dark as night. The excavations are invariably under the earth, in the pizzolana whereon the city is built; they are necessarily narrow to preserve the roof, and, in some parts, are vaulted. Nevertheless the earth frequently detaches itself from above, and obstructs the passages, or totally blocks them up. There are cavities along each side, which have formerly been appropriated for the reception of lamps; and deep niches penetrate into the walls, wherein the bodies of the deceased were deposited. These niches are invariably in proportion to the size of the individual; those of women and children being smaller than the rest.

"The bodies are regularly arranged in one tier of niches above another, along the sides of the galleries, each nich of sufficient capacity according to the number it was required to contain, and closed at the foot by a single brick. In general, the galleries can admit of a man traversing them with facility, and there two or three rows of niches are seen; in some places they are more lofty, and Bosio relates, that one he discovered was so high, as to receive eight or ten bodies above each other in the sides. Parts of the same gallery, however, were so low, that he had to advance bending downwards, or crawling on his breast, to the different streets and passages; probably the con sequence of the superineumbent earth having given way.

The cement, by which the tombs are closed, unless where yielding from too great desiccation, is yet entire; and on removing the brick to inspect the interior, the skeletons of the deceased appear in good preservation. In elucidation of this fact, let us quote the words of an adventurous explorer, who recently penetrated these gloomy mansions. The briek obstructing the apper. ture of a catacomb being removed, a body, apparently that of a young woman, was discovered. Even yet, all the teeth were preserved in her jaws. Her bones were totally covered with stalactites, exhibiting a most singular spectacle; for the light reflected by the motion of the torches, seemed to animate the body, and the image of the spectator was multiplied a thousand fold, by the most entire portion of the skull.'- Another tomb was opened, wherein a skeleton, turned toward the east, was seen. The hands were crossed on the breast, and but few teeth were in the jaws; it seemed to be that of an old man.

When my guide stretched out one arm to the head, and the other to the feet, designing to raise the skeleton, it immediately fell into a whitish humid dust. Nothing except the substance of the teeth, which were eleven in number, remained: the whole skeleton had vanished from view.'

"In another part of the catacombs there was found a horrible kind of pincers, with which the flesh was torn from the bodes of the martyrs; and also vessels full of concrete blood, which crumbled to earth, but on being wetted, immediately shewed its crimson hue."

THE sketches we have given of the Catacombs of Paris, Egypt, and Rome, powerfully attract our attention to this truth," The grave is the house appointed for all living." This whole world is but a vast CEMETERY. Think of the dust of a hundred and fifty generations, consisting of from five hundred millions, to eight hundred millions of our race, as sleeping with its parent earth! Who slew this hundred thousand millions, and laid all their pride and glory in the dust? The monster SIN. Nor has his ruthless hand been confined in its works of desolation to this planet. He has extended it among the morning stars,-extinguished the splendour of myriads, and consigned them to the blackness of darkness.

He claims the prerogative of bringing the present generation, and all succeeding generations to the grave. Nor can his claim be resisted. "For it is appointed unto men once to die; and after that, the Judgment." Here we are constrained to inquire after the conscious spirits which once inhabited the dust now reposing in catacombs, and other cemeteries. They have all gone to God who gave them to receive according to the deeds done in the body. Of what importance to them now, is any circumstance of mortal life, further than as it contributed to form their moral character? Will not the same be true of us, in a very short period? Where will our spirits be in one hundred years from this? How shall we then view the mere earthly pursuits which now interest us so much? If while our bodies were mouldering in the tomb; what if some of our conscious immortal parts should find themselves in those deeper, darker regions for souls, where the SECOND DEATH reigns with all its terrors ?

OUR investigations in Natural Philosophy, in this Number, will be directed to those parts of it which are more commonly called Astronomy. In contemplating the solar system, we find a glorious centre. The cir eumstances, movements, and appearances of all the rest of the system, depend on this CENTRE.

The solidity, density, and weight of bodies diminish, as the distance from the sun is increased. When a cubic inch or cubic foot of water, is made the measure, and called 1, the average density and weight, in the different planets will be nearly in the following proportions. -Mercury 9, Venus 6, Earth 4 1-2, Mars 3, Jupiter 1 1-4 Saturn 1-2, Herschel, not accurately ascertained. is obvious, therefore, to youthful capacities, that the solidity and weight of a cubic foot of matter in Mercury, is eighteen times greater than in Saturn.

