peopled by the spirits of the dead; a τ8τους δαίμονας τε καὶ ἔρωας νομίζεσθαι, and that those were the givers of dreams and of signs of health and sickness. (Diogen. Laert. in vit. Pythag.)

"The Platonic theory had the same impression, Plerique ex Platonis magisterio, dæmones putant animas corporeo munere liberatas; laudabilium quoque virorum æthereos demones, improborum vero nocentes. (Chalcid. in Plat. Timæ.)

"The name was given originally from the supposed superior knowledge of beings beyond the grave, whether gods or men. In heathen writings it sometimes denotes the Supreme Being, sometimes subordinate deities, sometimes a species of guardian spirits, and sometimes, no doubt, evil ones. The demon of Socrates, the adviser of Numa, the inspiring spirits of the oracles, are all vestiges of this ancient belief of the active influence of invisible exist

ences.

"In the New Testament the word Demon is always used in an evil sense, except, perhaps, in the single instance where St. Paul, at Athens, is charged with being a setter forth of new objects of worship, evav daroviav, foreign de

mons.

"In the Old Testament the heathen deities are often spoken of as dead men or demons, though our translation erroneously names them ' devils.'

"They shall no more offer their sacrifices to devils,' (demons in the Septuagint, the known version in the time of our Saviour.) Lev. xvii. 7.

"They sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,' (demons in the Septuagint.) Ps. cvi. 37.

"It is obvious that these demons were the souls of the dead; for it is Said, in the 28th verse of the same psalm, They joined themselves to Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.'

"When the Jews turned to worship idols, Isaiah, viii. 19, reprobates their seeking wisdom not from God, but from the objects of the idol worship; the living seeking knowledge 'from the dead.'

"And this was the very oldest acceptation of idol worship, as we find

from Deut. xxxii. 15. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and provoked the Lord to anger-they sacrificed to demons, not to God.'

،

"It is to be observed that this opi nion does not affect the doctrine of 'actual possession.' We know nothing of the nature of spirit, of its mode of action, nor of its mode of connexion with matter. Being thus ignorant, we necessarily can show no reason why a disembodied spirit, or any number of them, should not take possession of a body, already inhabited by the human soul, and torment that body. In such matters we must look to authority, and that authority we have of the highest competence in the New Testament. When our Lord commands, Come forth, thou unclean spirit,' can we doubt that there is an unclean spirit within? When he gives the apostles power to 'cast out demons,' and they return to him with the declaration, that they 'have cast them out;' and when, in addition, we recollect that in no one instance is the casting out of demons said to be any thing else, nor pronounced a popular error, nor declared an operation in which there was a reserve for popular prejudice, we can have no more allowance for disbelief, than we have for denying the existence and the truth

of God.

"The doctrine that demon worship, the idolatry of heathenism, was the worship of the souls of dead men, adds one more to the host of evidences that the Church of Rome, the avowed worshipper of the souls of the dead, is an idolatrous church; it has accordingly been resisted with all the violence of conscious criminality."

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

THE claims to public patronage of this venerable and most extensive charity, are thus set forth in the last report of the Aylesbury District Committee, which we copy from the Christian Remembrancer for December, 1826:

"The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge presents its powerful claims to the members of the United Church of England and Ireland, on

the consideration that it had the high honour of setting the example of benevolent exertions in various depart

ments.

"It was the first institution which distributed the Holy Bible; circulated the Common Prayer Book; and dispersed religious tracts for the instruction of the poor.

"It was the first society in Great Britain which awakened the sympathies of Christians to send forth missionaries to preach the Gospel to the heathen.

"It was the first society which took compassion on the rising generation, and patronized the education of the poor, at a period when ignorance, bigotry, and popular prejudice opposed the undertaking.-It has also ultimately been the means of extending opportunities of instruction to the whole population of England, and the British dominions, by means of that important establishment, the National School.

"In the admirable words of a learned prelate, in supporting so beneficial an institution, We may apply to our humbler labours, what St. Paul said of his own, and those of Apollos, We are planting; we are watering; and we trust that God, in his good time, will give the increase.'”

Lost Books of Livy's Roman History.

It is said that the learned Abbé Rosch, who is employed in the library at Pisa, has just discovered, in the charters of a Capuchin convent, fifteen of the lost books of Livy's Roman History.-Christian Remembrancer.

Venomous Qualities of the Toad. Modern naturalists generally, and among them the celebrated Cuvier, have rejected the notion of the toad's venomous qualities, as a vulgar prejudice or superstition; but it has received confirmation from Sir Humphrey Davy, who found, on dissection and analysis, venomous matter contained in follicles in the cutis vera, and round the head, and even upon the extremities.-Ib.

Ephemera.

