ges skirting the sea, of which Tutocorin is the chief, have long been famous for a numerous population subsisting by this traffic; but if we may judge from their toils and their dangers, their condition cannot be envied.

"The divers sink themselves to the bottom generally at the. depth of twelve fathoms, by means of a stone fastened to their feet, and from habit can remain under water till they fill their bag with shells; this effected, by a twitch of the rope they make a signal to be drawn up. The space of eight or ten minutes has scarcely elapsed when these miserable divers again plunge into the sea, to repeat the same task, which continues the whole fishing season. This is the Koduμbncis T8 T128 of Arrian, which from his time to the present day has constituted the drudgery of an unhappy race, who are thus exposed, not merely to the danger of cold and suffocation, but to the voracity of the shark, who devours many of their numbers, in spite of the Abrajamins, or magicians whom they superstitiously employ to charm them. The fish when collected, are left in vast heaps to putrify upon the shore; and thus fever, dysentery, and a new series of calamity is engendered among the adventurers; who, after all this risk and toil, pocket but small gains from a traffic, the success of which is very precarious. The pearls in general found are small, called seed pearls, and sold by the ounce; the large, which sometimes constitute a prize in this lottery, are of immense value, and have continued in high estimation since the earliest times. A single one presented by Julius Cæsar to Servilia, the mother of Brutus, has been estimated at above fortyeight thousand pounds; others of still higher value are figured by Tavernier, particularly that great pearl which hung from the neck of the artificial peacock, which surmounted the diamond throne of Aurengzebe."

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD ASSERTED.

An account of the translation of the Bible into the English language: This must be pleasing and interesting to all classes of readers.

DURING the many centuries when the mists of Popish superstition enveloped this highly favoured island, the Bible was scarcely known. In fact it was known to none, except to a few, who had learning enough, and license to read it in the Original languages, and who, at that period, were but very few. It is more than likely that this circumstance was a principal reason of the

gross ignorance and iniquity which then prevailed. Hence we find, that after the art of printing was invented, and the Bible translated, printed, and dispersed, truth and knowledge, which had so long lain under the rubbish of superstition and idolatry, again beamed forth, and darted its kindly and cheering rays on the minds of the people.

The priests were well aware that, while they kept the peo-. ple from knowledge, and from the perusal of the Scriptures, and thereby rendered them incapable of judging what was truth, or what was error, they should be able to palm their lying legends and abominable superstitions on their credulity.

When that bright luminary, or, as he is very properly called, that Morning Star of the reformation, the venerable John Wickliffe, arose, he clearly perceived the many mischiefs which were produced by this baleful custom. He was therefore resolved to free his countrymen from this abominable yoke, which their Priests had put upon them; and he accordingly begun to translate the Bible into English, about the year 1360, and lived to complete the important work. But as the art of printing was not invented till many years after this, it, of course, could not be printed; but, however, numerous copies of it were written and dispersed abroad, and there are many copies preserved to this day in the public libraries.

This translation led the way for another, of a part of the scriptures by Tindal, which was printed about the year 1526, but most of the copies were bought up by Bishop Tunstall and Sir Thomas Moore. This was only a translation of the New Testament, and was revised and republished by the same person, in 1530. But this edition was also suppressed, and the copies burnt.

These oppositions not wholly discouraging them, in 1532, Tindall and his associates finished the whole Bible, and printed it abroad; but while he was afterwards preparing a second edition, his unrelenting oppressors had him imprisoned, and afterwards burnt in Flanders for heresy. His last words were, "Lord open the eyes of the King of England."

But the death of this blessed saint, did not prevent the printing of a second edition; for after his death, it was carried on by Miles Coverdale, and John Rogers (the famous martyr in the Marian persecution,) who translated the Apocrypha, and revised Tindal's Translation, comparing it with the Hebrew, Greek, Latin and German, adding prefaces and notes, from Luther's Bible. They dedicated the whole to King Henry the Eighth, in 1537, under the borrowed name of Thomas Mathews. Hence it was called Mathews's Bible.

