TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,―The Grand Conclave of England being styled as follows, viz. : "The Grand Conclave of the Royal Order of H. R. D. M., K. D. S. H., Palestine, &c.-Ne plus Ultra," I would feel obliged if you would do me the favour of stating the exact number and names of degrees that the Grand Conclave have the power and authority to grant ; and likewise what degree they style as "Ne plus Ultra." A discussion has arisen on these points, in which I am not myself sufficiently well informed to give a decisive answer.

I am, sir, yours fraternally,

WALTER LAURENCE,
Prince of the Royal Secret.

We hear from its nurses that the "Grand Conclave" is exceedingly unwell, and must not be disturbed.-ED.

COLLECTANEA.

In the New York Tribune, "a white gentleman" advertises for "a coloured lady, of education and religious principles," as a wife; but intimates by way of postscript, that any white lady, who detests slavery, and is free from prejudice against colour, will be attended to.

RATHER MYSTERIOUS.- "Now Jack," said the printer of a country newspaper, in giving directions to his apprentice, "put the Irish Attorney-General and the State prosecutors into the galleys, and lock them up; let the two Members for Liverpool have larger heads; distribute the Army in Ireland; take up a line and finish Ferrand and the AntiCorn Law League, and make the Prince of Wales to run on with the Dowager Lady Littleton; move the Melton Mowbray hunt out of the chase; get your stick, and conclude the horrid murder that Tom began last night; after which, come in to dinner, and see that all the pie is cleared up." An Edipus may be found in any printing-office to explain this enigma.

A HINT TO THE PASSIONATE.-Dr. Caldwell, an American writer on physical education, contends that a well-balanced brain contributes to long life, whilst a passionate and turbulent one tends much to abridge it; and, if persons knew how many dangers in life they escape by possessing mildness of temper, instead of the opposite disposition, how eager would be the aim of all men to cultivate it.

A LONG-WINDED SUBSCRIBER to an American newspaper, after repeated dunnings, promised that the bill should be paid by a certain day, if he were then alive. The day passed over, and no money reached the office. In the next number, therefore, of the newspaper, the editor inserted amcng the deaths a notice of his subscriber's departure from this life. Pretty soon after this announcement the subject of it appeared to the editor-not with the pale and ghastly countenance usually ascribed to apparitions, nor like them, did he wait to be spoken to, but broke silence with-"What the d-1, sir, did you mean by publishing my death?" 'Why, sir, I meant what I mean when I publish the death of any other

person, viz., to let the world know that you are dead." "Well, but I'll be cursed if I am dead." "Not dead! then it's your own fault; for you told me you would positively pay your bill by such a day, if you lived till that time. The day is passed, the bill is not paid, and you positively must be dead; for I will not believe that you would forfeit your word." "Oh, no! I see you have got round me, Mr. Editor: but say no more about it: here's the money. And harkee, my wag you'll contradict my death next week?" "Oh! certainly, sir, just to please you; though, upon my word, I can't help thinking you died at the time specified, and that you have really come back to pay this bill on account of your friendship to me."

!

MAN. His first form is that which is permanent in the animal rule. His organization gradually passes through conditions generally resembling a fish, a reptile, a bird, and the lower mammalia, before it attains its specific maturity. At one of the last stages of his foetal career, he exhibits an intermaxilliary bone, which is characteristic of the perfect ape; this is suppressed, and he may then be said to take leave of the simial type, and become a true human creature. The brain of man, which exceeds that of all other animals in complexity of organization and fullness of development, is, at one early period, only " a simple fold of nervous matter, with difficulty distinguishable into three parts, while a little tail-like prolongation towards the higher parts, and which had been the first to appear, is the only representation of a spinal marrow. Now in this state it perfectly resembles the brain of an adult fish, thus assuming in transitu the form that in the fish is permanent. In a short time, however, the structure is become more complex, the parts more distinct, and the spinal marrow better marked; it is now the brain of a reptile. The change continues; by a singular motion certain parts (corpora quadrigemina), which had hitherto appeared on the upper surface, now pass towards the lower; the former is their permanent situation in fishes and reptiles, the latter in birds and mammalia. This is another advance in the scale, but more remains yet to be done. The complication of the organ increases; cavities, termed ventricles, are formed, which do not exist in fishes, reptiles, or birds; curiously organized parts, such as the corpora striata, are added; it is now the brain of the mammalia. Its last and final change alone seems wanting, that which shall render it the brain of man, and this change in time takes place. So also with the heart. This organ, in the marnmalia, consists of four cavities, but in the reptiles of only three, and in fishes of two only, while in the articulated animals it is merely a prolonged tube. Now in the mammal foetus, at a certain early stage, the organ has the form of a prolonged tube; and a human being may be said to have then the heart of an insect. Subsequently it is shortened and widened, and becomes divided by a contraction into two parts, a ventricle and an auricle. It is now the heart of a fish. A subdivision of the auricle afterwards makes a triple chambered form, as in the heart of the reptile tribes. Lastly, the ventricle being also subdivided, it becomes a full mammal heart.-Vestiges of the Creation.

