine, we have to report that these adventurous partisans of science, nothing discouraged by the catastrophe which has occurred, have resolved to renew the experiment, under, as may be hoped, less inauspicious circumstances; and we trust that on the next occasion they will not disdain to avail themselves of the co-operation and presence of some one of those persons, who having hitherto practiced aerial navigation for the mere purposes of amusement, will, doubtless, be too happy to invest one at least of their labors with a more useful and more noble char

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

Continued from page 99.

den by M. Barral, and obeyed the injunction.
They soon emerged from the lower stratum of
the cloud, through which they had fallen in less
than two minutes, having taken fifteen minutes
to ascend through it. The earth was now in
sight, and they were dropping upon it like a
stone. Every weighty article had been dismiss-
ed, except the nine sand-bags, which had been
designedly reserved to break the shock on arri-
ving at the surface. They observed that they
were directly over some vine-grounds near Lagny,
in the department of the Seine and Marne, and
could distinctly see a number of laborers engag-acter.-Dublin University Magazine.
ed in their ordinary toil, who regarded with un-
measured astonishment the enormous object
about to drop upon them. It was only when
they arrived at a few hundred feet from the sur-
face that the nine bags of sand were dropped by
M. Barral, and by this manoeuvre the lives of
the voyagers were propably saved. The balloon
reached the ground, and the car struck among
the vines. Happily the wind was gentle; but
gentle as it was it was sufficient, acting upon the
enormous surface of the balloon, to drag the car
along the ground, as if it were drawn by fiery
and ungovernable horses. Now arrived a mo-
ment of difficulty and danger, which also had
been foreseen and provided for by M. Barral. If
either of the voyagers had singly leaped from
the car, the balloon, lightened of so much weight,
would dart up again into the air. Neither voy-
ager would consent, then, to purchase his own
safety at the risk of the other. M. Barral, there-
fore, threw his body half down from the car lay-
ing hold of the vine-stakes, as he was dragged
along, and directing M. Bixio to hold fast to his
feet. In this way the two voyagers, by their
united bodies, formed a sort of anchor, the arms
of M. Barral playing the part of the fluke, and
the body of M. Bixio that of the cable.

In this way M. Barral was dragged over a portion of the vineyard rapidly, without any other injury than a scratch or contusion of the face produced by one of the vine-stakes.

The laborers just referred to meanwhile collected, and pursued the balloon, and finally succeeded in securing it, and in liberating the voyagers, whom they afterward thanked for the bot tles of excellent wine which, as they supposed, had fallen from the heavens, and which, wonderful to relate, had not been broken from the fall, although, as has been stated, they had been discharged above the clouds. The astonishment and perplexity of the rustics can be imagined on seeing these bottles drop in the vineyard.

This fact also shows how perpendicularly the balloon must have dropped, since the bottles, dismissed from such a height, fell in the same field where, in a minute afterward, the balloon also dropped.

The entire descent from the altitude of twenty thousand feet was effected in seven minutes, being at the average rate of fifty feet per second.

In regard to the range which religious instruction embraces in our schools, we should infer from the communications received, that it is much the same in all:-it may be briefly stated in the words of one of our correspondents, to include "the inculcation of all those great doctrines of faith and practice revealed to us through the Holy Scriptures, in such a way as shall be best calculated to make the most permanent impression on the mind. Of these doctrines I may enumerate, the knowledge of the being and attributes of God:-the duties we owe to Him and to each other :-the fall of man, and redemption by Jesus Christ:-His divinity, and the nature and offices of the Holy Spirit :-the prophecies in the Old, and their fulfilment in the New Testament :-the historical part of the Bible and Testament :-these with the distinguishing views of the Society of Friends, and some other subjects which I need not specify, constitute the range of scriptural instruction we are concerned to communicate to our children."

It may be most appropriate, before entering upon the third division of the subject now under consideration, to introduce in this place, some remarks of a correspondent in regard to systems. He writes, "Whilst my confidence in the benefit of these is weakened, the more I watch them, I know not how, in schools at least, they can be altogether dispensed with. My observation would nevertheless lead to the conclusion, that the evils and failures of arranged plans, arise rather from the too rigid adherence to them, and the too great dependance upon them, than from any radical unsoundness in the plans themselves. In the attempt to communicate our ideas on such a subject to others, the necessity is involved of entering a good deal into detail; and thus a stiffness and rigidity, (if I may use the terms,) are often imparted to our plans, which they do not in reality possess. The judicious teacher modifies, amplifies, diverges, and sets aside as occasion requires; and any teacher who does not adapt general principles to particular circumstances, will soon find that what he thought good at first,

