We had not proceeded far, when we came to a niche on the right side of the passage, containing a coffin without a lid, in which lay the mummied body of one of the saints, wrapped in a silken shroud, with one of the stiffened hands placed in such a posture as easily to receive the kisses of those who visit the cemetery for purposes of devotion. This token of respect was paid by our guide, not only to this relic, but to all we passed, the number of which, in this dormitory, amounts to eighty-two. After advancing to the distance of twenty yards in a north westerly direction, we turned round suddenly to the east, by a somewhat circuitous passage, and then proceeded again towards the north; observing, as we passed, the numerous niches on both sides, containing bodies, or parts of bodies of those who had acquired renown by the degree of austerity and mortification to which they attained in reducing to practice the rules of ascetic discipline. Beside these niches, we came every now and then to separate dormitories, 'in the sides of the pit-little chambers having been dug in the sand, and after the bodies had been deposited in them, again closed up by a thin wall, parallel with the side of the gallery, in which, about four feet from the ground, a small glass window is inserted, discovering, on a candle being held to it, the funeral attire of its unghostly inhabitant. In one of these little chambers we were shown the remains of a rigorous ascetic of the name of John, who, as the legend goes, constructed his own dormitory, and after building himself in by a wall with a small window, as above described, he interred himself up to the waist, and in this posture performed his devotions, till death left him in possession of the grave he had made. A figure representing him is visible through the small aperture, but whether his mummy or merely his effigy we could not determine. Another of these sepulchres is said to contain the relics of the twelve friars who first addicted themselves to the monastic life in this place, one of the bones of the protomartyr Stephen, and some of the children of Bethlehem, murdered by order of King Herod !

"After penetrating to the northern extremity of this region and shadow of death,' we came to the sepulchre of Nestor, the celebrated father of Russian history, who flourished in the Petcherskoi Monastery from about the middle to the end of the eleventh century, and was contemporary with Ari Frode, the first Icelandic historiographer. From the dormitory of Nestor, the dreary avenue turned round by a gradual descent towards the Boristhenes; and after leading us past a number of dead bodies, brought us to two subterranean chapels; the first, only a short distance from the river, is dedicated to Anthony, who here lies enshrined in a coffin covered with silver; and the other, situated near the entrance, is dedicated to the Purification of the Virgin. Both are richly ornamented, and are used for the performance of mass on such days in the calendar as are appropriated to these festivals.

The origin of the Catacombs of Kief is to be traced to the introduction of the ascetic life into Russia. Hilarion, Presbyter of Berestof, a learned and devout man, abandoning his church, and the intercourse of the world, dug a cell, two fathoms in depth, in a sequestered and woody part of the hill, close to the spot where the monastery now stands, where he imposed on himself numerous acts of mortification, till called by Iaroslaw to be the Metropolitan of Russia.

The cell, however, was soon re-inhabited by a native of Linbetch, who, after performing a pilgrimage to Mount Athos, where he received the honour of the tonsure, and assumed the name of Antonius, endeavoured to settle in some monastery; but not finding any sufficiently strict in its rules of discipline, he repaired to the cave of Hilarion. Here he led a most retired and austere life, addicting himself to prayer and fasting, and, in a short time, acquired such reputation for sanctity, that immense crowds of devotees, among whom the Grand Duke Iziaslaw himself, came to his cell, in order to obtain his blessing. Other ascetics now associated themselves with him, and enlarged the subterranean seclusion: a regular monastery was at length formed; churches and chapels were erected for the accommodation of those who visited the place; and in the course of time, after miraculous powers were ascribed to the relics of the original founders and others, who had rendered themselves famous for the rigour of their discipline, the spot obtained that celebrity which it still retains in the present day. What Jerusalem was to the Israelites, Kief is to the Russians; and the veneration in which the grand cathedral of the Petcherskoi Monastery, with its surrounding Holy places' is held, is at least equal to that paid to the temple in Mount Sion. On this account, it is the great resort of pilgrims from all parts of the empire, not even excepting Kamschatka, and other distant regions of Siberia, who, as they proceed hither, collect money from those who are not able to come in person, with which they purchase candles, to be placed before the images of the saints. The average number of those who annually perform this pilgrimage, is estimated at 50,000.

