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wall and trench. It was on this mount that Barak assembled his army, and at the foot of it defeated the host of Jabin.* On the top of this mountain, it was long thought our Saviour was transfigured-but, it is so far distant from Cesarea-Philippi, where he was before and after, that it is now doubted by most people of judgment.

YOUNG LADIES' GARLAND.

ELIZABETH-MARY-LADY JANE GREY.

In reading the interesting history of England, it seems not a little striking to find living in the same country and at the same time, three of the most remarkable women that the world has ever seen-Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, and the Lady Jane Grey. Elizabeth, of England, is celebrated as one of the greatest sovereigns that ever filled the British throne. The beauty, the accomplishments, and the misfortunes of Mary, Queen of Scots, are a favorite theme of the historian and the poet and the life of the Lady Jane Grey was never read by any person of feeling without the deepest interest. It is a natural and pleasing employment to compare together those who are held up by fame to the admiration of posterity. Let us then consider for a moment the character of the persons just mentioned, and award to whom it is justly due, the preference.

In Elizabeth we perceive a manly strength of mind; a firmness and decision of character; an acuteness in judgment, and prudence in execution, which excite our astonishment. Few are the monarchs who have promoted and secured, as well as this princess, the welfare of their subjects. But the brightness of these noble qualities is dimmed by the shade of others, which would render disgusting the most exalted character in other respects. Elizabeth was vain-she was jealous—she was cruel.

The character of Mary Stewart cannot be contemplated without a sensation of sorrow. Formed as she was by nature to taste the sweetest enjoyments of life,

* Judges iv. 6-8.

and to be the source of comfort and gladness to all around her, it is melancholy to reflect on the evils and misfortunes of her life, and the bitterness of her untimely end. Unlike the Queen of England, her heart was mild and yielding, full of all the tenderness peculiar to her sex; and to this disposition we may naturally attribute many of her indiscretions. But whatever in her defence, the crimes with which she is charged, may be urged throw a deep shade upon her character.

We come now to a person who presents to the virtuous mind a most interesting subject of reflection. If ever there existed a human being, whose heart was pure from the depravity of our nature, and whose life was spotless, such was the Lady Jane Grey. Consider the beauty of person with which nature had endowed her -consider her age and station in life, and the manners of the time at which she lived-and, above all, consider the particular events of her life; and you cannot but assent to the assertion just made. There is another remarkable trait in her character; it is her love of learning, and the genius she displayed in its cultivation. It is no uncommon thing at the present day to hear of a learned female; but at the distance of almost three centuries past, it must excite our surprise. The Lady Jane received her education with Edward the Sixth, whose age was about the same with hers; and although this prince is celebrated by historians as a prodigy in literature, yet Mr. Hume tells us that "she seemed even to surpass him in acquiring every part of manly and polite literature." The reply which she made to a gentleman who found her reading Plato, while the rest of her family were engaged in hunting, exhibits a singular taste of mind, and a remarkable application to ancient learning. Thus fond of study, and endowed with such genius, her time was spent in pursuits pleasing to her

taste.

The melancholy end of so much innocence and worth, demands a pen more gifted than mine-but her eulogy is written in the heart of every one who has read her story. Who that thinks of her unhappy fate does not grieve at the folly and madness of ambition? -she clung to the retirement of private life-she sough She loved VOL. II.

not the crown-to her the sceptre of England presented no charms. Ah, no! it was the ambition of her friends -it was her tender attachment to them, which ruined this illustrious lady. Yet she opened not her mouth, though condemned by the fury of a cruel bigot to suffer death herself, and to see all that were near and dear to her overwhelmed by misfortune, she uttered no complaint. The closing scene of her life exhibits all the mildness and gentleness of her amiable character. With all the serenity of innocence, and with all the ardent glow of triumphant faith, she bade adieu to this world of sorrow, and sunk peaceful into the grave, in the full hope of another and a better life.

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THE GOLDEN CRESTED WREN.

There are several species of the wren, some of which may be ranked among our finest singing birds, though their note continues only during the breeding season. The willow wren, with its low plaintive note, is seen perpetually running up and down the bodies and boughs of trees in moist shady places where willow trees abound. The Caribbee wren is called, for its delightful notes, a nightingale, and is remarkable for possessing peculiar sweetness of song in a land where singing birds are rare. The Ruby-crowned wren is a native of our

own country. But of all the wren species the Golden crested wren is the most elegant. This beautiful little bird is the smallest of the British birds, not weighing above twenty-six grains, and being only three inches and a half in length. It is distinguished from all other singing birds, not only by its size, but by a brilliant scarlet mark upon its head, bounded by a fine yellow line on either side. The bill is of a dusky hue, the feathers of the forehead are green, and a narrow white line extends from the bill to the eyes. The hind part of the neck and the back are of a dull green, the coverts of the wings are dusky, edged with green and tipped with white. The quill feathers and the tail are dusky, edged with pale green. The throat and belly are white tinged with green, the legs are of a dull yellow and the claws are very long. The golden crested wren frequents woods and is usually seen in oak trees. Though so very small a bird it endures the winters of England. Its note does not differ greatly from that of the common

wren.

The wren builds a curious nest of an oval shape, very deep, and with a small hole in the middle for entrance and departure; the external part consists chiefly of moss, but it is carefully lined with hair and feathers. This bird lays a great number of eggs, generally from twelve to eighteen, they are white, sprinkled with pale reddish spots. The wren breeds twice a year, in April and in June.

It is, observes Mr. Ray, one of those daily miracles that we take no notice of, that a tiny wren should produce so many young and feed them all without passing over a single one, and that too in total darkness.

ODE TO THE WREN.

Sweet minstrel of the yellow bower,
That dimly meets the morning ray,
With here and there a summer flower,
That fades unwept-unseen, away;

Though scarce a warbler, strains his throat
To soothe the heart, or please the ear,
To me thy solitary note

Is still as soft, as sweet, as clear.

No season chills thy tranquil joys,
Or calls thy little breast to mourn;
One theme thy scanty thought employs,
As rolling months and years return.
Thou hast a song-however dark

These ever changing skies appear-
Heard till the glow-worm lights her spark,
The twilight stream, or copse wood near.
While man, the great, the brave, the wise,
To hoary age from youthful bloom-
Though scenes as various round him rise,
Goes weeping onward to the tomb.--

His mightier mind, by reason's ray,

Though cheered and lighted, sinks opprest,
And moments, as they steal away,

Still leave him anxious and unblest.

VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES-SENSITIVE PLANTS.

Every one skilled in natural history knows, that the mimosæ, or sensitive plants, close their leaves, and bend their joints, on the least touch. This is truly astonishing: but hitherto no end or design of nature has appeared from these motions; they soon recover themselves, and the leaves are expanded as before. Dionæ Muscipula, or Venus's Fly Trap, is a newly discovered sensitive plant; and shows that nature may have some view towards its nourishment, in forming the upper joint of its leaf like a machine to catch food. Upon the middle of this lies the bait for the unhappy insect that becomes its prey. Many minute red glands, that cover its inner surface, and which, perhaps, discharge some sweet liquor, tempt the poor animal to taste them; and the instant these tender plants are irritated by its feet, the two lobes rise up, grasp it fast, lock the two rows of spines together, and squeeze it to death. Further, lest the strong efforts for life, in the creature thus taken, should serve to disengage it, three small erect spines are fixed near the middle of each lobe among the glands, that effectually put an end to all its struggles. Nor do the lobes ever open again, while the dead animal continues there. it is nevertheless certain that the plant cannot distinguish between an animal and a mineral substance; for if we

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