"These

becomes lifeless and wearisome. I think it de-, questions as the chapter may suggest; sometimes sirable to fix certain times for the communication the whole school is referred to for a reply. The of religious instruction, and on such occasions to questioning is often discursive, yet care is taken question the children on the portion of scripture to keep in view the thread of the narrative, or previously read; but sensible that in the dis- the tenor of the passage read, though various charge of so important a duty, we cannot proceed other parts of Scripture are mostly brought under to any good effect when the heart is not in some notice in the course of the evening. measure tuned to it, and that the preparation of examinations (we quote our Croydon corresponthe heart is of the Lord, I should not think it dent,) are sometimes historical-doctrinal-preright, in rigid adherence to a plan laid down, to ceptive-prophetical-sometimes a combination consider myself obliged to proceed with the exa- of all; at other times, the attention of the pupils mination, when the minds of the children, or is directed to passages of Scripture, which appear my own mind, seemed unfitted for the employ- peculiarly appropriate to the state of the school ment. By pursuing such other course as might at the time. They are strongly encouraged to appear best at the time, I might avoid disgusting commit passages to memory, and especially to my interesting charge, by what, I am persuaded, devote a portion of their leisure hours on firstwhen conducted in a feeling of that seriousness day to this engagement." At the conclusion of under which we ought always to act, and in a the examinations at Ackworth, it is usual to call measure of that influence by which the really upon a few of the children, to repeat passages so Christian teacher seeks to be assisted, does tend learnt. At Ulster Provincial School it is the to soften and solemnize the minds of the young, practice, when the Scripture which has been read and recommends the gospel to their hearts and on the previous evening is of such a nature as to affections. Those who have what may be termed render it desirable, to question the boys on the a routine of duties of this character to perform, subject of it, the next morning before commenchave narrowly to watch themselves, or they will ing their daily studies, with a view to ascerbe liable to fall into a formal, off-hand way of tain the degree of attention that has been paid; doing business-this danger I have frequently as well as occasionally to impart such informafelt myself; and if my observations in regard to tion as may elucidate any interesting particular. others do not deceive me, it is one of the great-"This plan," says the superintendent, "has been est practical disadvantages attaching to any thing of the nature of systems in religious instruction."

found more beneficial than questioning them on the same evening, immediately after reading: it affords a better exercise for the memory, and the listlessness produced by the previous fatigue of the day, does not interfere to weaken their interest. The practice has I believe been attended with advantage.'

Perhaps we cannot exhibit the mode on which religious instruction is generally communicated in the schools or Friends, more clearly, than by giving an outline of the proceedings adopted in some of our larger seminaries; noticing as we In one of the Quarterly Meeting schools, it is pass along such additions and deviations, com- the general practice to question the children premunicated by other correspondents, as may fur-viously to the evening reading, upon what has nish a condensed view of the whole. been read the night before; though this is by no means a fixed thing, and is much regulated by the state of the school, and whether it is felt to be seasonable or not.

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Premising, therefore, that the term "public" is used only in relation to the school at large, in contra-distinction to examinations individually or in classes, we may select Ackworth, as furnishing in its main features, the course pursued in most, if not in all, the other schools from which replies to our inquiries have been transmitted.

Referring again to our information from Ackworth, we proceed to notice scriptural exercises in the school-rooms, which occupy about forty minutes before meeting on first and fifth day mornings; a quarter of an hour intervening beIn addition to the daily morning reading of fore going to meeting. These are conducted by the Scriptures to the children, and the first.day the respective adult teachers for the most part: evening readings to the whole family collective- at Croydon we observe the youngest apprentice ly, two evenings of the week, from seven to eight has also a very small class. They are variously o'clock, are devoted to public Scripture exami- conducted, but in general principle, they are nations. On the other four evenings, the prin- similar to the more public examinations. Somecipal part of the reading is from the writings of times a division is exercised in repeating passaFriends, or some other suitable work of a reli-ges under a particular head, previously fixed upon, gious nature, and this is sometimes closed with a of a doctrinal nature, sometimes of a preceptive, psalm. A short pause always ensues. The pub- and sometimes of a prophetical character. The lic examinations usually commence with the distinguishing views of Friends are brought under reading of a chapter, on one evening from the the children's notice on these occasions, as well Old Testament, and on the other from the New; as at the public examinations. Laundy's Scripthe children are then called upon indiscriminate-ture References, and Tuke's selection of Scriply, that is, not in regular order, to answer such ture Passages, are made use of as helps in this

