boys, animated with enthusiastic ardour against the Papistical designs of King James, raised the draw-bridge, locked the gates, and raised the cry of "No surrender." Their enthusiastic spirit spread amongst the garrison, and they resolved upon defending the place to the utmost extremity. Lundy, the governor, was deposed, and a clergyman, of the name of Walker, and a major Baker, were appointed to govern and defend the place.

Such was the enthusiastic heroism of the garrison and inhabitants of the city, that after repeated assaults, James retired from the siege, despairing of reducing the place, except by cutting off the communication of supplies, and thus starving the besieged. James left his army under the command of a foreigner, of the name of Rosen, a man who had acquired considerable experience in the art of war, and who was specially distinguished for ferocity of character. Enraged to madness at the continued defence of the city, he collected together, out of the surrounding country, all the Protestants his men could find, and drove them under the walls of the city, there to perish-until, either from motives of humanity, or policy, James ordered them to have liberty to withdraw.

The sufferings and privations endured by the besieged are said to have equalled any which history records. At one time, when the besieged were reduced to a state of great distress, for want of food, their hopes were revived by the appearance in the river of a number of ships belonging to King William. Animation glowed in every countenance; but their hopes were soon turned into bitter disappointment-the fleet, instead of approaching to relieve the city, sailed away. At length, when almost every thing which could possibly be converted into food had been consumed, three ships of war hove in sight. The sides of the Loch Foyle, or river, near the city, were lined with batteries, and a strong boom placed across to prevent the passage of the ships. At length one of the vessels sailing with velocity, approached the boom-the inhabitants of the city looked from the ramparts with intense interest-the vessel broke the boom-the besieged were overpowered with thrilling joy; but this was almost instantly changed into despair-the rebound given to the vessel sent it aground. The besiegers now attempted to take possession of the ship-from which a broadside was immediately fired-the recoil of the guns set the vessel afloat, and the attempt to succour the besieged was successful. The siege was abandoned, after the loss of about 8000 of the besiegers. The besieged lost 3000 men of the garrison, and a great number of the citizens died from want, disease, and various causes.

Such are, in brief, the circumstances which Charlotte Elizabeth has commemorated in the very interesting volume entitled "Derry." The pen of so accomplished a writer, could not fail to produce an instructive, and interesting work, when employed on such materials; and the work is every way worthy of its justly celebrated author.

SACRED BIOGRAPHY; Illustrative of Man's Three-fold State. The Present, Intermediate, and Future. By J. SMITH, M. A. 18mo. Super Royal. 400 pp. GLASGOW G. GALLIE; LONDON: J. SNOW.

SCRIPTURE biography records the history of the most distinguished members of the human family. Of persons in whose lives there were many remarkable occurrences, which related not only to themselves and the age in which they lived, but which, in their consequences, extend through all succeeding periods of time. To examine their history, and educe the instruction and profit which it is calculated to impart, is a truly profitable employment. To be ignorant of their history, is disgraceful to any youth who has had an opportunity of learning to read the holy Scriptures. Many works illustrative of Scripture biography have been published, of which the one now before us is not the least important. We have read it with much satisfaction. It may be read with much advantage, not only by youth, but also by those of riper years. Besides nineteen lectures on sacred biography, it contains an important lecture on "the intermediate state of the soul after death," and two others on the "resurrection of the body," and on the " sameness of character in time and eternity."

THE YOUNG COMPOSER; or, Progressive Exercises in English Composition, By JAMES CORNWELL, Joint Author of Allen and Cornwell's School Grammar, and Grammar for Beginners, Part 1. Royal 18mo. 128 pp. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND Co.

THOSE persons who have acquired a general acquaintance with English grammar, and who are desirous of improving in the important art of composition, upon studying this book, will find that it is a work from which may be derived much valuable assistance, in giving ideas and words their proper and most effective ar rangement. The former works of which Mr. Cornwell was joint author with the late Dr. Allen, have obtained extensive circulation. The sixth edition of the School Grammar has already been published.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

REPORT of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. Published and sold by the SOCIETY, and by WARD AND CO.

THE UNION MAGAZINE, for Sunday School Teachers. March, 1844. 12mo. 24 pp. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

ROYAL MINISTER AND CHRISTIAN LIBERALITY.

