Heathens also, when they came forth to plough, laid one hand upon the stilt of the plough, and lifted the other. up to Ceres; beginning their actions both of war and peace with the same gesture. "Sustulit excitas vinelis ad sydera palmas."

The ancients are very copious in expressing these outward forms of devotion in the hands. They say, the hands stretched out, expanded, and erected, all naturally imply this expression. With Tertullian, the hands thus affected are expanded; with Virgil holden abroad; as Nonnius interpreteth the action, they are the open and extended hands. Cresollius says, this deportment of our hands declares that we affectionately fly unto the protection of our heavenly father, as little children when alarmed, with stretched out hands, run into the lap of their parents, or as men in the midst of a shipwreck stretch out their hands to some friendly Saviour. In a medal of Gordian, there is a figure raising its expanded hands with this inscription "Pietas Augusta," and, according to Eusebius, Constantine was represented in coins and paintings with his hands extended forth. The Romish church superabounds in the external expressions of devotion, some of which have been quaintly commented upon by

the old writers; for instance, Huelamus, in his gloss upon the "Oremus" in the Romish mass, says, that by the extension of his hands the priest gathers, as it were, the hearts of the people; and, by conjoining of them, unites them into one. It is the custom of mothers to teach their children this gesture at their devotion; and of this idea Sir Joshua Reynolds availed himself in his beautiful little picture of the infant Samuel.

For an illustration of this attitude represented in Plate LIII. the reader will refer to Scene II. Act 3. of Henry VIII.

K. Hen. ............Read o'er this:

[Giving him papers.

And, after, this: and then to breakfast, with

What appetite you may.

[Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wolsey: the Nobles throng after him, smiling and whispering.

Wolsey. What should this mean?

What sudden anger's this? How have I reap'd it?
He parted frowning from me, as if ruin

Leap'd from his eyes: so looks the chafed lion
Upon the daring huntsman that has gall'd him.
Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper;
I fear the story of his anger.-'Tis so ;

This paper hath undone me :-'tis the account
Of all that world of wealth I have drawn together
For mine own ends: indeed to gain the popedom,
And for my friends in Rome. O negligence
Fit for a fool to fall by! What cross devil
Made me put this main secret in the packet

I sent the king? Is there no way to cure this?
No new device, to beat this from his brains?

I know, 'twill stir him strongly, yet I know

A way, if it take right, in spite of fortune,
Will bring me off again. What's this-To the Pope?
The letter, as I live, with all the business

I writ to his holiness.-Nay, then, farewell!

I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness, &c.