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farther declared, that his soul arose out of the body as one awakened from sleep; that two evil companions were ready to receive him; the one on the right, the other on the left. He would gladly have returned again to his body; but it would not receive him. He was then conducted to the bar of the Almighty judge, who pronounced the sentence, 'Depart from me, ye cursed!' This dream made so deep an impression on my mind that, next morning, I went to the young man's house to inquire after him, when, to my great astonishment and terror, the family related the particulars of his disorder, and death, which exactly corresponded with all the circumstances of the dream."-Biography.

NAPOLEON." On the morning of the 26th of April, 1821 (nine days previous to Napoleon's death), the Emperor called Montholon to his bedside, and said to him, 'I have just seen my good Josephine, but she would not embrace me. She disappeared the moment I was about to take her in my arms. She told me we were about to see each other again, never more to part.

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REVEREND J. PERRONET.- "When I was between five and six years old, being upon a visit to some of my father's relations in Switzerland, I was travelling over some high mountains, on horseback; but through the neglect of the guide, who had the care of my horse, instead of pursuing the proper road, the horse directed his course towards a large lake; but, before he entered, I saw very plainly, one like a man, in a white robe, coming upon the water towards me; upon which the horse turned away, and got into the right road again. The first step I had taken into the lake, both the horse and rider must have been inevitably lost, as I was afterwards informed.”

APPARITION OF A PLAYFELLOW.- "When I was about eight years of age, I contracted an acquaintance with one William Smith, a youth about my own age. We lived under the same roof, and often played together. Being removed from him about four or five miles, some time after this, I sickened of the smallpox; and in a week or ten days after, he likewise sickened of the same disorder. I was nearly recovered, when one day, about twelve o'clock, as I was sitting in a small bedroom, my mother going out of the place, he came in, and stood with his back against the wall, right opposite to me. He had on a thickset coat, waistcoat, and breeches of the same. His head was bound with a check handkerchief, his face much swelled, and blackish with the small-pox. It is

now thirty years ago, yet I recollect his likeness as strongly as if he were now before me. He fixed his eyes upon me, and I also looked steadfastly upon him, for a space of about ten minutes, but neither of us spoke one word. All this time I had some doubt whether it was his spirit or himself; for I had been told that he was exceedingly ill; but I was in noways alarmed. When my mother returned, and was just in the doorway, he withdrew, and seemed to press by her with some difficulty, as she passed through the doorway. What astonished me was, that she neither saw nor felt him. When I related the circumstance to her, she only said, 'He is dead.' But it was not till next day that a message brought us word, that he expired about the hour in which I saw his spirit."-Reverend M. Martindale, 1764.

A WRAITH.—“The same day, taking boat, I went to Kingston, and thence to Hampton Court, to speak with the Protector about the sufferings of friends. I met him riding to Hampton Court Park, and before I came to him, as he rode at the head of his life-guard, I saw and felt a waft, (or apparition) of death, go forth against him, and when I came to him, he looked like a dead man."-G. Fox.

APPARITION.-During the mental battle at Spires, in 1529, between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants; Luther, Melancthon, and Grynæus, were active in endeavouring to destroy the system of priests selling forgiveness of sins at so much per sin. Melancthon, suddenly, one day, laid hold of Grynæus-led him along the streets of Spires, towards the Rhine, pressing him to cross the river; the latter was astonished at such a precipitation-said Melancthon, " An old man of grave and solemn air, but who is unknown to me, appeared before me, and said: In a minute officers of justice will be sent by Ferdinand to arrest Grynæus." Melancthon doubted

not, that, as in Abraham's case, God had saved his friend by sending one of his holy angels to forewarn him. Motionless on the banks of the Rhine, he waited until the waters of that stream had rescued Grynæus from the evil. When over, Melancthon cried—"At last he is torn from the cruel jaws of those who thirst for innocent blood." When he returned to his house, Melancthon was informed that officers in search of Grynæus had ransacked it from top to bottom.

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CAPTAIN BELL, 1626.-"The following interesting incident is narrated in connection with the recovery of a copy of Luher's Divine Discourses, or Table Talk,' by a German, and

the English translation of it by Captain Bell, who had been engaged in Germany on state affairs by Kings James and Charles.

"It appears that 'Luther's last Divine Discourses,' or 'Table Talk,' were printed, and the kings, princes, states, imperial cities, and Hans-Towns, who embraced Protestantism, ordered that every church in their dominions should have a copy, and that it should be chained up for the common people to read therein. But in consequence of the powerful effect it had on the people, Pope Gregory XIII. influenced the Emperor Rudolphus II. to make an edict throughout the whole empire, not only that all the copies of 'Luther's Divine Discourses' should be burned, but that the person who retained a copy should be burned; and so vigorously was the edict carried out, that not so much as one copy of the same could be found or heard of in any place.

