The scenes at Antrim were very fearful; but the Friends, by their uniformly peaceable conduct, escaped destruction.

"The rebels had gained possession of the town, having obliged the regiment of cavalryto retreat, after a verydeadly encounter, in which about one third of the regiment, in the short space of a few minutes, was either killed or severely wounded; but it was not long before a reinforcement of the Monaghan and Tipperary militia entered the town; and, seeing the rebels beginning to yield, they acted with great cruelty, neither distinguishing friends nor enemies, but destroying every one who appeared in coloured clothes. In a very short time they dispersed the insurgents, and retook the town. Numbers, who were not in any way concerned, lost their lives, for the soldiers shewed pity to none: they fired into the houses of the inhabitants and killed many; those who took refuge in the fields suffered severely.

"A number of soldiers came to the door of a Friend's house, knocked furiously at it, and demanded entrance immediately, insisting that the family should all come forward and shew themselves, in order that it might be known whether there were any strangers in the house. The door was opened accordingly, and they were immediately surrounded by a great number of soldiers. Their appearance was very frightful; they were just come from the heat of the battle; their faces besmeared with gunpowder, and the expression of their countenances corresponding with the work of death in which their hands had just been engaged. of them said he wanted to see if he appeared devil-enough-like:' he looked at his face in the glass, and observed 'he thought he did appear quite enough so.' They inquired, if all the individuals of the family were present, and if any strangers were in the house. Some of them were going up stairs to search: but an officer who lived near told them, they should not make any search: 'that the Quakers were people that would not tell a lie-that their words might be takenand, therefore, if any strangers were in the house, that they would not be denied.'

One

"The town presented an awful appearance after the battle: the bodies of men and horses were lying in the blood-stained streets; and the people were to be seen here and there saluting their neighbours -like those who survived a pestilence or an earthquake-as if they were glad to see each other alive, after the recent calamity.

"The same night nearly a troop of

soldiers came to the door to let the family know they need not at all be alarmed, for that they should be protected—that the soldiers would be riding through the streets all night, and would take care they should not be molested.' pp. 130-133. "Notwithstanding the officer's commands, the army seemed disposed, many times afterwards, to plunder their house; but the neighbours always interfered, saying, They were inoffensive people, not connected with any party.' p. 135. The general result throughout the country, as respected the society of Friends, was as follows.

"The society of Friends is scattered over three provinces of Ireland. In these, viz. Ulster, Leinster, and Munster, many of its members were brought into immediate contact with one or both of the hostile parties, in towns, villages, and retired country places... But the Epistle from the Yearly Meeting held in Dublin in 1801, states, that It was cause of grateful acknowledgment to the God and Father of all our mercies, that in retrospection to that gloomy season, when, in some places, Friends did not know but that every day would be their last, seeing and hearing of so many of their neighbours being put to death, that no member of our society fell a sacrifice in that way but one young man.' ... This young man, apprehending that his life was in danger, and that he could find no protection but by outward means of defence, took up the resolution accordingly to put on a military uniform, and to associate with armed men. He told his connexions that they would all be murdered if they remained in such a defenceless state in the country; and, taking with him some papers of consequence, he fled to a neighbouring garrison-town. it so happened, that the very town he chose as a place of refuge was attacked and taken by the insurgents: it appears that, when the contest was over, and he was wantonly firing out of a window upon them, the door of the house was forced open by the enraged enemy; and in terror of his life, he sought to conceal himself in an upper chamber, where he was soon discovered, and put to death.” pp. 143 -146.

But

On the causes, the progress, or the general circumstances of these dreadful scenes of horror, we shall not now expatiate; wishing to confine ourselves wholly to the particular point inmediately before us. It is with sincere joy we reflect that one chief cause of the widely-spread disaffection of Ireland is now removed; and we would confidently trust, that such scenes will never return. We anticipate brighter

days for this our beloved sister isle!

Dr. Hancock states, that he by no means intends, on the one hand, to intimate that the security he speaks of was confined to the society of Friends, since the Moravians, for example, who professed similarly peaceable principles, escaped in a similar manner: nor, on the other hand, does he mean to assert, that in every instance peaceable conduct will necessarily be followed by preservation. To argue thus, he justly considers would be presump tion. He indeed relates, with exemplary fairness, the following apparent exception to the general result.

