rily believe in the Holy Scriptures, and rejoice with the most full and reverential acceptance of the divine history of facts, as recorded in the New Testament; and that, consequently, we fully believe those historical articles summed up in what is called the Apostles' Creed, with these two exceptions only, to wit, our Saviour's descent into hell-and the resurrection of the body. These mysteries we humbly leave exactly as they stand in the holy text, there being from that ground no authority for such assertion as is drawn up in the Creed. And now, Doctor, canst thou still deny to us the honourable title of Christians? were threatened with severe pun Dr. J.—Well, I must own I did not think you had so much to say for yourselves. However, I cannot forgive that little slut for pre-month, and during that period suming to take upon herself as she has done. Mrs. K.-I hope, Doctor, thou wilt not remain unforgiving, and thou wilt renew thy friendship, and joyfully meet at last in those bright regions where pride and prejudice can never enter! Dr. J.-Meet her! I never desire to meet fools any where. (This sarcastic turn of wit was so pleasantly received, that the Doctor joined in the laugh: his spleen was dissipated: he took his coffee, and became for the remainder of the evening very cheerful and entertaining.) was several times severely flogged: but still he held fast his integrity respecting his former. declaration. While in this situa tion, the present Governor, in making his annual tour, visited this estate, and being struck with the appearance of the poor slave, asked his master why he was loaded with that chain? " Your, grace," he replied, "this obstinate fellow will not submit to my orders, but tells me that he will go and hear parson B. unless I kill him." The negro confirmed this statement in the presence of the Duke, saying he would do any thing to serve his massa, but he would uot be prevented from serving God! To the ho-, nour of the Duke let it be recorded, that he instantly ordered the chains to be removed: and the master, from this period, has not prevented any of his slaves from hearing parson B. many of whom constantly attend his preaching. Juvenile Department. AMERICAN PROCLAMATION. The truly Christian spirit and excellent principles contained in the foltowing Proclamation, are worthy the imitation of all Christian governors. Itas taken from an American newspaper, but is worthy a place in any religious publication. BY HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN COTTON SMITH, Esq. Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the State of Connecticut. A PROCLAMATION. IT having pleased Almighty God to bring us again to the season in which we have been accustomed to "enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise," for his numerous and unmerited favours conferred upon us, and to unite with one accord in fervent supplications to the Most High for a continuance of his smiles, and for his assistance aud direction in our various concerns as individuals and as a people, I have thought proper, by advice of the Council, and at the desire of the House of Representatives, to appoint, and I do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty-eighth day of November next, to be observed throughout this State as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. And I earnestly request ministers and people of every denomination, to convene on that day in their several places of religious worship; that with united hearts and voices we may render thanks to our heavenly Father for all the manifestations of his loving kindness and tender mercy; particularly, in the preservation of our lives, and in the unusual degree of health with which he has graciously visited our country; in prolonging the public tranquillity; in imparting for our use, amidst unfavourable prospects, so large a portion of the fruits of the earth; in affording us the pleasures of friendship and society; the protection of wholesome laws; the blessings of religious and literary instruction; but above all, in open ing to our view, and in presenting to our hopes, the system of redemption in the increased exertions of the through a glorious Mediator; and Christian world to diffuse universally the glad tidings of salvation. And whilst with heart-felt gratitude we recognize the riches of divine goodness, let us devoutly implore the Father of lights, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift," that for the sake of our only Advocate and Redeemer, he would forgive our past offences, and render the varied dispensations of his providence effectual to our repentance and reformation:-That through the influences of his Holy Spirit, he would inspire us with dispositions to consecrate ourselves to his service: to live in peace and unity with each other; to compassionate the sufferings and promote the welfare of our fellow-men, and to thus illustrate the pure doctrines, and imitate the perfect example, of the great Author and Finisher of our faith-That the God of our fathers would still extend his providential care to this commonwealth ;-That he would prosper us in our commerce and navigation, our husbandry and manufactures, and in all our lawful pursuits;-That he would bless our institutions, civil and sacred, to the advancement of his glory, and the prosperity of this people;--That under his smiles, our college, academies, and schools may eminently become the nurseries of moral as well as intellectual improvement; and our youth successfully instructed in the great duties they owe to God and their county; -That he would graciously direct and assist the ministers of his sanctuary, our courts and offices of justice, and every pious and charitable associa | tion, and mercifully grant that here the blessings of social order and of political and religious freedom may be fully enjoyed, and safely trans-dering