particular. In all the Irish Schools, a "Catechism of Religious Faith and Practice," by Richard Allen, is also used; portions of it being committed to memory. "Principles of Religion," by Henry Tuke, and other similar works, are also attentively read in these schools, by the elder boys, and they are frequently questioned on their contents. The teacher of a public school remarks: "I have always given a decided preference to Tuke's 'Principles in the first place, and Elisha Bate's 'Doctrines of Friends' afterwards. A few pages are first read by the pupils privately without committing anyto memory; and they are then in a class questioned, to see how far they comprehend what they have read." In all the schools, considerable attention appears to be devoted to this important portion of Christian instruction. Our Croydon correspondent states that "the Scripture classes gradually increase in size, from the lowest to the highest; the course pursued on these occasions, varying according to the age and proficiency of the scholars, and other

cirumstances."

To be continued.

FRIENDS' REVIEW. PHILADELPHIA, ELEVENTH MONTH 9, 1850.

new regulations being adopted, a new and improved edition was judged needful. The Yearly Meeting therefore, in the year 1800, recommended the Quarterly Meetings to send deputies to London, in the Eleventh month ensuing, to join the Meeting for Sufferings in revising the whole, and preparing a new and complete edition. The joint committee met, agreeably to their appointment, and employed about three weeks in the deliberate and careful examination of the subjects entrusted to them. Some abridgments, alterations and additions were agreed upon, and the additions were submitted to the Yearly Meeting of 1801. This edition was published in 1802.

The second edition being exhausted, the Yearly Meeting in 1832 concluded that a new and revised one should be prepared; and the Quarterly Meetings were requested, as in the former case, to appoint delegates to unite with the Meeting for Sufferings in the service. Upwards of two weeks were closely occupied in the examination of the second edition of the work, including a supplement which had been printed in 1822 by direction of the Yearly Meeting, and in arranging the rules and advices adopted and issued since that time. The work as revised by the united committee, and sancA number of extracts from these advices have aptioned by the Yearly Meeting, was printed in 1834. peared in our former volumes.

We have given place this week to an Extract from the advices recently published by Friends of London Yearly Meeting, which will probably be continued in some of our future numbers. It may therefore be interesting to some of our readers to be informed, that about seventy years ago, that Yearly Meeting gave directions that the minutes and advices which had been issued, from time to time, for establishing and conducting the discipline by the subordinate meetings, should be carefully extracted, and properly arranged under suitable heads, to be comprised in one volume, for the general service of Society. The preparation of this volume having been committed to the Meeting for Sufferings, it was carefully accomplished and submitted to the Yearly Meeting in the year 1781. A considerable number of Friends were then uppointed to unite with the Meeting for Sufferings in its examination. The body thus constituted, convened at London in the Tenth month following, and having with great assiduity gone over the work, of Reuben Haines, of Millville. and compared every part with the original, the volume thus prepared and revised was adopted by the Yearly Meeting in 1782, and directed to be printed. The first edition was issued in or about the year 1783.

issued between the year last mentioned and 1846, Several additional rules and advices having been the Yearly Meeting in that year referred to the Meeting for Sufferings the preparation of a supplement to the former volume. This supplement being prepared and submitted to the revision of the Meeting for Sufferings in conjunction with a deputation from the Quarters as on former occasions, was laid before the Yearly Meeting in 1848, and being then confirmed, was printed and issued in the first month of the following year. From this supplementary volume our latest extracts are made.

MARRIED,-At Friends' Meeting, Millville, Orleans Co., N. Y., on the 23d ult., CALVIN HAINES to ELIZABETH M. SNELL, both of the same place.

At the same time and place, HUGH P. SHOTWELL, of Elba, Genessee Co., to HANNAH, daughter

At Friends' Meeting House, Sugar Creek, Miami Co., Indiana, on the 25th ult., JOHN JONES, of Grant Co., to SARAH, daughter of Eli Overman, Jr., of the former place.

At Friends' Meeting House, Mississinawa, In the course of a few years, a number of daughter of Isaac Elliott, all of Grant Co., Indiana. on the 23d of last month, JOHN A. LAMB to POLLY,

A copy of this work, and one of the "Summary of the History, Doctrine, and Discipline of the Society of Friends," published by the Meeting for Sufferings, are presented to each child on leaving Ackworth School.

DIED, At Limington, Maine, on the 17th of last month, LEWIS ALLEN, aged 44 years, a useful member of Limington Monthly Meeting.

For Friends' Review.
SPRING IN MESOPOTAMIA.

