Great changes have taken place in Egypt and in England during the last two thousand years. Egypt has declined, but England has rapidly advanced in civilization, and in every thing that conduces to national greatness.

The river Nile, which runs through the land of Egypt, is a most majestic stream. Its length, by some writers, is said to be more than three thousand miles. The fertility of the land chiefly depends upon the overflowing of this mighty stream. Heavy torrents of long-continued rain annually fall upon the countries through which the upper part of the river flows. The torrents produced by the copious rain flow into the river, and for a time overflow its banks, depositing on the land the earth washed from the higher parts of the country. When the water subsides the agriculturist commences his labours on the land, which has thus been moistened and enriched by the waters and the alluvium deposited thereon. Means are used to convey the water from the river to tracts of land which would not otherwise be watered. Our engraving represents a wheel designed to raise water from the river, to flow into channels cut in the ground to water the land. As but little rain falls in Egypt, the water from the river Nile is of very great importance to the production of vegetables, required for the sustentation of animal life.

The ancient power and magnificence of Egypt is attested by the vastness and beauty of the architectural works which exist, and which have existed for thousands of years. Many splendid ancient edifices adorn the banks and islands of the river; many of the temples and tombs are of greater costliness and extent, than any which exist in our land.

Adjoining to Upper Egypt is Nubia, which extends on the banks of the river Nile about five hundred miles. Nubia anciently was subject to the kings of Egypt; and it affords proof of the greatness of the works which its former rulers and inhabitants were able to perform. Two of the most remarkable are the excavated temples or tombs of Isambel, which were cut out of a rocky

mountain near the bank of the Nile. The smaller temple is about twenty feet above the usual surface of the river, and is in a good state of preservation. In front of the entrance are six large statues, standing in narrow recesses. They are about thirty-five feet high. One of the large statues represents a young man with a beard, and a tiara, or turban, on his head. Two figures, about four feet high, stand one on each side of his legs. Another recess contains a female figure, with a child in her arms, and two small figures standing by her. In the third recess is the statue of a youth with his arms hanging down, and two small figures standing by him. The doorway is in the centre of the recesses; and a set of figures, similar to those already described, occupy the other three recesses. The spaces between the figures are covered with carved emblematical historical representations. Inside the doorway is the porch or vestibule, thirteen paces long and seven broad, in which there are six square pillars, three feet square. Further in is a narrow room or passage, with a room on each side. The adytum or secret apartment is seven feet square, and contains the remains of a statue; the walls of the apartments are covered with figures.

The other cavern temple, or tomb, at Isambel, is of much larger dimensions. Belzoni, the celebrated explorer of Egyptian antiquities, discovered this wonderful excavation in the month of August, 1817. The entrance had become almost covered with earth; he and three other gentlemen succeeded in removing the earth, opening the entrance, and exploring the interior.

The exterior is magnificent; it is one hundred and seventeen feet wide, and eighty-six feet high; the doorway is twenty feet high. There are in front four sitting gigantic figures, which are above fifty feet high; they are twenty-five feet broad across the shoulders, their faces being seven feet long. Over the doorway is a figure, twenty feet high, with a hawk's head. On the top of the front is a cornice with a row of twenty-one sitting monkeys, eight feet high. Inside there is a hall, fifty

seven feet long and fifty-two feet wide, supported by two rows of pillars, each having a gigantic statue of Sesostris, who was king of Egypt more than three thousand one hundred years ago. Beyond the entrance-hall there are sixteen apartments of various dimensions. In the sanctuary, or most important apartment, are four statues representing Sesostris, and idols representing the sun, the Lord of Justice, and Vulcan. The walls are covered with figures and inscriptions; some of these represent the triumphs of Sesostris.

To form this wonderful place out of the solid rock must have been a most laborious and expensive work. Such however, at one time, was the power of the kings of Egypt, that they could accomplish works of the most extraordinary kind; they had great wealth, and could command the labour of immense multitudes of artificers and other workmen. Egypt has long since ceased to be an independent kingdom; for a long period it has been a part of the Turkish dominions. Egypt is governed by a pasha, or viceroy, who acknowledges the Sultan of the Turks as his sovereign; yet the Egyptian pasha possesses full authority in Egypt, and rules the inhabitants with despotic authority.

The ancient Egyptians were gross idolaters; they worshipped multitudes of idols-the sun, moon, stars, beasts, reptiles, and vegetables, and offered sacrifices to their imaginary deities. Human beings were sometimes offered as sacrifices to the idols. Now Mohammedanism is generally professed by the Egyptians; they have renounced idolatry, and believe in the false prophet. When the Turks conquered Egypt they, by their cruelty, compelled most of the Egyptians to profess that they believed in Mohammed. Christian churches, at an early period, were formed in Alexandria, and other places in Egypt; but these churches soon became very corrupt, and little remained in them of the true spirit of Christianity. A few, however, amidst all the persecutions which have existed, have continued to profess discipleship to Jesus Christ. If true religion had prevailed in Egypt, we

believe that it would not have fallen from its national greatness. The ancient monuments in Egypt, bear testimony to the truth of the Scriptural representations of the ancient greatness and glory of the Egyptians; and in this respect they are very interesting and important.

THE STOLEN PENNY.

LITTLE HARRY's father was a poor man, and it was rare that a penny found its way into Harry's pocket, except on Sabbath, when his father would give one of his children a penny to put into the missionary-box. Harry often saw other little boys spending pennies for candy and marbles; but it was a hard matter for his father to scrape together pennies enough to buy bread and clothing, and he could not afford to give him pennies to spend for candy or toys.

One Sabbath not long since, as Harry was about starting off for Sabbath-school, his father called to him and said, "Here, Harry, is a penny for you to put into the missionary-box." It was a new, bright penny, and it looked very beautiful to Harry as he took it into his hand; and the thought came into his head, "I wish it was mine to keep." Now, what was Harry to do when this wicked thought came into his mind? Why, he should have driven it right out again, and determined that he would not wish for the penny; and he should have asked God to assist him to do what was right. Satan was tempting Harry then by putting wicked thoughts into his heart; and when Harry, instead of saying, as our blessed Saviour did, "Get thee behind me, Satan," listened to him, and began to wish over and over again to keep the penny, then he began to "enter into temptation."

As Harry ran on to the Sabbath-school, he kept taking the bright penny out of his pocket, and looking at it; and every time he wished more and more that he could keep it. While he was in the Sabbath-school, he thought about the penny in his pocket, and kept wondering how many