fashioned; but who, seeing the sun shining in his strength, rendered homage to the mighty element, neglectful of its eternal cause. Even such a host is gathering now, philosophizing infidels who worship the intellectual fire and put dishonour upon Him whose breath alone has kindled it. I have pondered on the singular coincidence, and marked the gradual increase of our modern Persians, who are probably destined to strike the deadly blow, so far as man's instrumentality is used, against the modern Babylon, though as yet linked in a hollow alliance on the ground of expediency for combined operation against God's Israel.

But I have digressed from the subject in hand, if indeed it can be called a digression from any subject, to advert to that which has a growing concern with all, whether spiritual, ecclesiastical, political, historical, or geographical. The French priests who troubled Nova Scotia have long since mouldered into dust; but the spirit that animated them is alive, unchanged, stirring and encroaching. Ere long the struggle will re-commence in that quarter also, which has been so fatally successful in Newfoundland and in Lower Canada; and fain would I engage the sympathy, the prayers of English Christians on behalf of their compatriots in Acadia, and of the poor remnant of the scattered tribes who inhabit its woods. It is no small part of the evil that they upon whom it is coming see it not impending, neither believe the tale. It is not on the surface that these things yet appear manifestly: neither are the gigantic strides of Popery traced aright by such as have not studied her character as drawn in the holy scriptures and elucidated by the pen of history, both ecclesiastical and secular.

If the spirit of slumber, and consequently of error had not fallen upon the Protestant churches, their enemy could never have made such formidable advances as we live to witness: the same error that blinds them now will keep them wrapped in a false security, incensed against those who, seeing their Jerusalem encompassed with armies, premonish them of the coming evil, until this Babylonian shall have wrought his impious will, and finally sink beneath the Persian avenger.

Would it were mine to arouse the attention of God's people, few and scattered as I fear they are, throughout the province, to the workings of the combined foe among them; and to their long neglect of the injunction given by Paul to Timothy when, after de· scribing by its alienable marks of forced celibacy and compulsory abstinence from flesh, the foul apostacy that was to come, he adds, "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of THESE THINGS thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ." Alas! few indeed are the pulpits from which we hear such exhortations now; and even the homilies, containing such invaluable testimony against the abominations of Popery, and which the clergy of our church are expressly enjoined to read to their flocks at stated times,-even these are laid aside. Our blessed reformers did all that in them lay to guard the fold against the return of these ravening wolves, whose attacks they plainly foresaw; but we cast far from us every weapon of defence, and invite the curse which they gave their lives to avert. What baffled Popery in the days of James II, but the use of those means which we have learned to despise? and to what can we so rationally look at once for a plan of the battle and for weapons to wield,

as to the magazine stored up for us by the matured wisdom of our forefathers?

Nova Scotia has a powerful claim on us, both in reference to the past and the present. While other colonial legislatures have bestirred themselves in the work of insulting, thwarting and embarrassing the parent state, her loyal and right-principled council have never swerved from the honourable track of old-fashioned allegiance. Earnest in fulfilling the duties owing to their own country, they have taken no narrow view, as though their responsibilities ended there; but have felt and acted as members of this vast empire, personally concerned in whatsoever affected its interests, bound to promote the general welfare, and banded to resist all that is inimical to England's prosperity. Surely they deserve at our hands the acknowledgment due to such fidelity, the respect and affection of every Christian patriot. And whenever the time arrives for bringing to a sterner test this loyalty and truth-whenever Nova Scotia shall be placed in the balances wherein so many have been weighed and found wanting, may the result be what it now promises, and the good word of our God be fulfilled upon a people who, as a community, have not ceased to " fear the Lord and the king," nor meddled with them that are given to change.

My departure from that interesting scene partook more of the perilous and strange than any of my adventures there had done, singular as some of them were, Many living witnesses can testify to the fact, or I should hesitate to record it. All was fixed for the departure of the old French troops, whose joyous march from Windsor I have already related, and who with above three hundred of their comrades

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were embarked on board a very fine vessel, selected by the Earl of Dalhousie, whose paternal kindness of two years' incessant continuance terminated in providing for me every comfort that his thoughtful mind could devise. The time of sailing was fixed, but from some cause not necessary to investigate, I had been misled as to the precise hour; and having some message to deliver to the commanding officer, I was awaiting his reply, quietly seated with his lady in the drawing-room, when, thinking him a little dilatory, I requested a prompt answer, For the ves

sel is to sail in an hour,' I added; ' and it is time that I went on board.' ·

Never shall I forget the start of surprise with which he stopped short in the middle of the room; then, seizing me by the arm, he drew or rather dragged me into an adjoining apartment, and from the window shewed me a sight that petrified me-the ship, every sail set, and all filled with a favourable breeze, bearing on her rapid course towards the harbour's mouth. The first moment was one of stupifying astonishment and dismay; the next saw me descending the stairs ; and in the street I found my two soldier servants, the groom and footman, in a paroxysm of agony. They had just ascertained the fact; and they alone of all the conscript corps were left, while their comrades sailed away for the pleasant land of France. I wonder they did not bayonet me; they tore their hair, stamped and exclaimed in all the bitterness of that trying moment. 'My poor fellows,' said I, we are all deserted; but lamentations will not help us now. Run for the little boxes that are left; call the dogs, and follow me. If there is a boat in Halifax we'll board that ship before she leaves the harbour.' Away

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they ran for the light luggage, all the heavy articles being on board; and off we set on the most Quixotic expedition imaginable.

A Nova Scotian gentleman meeting us, and understanding the predicament we were in, volunteered his services; gave me his arm, and accompanied us to three wharfs, in the hope of finding a boat-there was not one to be seen. At the fourth wharf we found a little crazy shallop, into which we threw ourselves and pushed off.

I was young, and by no means deficient either in enterprize or romance. The situation was calculated to call up every faculty into vigorous exercise, and to colour with no ordinary tints the exciting scene. There we reclined in a slender, diminutive boat, rocking on the fine swell of that noble water, the wooded heights rising on either hand, and before us the ship, the precious ship, bound for our home, then two thousand miles away, and mocking, as it seemed, our puny efforts to gain upon her track. The poor soldiers were wearying themselves with shouting to the distant vessel, their features swollen, their eyes almost starting from the sockets, with the agonizing conflict of hope and fear; and certainly for the former there was slender ground; but the Lord, according to his wont, interposed: it was not his will that I should be left in a foreign land, to wring the heart of an expecting mother with anguish, or that those two poor war-broken soldiers should have their sad exile prolonged. On a sudden, the wind fell; the stiff breeze sank to a dead calm; every sail of the ship hung loosely flapping against the rigging, and heavily she tacked from shore to shore, scarcely making her own length at each turn.