MR. EDITOR,

In the course of my reading I met with the following interesting and affecting account of a king of England, of happy memory, who loved his people and his God. As the custom of the times then was, he used occasionally to take the exercise of hunting. Being out one day for this purpose, the chase lay through the skirts of W Forest, the stag had been hard run, and to escape the dogs, had crossed the river in a deep part; the dogs, however, could not be brought to follow; it became neccssary, to come up with the stag, to make a circuitous route, along the banks of the river, through some thick and troublesome underwood. The roughness of the ground, the long grass and frequent thickets, gave opportunity for the sportsmen to separate, each one endeavouring to make the best and speediest route he could. Before they had reached the end of the forest, the king's horse manifested signs of fatigue and weariness; so much so, that his majesty resolved upon yielding the pleasure of the chase to those of compassion for his horse. With this view, he turned into the first avenue in the forest, and determined to ride gently on to the oaks, there to wait for some of his attendants. His majesty had proceeded only a few yards, when instead of the cry of the hounds, he fancied that he heard the cry of human distress. As he rode forward, he heard it more distinctly; "O my mother! my mother! The curiosity and kindness of the king led him instantly to the spot; it was a little green spot on one side of the forest, where was spread on the grass, under a branching oak, a little pallet, half covered with a kind of tent, a basket or two, with some packs, lay on the ground. At a few paces distant from the tent, near to the foot of the tree, he observed a little swarthy-featured girl, about eight years of age, on her knees praying, while her little black eyes ran down with tears. Distress of any kind was ever relieved by his majesty, for he had a heart which melted at human woe, nor was it unaffected on this occasion; and now he inquired, "What my child, is the cause of your weeping-for what do you pray? The little creature at first started, then rose from her knees, and pointing to the tent, said, “O Sir, my dying mother! His majesty, dismounting and fastening his horse to the branches of the oak, said, "What, my child, tell me all about it?" The little creature now led the king to the tent; there lay, partly covered, a middle-aged female gipsy, in the last stages of a decline, and in the last moments of life. She turned her dying eyes expressly to the royal visitor,

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then looked up to heaven; but not a word did she utter; the organs of speech had ceased their office, "the silver cord was loosed, the wheel broken at the cistern." The little girl again wept aloud, then stooping, wiped the dying sweat from her mother's face.

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The king, much affected, asked the little girl of her name, and of her family, and how long her mother had been ill. Just at that moment another gipsy girl, much older, came out of breath to the spot. She had been at the town of W. ; she had brought some medicine for her dying mother. Observing a stranger, she modestly courtesied, kneeled down by her side, kissed her pallid lips, and burst into tears. "What, my dear child," said his majesty, can be done for you?" "O Sir!" she replied, "my dying mother wanted a religious person to teach her, and to pray with her before she died. I ran all the way before it was light this morning to Wand asked for a minister; but no one could I get to come with me to pray for my dear mother." The dying woman seemed sensible of what her daughter was saying, and her countenance was much agitated. The air was again rent with the cries of the distressed daughters. -The king, full of kindness, instantly endeavoured to comfort them; he said, “I am a minister, and God has sent me to instruct and comfort your mother." He then set himself down on a pack by the side of the pallet, and, taking the hand of the dying gipsy in his, discoursed on the demerit of sin, and the nature of redemption; he then pointed her to Christ, the all-sufficient Saviour. While the king was doing this, the poor creature seemed to gather consolation and hope: she looked up-she smiled; but it was her last smile, -it was the glimmering of expiring nature. As the expression of peace, however, remained strong on her countenance, it was not till some little time had elapsed that they perceived the struggling spirit had left mortality.

It was at this moment that some of his majesty's attendants, who had missed him at the chase, and who had been riding through the forest in search of him, rode up, and found the king comforting the afflicted gipsies. It was an affecting sight, worthy of everlasting record in the annals of kings. His majesty now rose up, put some gold into the hands of the afflicted girls, promising them his protection, and bid them look to heaven. He then wiped the tears from his eyes and mounted his horse. His attendants, greatly affected, stood in silent admiration. Lord L- -, was now going to speak, when his majesty, turning to the gipsies, and pointing to the breathless corpse, and to the weeping girls, said, with strong emotion, "Who, my Lord thinkest thou was neighbour unto these?"

L

Reader, "Go thou and do likewise."

The above praiseworthy conduct will never be obliterated from the pages of history. It reminds us of the conduct of the good Samaritan, as recorded in Luke x., who succoured the man that fell among thieves, "bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him; and concerning whom our Saviour said to the lawyer, "Go thou and do likewise." This also accords with what Christ said to the rich young man, "Go thy way, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up thy cross and follow me." But he, like too many lovers of this world, was sad at this saying, and went away grieved. However hard the rich may think this saying of our Lord, it must be complied with; for Christianity requires us, in addition to our "loving God with all our heart, to love our neighbour as ourselves."