In all latitudes, except those in which summer is unknown, do we anticipate and enjoy the delightfully invigorating influences of Spring. The following paragraphs were penned by Layard in 1846, at this season of the year, as he labored among the ruins of Nineveh, and noticed the habits of the people of Mosul, or of those children of the desert, who were moving around him. Lying between the Euphrates and the Tigris, Mesopotamia-the Padan Aram of the Hebrews has associated with it, recollections of more than classic interest. We think of Eden -of Abraham and Lot-of Nineveh and Babylon, and numerous other objects of thrilling interest, which the early impressions of childhood rendered ineffaceable, and to which, our love of the Bible has attached the gravest import

A.

As

tent, and giving my self up to the full enjoyment of that calm and repose which are impart ed to the senses by such scenes as these, I gazed listlessly on the varied groups before me. the sun went down behind the low hills which separate the river from the desert, its receding rays were gradually withdrawn, like a transpa rent veil of light, from the landscape. Over the pure cloudless sky was the glow of the last light. The great mound threw its dark shadow far across the plain. In the distance and beyond the Zab, Keshaf, another venerable ruin, rose indistinctly into the evening mist. Still more distant, and still more indistinct, was a solitary hill, overlooking the ancient city of Arbela. The Kurdish mountains, whose snowy summits cherished the dying sunbeams, yet struggled with the twilight. The bleating of sheep, and lowing of cattle, at first faint, became louder as the flocks returned from their pastures, and wandered among the tents. Girls "The middle of March in Mesopotamia is the hurried across the green sward to seek their fabrightest epoch of Spring. A new change had ther's cattle, or crouched down to milk those come over the plain of Nineveh. Its pasture which had returned alone to their well rememlands, known as the "Jaif," are renowned for bered folds. Some were coming from the river, their rich and luxuriant herbage. In times of bearing the replenished pitcher on their heads quiet, the studs of the Pasha, and of the Turk- and shoulders; others, no less graceful in their ish authorities, with the horses of the cavalry, forms and erect in their carriage, were carrying and of the inhabitants of Mosul, are sent here to heavy loads of long grass which they had cut in graze. Day by day they arrive in long lines. the meadow. Sometimes a party of horsemen The Shemutti and Jehesh left their tents and might have been seen in the distance slowly encamped on the green sward which surrounds crossing the plain, the tufts of ostrich feathers the villages. The plain, as far as the eye could which topped their long spears showing darkly reach, was studded with the white pavilions of against the evening sky. They would ride up the Hytas and the black tents of the Arabs. to my tent and give me the usual salutation, Picketed around them were innumerable horses Peace be with you, O Bey,' or 'Allah Aienak, in gay trappings, struggling to release themselves God help you.' Then driving the end of their from the bonds which restrained them from rang-lances into the ground, they would spring from ing over the green pastures.

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Flowers of every hue enamelled the meadows; not thinly scattered over the pass as in northern climes, but in such thick and gathering clusters, that the whole plain seems a patchwork of many colours. The dogs, as they returned from hunting, issued from the long grass dyed red, yellow, or blue, according to the flowers through which they had just forced their way.

"The villages of Naifa and Nimroud were deserted, and I remained alone with Said and my servants. The houses now began to swarm with vermin; we no longer kept under the roofs, and it was time to follow the example of the Arabs. I accordingly encamped on the edge of a large pond on the outskirts of Nimroud. Said, accompanied me; and Salah, his young wife, a bright eyed Arab girl, built his shed, and watched and milked his diminutive flock of sheep and goats. "I was surrounded by Arabs, who had either pitched their tents, or, too poor to buy the black goat hair cloth of which they are inade, had erected small huts of reeds and dry grass.

"When I returned in the evening after the labours of the day, I often sat at the door of my

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their mares and fasten their halters to the still

quivering weapons. Seating themselves on the grass they related deeds of war and plunder, or speculated on the site of the tents of Sofuk, until the moon rose, when they vaulted into their saddles and took the way of the desert."

CONSTANTINOPLE.

I had been occupied for some time in the cabin, when a fellow traveller entered and announced that we were sailing past Constantinople. I hastened at once to the deck, and could hardly at first determine whether what I beheld were indeed a city, or a vision of the imagination. The view of Constantinople from the sea is the most splendid of all the pageants presented to human eye by the metropolitan cities of the earth. The vulgar detail of street and alley, is hidden from sight, and you are greeted, instead, by an innumerable company of mosques, minarets, palaces, dome-surmounted baths, and royal tombs, the snowy brilliancy or splendid colouring of which, is in some degree, mitigated by the garden trees that cluster around them, and

