be repaired, and his gratification was great when he beheld the mast replaced, the sails in order, and the vessel moving upon the river that flowed by the town.

In order to improve himself, Peter travelled over many of the countries of Europe, and practically studied the various mechanical arts. He travelled as a private individual, and under a feigned name, in order that he might not be interrupted in his attempts to learn and to improve. To make himself perfect master of the art of ship-building, he engaged himself as a working-carpenter, and actually took his place among the other workmen; eating the same kind of food, wearing the same kind of dress, and living in equally small lodgings.

In spite of the good resolutions and praiseworthy intentions of the young czar, a circumstance occurred before he had made much progress on his journey, which it is painful to be obliged to mention. At a dinner to which he was invited while in Prussia, he drank wine to excess; he became what is called drunk.

Every body who has had the misfortune to meet a drunken man, has seen enough to know that such a man must be disliked and shunned by all good men. But there is something much worse in drunkenness than its appearance, filthy and hateful as it is. It deprives a person of his reason and selfcontrol, and degrades him at once to the level of the brute.

The young Czar, while under the influence of the wine that he had taken to excess, in a moment of passion, drew his sword upon his friend Le Fort. Happily, Le Fort escaped, without sustaining any severe injury. When the effect of the wine passed away, and Peter became sensible of what he had done, he was horror-struck. He

begged pardon of his friend, and bewailing his own want of self-control, he exclaimed: "Oh! I am desirous of improving and reforming my countrymen, but have not yet been able to reform myself."

On his return to Russia, Peter taught his countrymen many useful arts. He founded schools, caused books to be printed, and afforded to young and old an opportunity of acquiring knowledge.

Among the most important works of the Czar Peter, was the founding of St. Petersburg, now the capital city of Russia. At the beginning of his reign, the Russians had only one seaport, Archangel. This town is situated very near the northern extremity of the country; and the approach to it by ships, being round the north cape of Norway, is long and dangerous.

On the 27th of May, 1703, the Czar Peter laid the foundation of Petersburg, at the top of the gulf of Finland, on the river Neva. At a little distance from Petersburg, in the gulf, is the island of Cronstadt which forms the harbor. The depth of water between Cronstadt, and Petersburg is not sufficiently great to admit large ships. But ships of any size can come to Cronstadt, and lie there in perfect safety.

Petersburg, which was a barren swamp in 1703, is now after a lapse of 130 years, one of the largest and most flourishing cities of Europe. From May to November, every year, the harbor of Cronstadt is crowded with ships from almost every country in the world. All is activity and bustle.

Peter, in erecting this noble city, not only ordered the labors of others, but worked with his own hands. In the year 1717, he made a second journey through Europe.

The death of this great man took place on the 21st of March, 1725. Never was a

greater change produced in any country, in the course of one man's life. When he behis reign, he found Russia without trade gan and without manufactures; without books, without schools, without knowledge. He left them, by his own surprising exertions, in the possession of an excellent harbor, numerous ships, an extensive trade, flourishing schools, printing presses, and books. He fully merited the title "Great," which was bestowed upon him by his admiring countrymen.

He had two great objects in improving himself: one was, to be able to improve others, the other was, to add to his own enjoyment. One day, seeing two of his little girls reading a French book, he desired one of them to translate the passage before her into Russian. He was struck with the readiness and ease with which she complied with his request.

Ah, my children," said he, "how happy are you, who are thus taught to read in your youth, and enjoy all the advantages of that instruction which I totally wanted." He was often heard to say, that he would willingly have lost one of his fingers to have been well taught in his childhood. May none of my young readers ever have occasion to make a similar remark.

THE RISING MOON.

BY W. O. B. PEABODY.

The moon is up' How calm and slow
She wheels above the hill!
The weary winds forget to blow,
And all the world lies still.

