J.-How long is it since this property of the magnet was first known?

T.-About five hundred years; and it is not possible to ascertain, with any degree of precision, to whom we are indebted for this great discovery.

C,-You have not told us in what the discovery consists.

T.—When a magnet, or a needle rubbed with a magnet, is freely suspended, it will always, and in all places, stand nearly north and south.

C.-Is it known which end points to the north, and which to the south?

T.—Yes, or it would be of little use: each magnet has a north and south end, called the north and south poles to the former a mark is placed, for the purpose of distinguishing it.

J.-Then if a ship were to make a voyage to the north, it must follow the direction the magnet takes.

T.-True; and if it were bound a westerly course, the needle always pointing north, the ship must keep in a direction at right angles to the needle. In other words, the direction of the needle must be across the ship.

C.-Could not the same object be obtained by means of the pole star?

T.-It might, in a considerable degree, provided you could always insure a fine clear sky; but what is to be done in cloudy weather, which, in some latitudes will last for many days together?

C.-I did not think of that.

T.-Without the use of the magnet, no persons could have ventured upon such voyages as those to the West Indies, and other distant parts; the knowledge, therefore, of this instrument cannot be too highly prized.

The above extract from "Joyce's Dialogues," which we have abridged and made plain, will, we hope,

be understood by our young friends. The following beautiful lines are from James Montgomery's "West Indies."

"Long lay the ocean-paths from man conceal'd;
Light came from heaven,-the magnet was reveal'd,
A surer star to guide the seaman's eye
Than the pale glory of the northern sky;
Alike ordain'd to shine by night and day,
Through calm and tempest, with unsetting ray;
Where'er the mountains rise, the billows roll,
Still with strong impulse turning to the pole,
True as the sun is to the morning true,
Though light as film, and trembling as the dew.

Then man no longer plied with timid oar,
And failing heart, along the sheltering shore;
Broad to the sky he turn'd his fearless sail,
Defied the adverse, woo'd the favouring gale,
Bared to the storm his adamantine breast,
Or soft on ocean's lap lay down to rest;
While free, as clouds the liquid ether sweep,

His white-wing'd vessels coursed the unbounded deep;
From clime to clime the wanderer loved to roam,
The waves his heritage, the world his home.

A MAN-OF-WAR ON THE BROAD BLUE SEA.

FATHER, what's meant by a Man-of-War,
Will you tell me what it's called so for?
For I heard old Peter Gilpin say,

In talking to Barnes the other day,
That a nobler sight there could not be,
Than a Man-of-War on the broad blue sea.

Ill tell you about a Man-of-War,

And then you'll know what it's call'd so for.
'Twas wrong of Peter to leave his home,
Far off on the ocean tide to roam;
'Tis a fearful thing a sailor to be,
In a man-of-war on the broad blue sea.

Salt as herring, and dry as a chip,
Was the store of beef in Peter's ship;
And as to water he'd next to none,
Under the rays of a burning sun,

Till his lips were as parch'd as well could be,
In the Man-of-War on the broad blue sea.

Ive heard him speak of the dreadful night
After the enemy hove in sight,

When father, husband, brother, and son,
Fell side by side by the murd'rous gun;
And sad was the havoc, as sad could be,
In that Man-of-War on the broad blue sea.

The once proud vessel became a wreck;
The blood flow'd deep on her shatter'd deck;
Peter may boast of her gallant stand,
But where will he find the mariner band
In that Man-of-War that there used to be,

For they're sleeping now in the broad blue sea!

G.

REBECCA FENTON.

THE History of Sabbath Schools record many instances of the blessing of God attending the labours of those who are engaged therein, in which the instructions and exhortations of the teacher have been sanctified, to the bringing of the scholar to the knowledge of Him "whom to know is life eternal." Every such instance is an encouragement to the teachers to persevere amidst the discouragement they meet with in the prosecution of their duty; their faith receiving strength from such facts to believe that their "labour shall not be in vain in the Lord," but that "in due season they shall reap if they faint not."

A desire to afford this encouragement to sabbath school teachers, and to present to scholars an example worthy of their imitation, is among the reasons which

induced the writer to comply with the wish of his fellow teachers, and present the following memoir as an addition to the many 66 short and simple annals of the poor" already published.

Rebecca Fenton was born Sept. 15, 1823, and was the subject of affliction from the cradle to the grave. In consequence of the formation of abscesses in her head, powerful medical means were resorted to, which, while they partially removed that disorder, finally produced an enlargement of the chest, from the effects of which she suffered more or less until the day of her decease. She entered our school, July 14, 1833, and, like most other children, she was playful, and frequently needed reproof; but as she began to feel the value of religious instruction, an agreeable change was manifested in her conduct: her carelessness and inattention were succeeded by a seriousness of deportment and marked attention to the instructions of the class. The interest and pleasure she felt in the school was manifested by her constant attendance, even under very disadvantageous circumstances. The occupation of her mother frequently calling her from home, Rebecca was left to the pleasure of her own will as to her attendance at school; but the bias of her inclination was exhibited in the fact, that, when in consequence of her employ, it was deemed desirable for her to remove to Camberwell, she still continued her attendance, although for one thus afflicted, the distance was very considerable. As it was too far for her to walk twice a day, she brought her dinner with her to the school room, until arrangements were made for her to dine at a relative's in the neighbourhood. She possessed a retentive memory, which she delighted to store with religious truth, learning every week some portion of scripture, or hymns from various books.

Her affection, and consequent respect for all her teachers, did not escape our observation. Her con

66

duct proved that she esteemed us 'very highly in love for our work's sake." Rebecca also exhibited the benevolent spirit of christianity; having obtained good herself, she was anxious to communicate the same to others, and hence from her little earnings she was a constant subscriber to our juvenile missionary society; and there are scholars now in our school to whom she has given a little book or a farthing to induce them to accompany her there. In the seven years she was with us, she passed through several classes, and about nine months previous to her death was removed to the class of elder girls. I have often observed the great attention she paid to the sermons preached at St. John's chapel by the Rev. J. Bridgman, and also her eye glistening with tears, and fixed on me while addressing the scholars on the sabbath afternoon. I have frequently taken opportunities for private converse, but as she was a child of few words, those conversations did nothing more than induce the hope that God had "begun the good work," but did not produce satisfaction in my mind that she was turned "from darkness to light;" this was reserved to be made manifest amid the shades of death. The former teacher informed me that this dear child expressed much feeling one sabbath morning while reading and listening to some remarks on the history of Nicodemus, and was one who adopted the advice then given of repeating a short prayer, the import of which was, that God would change their hearts. It will be seen, in the subsequent part of the narrative, that this circumstance occupied a prominent part in the formation of her religious character, and adds another to the many proofs that it is the duty of the preacher and teacher to exhort their hearers to seek for those blessings which God has promised in answer to prayer. Having thus briefly sketched her life, I now approach her dying days. It appears that a few weeks before her decease, having informed her grand