I shall never forget some remarks the venerable and Rev. W. Jay, of Bath, made in a sermon he preached at Manchester, some three or four years since, to the following effect, "Many years ago I came to a decision never to preach a funeral sermon for a rich man. I hope my brethren in the ministry will come to the same conclusion; die rich! while so many mil

lions of human souls are perishing for want of the bread of life; die rich! while we have so much poverty and misery around us. I say, it is a disgrace to any man to die rich!" St. John says in his epistle, "Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" The religion that does not prove itself by works of charity and mercy, is not of God. True Christianity will lead us to cellars, garrets, and cottages to find out the distressed; hence, says Job, "I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not I searched out." Surely it is the duty of the various sections of the Church, to visit, and, as far as possible, to supply the wants of the Lord's poor-the destitute representatives of Christ.

Attention to the wants of the poor, among us, is a pleasing feature in our Liverpool Society, to their honour be it spoken. A Clothing Society has been established for several years, under the management of a committee of ladies, who meet weekly during a few winter months, for the purpose of making articles and distributing them to poor persons connected in Church fellowship with us, all of whom are previously visited by ladies who are appointed to the office of visitors. At the last annual meeting of the committee and friends of this god-like work, which was held in Pleasant Street School-room, about seventy persons sat down together to tea, which was provided at 1s. each. After the tea-things were set aside the ladies' report afforded much gratification; 682 articles of clothing have been distributed by them to the needy within the last four years; a delightful feeling pervaded the meeting whilst the brethren Messrs. Woolstenholme, Rowland, Bridson, Wren, Partington, Davidson, Joyce, and myself, were advocating the cause of the Lord's poor. Several new subscribers came up and threw their contributions into the treasury.

In addition to the above, I am happy in being able to state, though we have only about 900 Members in this town, our friends raise about £100 yearly to the poor's fund, which is carefully distributed among our poor through their proper channels. This is acting in conformity with the Word of God, "If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore, I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land." The exercise of the great principle of benevolence ought to be the governing motive of Christian conduct; we should be ready to distribute, and willing to communicate, according to the ability which God giveth us. Our duty and advantage are always connected. To give is to be blessed, and it is more blessed to give than to receive. To lessen the woes of others is to augment our own happiness. Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble: the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth." Let us then, as Christians, stretch forth the hand of benevolence, heartily and without grudgingly, let the heart go with the gift, for God loves a cheerful giver; and so does a poor man, let the soul pity and the hand give. Whatever we give from a pure principle, shall not lose its reward, but shall be gloriously rewarded at the last day, hence "the King shall say unto them at his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink;

I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink. When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick or in prison, and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Let us, as a Connexion, arise to active exertion, and carry out the true principles of Christianity, in all its ramifications, in every part of our Zion. Let this conviction rest upon our understandings we are only stewards, repositories of the goods of heaven, and that whether these are intellectual or temporal, they are not ours, but God's; and are to be employed in the manner, and for the purpose, he has expressly appointed.

"O that each in the day of his coming may say,

I have fought my way through,

I have finished the work thou did'st give me to do.
O that each from his Lord may receive the glad word,—

Well and faithfully done,

Enter into my joy, and sit down on my throne."

By your inserting the above in your excellent Magazine, you will oblige our friends.

Liverpool.

THOMAS ELLERY.

GEOLOGY OF THE BIBLE. No. II.

(For the Wesleyan Methodist Association Magazine.) "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."-Gen i. 2.

THE account of the creation of the world, given us in the book of Genesis, not only asserts the simple fact that Almighty God was its creator; but enters into a minute account of the order of the proceeding in such precise terms, as to convey the impression of the Divine origin of the narrative: for, of the things called into existence before man himself had a being, how otherwise could the particulars have been known to him? The knowledge may have been originally obtained by Adam, and from him descended through the patriarchs; for as it was the pleasure of the Deity to converse with his creature "in the cool of the day," what more noble, and otherwise so worthy, can we suppose to have been the subject of such conversation? Or the knowledge may have been derived from the colloquy of Moses with his God; for their discourse was like as a man talketh with his friend; and we may judge that the philosophic legislator, even though already well instructed, would gladly seize the occasion to learn from such a source an authentic account of that grand subject of Egyptian disquisition, the origin of all things.

In every case, however, the authority for the facts related is to be found in the miracles performed with the rod of God; for these were given as much to confirm the historic accuracy, as the Divine authority of the Deliverer of Israel. But whilst this is admitted by all who receive the Scriptures as a Divine revelation, yet some remarkable interpretations have been given to the language employed; and hence, though it is not an object of these essays to enter upon an examination or refutation of the generality of the conclusions of modern geologists, where they appear contrary to the sacred word, yet it seems necessary at times to refer to the more prominent of them, either by allusion