the cypress forests which skirt the hills, and, Stamboul, to the west, projects into the sea of here and there, descend into the city. That city Marmora a walled and secluded promontory, is built upon a series of hills; and so intensely covered with the domes, and shaded with the is a fair prospect prized by a Turk, that on cypress alleys of the Seraglio, just beyond which every commanding spot, the house of some rich rise the roofs of St. Sophia. At the opposite, man is placed, with its gilded lattices gleaming that is, the eastern side of the "Golden Horn,' through a leafy screen. So large and numerous is situated Pera, the district in which the Chrisare the gardens, that the effect is less that of tians reside; while at the southern side of the trees scattered amid a city, than of a city built | Bosphorus, Scutari juts out, richly decked with in a forest but partially cleared. This green mosque and minaret, from the sea at its base, to veil, however, softens rather than obscures the the cypress cemetery with which its upper slopes apparition that lurks behind, the vast and count-are darkened. Nor is this all. At each side of less white domes shining broadly and placidly the Bosphorus, all the way to the Black Sea, it through it, while the gilded tops of the minarets may be said that one continuous city extends, glitter on high, like the flames that hover above composed of villages, which in their gradual the reed-like tapers in Italian Cathedrals. Mul- growth have nearly met, spreading high upon titudes of houses in Constantinople are painted the hills in many places, and following the windgreen, red, or blue-a circumstance that added ings of the glens until they are lost among the to the gorgeousness of the spectacle which met forests and thickets of the inland country. From my eye, as well as the fact that spring had al- the Black Sea, in fact, to the Sea of Marmora, ready breathed upon the plane-trees and the as well as far along its shores, and along the almonds, which were putting forth abundantly "Golden Horn," Constantinople and its suburbs their fresh, green leaves, and their blossoms pure extend, constituting altogether a city, the circuit as the foam of the sea. of which, (if a wall were built round it) would not be less than sixty miles, and yet every important building in which is seen from the water. There are five cities in Europe of pre-eminent beauty, regarded as architectural scenes in combination with picturesque natural effects-Constantinople, Naples, Venice, Genoa, and Edinburgh. Of these, there is none that approaches Constantinople in the vastness and wonderfulness of its aspect, when contemplated from the sea.

It is, however, the sea which gives its peculiar character to Constantinople as to Venice. In Venice the sea is crowned by the sea-born city, and spreads all around it, as round an island thick-set with palaces and towers. In Constantinople the effect is the opposite. At the point whence Stamboul, (the ancient Byzantium) Pera, and Scutari diverge, the sea of Marmora, the Bosphorus, and the wide and winding harbour of the "Golden Horn" meet, forming, as it were, a great lake, round which, as round a central plain, the threefold city extends, rising, stage above stage, along the slopes of the hills. The effect of this unrivalled position is, that nearly every building of importance is brought at once before the eye, minaret and dome lifting themselves up one above another. In this respect the contrast is most remarkable between Constantinople and those capitals of the north in which you never see the city itself, but only the street or the square you stand in at the moment, in which public buildings lose almost all their effect from not grouping together, and in which you have no extended effects of colour, or of light and shade.

A considerable delay ensued after we had cast anchor, before we were allowed to land, but if it had been twice as long, I should not have been tired of gazing at the prospects around me on every side. At last, however, we were allowed to descend into one of the numerous little caiques that came flocking merrily around us, and we rowed to land in the midst of countless sea-birds, which flew past us, only one degree lighter and swifter than our boat. The moment that we touched the shore, a Greek addressing me in Italian, informed me that he was willing to place his services at my disposal as cicerone, and that he would conduct me without delay to an excellent house, where I should find To appreciate the extent of Constantinople, it every thing that a traveller can desire. Accordis necessary to bear in mind, that, for all pur-ingly I surrendered myself and luggage to his poses of picturesque effect, the various suburban discretion, and bade him lead the way. For a towns which are united with it, though called by considerable time, I followed him up a steep and different names, yet constitute but a single city. winding ascent; then, at last, stopped to rub my For a length of eight miles, that city rises stage eyes and ask, "What is become of the magnifiabove stage from the sea, bending towards the cent city on which I gazed just now!" The East, before it reaches the "Golden Horn," which hero of an eastern tale, suddenly deserted by the winds through its heart for seven miles further, Genius or Fairy who has built up his enchanted like a wide river, the hills at both sides being palace, and on whose departure it melts again crowned with architectural monuments, interspers-into the air, does not gaze around him with ed with gardens. Nearly at the mouth of the "Golden Horn," is the entrance to the BosphoIt is here that the three cities meet.

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more dismay than the traveller who exchanges, for the first time, the view of Constantinople from the sea, for the spectacle which meets his

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