fly; the lids that moisten, mitted to the remotest generations; cleanse, and further protect the eye, -That he would vouchsafe to the and assist in the sweet relaxation of President and constituted authori- sleep, equally deserve our admiraties of this nation the guidance of tion. The rapidity with which the unerring wisdom; that by their just needful operation of the eye-lids is and enlightened administration our effected, the frequent closing of rights may be maintained, our tran- which scarcely inconveniences the quillity preserved, and the govern- sight, can hardly have escaped the ment of these States established as grateful notice even of those who a perpetual bond of union and affec- are unaccustomed to philosophical tion;-That in infinite compassion inquiry, especially of those who he would console the afflicted, and delight to dwell on the expresdeliver the oppressed of all nations; sive language of the Scriptures, and abundantly succeed the endea- where "the twinkling of an eye" vours which distinguish the present is finely employed to denote rapid age, to disseminate the knowledge motion, and to inform the Chrisof his holy word, until mankind tian of the instantaneous glory that shall universally receive and obey he shall experience on the morning the truth as it is in Jesus, and the of the resurrection, when "the trumwhole earth be filled with his glory. pet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible." expression to the frown; the lashes that fringe the lids preserving it from the floating dust and wan All servile labour and vain recreation on said day are by law forbidden. Given under my hand at the Council Chamber in New Haven, the twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, and in the forty-first year of the Independence of the United States of America. JOHN COTTON SMITH. By His Excellency's Command, THOMAS DAY, Secretary. PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS. No. IX. VISION. REFLECTIONS on light and colours naturally lead the inquirer to contemplate the structure of the eye itself, and the manner in which vision, the source of so many delightful sensations, is performed. The eye is certainly no inconsiderable ornament to the face; but, it is its utility that now invites our attention. Its elevated situation eminently adapts it to its important office, facilitating its observations. The fine arched brow, that defends it from falling dust, perspiration, and excessive light, while it adds such In more particularly examining this organ, it is found to have three coats, covering each other like the coats of a bulbous root, and inclosing three humours. These coats have received the names of the sclerotica, the choroides, and the retina; the humours-the aqueous, the crystalline, and the vitreous. The external coat is the sclerotica, which is elastic, strong, and white, except a circular part in front, which is transparent, and denominated the cornea. Under the sclerotica is the choroides, which is soft and tender, composed of numerous vessels; like the outer coat it is distinguished into two parts, the fore part receiving the name of the iris, and commencing at the same place with the cornea. The iris is a beautiful part of the eye, variously coloured, in some blue, in others brown, &c. it deserves to be minutely investigated, for of itself it displays an infinitely wise and gracious Creator. It is composed of two sorts of muscular fibres, the one leading like radii to the centre of the circle, and the other forming concentric circles round the same centre. In the centre of the iris is an orifice called the pupil, through which alone light is admitted to the eye: this opening is enlarged or contracted by the action of these fibres according to circumstances. | most powerful, and in passing, the When surrounded with abundance luminous rays are necessarily reof light, the concentric fibres con- fracted, and with so much regularity tract, and diminish the pupil; as and precision, that the representalight departs, in twilight, and still tions of the various objects before more in darkness, the radial fibres us, or on which we look, are formed contract and enlarge the pupil, that in the eye where the approximating every facility may be given to the rays converge. The most convinc entrance of the luminous rays. These ing experiment illustrating the naobservations account for our feelings ture of vision, is that afforded by the in a sudden transition from darkness eye of a bullock when fresh. Havto light, or from light to comparative ing cut away the three coats from darkness. The young reader has the back part of it, without injuring doubtless often felt himself incon- the vitreous humour, let a piece of venienced by the introduction of white paper supply the place of the candles into a room in which he has coats, on it will be represented sat till the light of day had departed, figures of the objects before which and also when he has suddenly left it is placed, but in an inverted posian enlightened room, on a dark tion. As every part of an object night, when, for some minutes, he reflects the rays of light in all direc could scarcely discern the road. tious, some rays from every part, of In both cases, the inconvenience the side next the eye, will be sent lasted till the aperture of the eye to the cornea, and passing on through had time to adjust itself to the pro- the pupil and humours, will be conportion of light. Our admiration of verged to as many parts on the rethis wonderful operation is increas- tina, and thereon form a distinct ed, when it is remembered, that in though inverted and minute picture. thousands it is carried on without The circumstance of objects being their knowledge, and in all without represented in an inverted position their co-operation, The third mem- by the eye has excited much invesbrane of the eye is called, the