to the organ, provided it does not irritate or give pain.

Our leading purpose, however, in these remarks, is to suggest the more important means of improving the eye, rather than those of removing debility or disease; and to those who have eyes already comparatively healthy and good, and who only wish to cultivate or improve-in other words, to educate them in the best possible manner, we would say: Make a daily use of cold water. Not only wash the face well several times a day, and the whole body once,-the eyes being closed when the water comes in contact with these parts, but occasionally open the eyes themselves while in the water.

-

"When we commenced a regular course of study at the age of twenty-five, our greatest fear was lest our eyes-naturally weak, and rendered worse by improper medical treatment for the measles-should fail us. But by daily bathing them, and especially by opening them in cold water, and by a proper course of exercise to be described hereafter, instead of growing worse by study, they actually grew better every year for many years-indeed, till we were more than forty years of age. Now, while we would not lay too much stress on single cases, it is impossible for us not to make at least two inferences from these facts.-1. That though the exercise had its full share in this work of improving the eyes, the cold bathing did something. 2. That what did our eyes some good, or at least did not injure them, diseased though they were, would be far more useful certainly safe-to eyes as yet comparatively healthy.

"We have already alluded to the deleterious consequences of eye waters; especially those which are as harsh as sulphuric acid or elixir of vitriol. And yet, while many people will use the latter with great willingness, they will shrink from the application of cold water to the tender surface of the eye! Strange inconsistency! And yet not a whit more strange than common.

"Pure cold water thus applied to the eye, twice or three times a day, especially in the early part of the day, is most unquestionably the best tonic for this organ, light excepted, which the world can pro

same

for there may be such cases among us, in a community where there is so much incipient disease-washing and bathing the face often with the eyes closed, is highly serviceable. Nearly the good effects, only in a degree less intense, may result from this mode of application, which follow from the other. The eye-lid is very thin, and its sympathies with the eye itself very strong.

"4. EXERCISE.-On this point-the last, but not the least important we have selected-our opinion will probably be deemed more heretical than elsewhere. It has been very generally supposed, that in order to strengthen the eye, above all, ir debilitated or diseased, it must be little used. From this mistaken view have arisen a thousand errors. To it, in no small degree, we owe the mighty deluge of spectacles of all sorts, of which we have already loudly complained; together with a host of mechanical contrivances for favouring weak eyes, or improving those already strong. To it, moreover, we owe, in no small degree, much of that superficiality in learning which is so common among us now-a-days. Many a student seems to regard spectacles as a sort of substitute for thought and solid learning.

"Now, we are of the number of those who believe that if no person in the world were to use any sort of spectacles or glasses for a thousand years to come, the eyesight of the race then on earth would be far better than it is likely to be, as things are now going on. This is not saying that spectacles may not, in some instances, be advantageously applied, but only that the extreme to which we have alluded, would be far more tolerable than that which now exists. Nine in ten, perhaps ninety-nine in a hundred, who uses glasses, are injured by them in the end, most unquestionably.

"The grand point, after all, in the work of improving the eye-just as it is in the work of improving any other organ-is to give it a proper amount of healthful exercise. In one word, it must be used.

"Exercise of the eye, to be useful, must be varied. We must not read always, nor always refrain from reading. We must not always read the coarsest print; nor must we go to the other and worse extreme, that of always using small print. We

must not use a strong light always; nor must we resolve not to use a strong light at all. We must not read too much by artificial lights; nor need we refuse to use a lamp or a candle in any circumstances. We should not read much when the mind or the body is in a state of considerable fatigue; nor need we go to the other extreme, of never reading at all in such circumstances.

"The course which science, experience, and observation would seem to point out, is the following:-Keep the eyes cool. Use them much, generally in a full strong light, and in the open air; but at any rate use them. Accustom them, on occasions, to almost every degree of light, every kind of type, and every kind of artificial arrangement: taking care, however, especially in reading small or bad type, and in using a light badly constructed, or in a bad position, not to go so far as to induce fatigue. We believe that, with these latter cautions, the eye will always improve by use; and that, on the contrary, the more it is favoured and indulged babied as it were the worse will be its condition. We believe that thousands tend or baby their eyes into chronic or deep-seated disease, when constant and varied exercise, and a due attention to light, air, and water, would have rendered them as strong as our own. We have no more use for spectacles now than we had at twenty years of age; nor do we mean to use any for twenty years to come. And yet we read with impunity-for a little while at once-in all sorts of light; and have done so for about fifteen years. And yet, according to common appearances, no man had a worse prospect before him, so far as eyesight merely is concerned, fifteen or twenty years ago, than ourselves. And though we would not lay too much stress on the experience of one individual, we must be permitted to believe that it is worth something.