It

We may observe further, that light and heat decrease as bodies are removed at greater distances from this centre: they diminish as the squares of the distance increase. At a given distance taken as one for future measurement, we arrive at the following conclusions. At twice that distance, or two, the light and heat are four times less, for 2 times 2 are four. At thrice the distance. they are nine times less, for 3 times 3 are nine; and in this ratio, 4 times 4 are 16; 5 times 5 are 25. These calculations demonstrate at once, that those bodies nearest the sun, not only feel most of his life-giving influences, but they will most brightly reflect his glorious beams.

But there is another thought respecting the solar system which deserves expansion. The hourly motions of the planets in their orbits are unequal. Not only must the Divine Architect have at first imparted to some of them more velocity in their PROJECTILE force, than to others, but the very principle of attraction tends to make bodies nearest the sun move with greater rapidity. we find to be true with respect to the planets. hourly motion of Mercury in its orbit, is 111 thousand miles; of Venus 81 thousand; of the earth-68 thousand; and of Herschel only 15 thousand.

This

The

This conclusion irresistibly follows, that the nearer revolving bodies approach to the centre of the solar system, the more rapidly they will move in their orbits. Now suppose a spherical body, to have a projectile force, a movement directly forward, in the planetary system,and that it should cease to feel the power of attrac tion towards a centre, what would be the consequence ? Obviously this, that such body would fly off in a tangent and recede further and further from the centre forever. Conceive of this earth in these circumstances. It would eross successively the orbits of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Herschel, till its progress could no longer be marked by limits known to the finite mind. How full of terror the thought of such an event.

Here let us revert to the thought in our first Number, that God is the SUN and CENTRE of the moral universe. All holy intelligences revolve in orbits where his moral perfections and Divine efficiency influence all their circumstances, movements and appearances. Holy love is MORAL GRAVITATION. The greater nearness we attain to the Father of our spirits and his Son Jesus Christ, in devotional and holy conformity to the moral course of his appointment, the greater the moral density and worth we shall possess. Moral worth is nothing more nor less than tending to God and holiness as a centre. Besides, the nearer we revolve to this MORAL CENTRE, the more spiritual light and warmth we shall enjoy, and the more brightly we shall reflect the rays which we receive from the INEFFABLE THRONE. This is the way to shine with peculiar effulgence in the firmament of glory. Nor should we forget that moral approximation to the Deity will increase the velocity of our movements in his service. The rapidity with which Gabriel wings his flight to bear the messages of the Eternal, is to be attributed to this

cause.

How interesting the reflection, that the principle of divine love, binding and impelling holy intelligences in their orbits, will be actually attracting them nearer and nearer to God forever. The period will arrive, wheu the least of al! the saints shall possess more moral worth, shine with more brilliancy, flame with more ardour, move with more moral celerity, and enjoy more felicity, than the highest seraph has ever yet done. Yet this moral approximas 2d Edit.

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tion will forever leave the nearest creature infinitely removed from the TOPLESS THRONE.

A most distressing reflection here occurs, that the moral agent in motion, not feeling the influence of holy love attracting and binding him to God, is receding more and more from moral worth, spiritual light and warmth, and all their interesting attendants. Already he is without the orbits of all creatures who love and serve God, and is moving towards darkness where no human conception can long trace him. How overwhelming the thought to correct moral sensibilities, that the most moral of the UNHOLY who peruse this, if not brought to feel the attraction of holy love to God, will continue receding from him till the period shall arrive when more hostility to the Creator, more malice towards creatures, and more misery will be felt by that soul, than now swells and wrings the heart of the prince of darkness. But 1 forbear to expand a thought so full of terror. Let each of us devoutly offer to God the prayer of the Psalmist," GATHER NOT MY SOUL WITH SINNERS."

AMERICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY.

The SEVENTH REPORT of this Society has been politely handed us by its Treasurer. We rejoice in the evidence it affords of the increasing influence and utility of this excellent Institution. We were intending to give our readers an abstract of its origin and progress when we opened to an able one on the pages of the Missionary Herald, which is condensed precisely to our limits.

ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE SOCIETY.

"In the summer of 1815, a few young men in Boston thought it their duty to educate a pious young man for the ministry. They met the first time for consultation, at the study of our lamented friend and brother, the Rev. Joshua Huntington. The subject magnified in importance and at an adjourned meeting several other gentlmen were invited for the purpose of ascertaining whether it was not their duty to educate more than one; and if so, how many ; and in what manner ? The subject here opened