retina. tigation, but, as every object is so It is, as its name indicates, a kind of represented, no confused ideas ennet work, on which the images of sue. The precise manner in which objects are supposed to be repre- those images proceed from the resented, and thence transmitted to tina by the optic nerve to the brain, the brain by the optic nerve, of which and thence effect the soul, is above this membrane is an expansion. our contracted understanding, and known only to him who so ordained it, and whose thoughts are as high above our thoughts as "the heavens are higher than the earth." The aqueous, or watery humour, is thin and clear; it is situate in front of the eye, and is divided into two parts by the iris, which swims it. The crystalline humour, in form like a double convex lens, transparently resembles pure crystal, and is placed behind the aque Our senses are not independant of each other, nor would it be easy to determine which is the most useful. The sight, important as it is, is assisted and corrected by the touch or feeling. If we remark the conduct of infants, we shall observe, that they no sooner see an object, than they extend their hands to feel it; and we often properly imitate their conduct, particularly in ascer Neither our design or limits allow a minute description of this wonderful organ. In any degree to excite youthful admiration at the perfec-taining the degree of smoothness, tions of Deity, as universally displayed, and to allure to further investigation as opportunities offer, will be our delight. These humours are so many media, through which light has to penetrate, whenever we see, of which the crystalline is the roughness, or sharpness of a body. The painter would have often deceived us by the perfection of his art, had not our hands corrected our sight. Another fact deserving of admiration is, that though we have two eyes, each of which operates similarly, but one impression is made: the cause of which appears to be, that the axis of each eye is directed to the same object in the same direction, and the optic nerves leading to the same part of the brain, serve to produce but one sensation: for, if one of the eyes be gently pressed towards the other, and the direction of the axes thereby altered, the object is seen double. Let it not be supposed, that one of the organs of sight is therefore superfluous. God creates nothing in vain. How much would the loss of one detract from the beauty of the face, and the strength of vision, while it would greatly aggravate the misery of him, who is so unhappy as to injure an eye. It might be supposed, that prejudices against philosophical inquiry must be overcome by the least attention to this branch of science. He must be either thoughtless, or deficient in gratitude, who can receive the benefits of optical researches, and yet discountenance those studies. But so great an inconsistency has been witnessed, as a father, or grandfather, discouraging the interesting pursuit in his spectacles: happily, the clouds of ignorance are dispersing, and the beams of truth increasingly enlighten mankind. Success inspires perseverance, and one discovery urges and leads to another. The further results of this interesting study have been, the gratification and information afforded by the microscope and telescope, each unfolding the Almighty's works in un STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES. These discoveries of the nature of the eye and vision, have led to the most useful purposes. The imper-known worlds of wonder: the former fections of the eyes would doubtless exhibiting life and beauty in unsussoon engage the optician's attention. pected minuteness; the latter ele Our sight being affected by impres-vating our contemplations, and assions from the refraction of the lu- sisting us indeed to exclaim, “the minous rays, indistinct vision must heavens declare thy glory, and the proceed from some defect in the re- firmament showeth forth thy handy fracting media, or humours; accord- work." N. N. ingly, eyes either too round or too flat must cause imperfect vision. In the first case, as with short-sighted persons, the rays, entering the pupil, converge too soon, before they quite reach the retina, the image, in such eyes, is consequently formed by diverging rays; in the latter, the rays reach the retina before they are converged to a focus. The philosopher finding that glasses converge or diverge luminous rays according to their nature, concluded that these defects might be assisted, and this is precisely the case with spectacles, which there is reason to believe were invented by Alhuzen, as early as the thirteenth century. The humours of the eye flatten with age, gradually losing their transparency and their moisture, to remedy which, convex glasses are used, which assist in converging the rays. In eyes that are too round, concave lenses are employed, which produce the opposite effect. Short-sighted persons have this pleasing prospect, their sight will probably improve with age. | American Weekly Publication. IT cannot but be pleasing to religious minds to hear, that the study of the holy scriptures is carefully attended to in the public schools in this town [Portland], and that it is promoted by rewards in Bibles from the "Eastern Society." These rewards are presented at the end of every quarter, to those whom the master certifies to have paid the greatest attention thereto. Some of the last certificates state, that, in the preceding quarter, the verses learnt by the students were in number as follow: viz. by one, 803; by another, 1054; by another, 1639; by another, 1693; by another, 2500; and by one as many as 3060; that many others had done well, and though they had not learnt so many verses, were well entitled to rewards: but on account of the limitation of their number, they, unfortunately, could not obtain them. |