The insects known by the name of ephemera, and which live only for a few hours, or at most for a day or two, have hitherto been supposed to be destitute of all the parts of the digestive canal. This suppo

sition has lately been proved to be wholly without foundation. It has also been found that during their brief existence their skin is twice entirely changed.—Ib.

New Process for transferring Fresco
Paintings to Canvass.

A new process has just been employed with much success by its inventor, M. de Succi, of Imola, to transfer fresco paint. ings to canvass without stripping the walls the presence of M. Cammuccini, inspector of them (sans en dépouiller les murs.) In of the fine arts, and a great number of connoisseurs, M. Succi has made a new trial of his process on the painting called the Chronology of the Sovereign Pontiffs, in the ancient library of Sixtus IV. The same artist has been equally fortunate in transferring to canvass a beautiful fresco painting by Peter della Hanceisca (2), representing the same Pope Sixtus IV. in the midst of several other figures, and which is now to be seen among the other chefs-d'auvre which adorn the gallery of the Vatican.-16.

Protestant Episcopal Church in France. Application has been made to the Right Rev. Bishop Luscombe, to consecraté a new church at Havre, built at the united expense of the French Protestants and English residents. In this request the French Protestants have joined.—Ib.

Russian Voyages.

Another Russian voyage of discovery is now in progress. The ships of war Moller and Seniavin, commanded by Captains Stanjikowich and Litke, are under orders to survey the coasts belonging to Russia in the North Pacific: the former taking the north-west coast of America and the Aleutian Islands; and the latter the eastern coast of Asia, Beering's Straits, &c. The coast of Kamschatka, the Caroline Islands, the Sea of Otschosk, &c. &c., are all to be examined by the expedition, for the completion of which 4 years are allotted.—Ib.

British Museum.

The pile of public buildings lately erected in the gardens of the British Museum, for the reception, we understand, of the library given by the king to the museum, is nearly in a finished state. The front of the building looking toward Bedford. square is faced with stone, and the projection in the centre is ornamented with four half columns of the Ionic order, which support a pediment. The cornice, &c. of the order is placed at the top of the wall, along the whole of this side, wrought in stone. The entrance is at the end of Mon. tague-place. The first apartment on the right is of very great length, extending to the projection in the centre of the build

ing, into which it leads. That part of the room which corresponds to the centre division of the exterior of the building, is ornamented on each side with two superb Corinthian columns, the shaft and base of which are of marble, very highly polished. The capitals of the columns are not executed in the same sort of marble, but are variegated, and are extremely beautiful; they also have a very high polish. The adjoining room is nearly equal in dimensions to the first, beyond which there are two other rooms The whole of this noble suit of apartments, which are very lofty, are of an equal height, and decorated at the top with an enriched cornice, frieze, &c. which encircles the whole of the rooms. The cielings are of a most magnificent description, being richly ornamented in a light and elegant manner. The frame-work which supports this cieling is entirely of iron, which renders the building fire-proof Very strong iron girders are placed at intervals across the walls to support the work. The rooms are lighted by a row of windows on both sides, of equal dimensions, and extend the whole length of the building. The party-walls which divide the apartments are decorated at the angles with double-faced pilasters of highly polished marble. A broad stone staircase in the entrance-hall leads to a corresponding suit of rooms above, of the same extent as those below, though much lower. The cielings are ornamented in a very chaste style. Lights are admitted into these rooms by skylights in the roof. The principal part of the roof is of cast iron; it has a very low rise, so that it is not seen from the ground; it is covered with copper.-Ib.

Improved Lamp.

A Mr. Turmeau, of Liverpool, has invented a lamp, recommended for its sim. plicity and ingenuity, in which a capillary

tube is substituted for a wick. All the

smoke, which is necessarily generated by the consumption of cotton or any other kind of wick, is got rid of by the substi tution of this tube, and the light is said to be so clear as to enable a person to ascertain the time by a watch, at the distance of several yards. Mr. T. in Liverpool is engaged in constructing these lamps so as to admit of being carried up and down without disturbing the level of

the fluid.

Singular Stone.

At a late meeting of the Philomathic Society of Paris, M. Becquerel produced a stone possessed of very singular properties. It was a species of chalk, and was sent by M. Leman from Siberia, where it was met with in some granite rocks. This stone, when placed in the dark, exhibits

a phosphoric light, which increases with the temperature. In boiling water, M. Becquerel found that it became so bright that he could distinguish printed characters close to the transparent vessel which contained it. In boiling oil, the effect was still further augmented; and in boiling mercury, it cast a light so brilliant that he could read at the distance of five inches.-Christian Observer.

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Discovery of a Mine of Platinum.