The way-worn travellers, with delight,
The rising brightness see,
Revealing all the paths and plains
And gilding every tree

It glistens where the hurrying stream Its little ripple leaves;

It falls upon the forest shade,

And sparkles on the leaves.
So once on Judah's evening hills,
The heavenly lustre spread;
The gospel sounded from the blaze,
And shepherds gazed with dread.

And still that light upon the world

Its guiding splendor throws.
Bright in the opening hours of life,
But brighter at the close.

The waning moon, in time, shall fail
To walk the midnight skies;
But God hath kindled this bright light
With fire that never dies.

THUNDER STORMS.

Those who have the charge of youth, and wish to impress them with the idea of an overruling Providence, should beware of every exhibition of fear in their presence.

Christian Parents and Teachers, raise your eyes calmly to the clouds, and with composure, ay with serenity, meet the coming flashes as they dart over the dark heavens. A start, an exclamation, an overweening anxiety, will fix apprehensions in the breasts of those you love, for all coming time; and lop off that sweet trust, which teaches us that "our heavenly Father careth for us."

Explain to the trusting group around you, even with smiles, the kind purposes of Providence in these summer visitations; how they refresh vegetation, and purify the atmosphere; then, when the storm passes over, and you look abroad on the verdant foliage, and inhale the pure breeze, you will feel that you have done your part in clearing the moral atmosphere around you; and should God think fit, to take you in one

bright flash, without lingering pain and sickness, to another world, how much better will it be to pass away calmly and trustingly to his presence, than to be summoned thither like a frightened criminal. Christian Parents and Teachers, think of this!-Rose Bud.

MANNERS OF THE JEWS.

No. I.

Under this title, I propose to tell you, my young readers, about such customs and manners, as may serve to illustrate some of the narrations of the Old Testament, and assist you in the study of the Holy Scriptures. I am chiefly indebted to an English work for my materials in this account, and shall borrow freely from whatever sources may seem appropriate.

The manners and customs of the Jews, and other nations mentioned in the Bible, differed very much from those of Europe and America at the present time. On this account it is not easy for a young reader to understand some passages or texts of scripture. Many things which we read in the Bible, seem very strange to those who do not know the manner in which people in the east lived in former times. Nor do we find out the beauty and importance of many texts unless we know what is alluded to in them. Those of my young readers who know the difference between living in large towns, and living quite in the country, are aware that a person who is used only to one of them, does not at first understand, or propery value many things he sees in the other. It is something like this with respect to hose who read the Bible, and are ignorant concerning the manners and customs of the Jews and other people mentioned in it. A erson who knows nothing of ancient man

ners and customs, will form many ignorant opinions or pass by many things without notice, which particularly deserve attention.

Now we learn about these manners and customs from two sources.-1. From the ancient writers of other nations who have described the customs of former times. Their works contain many passages which confirm the accounts given in the Bible, and nothing which really contradicts them, when carefully examined. Learned men have clearly proved this in many large volumes which they have written on the subject, so that if my young readers ever should hear any ignorant or wicked people say, that other ancient books contradict the Bible they may be assured that it is false, as they will find when they grow older and can examine for themselves.

Nor should we forget, that a great part of the Old Testament was written many hundred years before any other book now in existence.-2. Much, also, may be learned from modern travellers who have visited the places mentioned in the Bible, and other countries of the east. Their accounts are of the greatest use, as the customs of those lands have changed very little. People live there now very much in the same manner as they did in the times, about which we read in the Bible, which were from two to six thousand years ago.

I hope that after reading about the manners of the Jews, my young readers will be better able to understand many passages in the Bible, that they will take more interest in its contents, and also that they will be more anxious to read the scriptures; for the Bible shows us the only way to be happy in this world and in the life to come. And I would particularly recommend all my readers to examine the various texts referred to

When Adam and Eve were driven from Paradise, they must have wanted some place to live in. Of course they did not find houses ready built; they would probably for a time take shelter in a cave. We read, however, very early of Cain building a city, Gen. iv. 17. The houses, no doubt, were different from ours, but they would be improved by degrees. We read also of tents: Jabal, the son of Lamech, is thought to have invented them. He is called "the father of such as dwell in tents," as you may read, Gen. iv. 20.