"Two brothers, named John and Samuel Jones, were put to death by the insurgents, on the day of the burning of Scullabogue-barn, where more than two hundred Protestants were burned shot." p. 148.

or

"On the day when the barn was set on fire, as the Jones's were reading in the New Testament, Samuel's wife inquired of one of their guards the cause of the peculiar smell, like burning animal matter, which she perceived. He told her it proceeded from some beef steaks they were preparing for breakfast! To a further inquiry she made, What was meant by the firing of guns?' he replied, "'Tis some criminals we are shooting." And will they shoot us?' said the poor woman. Oh! may-be they will spare you till the last,' was his answer. In about five minutes after this, the three were taken out. The rebel officer, who commanded there, had been reminded by Samuel of their having been school-fellows; and the latter had given his watch and money to keep for him it is even stated that the officer slept in the same bed with him part of the previous night. Having proposed to Samuel that he should conform and turn to the Roman Catholic profession, he replied, 'Where shall I turn, but where my God is?' And, when he was urged to have his children sprinkled, he said, 'My children are innocent, and I will leave them

"When the two brothers, with Samuel's wife, were brought out into the lawn in front of the dwelling-house where they were imprisoned, to be put to death, some person said,They were Quakers.' It was replied, that if they could make it appear they were Quakers, they should not be killed.' As they were not in reality members of the society, (though they had been much connected with it,) this was not attempted to be done. Those who

had them in custody then took Samuel aside, and on certain conditions offered him his life; but, whatever was the nature of these conditions, he firmly rejected them; and when the holy water, as they termed it, was brought to them, he turned his back upon it.

"The insurgents then shot his elder brother, whom he very much encouraged, fearing his stedfastness might give way -for John had shewn a disposition to turn Roman Catholic if it might be the latter encouraged his brother to faithfulmeans of saving Samuel's life but the ness, expressing the words of our blessed Saviour, They that deny me before men, them will I also deny before my Father who is in. heaven; and he again revived

the 39th verse of the same chapter in his remembrance. See Matthew, chap. x.

"Samuel then desired his love to be

given to different friends, whom he named; on which some of the rebels, with a view to depress his spirits, told him, that these friends had been made prisoners before he was, and shot at the camp at the Three Rocks. This communication had partially the effect they intended: he meekly replied, They died innocent.' He then took an affectionate farewell of his wife, who, with admirable fortitude, stood between the two brothers, holding a hand of each, when they were shot; and his last words were reported to be those expressions of our Lord and Saviour, which he repeated for the third time in the hearing of his murderers-' He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.' It was cause of mournful reflection to his friends, that he was fired at three times before his death took place. He was an innocent young man, much beloved by his neighbours.

"It seemed as if his wife would have shared the same fate, had not the officer who commanded interposed in her favour. She was permitted to convey their bodies to their former dwelling on a car; but not being able at that time to procure coffins for them, she buried them in the garden. On the death of their aged father, which took place in the following month, and was probably hastened by the untimely end of his two only sons,-the bodies of the three were taken to the burying-ground of Friends at Forrest, and there interred, about seven weeks after.” pp. 152–155.

We might offer many observations on this affecting narrative, as well as on others which we have quoted. In one sense it corroborates Dr. Hancock's general view, as it would appear, that if these two martyrs had been known to belong to a society founded upon principles adverse even to self-defence by

arms, they might have escaped. But God knew both their principles and their conduct; and he might, if he had seen fit, have delivered them; nor was it necessary, in order for his power to accomplish this, that they should have been Moravians or Friends. It is clear therefore, as Dr. Hancock admits, that it would be presumption to draw any general inference. The only sound universal maxim from such narratives is, "Do what is right, and trust in the providence of God." In such a case, temporal deliverance is to be viewed as a blessing where it is afforded; but where it is not, still all is for the best. The two martyrs just mentioned had doubtless a more blessed lot than if they had been spared to struggle a few years longer with the afflictions of this mortal life. We would not say, that amidst the troubles in Ireland a man acted otherwise than Christianly, who, when attacked, defended his family.

or his own life with arms; nor will it derogate from this general principle of self-defence, that we deprecate hostile aggression, or admit, that, under all circumstances, the neutral conduct of the Society of Friends was marked by exemplary wisdom, forbearance, and Christian principle. They might have been justified in contending when attacked; but they acted with far higher wisdom in preventing attack by a course of conduct which caused them to be venerated by men of all parties, and to be looked upon as messengers of mercy to all, amidst the horrors of rebellion and the conflictions of civil war. To our respected author, and to all who entertain the same consistent, selfdenying, and benevolent sentiments, we cordially tender, even where we may think them in excess, our warmest Christian regards and esteem. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication, and in the press: The Family Chaplain; or St. Mark's Gospel, for expounding to a Family Circle; by the Rev. S. Hinds, M. A. :-The Offering, a new Annual, to illustrate the Connection between polite Literature and Religion; edited by the Rev. Thomas Dale, M. A.

