Creator, for a creature so useful to man for economical purposes, as that we have been considering. When the Whale fishery in Greenland is scant, a ship is easily filled with seals, whose skins and blubber make a profitable cargo. Many thousands of seals have been brought in one vessel; the dangers of sealcatching are not at all to be compared with those attending the capture of the whale. The hides of the seal make excellent leather, and the oil from the blubber is far finer than that from the whale, and burns with a purer and steadier light.

THE Talmudists and ancient Rabbins termed a certain voice from heaven, sent of God, Bath-col, i. e. "The daughter of a voice." It was called daughter, because derived from God; and was regarded as a degree of the Holy Spirit, and of the gift of prophecy. It prevailed chiefly during the time of the second temple, when the Holy Spirit's presence and prophecy failed, or were not so active as before. This voice was given to prepare men to understand its use upon the advent of the true Messiah, for when he appeared it was at once heard; (Matt. iii. 17, xvii. 5; John xii. 28.) The Syriac renders Acts xii. 22, "These are the daughters of the voices of God, and not of men :” also Heb. iii. 15, "As it is said, to-day, if ye will hear the daughter of his voice;" and again Rom. x. 16, "Lord, who hath believed the daughter of our voice ?". [The two last from Psalm xcv. 7., and Isa. liii. 1. are rendered as in our version, in the Syriac translation of the original passages.]

The tradition of our Rabbins, say the Talmudists, is, that since the deaths of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Holy Spirit has been removed from Israel; nevertheless, they enjoyed the ministration of Bath-col. For while on a certain occasion they were serving in the house of Gorijah, Bath-col came from heaven saying, "There is a man among you worthy to have the Divine Majesty resting upon him; but his age is unworthy." They at once turned their eyes toward the aged Hillel, whom when he died they lamented, as the holy and humble disciple of Ezra, Again on another occasion in Jafna, Bath-col came

from heaven saying, "There is among you a man, worthy to have the Divine Majesty resting upon him, but his age is unworthy." At once they turned their eyes towards the youthful Samuel, &c.

Some say, they never heard the voice which came from heaven, but another voice proceeding out of it, as when a man forcibly striking an object, perceives afar off a sound proceeding from it. This voice they heard, and so called it the daughter of the voice. [By this, an echo is apparently all that is meant.]

Ben Gersom thinks, the Bath-col was a higher and more excellent species of divination. [This agrees with the instance given in Buck's Theological Dictionary, from the Talmud. "Rabbi Jochanan and Rabbi Simeon, Ben Lachish, desiring to see the face of Rabbi Samuel, a Babylonish doctor, said, 'Let us follow the hearing of Bath-col.' Travelling therefore near a school, they heard the voice of a boy reading these words out of the first book of Samuel, 'and Samuel died.' From hence they inferred that their friend Samuel was dead, and accordingly so it happened; for Samuel of Babylon was just then dead."]

Rabbi Moses says, "Neither Hagar the Egyptian, nor Manoah and his wife were endued with prophetic gifts, for the word which they heard was like the Bath-col, of which our wise men make continual mention, and which may come to a man who is not prepared." Upon this Shem Tob writes, "in the opinion of R. Moses, Bath-col is when a man's imagination is so lively that he supposes he hears a voice external to himself when he does not."

Elias the Levite tells us, "The Cabbalists say that it is the voice of a Divine attribute called Col, and perhaps it is." Bath-col is mentioned in the Targums, but chiefly in the "Bath-col went out from the highest heaven," more recent. "Bath-col went forth from earth, and the sound thereof was heard in heaven," &c.—Buxt. fol. 320-322.

It is clear that the Jews gave the name to several things distinct from each other. The prevalent opinion was, that it was an oracular voice uttered from heaven, to make known the will of God, after the Spirit of prophecy, and Urim and

Thummim ceased.

The voices addressed to our Saviour from

heaven, they would have called by this name.

Of course, the historical accuracy of the statements, which are made by the Jewish Rabbis is open to question, but it is remarkable, that they should be prepared to receive as true and Divine, the voices which were said to have been addressed from heaven to the Saviour of men.

By inserting in your interesting periodical any portion of the above, you will oblige, Dear Sir,

Your's very truly,

B. H. C.

A RIVER SIDE INCIDENT.