It is stated that a mine of platinum has been discovered at Antioquia, in Columbia. Hitherto this precious metal, so valuable in the arts, had been found only in the Uralian Mountains in Russia, in Brazil, and a few other places, but always in alluvial lands, where it could be met with only accidentally; but it is asserted that the metal exists in real veins in the newly discovered mine.-16.

Otaheitean Grammar.

The missionaries have formed a grammar of the Otaheitean language. They call it the Italian of the Polynesian languages, for its smoothness, sweetness, and great nicety of expression. The dual number runs with exactness through the whole of it.-Ib.

Deputation to Ava.

In the journal of the proceedings of the deputation to the court of Ava, the writers state, that the king's palace is not only splendid, but marked by chasteness of design in the structure, and taste and ele. gance in the ornamental part. The wellconstructed wall and gates around it show that the person of the monarch is secure against intrusion. The population of the city, though it would seem to be overrated, is reckoned at a million. It is found necessary to draw ropes across the streets at night, to assist in preventing robberies. Any one passing the streets after a certain hour, if unable to give a satisfactory account of himself and his business, must be content to undergo confinement till morning. The king, in receiving the deputation, appeared as if performing a duty very irksome, but indispensable, and which he was determined should be done in a becoming manner. Before coming to the palace, the parties had been asked, if it would be agreeable to them to receive a title from the king; which having been answered in the affirmative, the officers proceeded to read the titles conferred, and to invest the members of the deputation with them, by binding on the forehead of each a piece of gilt leaf on which the words composing it were written. They were also each presented with a ruby ring, a piece of silk cloth, two boxes, and two cups. It was then asked if they

had any request to prefer; to which Cap. tain Lumsden replied, that as peace had been happily restored between the two great nations, it was to be hoped that it might remain firm.—Ib.

Chinese Literature.

Literature is cultivated in China at the present day, almost entirely for political objects, as furnishing a title to, and a qualification for, government offices. Confucius and the other ancient philosophers differed essentially from the moderns in this respect: their pursuits in moral science were unconnected with political views. About A. D. 700, the practice of selecting persons to fill the posts of government, according to their proficiency in literature, first began; and a plan of examination was then adopted, which, with occasional alterations, has subsisted to the present period. The official members of the imperial family are examined in the public hall after the examination of all the literary candidates has ended. Dr. Morrison observes, that the examination of these imperial personages is a mockery; their themes being composed by other people, whilst they sit near drinking and carousing. The other candidates are watched by proper officers, to prevent surreptitious essays being smug. gled in at court this duty devolves on the king and chief statesmen. At Shunteen-foo examinations, there are readers and comparers of theme papers, 100 persons; transcribers, 1000; type-cutters, 32; pressmen, 24; who print the theses to be distributed amongst the students: for every work must be performed inside the court-yard, after the gates are locked. In Kwangtung, there are about 10,000 people, consisting of students and attendants, officers and mechanics, collected inside the enclosure. The military examinations commence immediately after the literary close. The subjects given at the three days' examinations are, on the first day, three themes from the "four books" and one copy of verses; on the second day, one theme from each of the Chinese classics; on the third, five questions, referring to the history or political economy of China. A variety of minute rules are given respecting the mechanical parts of the essays. If the number of characters added or blotted out in an essay exceeds a hun. dred, the student is pasted out; that is, his name is pasted up at the gate, as having violated the rules; and he is expelled for that year. If a candidate on being searched shall be found to have secreted a precomposed essay, he is condemned to wear a wooden collar, to be degraded from his rank, and incapacitated from ever standing a candidate again: his father and tutor are also to be punished. If the discovery is made after a student has attained his

degree, he is not only punished as before, but the officers who failed to discover the artifice are implicated in his guilt. If a candidate prints a rejected essay, with a view of appealing to the world for its judgment, both the student and the person who criticised his essay are to be delivered to a court of inquiry. The seats of the students at the examinations are scrupulously regulated, to defeat any contrivance of individuals to render mutual aid.-16.

Posterity of John Rogers.

of this famous martyr are yet to be found It would appear that the descendants in some parts of New-England. A NewHampshire paper mentions the death of a Miss Ann Rogers, of Exeter, in that state, at the age of 78, who was lineally descended from this divine, and who was the daughter of the Rev. Daniel Rogers, of Exeter, who died in 1785, who was son of the Rev. John Rogers, of Ipswich, who died in 1745, who was son of the Rev. John Rogers, president of Harvard College, who died in 1684, who was the eldest son of the Rev. Nathaniel Rogers, who came from England in 1636, and settled in Ipswich, and died in 1655, who was son of the Rev. John Rogers, of Dedham, in England, who died in 1639, who was grandson of the Rev. John Rogers, of London, who was burnt at Smithfield in 1555.

Northampton Bridge.