BOUGHS AND LEAVES.-Every bough that waves over our head in the summer time has an oracular wisdom. It is positively true that every leaf is full of instruction. Indeed the foliage of trees is one of the most wonderful subjects of contemplation and delight. A tree is a more eloquent exposition of the works of the Deity than any of the Bridge

VOL. III.

UU

water treatises. Read the history of leaves, and marvel!" Each leaf is employed in receiving and transmitting gases from the air, in certain proportions, to the plant. These great operations having been effected during the summer months, and this agency of the leaves finished, they fall to the ground, not as an useless incumberance, but to convey a large portion of fresh soil peculiarly fitted for the nutriment of vegetation." And so it has been written-" The beautiful foliage, which has cooled us with its shade, and glowed with all the splendour of fruitfulness, at length returns to the soil, in the lonely days of autumn, not to encumber it, but to administer health and vigour to a new series of vegetation, and circulate in combinations concealed from every human eye.”—Letter in Fraser.

A FRIEND IN NEED.-In one night Aretas lost his whole property through a dreadful fire; and thereupon relative, friend, acquaintance, yea, even his own dog, forsook him. A cat only remained faithful to him, who shared his distress, and by his lamentable cries swelled still more the sufferer's grief. "How," said Aretas, "art thou then my only friend in time of need? Ah! why am I so poor? Yet no- -there yet remains to me a morsel of bread; come, faithful friend, share this treasure with me, it is moist with my tears.' "I had smelt this," cried the animal-devoured it, and ran away!

"

A GENUINE LETTER OF THE OLDEN TIME.-The following is a copy of a letter sent along with a watch which required repairing:-" Friend John-I have sent thee my clock, which strongly standeth in need of thy friendly care and correction. The last time he was at thy school he was no ways reformed by thy discipline, nor the least benefited thereby. I perceive by the index of his mind, that he is a liar, that his motions are wavering and irregular. In the night watch when he should be on duty, I generally catch him napping; purge him, therefore, I beseech thee, with thy cleansing stick, that he may circulate and vibrate, according to the motion that is in thee; and draw out thy bill in the spirit of moderation, and it shall be faithfully remitted to thee, by thy true friend, MANASSAH SMITH.

"On the 2nd day of the week, commonly called Monday.” HOW TO CHOOSE A FARM.-A blind man once went to choose a farm. When he alighted from his horse, he said to the servant man"Tie my horse to a thistle." "I cannot do that," was the reply, "there are no thistles; but I can find a dock, if you think proper: there are plenty of them." The blind man said—“This is not the place for me," and rode away. Thistles are a sign of good land; docks the contrary.

QUAKER'S REPROOF.-A sailor was swearing boistrously, when one of the Society of Friends passing along accosted him very pleasantly, and said "Swear away, friend, swear away, till thee get all that bad stuff out of thee; for thee can never go to heaven with all that bad stuff in thy heart."

"OWING to a crowd of other matter, we are unable to make room for it!" as the editor replied at the dinner table, when he was requested to take some pudding.

POETRY.

OLDE KYNGE COLLE.

(From an original Copy in old English Type, in the possession of Bro. W. Snewing.)

THOUGHTS IN HARVEST-TIME.

I WANDER'D through the harvest field,
It was a lovely scene,—

And meadows rich with pasturage
Were beautifully green.

The sunbeams play'd upon the streams
That rippled by the way,

And Nature's face was all delight-
It was a glorious day!

I saw an old man sitting down
Beneath a shady tree,

And thought his mild eye seem'd to look
Invitingly on me.

It is instructive to the mind

To hear the voice of age,
And there I sat me down beside
The venerable sage.

"A lovely day it is," said I,

"As ever shone from Heav'n,-
And 'tis a blessed sight to see
The bounteous harvest giv'n."
The old man with expressive face
Look'd up, and bow'd his head,-
Then gazed upon the landscape round,
And thus to me he said:

"I love to see the glorious sight,
To hear the cheering call,-
The golden season of the year
It is that crowneth all!

The Earth is now a scene of joy—
What music in the air!

The hymns of Nature's thankfulness
The gifts of Heav'n declare!

And is the bountiful supply
That cheers the fruitful land
Received with human gratitude
From the Creator's hand?

Are all His creatures on the earth-
All to Himself allied-

'In His own image form'd,'-are all
With sustenance supplied?

Yes! by the just decree of God
The show'rs of plenty fall,

To raise the produce of the land

For the supply of all.

But O the selfish of the world

Make evil of the good!

They hear unmoved a thousand tongues

Praying for daily food!