"As in the work of reform and improvement everywhere, so in this particular department, whatsoever the 'hand findeth to do,' should be done immediately. There is little hope for him who will not begin now to do that which he knows to be his duty. He that 'doeth truth' as soon as he knows what truth is, cometh to the light;' while he that doeth evil,'

and persists in it voluntarily ' neither cometh to the light,' nor enjoys the full benefit of the light he already possesses. "Important truths, like important knowledge, and like our locomotive organs, are given us to use; and if not used, they Nor soon either dwindle away or perish. is this all. We are accountable for them; not only for the lost truth, knowledge, and bodily organs themselves, but for the uses to which, respectively, they might have been applied.”

THE ISLAND BUILDERS.

A great many years ago-so long since, that history does not tell us when-the fires in the centre of the earth burned very fiercely, and the confined vapours struggled long and terribly to escape. The earth seemned to quake, and the broad rolling waters of the Pacific lashed and tossed, and at last fell into a long rolling surge, which swept from the tropic to the ice-bound circle around the southern pole. When the earth had ceased to quake, and the waters were stilled, it was found that a volcano had sprung up in the depths of the sea, and had risen to the height of many hundred feet, but was yet far beneath the surface of the waters.

Soon afterward, a colony of polypes, or coral insects, lighted upon this volcano peak, and finding it well suited for their purpose, determined to build an island. I suppose many of the young readers of this story have seen coral, but none of them have seen the coral insect. It is one of the most astonishing facts in natural history that such small creatures should produce the immense coral reefs and islands which are to be seen in different parts of the world. Yet the polypes have done more in the smallest island in the Pacific, than did all the Pharaohs when they built all the pyramids of Egypt.

It was a great undertaking for such little creatures. What! build an island! Strange that such a thought should enter into their little heads. But although it was a great thought for their heads, it was not too great for their stout little hearts, which were as big as their thoughts. They knew what they wanted to do, they knew how to do it, and they knew it would take some time to get through their work;

but as they had a great aim before them, they made up their minds to set about it and lose no time uselessly.

A grand council was called, and the leader of the colony, with a deal of ceremony (as great affairs of the kind are now done,) proceeded to lay the cornerstone of the new island. Mounting a beautiful little crystal of zeolite which lay half imbedded in a fragment of basalt, he very quietly deposited the first atom of calcareous rock in a little cavity in the stone. When this was done, the tiny artisans went to work and soon saw the result of their labour in a beautiful garden of coral branches, of every variety of shape, and making the rim of the volcano look like the flowery circle around a garden walk.

When the first hundred years had gone by, and many of the polypes who commenced the island had passed away, and left their places to others who were going on with the work, a great whale, who had left his hunting grounds in the north on a southern cruise, happening one day to dive down deeper than usual, espied the crowds of labourers, and wondered what it could all mean. After a time he seemed to get some idea of what the curious objects were that they were little insects very busy, or who pretended to be (as many little folks often do), about something of importance to themselves, but of no use to any one else in the world. At first he thought he would not take any notice of them, but finally, to show them what paltry things they were, and that they were very busy about nothing, and that he was somebody, he resolved to honour them, by asking, in a tone which showed that he expected to be asked for some favour, what they were about.

The chief of the tribe, who had a great deal of independence, and who felt that he was in the right path and needed no interference from conceited loungers, told him that they were "building an island." This was too absurd for the whale. He tossed his tail, puffed off a great column of water, and looking in pity on the silly little things, said, Building an island! The island will wait a long time to be finished, if you have it to do! I can do more in one day, than the whole of you in a million of years!" The little ar

tisans knew that he was a big fellow, and they could see that he was a big boaster, too; so the leader quietly told him that he had better commence his day's work, for they were getting his grave yard ready for him.

On this the whale, enraged at their boldness, had a mind to fling himself against their building and break it to pieces, but presently he thought he would be better avenged by bringing some of his great materials, and burying them all in a moment. With this purpose he sailed away, but was soon diverted from his intention with other things, and after sporting, and hunting, and travelling about many hundred thousand of miles, and having nearly forgotten his resolve, he one day thought of his visit to the little fellows struggling away at their toil in the bold effort of island-building. In fact, he felt so little concern about them, that he even thought he need hardly go to see them. But after thinking a few moments, uncertain in which direction to turn, he resolved to pay them a visit out of mere curiosity, and take no notice of insults from such insignificant creatures as they

were.