"To direct the attention of such weary pilgrims, most of whom are excited to proceed hither from a concern about the salvation of their souls, to that book which alone reveals HIM, who is the way to eternal life, we could not but regard as an object highly deserving the consideration of the Bible Society, and accordingly took the liberty to propose, that depôts of Bibles and New Testaments should be established in the chambers, where all the pilgrims purchase and light the candles with which they proceed into the Catacombs. It gave us pleasure to find that our proposition was instantly approved, and two very appropriate inscriptions, which had been drawn up by the secretary, were read, adopted, and ordered to be affixed in the most conspicuous places at the entrance to the tombs. In consequence of this measure, many a poor fatigued pilgrim may retrace his steps, laden with the precious treasures of Divine Revelation, and perhaps not a few with their minds savingly illuminated by its contents.”

The following anecdote pleased us:

Passing in our way a large field of arbuses, or water-melons, we requested the Tartars, who were cutting them, to sell us some; but they returned for answer, that they would not sell any under a ruble a piece. Not very willing to pay so exorbitant a price, we were about to continue our journey, and gave the young Tartar, who came from the field, a copy of the Gospel of St. Luke, which he immedi❤ ately conveyed to his companions. We had not driven far, when we heard a person hallooing after us, and looking back, we were surprised to find our Tartar, with his arms full of the finest melons

which his master had sent in return for the book we had given him. We now presented him with the Psalms, in the same language, and drove off, not a little pleased with this instance of Tartar feeling."

Also with this:

"At another village we had some conversation with an interesting young Tartar, who seemed extremely desirous to gain information, and immediately committed to paper whatever we told him. On asking him whether he knew how many books the Koran declared to have been sent down from heaven, he instantly replied 'Four;" and specified their names-the Koran, the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and the Gospel. We then asked, if he had ever seen the Gospel; and on his rejoining that he had not, we showed him the Gospel of Luke in Turkish, and informed him, that this was the Gospel which he said had descended from heaven. The moment he heard this, his eyes brightened, and he was all anxiety to learn what it contained. We then read together part of the first chapter, with which he seemed much pleased; and on being told that he might keep the volume, he was quite in an ecstacy of joy."

The following is a picture of a very agreeable state of society on the borders of the Caspian.

"The Ingush are naturally of a high independent spirit, incapable of bearing an affront; and the most trivial circumstance is often sufficient to produce quarrels, which seldom terminate without murder. Adhering tenaciously to the oriental law of 'blood for blood, they never rest satisfied without avenging the death of their relatives, and the principle is followed out in their generations, fill it effects the death of the murderer, or one of his descendants on whom he is supposed to have entailed his guilt. The Missionaries were acquainted with a young man of an amiable disposition, who was worn down almost to a skeleton, by the constant dread in which he lived, of having avenged upon him a murder committed by his father before he was born. He can reckon up more than a hundred persons who consider themselves bound to take away his life, whenever a favourable opportunity shall present itself. There is scarcely a house in which there is not one implicated in something of this nature, on which account they never appear without a loaded gun and sword. They also wear a shield, made of wood or strong leather, and surrounded on the outside with iron, in the use of which they are very expert."

We should be glad if our limits allowed us to make more extracts: we have chosen those most likely to be amusing to our younger readers.