THE banks of the Tweed present peculiar attractions on a fine, clear Autumn evening. The water is calm and unruffled, except when a trout, now and then, darts up to seize the fly that has been unwarily disporting itself on the smooth surface of the river. The sun, just sinking behind the surrounding hills, streams upon the water, bewildering the eye by its dazzling brightness. The fields of grain which adorn the open country on either side of the river, add greatly to the richness of the scene. The ears of corn, bending under the load of golden fruit, seem to invite the sickle of the reaper.

It was on an evening early in September last, that we were enjoying a scene such as we have attempted to describe. Nearly opposite to us were the classic ruins of Dryburgh Abbey, nestling among trees-some of them possibly coeval with itself. The ivy, clinging with pertinacity to the ancient pile, served to heighten its venerable aspect. Under its Gothic arches reposed the ashes of the minstrel who had thrown a charm around this portion of the country, and given to it the appellation of the "Land of Scott." With such a scene before us, replete with associations so interesting, we could not fail to be impressed.

Few frequent the river side, and we could not fail to notice a sprightly little girl, running and leaping over the stones, till every curl on her head danced again. We noticed on her apapproach that she carried a bundle of sticks, or rather broken branches of trees. These are thrown ashore by the river when

it is swollen by continued rains, and prove useful as firewood to the neighbouring villagers.

Of course, in a retired spot like this, we could not allow the child to pass without speaking, and we accordingly accosted her.

"Well, my dear," said we, by way of introduction, "what is your name ?"

"Mary, sir," she willingly replied.

"Indeed; and where have you been, Mary ?" we next asked. "Away, near the scar, sir."

"And have you gathered all these sticks ?"

"Yes, sir,” she again readily answered, with a look of conscious pride.

"Where are you taking them ?”

"To the little house up yonder," she replied, pointing to a small thatched cottage on the brow of a hill, at a short distance -" to my grandmother.”

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Why do you carry sticks for grandmother; might she not do so herself?" said we, wishing to hear what kind of answer she would give. We were struck with it. For a moment she seemed perplexed by our question, and looked anxiously in our face; at length, as if thinking aloud, she replied,

"I like grandmother."

There were the natural workings of genuine affection in the mind of this little girl. True love shows itself by those small, nameless, kind offices towards its object, and makes us feel a pleasure in evincing our affection by a thousand little attentions. However it may vary in degree, it is of the same type with that which distinguishes the followers of Jesus. In our Saviour's dying exhortation to His disciples he declares," By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." Love, to use the words of a poet,

Lays the rough paths of peevish nature even,

And opens in each heart a little heaven.

In a word, the universal exercise of genuine affection would constitute another Paradise.

The little girl, seemingly afraid lest we should puzzle her with another such question, had left us, and was on her way to the cottage which she had previously pointed out as her grand

mother's. But being interested in the child, and anxious to see the home where affection seemed to be the reigning principle, we were soon again by her side, making for the cottage.

Our way was beset with whin-bushes and thorns, and we found our young guide of great service, as it was now twilight, and we knew little of this part of the country.

We soon reached the cottage, however, which had a small patch of ground in front, well stocked with vegetables, and known amongst the Scottish peasantry as a kail-yard. The grandmother, on seeing us approach, opened the door, and with a kind welcome bade us be seated. Little Mary soon made a fire with a few of the branches she had brought in, which crackled cheerfully on the hearth. The apartment, in a short time, was lighted up by the blaze, so that everything was distinctly visible. There were a number of domestic utensils ranged round the wall, and several little ornaments tastefully adorning the mantle-shelf.

Mary, my dear," said she to her grandchild, after a little while, see that the cow is all right for the night." "I've just been milking, sir," continued she, turning to us when the child had left," perhaps you could take a drink of new-milk? It might refresh you."

We could not resist such a tempting offer, and she soon supplied us.

"Is your grandchild an orphan," we asked, still anxious to hear more of the little girl's history.

"Yes sir, she is," the old woman replied. My own Mary, her mother, married a very respectable person in the village hard by, and every thing seemed to promise well. But little Mary was only three months' old when her father died. This had such an effect upon my poor daughter, that her constitution, never a strong one, gave way, and she scarcely survived him a twelvemonth. Mary little knows the loss she has sustained, but lives with me here, my only companion, as happy as the day is long. She cheers me by her merry laugh, and every day she gives proof of her love for me. She never seems to weary of my company, although I'm hardly a companion for her." "You seem," said we, "to have seen some trouble in your own family ?"

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