4. In short, they tried a whole assortment through, 5. The operator, much surprised to find So odd a case, thought, sure the man is blind : "What sort of eyes can yours be, friend?" said he.— 66 Why, very good ones, friend, as you may see." "Yes, I perceive the clearness of the ball; Pray, let me ask you, can you read at all?” 66 No, you great blockhead! if I could, what need Resolved to post him for an ărrant cheat. CV. DR. BYROM. THE FALLS OF NIAGARA IN WINTER. 1. THE river Niăgʻara takes its rise in the western extremity of Lake Erie, and, after flowing about thirty-four miles, empties itself into Lake Ontario. It is from half a mile to three miles broad; its course is very smooth, and its depth considerable. The sides above the cataract are nearly level; but below the falls the stream rushes between very lofty rocks, crowned by gigantic trees. The great body of water does not fall in one complete sheet, but is separated by islands, and forms three distinct falls. 2. One of these, called the Great Fall, or, from its shape, the Horse-shoe Fall, is on the Canadian side. Its beauty is considered to surpass that of the others, although its height is considerably less. It is said to have a fall of one hundred and sixty-five feet; and in the hotel, which is about three hundred yards from the fall, the concussion of air caused by this immense cataract is so great, that the window-frames, and, indeed, the whole house, are continually in a tremulous motion; and in winter, when the wind drives the spray in the direction of the buildings, the whole scene is coated with sheets of ice. 3. The great cataract is seen by few tourists in its winter garb. I had seen it several years before in all the glories of autumn, its encircling woods, happily spared by the remorseless hatchet, and tinted with the brilliant hues peculiar to the American "Fall." Now the glory had departed; the woods were still there, but were generally black, with occasional green pines; beneath the gray trunks was spread a thick mantle of snow, and from the brown rocks enclosing the deep channel of the Niagara river hung huge clusters of icicles, twenty feet in length, like silver pipes of giant organs. The tumultuous rapids appeared to descend more regularly than formerly over the steps which distinctly extended across the wide river. 4. The portions of the British, or Horse-shoe Fall, where the waters descend in masses of snowy whiteness, were unchanged by the season, except that vast sheets of ice and icicles hung on their margin; but where the deep waves of sea-green water roll majestically over the steep, large pieces of descending ice were frequently descried on its surface. No rainbows were now observed on the great vapor-cloud which shrouds forever the bottom of the Fall; but we were extremely fortunate to see now plainly what I had looked for in vain at my last visit, the water-rockets, first described by Captain Hall, which shot up with a train of vapor, singly, and in flights of a dozen, from the abyss near Table Rock, curved towards the east, and burst and fell in front of the cataract. 5. Vast masses of descending fluid produce this singular effect by means of condensed air acting on portions of the vapor into which the water is com'minuted below. Altogether the appear. ance was most startling. The broad sheet of the American Fall presented the appearance of light-green water and feathery spray, also margined by huge icicles. As in summer, the water rushing from under the vapor-cloud of the two falls was of a milky whiteness as far as the ferry, when it became dark and interspersed with floating masses of ice. Here, the year before, from the pieces of ice being heaped and crushed together in great quantities, was formed a thick and high bridge of ice, completely across the river, safe for passengers for some time; and in the middle of it a Yankee speculator had erected a shanty for refreshments. 6. Lately, at a dinner-party, I heard a staff-officer of talent, but who was fond of exciting wonder by his narratives, propose to the company a singular wager, a bet of one hundred pounds that he would go over the Falls of Niagara and come out alive at the bottom. No one being inclined to take him up, after a good deal of discussion as to how this perilous feat was to be accomplished, the plan was disclosed. 7. To place on Table Rock a crane, with a long arm reaching over the water of the Horse-shoe Fall; from this arm would hang, by a stout rope, a large bucket or cask; this would be taken up some distance above the Fall, where the mill-race slowly glides towards the cataract; here the adventurer would get into the cask, men stationed on the Table Rock would haul in the slack of the rope as he descended, and the crane would swing him clear from the cataract as he passed over. Here is a chance for any gentleman sportsman to immortalize himself! SIR JAMES ALEXANDER 1. A TOURISTEL in Saxony relates that while visiting a silver mine twelve hundred feet beneath the surface of the earth, he became conscious of the sweet, melancholy sound of a bell, which, at intervals of a minute, would toll dreamily through the air. "That is the bell of safety," said the guide. 66 Does it sound a warning?" asked the stranger. 2. "No; the reverse," replied the guide; "its silence gives the warning The bell is acted upon by a large water-wheel immediately below. By means of this wheel, and of others at greater depths, the whole drainage of this mine is effected. If, by any means, these water-wheels should cease to act, the bell would cease to sound, and the miners would hasten up to the light of day, lest the place where they are working should be flooded." 3. Every few minutes, the haggard toiler, deep in the earth, pauses to listen to the "still, small voice" of the bell; for such it seems, as its muffled peals re-ver'ber-ate through the subterranean galleries. As his ear catches its reassuring tones, he csumes his work with a more cheerful will. 4. In our moral life, amid the perils to which we are every day exposed, is there no " bell of safety" to inform us when all is well? Ah, yes! the conscience - would we but listen for its report would ever be to us a bell of safety; - in our times of doubt and temptation warning us, by its unresponding silence, when to escape to the pure light of heaven for refuge and relief; but sounding on, with its silvery tones of approval and good cheer, so long as the moral faculties should do their work aright, neither flooded by passion nor disordered by sin. 5. But to avail ourselves of that "bell of safety "we must often pause and listen. If its sound can be heard above all the din of the world, all the bustle" and business of life, we may feel secure. Should we listen for the approval of that little monitor, and listen in vain, there is but one course for us then; -instant escape to the pure upper air of penitence and devotion to the reassuring light of heaven-to the Christian's rock of refuge and of strength! Osborne. 1. I WAS a useless thing, a lonely reed! † 2. No cluster wreathed me, - day and night I pined At length a wanderer found me. From my side never fell I SPOKE! My words were flame and living power! as if a trumpet called, Man's spirit rose, pure, fiery, disenthralled! See the Exercises under the eighteenth elementary sound, page 38 3. Tyrants of earth! ye saw your light decline, To me, the iron sceptre was a wand; The roar of nations pealed at my command; To me, the dungeon, sword and scourge, were vain ; REV. GEO. CROLY. CVIII. AGAINST THE AMERICAN WAR. 1. I CANNOT, my lords, I will not, join in congratulation on misfortune and disgrace. This, my lords, is a perilous and tremendous moment. It is not a time for adulation: the smoothness of flattery cannot save us in this rugged and awful crisis. It is now necessary to instruct the throne in the language of truth. We must, if possible, dispel the delusion and darkness which envelop it, and display, in its full danger and genuine colors, the ruin which is brought to our doors. 2. Can ministers still presume to expect support in their infatuation? Can parliament be so dead to their dignity and duty, as to give their support to measures thus obtruded and forced upon them? measures, my lords, which have reduced this late flourishing empire to scorn and contempt! "But yesterday, and Britain might have stood against the world; now, none so poor to do her reverence.” - 88 3. The people, whom we at first despised as rebels, but whom we now acknowledge as enemies, are abetted against us, supplied with every military store, have their interest consulted, and their ambassadors entertained, by our inveterate enemy. and ministers do not, and dare not, interpose with dignity or effect. The desperate state of our army abroad is in part known. No man more highly esteems and honors the British troops than I do. I know their virtues and their valor; I know they can achieve |