"The same day we went to the Patriarchal Hall, (at Moscow), to see the ceremony of the preparation of the holy oil. Here, over a stove constructed for the purpose, we found two large kettles, in which the different ingredients were mixed, and kept in constant motion by six deacons, who stirred them with long rods of cypress, the

handles of which were covered with red velvet. This was the third day since the ceremony commenced; and another day would still be required, ere the oil would be ready. This oil, which consists of the ingredients prescribed in the Levitical law, is not prepared every year; but only every third or fourth year. When the fire is kindled, and also when the ingredients are put into the kettles, the Metropolitan is present, to give his benediction; and this he repeats in a most solemn manner, when the ceremony is about to be completed. During the whole time of the preparation, a succession of Deacons keep up the reading of the Gospels, and should they read through the Evangelists, they commence afresh. To us it was most interesting, to behold a crowd of poor people leaning over each other, and listening to the words of eternal life. At the east end of the hall rose a stand, resembling that used in rooms for receiving flower-pots, the steps or shelves reclining, and diminishing as they reached the top. On these was placed a great variety of gold and silver cups, and flagons of various sizes, among which, at certain distances, was a vast profusion of lighted candles, which gave great brilliancy to the scene. The most remarkable object in this splendid exhibition of sacred utensils, was a large flagon, made of mother of pearl, which still contains some of the oil brought from Constantinople, on the introduction of Christianity into Russia, in the tenth century. It is preserved with great care, so that when only a few drops are taken from it, as on the present occasion, their place is supplied by some of that which had been prepared at a former period, by which means its perpetual virtue is supposed to be secured. Close to the stove, we observed an immensely large silver urn, and on a table on the opposite side of the hall, sixteen similar ones, resembling the common tea-urn, only much larger. The oil thus prepared, and deposited in these utensils, is sent to all parts of the empire, to be used for sacramental purposes."

EXTRACTS.

CORAL ISLANDS.

AN actual cause of change operating on the surface of our planet, are the Coral Reefs and Islets formed in the midst of the Pacific Ocean and some other seas, by the minute but combined labours of millions of marine Zoophites. How these animals perform their task beneath the waters, we know not. As soon as the ridge or reef has reached such a height that it remains almost dry at low water, at the time of ebb, the Corals leave off building higher; sea-shells, fragments of corals, sea hedge-hog shells, and their broken off prickles are united by the burning sun, through the medium of the cementing calcareous sand, which has arisen from the pulverisation of the abovementioned shells, into one whole or solid stone, which, strengthened

by the continual throwing up of new materials, gradually increases in thickness, till it at last becomes so high, that it is covered only during some seasons of the year by the high tides. The heat of the sun so penetrates the mass of stone when it is dry, that it splits in many places, and breaks off in flakes. These flakes, so separated, are raised one upon another by the waves at the time of high water. The active surf throws blocks of coral, frequently of a fathom in length, and three or four feet thick, and shells of marine animals, between and over the foundation-stones. After this the calcareous

sand lies undisturbed, and offers to the seeds of trees and plants cast upon it by the waves, a soil upon which they rapidly grow to overshadow its dazzling white surface. Entire trunks of trees, which are carried by the rivers from other countries and islands, find here, at length, a resting place, after their long wanderings. With these come some small animals, such as lizards and insects, as the first inhabitants. Even before the trees form a wood, the real sea-birds nestle here; strayed land-birds take refuge in the bushes; and at a mnch later period, when the work has been completed, man also appears, builds his hut on the fruitful soil formed by the corruption of the trees, and calls himself lord and proprietor of this new creation.

THE spirit and mind of man are like waters upon which the Spirit of God is perpetually moving. Still waters are easily warmed by the sun-but violent and rapid streams seldom or never.

A MAN that will be something, is the matter out of which God is wont to make nothing: and he on the contrary who is willing to be reputed as nothing, and who in his own judgment is so, is the matter out of which the Almighty maketh something. He that will be wise

in his own opinion is the matter out of which God maketh a fool: and he who is truly sensible of his own folly and nothingness is that of which God forms a wise man. He who believes himself to be the chief of sinners shall be honoured by God as the chief of saints.

BAKER AND SON, PRINTERS, SOUTHAMPTON.