Many of these caves and places are to be found in Egypt and the east. Some of them are very large, and have had many rooms. In general, however, people lived either in tents or houses.

The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, lived in tents while in the land of Canaan, as we read in the book of Genesis. They are also spoken of, Heb. xi. 9. as "dwelling in tabernacles," that is, tents. They had more than one tent, probably a considerable number, and the women lived separate, as is now the custom among the rich Arabs.

After the earth was dried, and Noah came out of the ark, he seems, for some time at least, to have lived in a tent, Gen. ix. 21. This sort of dwelling would be the easiest to make. Even now, tents are very common in the east. But it was not long before men began again to build houses and cities, Gen. xi. 4, 5. We know, also, from other histories, that people often lived in caves.

tent, Gen. xxiv. 67. The tents of Rachel, Leah, and Jacob also were separate, Gen xxxi. 33.

The tents were generally put up under the shade of large trees. Abraham's tent was under a tree in the plains of Mamre, Gen. xviii. 4. and Deborah the prophetess dwelt under a palm-tree in Mount Ephraim, Judg. iv. 25. In the east the people like to have trees near their dwellings, both for

shade and shelter. From 1 Kings iv. 25. we may conclude this was usual in the land of Judea, even when they lived in houses. The trees generally planted for this purpose were vines and fig-trees, which would grow up against the walls and over the roof, as they now do about our cottages. These trees supplied grapes and figs, which were used for food, and the branches of the vine that did not bear fruit served for fuel to burn. This is referred to by Christ, John xv. 6. when he describes himself as the Vine, and his people the fruitful branches; and those who did not love him as the withered branches, which were cast into the fire.

The tents of the Arabs now are black, or of a very dark color, as we read in the Bible that the tents of Kedar were in former times, Sol. Song i. 5. The master of the family is often seen sitting in the door of the tent in the heat of the day, as is described Gen. xviii. 1. The tents are of all sorts, varying in size and shape according to the means of the owner, from a coarse cloth of goat's hair thrown over a few sticks, much worse than the gipsy tents in England, to large habitations divided into several rooms, separated by fine curtains. The tents were fixed by stakes and cords, and could easily be enlarged by lengthening the cords, strengthening the stakes, and adding more covering, Isa. liv. 2. When people travel. they always, if they can, fix their tents near some river, fountain, or well. See 1 Sam. xxix. 1. xxx. 21.

CALCULATING CHILD.

A child, seven years old, named Vincent Zuccaro, has lately been exciting public astonishment at Palermo, in Sicily. Born

of poor parents, and uninstructed, he possesses a remarkable faculty of calculation. He can work, as if by instinct, the most difficult sums in arithmetic.

Many persons disbelieving the extraordinary things, which were told of him, it was deemed necessary to make a public experiment, with a view to prove these statements. This experiment took place in the presence of more than four hundred of the most respectable and intelligent inhabitants of the city of Palermo.

Two professors of mathematics were placed close to the child to prevent any imposition, and to take notes of the questions put to him and his answers. A great number of problems were proposed, all of which Vincent Zuccaro answered with ease and correctness. I will tell you two or three of the questions, which were put to him :—

Question: A vessel set off from Naples for Palermo at noon, and sailed at the rate of ten miles an hour. Another vessel, which sailed at the rate of seven miles an hour, set off at the same moment from Palermo for Naples. Supposing the distance between the two places to be 180 miles, at what hour would the two vessels meet, and how many miles would each have advanced?

Vincent Zuccaro promptly replied :"The first vessel will have advanced 105 15-seventeenths miles; the second 74 2-seventeenths."

It was observed to him that he had answered only a part of the problem, and that it remained to tell at what hour the meeting would take place.

"That is evident; at 10 10-seventeenths hours after their setting off" was his reply.

The second question was: "In three successive attacks, there perished, first the