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speaking of the delicate "lily of the valley." It is a flower of the woods, and though it is not common in all, yet in some its broad leaves cover a large extent of ground. The leaves of this flower spring from the root, the blossoms are sweetly-scented, and the roots creeping. Berries succeed the lovely bells, and in the autumn these are of a rich red colour, as large as a small cherry. The scent of the lily of the valley is said to have a narcotic influence. Perhaps no flower is more graceful and elegant than this, and to see it growing in its native shades, its waxen flowers half hidden by the broad green leaves, is a sight not easily forgotten. This is one of those sweet blossoms for which one feels an affection that never grows old. E. CLIFFORD.

THE RAINING TREE,

THE island of Fierro is one of the largest in the Canary group, and it has received its name on account of its iron-bound soil, through which no river or stream flows. It has also but very few wells, and these not very good. But the great Preserver and Sustainer of all meets this inconvenience in a way so extraordinary that man will be forced to acknowledge that he gives in this an undeniable demonstration of his wonderful goodness. In the midst of the island there grows a tree, the leaves of which are long and narrow, and continue in constant verdure winter and summer; and the branches are covered with a cloud which is seldom dispelled, but, resolving itself into a moisture, causes to fall from its leaves a very clear water in such abundance that cisterns placed at its foot to receive it are never empty. See our engraving on the next page.

Remarkable Persons.

ROBERT BOYLE, THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. THIS great and good man was born in Ireland in the year 1626. He was the youngest son of an eminent statesman, who was distinguished by the honourable title of the great Earl of Cork. His father having purchased an estate in Dorsetshire in 1637, young Robert was educated in England, and he lived mostly in this country. In early life he made great proficiency in learning. At the age of twelve, under the guidance of his tutor and governor, he travelled in France, Switzerland, and Italy; and while at Geneva he entered upon a new era in his life. One night he was awakened by a violent thunderstorm, and he thought the end of the world was come. Alarmed at his sin and danger, he sought mercy through Christ, and gave his heart to God. Thus, as our young friends may see, it was early piety that laid the foundation of his

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future greatness; for from this time he devoted his time and property to discover and illustrate the works of God.

Having spent about four years in travel he returned to England, and for the next six years settled on the paternal estate at Stalbridge, in Dorsetshire. He now employed his time in scientific pursuits, especially chemistry, and began to acquire celebrity and esteem as a devout Christian philosopher.

In 1654 he selected Oxford as his place of residence, being drawn thither by the attractions of literature and philosophy, and by the presence of that knot of learned and scientific men from whom the Royal Society took its rise-namely, Bishop Wilkins, Wallis, Ward, Wren, and others; who used to meet for the purpose of discussing philosophical subjects, and communicating to each other the results of their experiments. At the restoration of Charles II. Boyle was treated with great respect by the king, and was strongly pressed to enter the Church by Lord Clarendon, who thought that his high birth, eminent learning, and exemplary character might be of material service to the revived establishment. But, after serious consideration, he declined the proposal, for two reasons-that, as a layman, he thought his testimony in favour of religion would carry more weight; and because he felt no special call, which he considered indispensable to the ministry.

From this time forward Boyle's life was passed in an even current of tranquil happiness and diligent employment.

On the incorporation of the Royal Society, 1663, he was named as one of the council; and through his life he continued to publish his shorter treatises in their Transactions.

In 1662 he was appointed by the king governor of the Corporation for Propagating the Gospel in New England. The diffusion of Christianity was a favourite object for exertion with him through life. For the sole purpose of diffusing the Gospel in India he became a director of the East India Company, and, at his own expense, caused the Gospels and Acts to be translated into Malay, and five hundred copies to be printed and sent abroad. He also caused a translation of the Bible into Irish to be made and published, at the expense of £700; and he bore great part of the expense of a similar undertaking in the Welsh language. To other works of the same sort he was a liberal contributor, and as in speech and writing he was a zealous yet temperate advocate of religion, so he showed his sincerity by a ready extension of his ample funds to all objects which tended to promote the good of his fellow-men. In the year 1666 he took up his abode in London, where he continued for the remainder of his life.