Falling into the parallel of 20 degrees south latitude, he struck west, in search of his object, and frequently diving to a great depth, he at last came upon a widespreading mass of coral, which had grown to an astonishing size since his last visit. He did not know the place, and had it not been that he remembered some marks near the spot, he could never have been certain that he had found his little friends.

Finding, at length, that he had reached the end of his journey, he spoke to the tribes around him, which had now increased to millions on millions, quietly adding grain by grain to the mountain mass, and laying a foundation of solid rock for the next class of workers. He saw that some great change had taken place, and began to think that, in time, if they only had long lives, and were very busy, they might make quite a big bed of coral down there but an island! the thing was the most crazy idea in the world.

--

Just to prove to the polypes how foolish their conduct was, and how they wasted

their strength, and to show them that the same end could be gained in a much shorter way, he thought he would teach them how to build an island, and thus confer on them a great benefit. So he merely said that he would show them what island - building really was, and went

away.

Now this freak of the whale was carried into effect just to ridicule the little trifling works of the polypes, and to show how fast he could build an island-not that the coral workers should have the benefit of it, but that the world might praise his great deeds, while the busy toilers were not seen at all. Forth he goes over the face of the deep, and brings from every quarter of the globe, trunks of tall giant trees, seaweeds, and plants of every kind, all the floating matters on the surface of the water, and from various shores, all the timber and materials he could possibly obtain. With this immense raft of matter, he drew near to the place of his triumph, and after leaving it not far from the next island, he went away to bring one more mass which should seal his victory and give him his desired renown. On his return, he found that the tides, the winds and the waves had destroyed his island-it had all drifted away, and only one fragment of sandal wood remained. This was a sad sight, but having brought an iceberg with him, he left it, thinking it would serve as a firm support for the other materials in his next and crowning attempt.

Meantime the polypes were working up solidly from the bottom.

After being away a long time, the whale came back to see his island, and to watch the coral workers, so that he might know the time when it would be necessary to put in the last materials and finish his work, for he did not care about doing it in a single day, lest it should be thought he was doing it merely to gain the admiration of the world. So he worked slower than he thought at first he would do, in order to prevent his vain-confidence from being

seen.

But the polypes were working solidly up from the bottom.

After some time he returned once more to his island, and found that the iceberg had melted away and left only a small mass of ice under water. This alarmed

him, for he had lost so much time that he began seriously to think he had trifled too long. Diving down to the coral island, he was surprised to see it only a little way from the surface of the water. He now turned away and raced up and down the deep to find materials with which to build his island, but in vain. After many useless attempts, and finding that he was unable to perform his task, he was so chagrined that he gave up in despair, and soon died.

But the polypes had been working up solidly from the bottom.

The trade-winds blowing in that region bore the carcass along until it had reached the point where the meridian 160 deg. west of London crosses the parallel 20 deg. south of the Equator, when it struck upon a reef elevated about twenty feet above the surface of the water, on which a few small trees were just beginning to grow. It seemed to be a very strange circumstance, but he was afterward seen by Captain Harpoon, of the good barque Spermchaser, and taken on board his ship.

can

The coral builders left an island which

never be shaken, and having been built solidly up from the bottom, it has a strong foundation on which to rest. The bread-fruit and the cocoa-nut are growing there now, and the natives of an island close by have settled upon it, for the coral workers have provided a home for man.

So may it be with the labours of all, old or young, who lay their foundation well, and work and wait patiently for their

reward.

Mankind

REMEMBERED HAPPINESS. are always happier for having been happy; so that if you make them happy now, you make them happy twenty years hence, by the memory of it. A childhood passed with a due mixture of rational indulgence, under fond and wise parents, diffuses over the whole of life a feeling of calm pleasure, and in extreme old age is the very last remembrance which time can erase from the mind of man How enjoyment, however inconsiderable, is confined to the present moment! A man is the happier for life from having made once an agreeable tour, or lived for any length of time with pleasant people, or enjoyed any considerable interval of innocent pleasure.

SACRED QUOTATIONS.

DEATH.

All at rest now-all dust!-wave flows on wave;
But the sea dries not!-what to us the grave?
It brings no real homily; we sigh,

Pause for awhile and murmur, All must die!"
Then rush to pleasure, action, sin once more,
Swell the loud tide, and fret unto the shore.
SIR E. BULWER LYTTON.