"Yet it pleased God that anno 1626, a German gentleman, named Casparus Van Sparr, with whom, in the time of my staying in Germany about King James's business, I became very familiarly known and acquainted, having occasion to build upon the old foundation of a house wherein his grandfather dwelt at that time, when the said edict was published in Germany for the burning of the aforesaid books; and digging deep into the ground, under the said old foundation, one of the said original books was there happily found, lying in a deep obscure hole, being wrapped in a strong linen cloth, which was waxed all over with bees-wax, within and without, whereby the book was preserved fair, without any blemish.

"And at the same time, Ferdinandus II., being Emperor of Germany, who was a severe enemy and prosecutor of the Protestant religion, the aforesaid gentleman, and grandchild to him that had hidden the said books in that obscure hole, fearing that if the said Emperor should get knowledge that one of the said books was yet forthcoming, and in his custody, whereby not only himself might be brought into trouble, but also the book in danger to be destroyed, as all the rest were so long before; and also calling me to mind, and knowing that I had the high Dutch tongue very perfect, did send the said original book over hither into England unto me, and therewith did he write unto me a letter, wherein he related the passages of the preserving and finding out the said book.

"And also he earnestly moved me in his letter, that for the advancement of God's glory, and of Christ's Church, I would take the pains to translate the same to the end, that that

most excellent divine work of Luther's might be brought again to light.

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Whereupon I took the said book before me, and many times began to translate the same, but always I was hindered therein, being called upon about other business, insomuch that by no possible means I could remain by that work. Then about six weeks after I had received the said book, it fell out, that, I, being in bed with my wife one night, between twelve and one of the clock, she being asleep, but myself yet awake, there appeared unto me an ancient man standing at my bedside, arrayed all in white, having a long and broad white beard hanging down to his girdle-steed, who, taking me by my right ear, spake these words following unto me, 'Sirrah, will not you take time to translate that book which is sent unto you out of Germany? I will shortly provide for you both place and time to do it;' and then he vanished away out of my sight.

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'Whereupon, being much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat, insomuch that my wife waking, and finding me all over wet, she asked me what I ailed. I told her what I had seen and heard, but I never did heed nor regard visions nor dreams. And so the same fell soon out of my mind.

"Then about a fortnight after I had seen that vision, on a Sunday, I went to Whitehall to hear the sermon, after which ended, I returned to my lodging, which was then at King Street, Westminster, and sitting down to dinner with my wife, two messengers were sent from the whole council board with a warrant to carry me to the keeper of the Gatehouse, Westminster, there to be safely kept until further orders from the lords of the council, which was done without showing me any cause at all wherefore I was committed. Upon which said warrant I was kept ten whole years close prisoner, where I spent five years thereof about the translating of the said book, insomuch as I found the words very true which the old man in the aforesaid vision did say unto me-'I will shortly provide for you both place and time to translate it.'

"A Committee of the House of Commons was appointed to examine into the matter as to whether it agreed with the original, and the result was an order from the House of Commons as follows:

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24th February, 1646. "Whereas Captain Henry Bell has strangely discovered, and found a book of Martin Luther's, called his 'Divine Dis

courses,' which was for a long time very marvellously preserved, &c., &c."

The question might arise, who was the ancient man, and how foolish to frighten a man that way. The answer is, the ancient man might be the grandfather, who had watched over the book he had so set his heart on, and carefully concealed; and the wisdom of frightening, was proved by the translation being effected, and by the moral results the whole case must have had on the House of Commons and the public.-R. T.

NEWS BEFORE THE REGULAR TIME.-In ancient history, often the news of a battle, which has decided the fate of a kingdom or empire, arrives no one knows how, and yet is in due course found true-taking the deductions of reason from the incidents of apparitions appearing to, and uttering sentences to susceptible individuals, the mystery is solved. Plutarch, in his Lives, mentions several such incidents-we copy two: "Paulis Emelius destroyed the Macedonian power at the battle of Pydna : on the fourth day after the defeat of Perseus, as the people were at the equestrian games at Rome, a report was suddenly spread in the first seats of the theatre, that Emelius had gained a great battle over Perseus, and overturned the kingdom of Macedon. The news was made public in a moment-the multitude clapped their hands, &c. Afterwards, when it appeared there was no good foundation, the story dropped; but in due course, a few days after, it was confirmed beyond dispute."

AGAIN."When Luceus Antonius rebelled against Domitian, Rome was much alarmed, and expected a bloody war in Germany; but on a sudden, a report was raised and spread over the city, that Antonius was vanquished and slain, and that his army was cut to pieces. Such a run had the report, that the magistrates offered sacrifices to the Gods; but on enquiring for the author of the report, he could not be found. It was afterwards found that the battle was actually fought and won the same day, though the field of battle was more than 20,000 furlongs from Rome."

CÆSAR AND ANTONY WERE RIVALS.- —" Antony had in his house a fortune-telling gipsy; this man told Antony that the star of his fortune, however glorious of itself, was eclipsed and obscured by Cæsar's, and by all means to keep at the greatest distance from that young man. 'The genius of your life,' said he, 'is afraid of his; when it is alone its port is erect and fearless; when his approaches, it is dejected and depressed.'

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