This bridge, built over the Connecticut, and connecting this town with Hadley, is an elegant structure, supported by six stone piers and two abutments. The piers in the deepest water are about 40 feet high, the floor of the bridge being about 31 feet from low water-mark. The piers. are 63 feet long at the bottom, and 18 feet wide. On the up-stream side of each pier, and united with it, is an inclined plane, built of stone, and capped with oak timber bolted to the stone-work, to receive and break the ice and other obstructions which may float against them. The base of these inclined planes is about 30 feet, and the height about 20 feet, making the line of inclination about 34 feet. The piers are secured by iron bolts and chains passing through the body of each pier in different directions, which will effectually prevent the blocks of which they are composed from working loose. The superstruc ture is 1080 feet long by 26 feet wide, and is built upon the plan of Ithiel Towne's patent. It is supported upon the piers in distances of 154 feet span from the centre of each pier, making seven openings.— Hamp. Gaz.

Longevity.

Joseph and Elizabeth Copeland, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, had twelve chil

dren, eleven of whom are now living, of the following ages: 90, 88, 86, 83, 81, 79, 77, 76, 71, 68, 67. There is hardly a parallel for this.

Medfield, in Massachusetts, contains less than 1000 inhabitants; but during the past year there were 18 deaths, 11 of which were those of persons whose aggregate ages amounted to 813 years: making an average of 83 years. The oldest of them was 93. There is still a person living in the town, at the advanced age of 94; and the aggregate ages of the 17 oldest persons is 1420 years.

Ante-Revolutionary Clergy.

We have been looking over a list of the clergy of the English Church, licensed by the bishop of London, for the Thirteen Colonies, now forming part of the United States, between October 26, 1761, and Ja. nuary 1, 1777, when ordinations for these colonies ceased. The whole number, during that period, was 250, averaging between sixteen and seventeen for each year. Of this number, only four are now known to be surviving in this country, viz. the Rev. Abraham Beach, D. D., now resident at New-Brunswick, New Jersey, licensed for New-Jersey, June 14th, 1767-the Right Rev. William White, D. D., now, and for the last forty years, Bishop of Pennsylva nia, licensed for Pennsylvania, April 25th, 1772-the Rev. Robert Blackwell, D. D., now resident in Philadelphia, licensed for New-Jersey, June 11th, 1772-and the Rev. Thomas Read, now resident near Rockville, Montgomery county, Maryland, licensed for Maryland, September 21st, 1773. During the same period, fifty-two were licensed for the West Indies, five for Newfoundland, five for Nova-Scotia, five for West-Florida, three for East-Florida, one for the Isle of St. John's, three (French Protestants) for Canada, two for the Musquito Shore, and one (a coloured man) for the coast of Africa—making altogether the number of three hundred and twentyseven; nearly half of whom were support

ed either wholly, or in a large measure, by the oldest Protestant Missionary Society in the world, that for Propagating the Gospel, in England.-Church Register.

Society for the Advancement of Christianity in Pennsylvania.

This society held its anniversary on Saturday evening, January 6, 1827, in St. Stephen's church, Philadelphia. The Right Rev. Bishop White, president, took the chair at seven o'clock, and opened the meeting with prayer. The report of the doings of the board of trustees was then read by the Rev. James Montgomery, corresponding secretary. The acceptance of the report was moved by the Rev. W. H. De Lancey, who accompanied his motion with a speech, in which he adduced some highly interesting facts, showing the great utility of this society to be proved by its beneficial results, several congregations having been gathered, and churches built, through its benevolent exertions. Bishop Heber's beautiful missionary hymn was then sung by the choir, and the congregation dismissed. After which, the annual election of trustees, secretaries, and treasurer, took place.—Church Register.

Common Schools in the State of New-York.

The Albany Argus furnishes the following abstract from the annual report of the superintendent of common schools, transmitted to the legislature:

It appears by this report, that of the 723 towns and wards in this state, 721 have made reports according to law; and that only two towns are delinquent, and that one of these delinquencies was occasioned by the death of the town clerk.

That there are in the towns which have made reports, 8114 school districts, and consequently the like number of common schools organized; and that returns have been received from 7544 of those districts.

That 341 new school districts have been formed during the year 1826, and that the number of districts which have made returns, exceeds that of the preceding year by 427.

That there are in the districts whose trustees have made returns, 411,152 chil. dren between the ages of 5 and 15; and that in the common schools of the same districts,431,601 children have been taught during the year 1826; the general average of instruction having been about 8 months.

There are six towns in the state, in each of which more than 2000 scholars are taught, viz. Camillus, Manlius, Marcellus, and Pompey, in the county of Onondaga; Paris, in the county of Oneida; and Homer, in Courtlandt county. There are 18 towns, in which more than 1500 chil dren are taught, and 91 towns, in each of