O what is Death? "Tis life's last shore,
Where vanities are vain no more!
Where all pursuits their goal obtain,
And life is all retouch'd again;

Where, in their bright results, shall rise
Thoughts, virtues, friendships, griefs, and joys.
LEGH RICHMOND.

The lovely bird, so young and fair,
Called hence by early doom,

Just came to show how sweet a flower
In paradise would bloom.

LEGH RICHMOND.

The man, how wise, who, sick of gaudy scenes, Is led by choice to take his favourite walk Beneath Death's gloomy, silent cypress shades, Unpierced by vanity's fantastic ray!

To read his monuments, to weigh his dust, Visit his vaults, and dwell among the tombs ! YOUNG.

Leaves have their time to fall,

And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath, And stars to set-but all,

Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death!
MRS. HEMANS.

Ere sin could blight, or sorrow fade,
Death came with friendly care,
The opening bud to heaven convey'd,
And bade it blossom there.

Soon as man, expert from time, has found
The key of life, it opes the gates of Death.
YOUNG.

Whatever farce the boastful hero plays,
Virtue alone has majesty in death;
And, greater still, the more the tyrant frowns.
YOUNG.

On this side, and on that, men see their friends
Drop off, like leaves in autumn; yet launch out
Into fantastic schemes, which the long-livers,
In the world's hale and undegenerate days,
Could scarce have leisure for; fools that we are!
Never to think of Death and of ourselves
At the same time! As if to learn to die
Were no concern of ours!

BLAIR.

A death-bed's a detector of the heart;
Here tired dissimulation drops her mask,
Through life's grimace, that mistress of the scene.
YOUNG.

INTERESTING STATISTICS.

"AN elevation of 500 feet, a very common variation in the surface of a hilly country, diminishes the average weight of the atmospheric pressure on the human body something more than a sixteenth part, or 600 pounds."

IT has been computed that two hundred and ten battles have been fought in England, from the invasion of Cæsar, to the close of the Scotch rebellion, in 1745. In only forty of these is the slaughter ascertained; but in those forty battles no less than 580,000 men were sacrificed.

EDMUND BURKE calculates that the number of human beings who have been slain in battle, and who have perished in a no less miserable manner by the consequences of war, from the beginning of the world to the commencement of the French Revolution, were at least seventy times the number of souls then on the globe; which, at the calculation of five hundred millions of its population, amounts to the almost incredible number of thirty-five thousand millions.

NUTRITION OF A Cow.-A cow consumes on an average 100 lbs. of green food in 24 hours. This, for 185 days of summer, is 18,500 lbs. In winter, 45 lbs. of root a day; or for 180 days, 8,100 lbs. One-third of this may be potatoes; the rest, other roots. But she gives, if well fed, 2,000 quarts of milk a year.

OF 100 men who are born, 50 die before the 10th year, 20 between the 10th and the 20th, 10 between the 20th and the 30th, 6 between the 30th and the 40th, 5 between the 40th and the 50th, 3 between the 50th and the 60th; therefore, 6 only live to be above the age of 60. Haller, who collected the greatest number of instances respecting the age of man, found the relative duration of life to be in the following proportion:-Of men who lived from 100 to 110 years, the instances have been 1,000, of from 110 to 130, 60.

Ir is estimated that there is yearly consumed in the linen and other manufactures of Great Britain, 100,000 tons of flax. Of this quantity, 75,000 tons are imported, the remaining 25,000 tons being the produce of the British isles. The total value of all the articles of British manufacture, in which the flax fibre imported is employed, exceeds £5,000,000 annually. Flax-seed for sowing and crushing is imported annually into Great Britain, to the amount of £1,820,000, taking the quantity imported, 650,000 quarters, at 7s. per quarter; 70,000 tons of oil-cake, for feeding of cattle, having a value of £600,000, are also imported yearly.

THE Bible contains 3,566,480 letters; 810,697 words; 31,173 verses; 1,189 chapters; 66 books. The word and 46,227 times; the word reverend only once, which is in the 9th verse of the 11th Psalm; the word Lord 1,855 times; the middle and least chapter is the 117th Psalm; the middle verse the 8th of 118th Psalm; and the 21st verse 7th chapter of Ezra contains the alphabet. The finest chapter to read is the 26th of Acts; the 19th chapter of second book of Kings, and the 37th chapter of Isaiah are alike. The least verse is the 33rd of the 11th chapter of John; and the 8th, 15th, 21st, and 31st verses of the 107th Psalm are alike. Each verse of the 136th Psalm ends alike; there are no words or names in the Bible of more than six syllables.