In 1540, another edition was published, revised and com

pared with the Hebrew, and in several places corrected by Miles Coverdale, and afterwards examined by Archbishop Cranmer, who wrote a preface to it. On this account, it was called Cranmer's Bible. By a royal proclamation, every parish was obliged to have one of them, in its church or churches, under the penalty of forty shillings a month. Satan, seeing this was likely to prove very pernicious to his cause, raised another opposition, for two years after, those imps of hell, the Popish Priests, obtained its suppression from the tyrannical monarch. It was again restored, however, under that excellent monarch, King Edward the Sixth, but suppressed again when Queen Mary came to the throne, and finally restored in the first year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and a new edition of it given in 1562.

In the year 1562, Archbishop Parker resolved on a new translation of the scriptures, which was completed and printed in 1568. This. translation was used upwards of forty years, and was called the Bishop's Bible.

Thus has the word of God triumphed over all opposition. The united efforts of hell and Rome, of devils and men, were all too weak to effect their purpose. Seeing the trouble and pains which our ancestors endured to secure this invaluable blessing to our posterity, it should still enhance its value. Christians, fellow-citizens, while ye have the light walk in the light. The primitive Christians were intimately acquainted with the Bible, making it their companion wherever they went, and such was their affection for it, that many of them have been found buried with the gospel lying at their feet. The martyrs prized the bible. Many of them were burnt, with their bibles bound round them. Dying Christians have prized their Bibles. The last words ofa celebrated person to his friend, were" Read your Bible." Tempted Christians, do you want assistance? Here you may learn that the grace of your heavenly Father shall be sufficient for you, and that as your day is, so shall your strength be. Doubting Christians, do you want consolation? Here you may hear the Saviour saying, in the most soothing and affectionate accents, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom:" "Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong: fear not," &c. Are you in poverty and distress, with respect to this world? Here you may read, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you." "I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." In short, whatever you want, whether help, consolation, light, or knowledge only study this blessed book attentively, and you shall have it. Be thankful, you are not surrounded by worse than Pagan darkness. Read your

"Finis," exclaimed Hogarth," The deed is done, all is over!" It is very remarkable, and a well known fact, that he never again took the palette in his hand. It is a circumstance less known, perhaps, that he died in about a year after he had finished this extraordinary tail-piece.

A STRANGE PROVIDENCE.

An account of two faithful Lovers, who were united by the fury of an Earthquake.

THE plains, in which Lima, the capital city of Peru is placed, are the most beautiful in the world. They are of vast extent, reaching from the foot of the Andes or Cordelier Mountains, to the sea; and are covered with groves of olive-trees, of oranges, and citrons, watered by many streams; one of the principal among which, washing the walls of Lima, falls into the ocean at Callao; in which latter place is laid the scene of this ensuing history.

To this city, Don Juan de Mendoza had come over with his father from Old Spain, when an infant. The father, having borne many noble employments in Peru, died much esteemed and honoured rather than rich. This young gentleman had, in early youth, conceived a very strong passion for Donna Cornelia di Perez, daughter to a very wealthy merchant, who dwelt in the city of Callao, at that time the best port in the whole Western world.

But, although the young lady, who was reputed the most accomplished person in the Indies, returned his affection; yet he met with an insuperable difficulty in the avarice and inflexible temper of the father, who, preferring wealth to every other consideration, absolutely refused his consent. At length the unfortunate lover saw himself under the necessity of returning to his native country, the most miserable of all mankind, torn away for ever from all that he held most dear. He was now on board, in the port of Callao, and the ship ready to sail for Spain. The wind fair; the crew all employed; the passengers rejoicing in the expectation of seeing again the place of their nativity.

Amid the shouts and acclamations, with which the whole bay resounded, Mendoza sat upon deck alone, overwhelmed with sorrow, beholding those towers, in which he had left the only person who could have made him happy, whom he was never more to behold: a thousand tender, a thousand melancholy thoughts possessed his mind. In the mean time, the serenity of the sky is disturbed; sudden flashes of lightning dart across. which increasing fill the whole air with flame.