It gives one but a poor idea of the morality of the day to learn that he had been a great sufferer by the stealing of his papers. His manuscript books disappeared in an incomprehensible way, insomuch that he resolved to secure the "remainder of his choicest writings by sending them, unfinished, to the press." A still more

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serious loss occurred to him through the carelessness of a servant, who broke a bottle of vitriol over a box of manuscripts prepared for publication, by which a large part of them was utterly ruined.

From 1660 every year brought fresh evidence of his close application to science, and the versatility of his talents, and the extent of his knowledge. His attention was directed to chemistry, mathematics, mechanics, medicine, anatomy, but more especially to chemistry in its many branches. Boerhaave says that among the writers who have treated of chemistry with a view to natural philosophy and medicine, we may reckon among the chief the Hon. Robert Boyle. Redi, also, in his "Experimenta Naturalia," affirms that in experimental philosophy there never was any man so distinguished, and that perhaps there never will be his equal in discovering natural causes.

A considerable portion of Boyle's works is occupied by religious treatises. Two of these, "Seraphic Love," and a "Free Discourse against Swearing," were written before he reached the age of twenty; though not published for many years after. He established by will an annual lecture, "In proof of the Christian religion against notorious infidels."

This Christian philosopher died December 31st, 1691, aged sixtyfive, and left behind him the odour of a good name which will never pass away. How different the example of Boyle as compared with some of the aristocracy, who spend their time and money in debauchery, gambling, and all sorts of wickedness, and die, even in youth, decrepit, wasted, ruined! Dear young friends, make the Bible your guide, and the excellent of the earth your examples !

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chamber, but he found them miserable comforters. Even in the first days of his illness, he gave signs of wishing to return to that God whom he had often blasphemed. He called long and loud for the priest; and his danger increasing, he wrote entreating the Abbé Gaultier to visit him; and afterwards he made a declaration, in which he, in fact, renounced infidelity, signed by himself and two witnesses. D'Alembert, Diderot, and about twenty others who had beset his apartment, he often cursed, and exclaimed, "Retire! it is you that have brought me to my present state. Begone! I could have done without you all, but you could not exist without me;

and what a wretched glory have you procured me!" They could hear him, the prey of anguish and dread, alternately supplicating and blaspheming that God whom he had conspired against; and in plaintive accents would he cry out, "O Christ! O Jesus Christ!" and then complain that he was abandoned of God and man.

At one time he was discovered by his attendant with a book of prayers in his hand, endeavouring, with a faltering tongue, to repeat some of the petitions for mercy addressed to that Being whose name he had blasphemed. He had fallen from his bed in convulsive agonies, and lay foaming with impotent despair on the floor, exclaiming, "Will not this God, whom I have denied, save me, too? Cannot infinite mercy extend to me?"

His physician, M. Tronchin, calling to administer relief, thunderstruck, retired, declaring the death of the impious man to be terrible indeed; the Mareschal de Richelieu flew from the bed-side,

declaring it to be a sight too terrible to be sustained; and M. Tronchin said that the furies of Orestes could give but a faint idea of those of Voltaire. He said, "Doctor, I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six months' life!" The doctor answered, "Sir, you cannot live six weeks." Voltaire replied, "Then I shall go to hell, and you will go with me;" and soon afterwards he expired. Such were the horrors of mind in which this arch-infidel quitted the world, that the nurse who attended him, being many years afterwards requested to wait on a sick Protestant gentleman, refused, till she was assured he was not a philosopher; declaring, if he were, she would on no account incur the danger of witnessing such a scene as she had been compelled to witness at the death of M. Voltaire. Bishop Wilson, of Calcutta, mentions that he received this account from the son of the gentleman to whose dying bed the woman was invited.

The Editor's Desk.

QUERIES AND ANSWERS.

QUERY 1.-WHAT IS MEANT BY "EVERY MAN A BEAM ?” DEAR SIR,-I know you are always willing to give your opinion on Holy Scripture, and thus confer great help to some of your numerous readers. I submit the following-viz., "Every Man a Beam" (2 Kings vi. 2).-Yours sincerely, THOMAS HEATH, Jun.

Plymouth.

ANSWER. We may easily see the meaning by looking at the context. In the former verse we read: "And the sons of the

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