one thousand crowns; when only exhibited one night, they cost seven hundred. Eighty men were employed in the instantaneous illuminations of the lamps, which to us seemed the work of enchantment. They were so posted as to be unseen."

In the centre of the view before us we behold the noble churh of St. Peter's, the largest in the world; the first stone was laid in 1506; it required two centuries for its completion, and an expenditure of 12,000,000l. The original planner of this stupendous work, was Bramante; to him succeeded Raphael, San Gallo, Michaelangelo: during the long life of the latter, it made its greatest progress, and his name is indissolubly united with that of St. Peter's; it was he who erected the greater part of the dome. After Michaelangelo the work proceeded under Vignole, Giacomo della Porta, Carlo Maderna, and Bernini; the latter planned and commenced the semicircular colonnades: the work was at length completed after the lapse of two centuries, under Clement X.

The model before us is not only admirable as regards the mechanical skill displayed in its general arrangement, but is worthy to rank high as a work of pictorial art, reflecting the highest honour upon Mr. Danson for the triumph he has achieved.

Hints to Children

ON THEIR SEVERAL DUTIES.

Children all should passion smother,
And be kind one to another;

Ready injuries to forgive,

And in sweet amity e'er live;

For Christ their Lord is pleased to see

His family on earth agree,

And will, Oh ever! dwell with those
Who in Christian love repose.

Children all should gentle be,
And cultivate humility;

Like modest lilies of the vale,

Which scent unseen the passing gale.

Oh! they should to the world be known, By fragrance rich, from virtue thrown, And piety, in word, as deed,

Which all earth's honors far exceed.

Children should patient be, when chid,
And do, in all things, as they're bid;
Anger and pride e'er keep aloof,
Though subject to unjust reproof;

Since Christ, their pattern, meekly bore,

Until his days on earth were o'er,
Scorn and suffering, such as man

Ne'er experienced in life's span.
Children, when in the house of pray'r,
Should all attention be, and bear
Deeply within their youthful hearts,
The good their minister imparts.
For they who fear God's laws to break,
And try to serve him-he will take,
When their souls and bodies sever,
To the realms of bliss for ever.

Children at early morn should raise,
Their feeble voices in his praise,

Who through the midnight hours so still,
Has kept them safe from ev'ry ill :
And for continued blessings cast
Around their path-when day is past
Oh they again! should praises sing
Unto their great immortal king.

Children, ye all, should ever strive
Heartfelt instruction to derive,
From the Bible's hallowed pages
Man's best comfort in all ages,

For it tells the Saviour's love,

Who came to die, from heaven above,

That little ones, sin stained like ye,
Might dwell with him eternally.

M. A. II.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.-No. 4.

History of Isaac.

This son he called Isaac,

WE told our dear young friends, in the history of Abraham, that in his old age, he had a son born to him by his beloved wife Sarah. (which means the son of laughter,) and, according to God's commandment, admitted him as a member of the visible church, by the holy sacrament of circumcision, on the eighth day of his birth. We have also mentioned the circumstances which led to the expulsion of Ishmael and his mother from the family of Abraham, and of offering Isaac in sacrifice, as the test of his father's faith, love, and obedience. Some time after this, Isaac lost his kind mother, Sarah, who died at the advanced age of 127 years. This loss, it is intimated, he felt keenly; and no wonder-for when once a mother is taken away by death, her place can never be entirely or fully supplied again. Abraham was exceedingly rich; and as he felt that he must soon die, he became anxious to see his beloved son united to a suitable partner, from his own kindred, in preference to a woman of one of the nations

inhabiting the land in which he was a stranger. For this purpose he sent his principal servant or steward, accompanied by some attendants and rich presents, into Chaldea, where his family connections resided; first, however, causing him to take a solemn oath, that he would use his best exertions to procure a suitable wife for Isaac. On no condition was he to be enticed from the land of promise to take up his abode with his father's kindred ; for Isaac, like his venerable sire, was to be and continue, a stranger in a strange land. Thus authorised and enjoined, the steward proceeded on his journey, and came in due time into the land of the people of the east, from among whom he was to select a wife for his master's son. He appears to have understood the word kindred in a very extensive sense, and not at all in the limited manner in which it is employed by us in modern times. He was also a truly pious man-one who set God before him in his way, and was not ashamed to profess his trust and confidence in the guiding care of a superintending Providence.

The riches of those times consisted principally in cattle; and the young wonen-who thought it, in those early days, far better to be useful, than to be what is called accomplished, by which is frequently meant being idle and worthless, a trouble to themselves and all about them-generally superintended the management