A public meeting has been held of the friends of King's College, at which it was stated, that a charter of incorporation has been obtained; one of the provisions of which is, that no Roman Catholic shall, in virtue of official station or otherwise, have any concern in the management of the institution. This provision will effectually meet the honest fears of any who might entertain apprehensions as to the possible effect of the admission of Catholics to political offices, and who have not professed such scruples merely from pique or for a pretence to withdraw their con

tributions. The great utility and importance of the institution is proved by numerous facts stated at the meeting; and we lament to learn that any difficulty should have occurred in filling up the subscriptions of stock. The friends of education, of religion, and of the Established Church, will surely not allow this noble undertaking any longer to languish at the outset for want of the necessary funds.

A College is proposed to be founded in the vicinity of the London University, capable of receiving not less than one hundred resident students, with a chapel, and a house for a principal; in order to provide more effectually religious instruction for students of that university who are members of the Established Church; and where, while receiving classical and scientific instruction at the university, they may have the advantages of moral and religious discipline. The funds are to be supplied by shares of 50%. and 100%., each bearing a yearly interest of

4 per cent. The London University already numbers more than six hundred students.

A circular has been issued by some benevolent persons anxious for the abolition of capital punishments, (except in the case of murder,) in which occur the following important considerations. "No punishment inflicted by human laws ought to be wholly vindictive; but rather punitive and corrective; the great object, properly considered, being not to retaliate on the offender, but to chastise, with a view to amendment. Our present system seems to be founded on pride, passion, and cruelty [mingled with fear and revenge]. We take the shortest method of disposing of the criminal, we dispatch him on the scaffold, and put him out of sight, without a single attempt at his correction, whether his offence be burglary, forgery, or simple larceny; whether he be young or old, a hardened offender, or one who has lately entered on a course of crime. The frequent spectacle of public executions has a hardening tendency, and serves to perpetuate, among the lower orders at least, some of the barbarous dispositions of ancient times, besides being utterly inconsistent with the refinement, integrity, and humanity of a nation calling itself Christian. It does not appear that capital punishments tend to diminish the number of crimes, and in those countries where punishments are mildest there are generally the fewest atrocities. The experiment of the sanguinary method has been tried for ages, with little apparent effect. It is now time to try the other method. If those persons whose crimes are such as to render their liberty dangerous to society, were placed in perpetual, or even in limited confinement, and put under a regular and severe course of labour, they might still render some benefit to society, and enjoy a season for reflection and reformation, which would often result in the happiest effects."

Dr. Paley, as long ago as 1792, in a sermon preached for the French emigrants, pointed out the great importance of the plan, now so generally employed, of collecting small regular subscriptions for charitable purposes. 'Application," he says, was made to the bounty of the rich and great of the English clergy, and with such effect, that 26,000l. was raised by about four thousand benefactors. It was soon, however, found, that the unavoidable wants of such a number of men formed a demand which could be supported only by general contribution; every

one contributing a little. And I believe the experience of many ages has proved, that there is no other way by which any large exigency can be supplied."

Mr. Spittal, who has devoted much attention to the habits of several camelions in his possession, thinks that their changes of colour arise from the action of the lungs; the greater or less flow of the blood, and its different degrees of oxigenation, rendering the animal more or less. transparent. He has seen one of these animals, of about five inches long, dart out its tongue that length to catch its prey. FRANCE.

A new theological work is announced for publication in Paris. It is to be entitled The Gazette des Cultes, and will be published twice a week. Its motto is "Civil and Religious Liberty throughout the World." One professed object of the work is to expose the machinations of the Jesuits; to detail the superstitious rites at the planting of crosses, and other Popish ceremonies; and to reveal the intrigues of Rome. The civil disabilities of British and Irish Catholics were intended to have formed a prominent feature of discussion, but this topic is of course superseded.

Dr. Esquirol, the first authority in France upon the subject of insanity, states, that in no country is it so frequent as in England, which he attributes to irregular habits of life; the excesses attending an advanced state of civilization; marriages contracted solely from motives of interest or ambition; anxieties attending speculations; the idleness of riches; and the abuse of spirituous liquors. The changes in manners in France within the last thirty years, he says, have been more productive of insanity than all the political turmoils. He remarks :

66

Religion no longer intervenes, but as a mere form, in the most solemn transactions of life she is no longer a source of consolation and hope to the unfortunate; her principles have ceased to direct the understanding in the narrow and difficult path of life: every source of kindly feeling has been dried up by cold egotism; the domestic affections, respect, love, authothority, and the consequent mutual dependence on each other, have lost their influence; every one lives entirely for self. Marriage is only regarded in the light of a formal unimportant ceremony; education has become vitiated, cultivating the mind but neglecting the heart. If the habits of life of the women in France, their almost exclusive devotion to the