prayer, which, from the season wherein it falls, we call our Lent Fast; a time wherein the Church commemorateth the miraculous fasting of our Saviour; and by it commendeth the like ghostly and religious exercise unto us,- as being the readiest means we can use against the temptations of the devil, and the sinful desires of our pampered flesh. Not as if she thought we were able to fast as Christ did, and live altogether without meat and drink, or as if her meaning were to tie us unto any such scrupulous abstinence, which refuseth some kinds of meats as being unclean in themselves; but that, as far as our imperfections and infirmities would suffer us, we should tie ourselves to such a religious fast and abstinence as thereby either interrupting or otherwise abating, not only the kind, but the quantity of our diet, and so taking the less care of our bodily sustenance, we might the more earnestly hunger and thirst after righteousness, which is the food of our souls; and by mortifying of our sinful flesh, fix our minds upon heavenlier and better desires. A Lent so kept will conform us the better to our Saviour's sufferings, which are now remembered, and make us the more capable and more sensible of the joy which the Church expresseth in the joyful solemnity of Easter,as well in commemoration of his, as in the hope of our glorious and gladsome resurrection.-Sent by L. S. P.

EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS, &c.

The Bishoprics of England and Wales were instituted according to the following order of time, viz. :-London, an Archbishopric, founded by Lucius, the first Christian king of Britain, A. D. 185; Llandaff, 185; Bangor, 516; St. David's, 519. The Archbishopric of Wales, from 550 to 1100, when the Bishop submitted to the Archbishop of Canterbury; St. Asaph, 547; St. Augustine (or St. Austin) made Canterbury the Archbishopric A. D. 596; Wells, 604; Rochester, 634; Winchester, 650; Lichfield and Coventry, 656; Worcester, 679; Hereford, 680; Durham, 691; Sodor and Man, 898; Exeter, 1050; Sherborne (changed to Salisbury), 1056; York (Archbishopric), 1067; Dorchester (changed to Lincoln), 1070; Chichester, 1070; Thetford (changed to Norwich), 1088; Bath and Wells, 1088; Ely, 1109; Carlisle, 1123. The following six were founded on the suppression of monasteries by Henry VIII.-Chester, Peterborough, Gloucester, Oxford, Bristol, and Westminster, 1538. Westminster was united to London in

1550. Ripon, 1836.

ON THE DESTRUCTION OF PERENNIAL WEEDS.-Everybody is troubled with them; all wish to remove them; but many stand on looking hopeless, as if there was no remedy for the mischief. Fields continue to be smothered with ferns, and thistles, and docks; lawns swarm with rib-grass and dandelion; gardens are overrun with couch-grass all over the country, except a very few. And yet the means of destruction are very simple, the result certain, and the expense no more than is involved in a small exercise of patience, and the wear of a few common tools. What we formerly said we now repeat, namely,—that it is physically impossible for any plant to exist long if its leaves are perpetually destroyed. Whatever the plant is, perish it must under the constant loss of its foliage.

WEIGHT OF SMOKE.-Queen Elizabeth was one day so rash as to enter into a wager with the subtle Raleigh, against the possibility of his ascer taining the weight of the smoke exuding from any given quantity of tobacco. Her majesty regarding the impracticability of the perfumed vapour being confined within a scale, was confident of her point, and surmised that Raleigh took a traveller's privilege in affirming to the contrary. Raleigh, however, outwitted her by weighing the ashes, and Elizabeth was obliged to confess that the difference between them and the original weight of tobacco settled the disputed point: upon which she consoled herself with a witticism, telling Sir Walter that she heard of those who turned their gold into smoke, but had never before seen the man who could turn smoke into gold.-Mrs. Thompson's Life of Raleigh.

BALLOONS.-The idea of ascending in the air by means of a balloon originated in a very singular and simple manner. Montgolfier's wife was preparing to cut up a loaf of sugar, and taking off the paper cap from the top she threw it on the fire: the smoke and draught operating on it, carried it through the flue, and the fortunate Frenchman had the satisfaction to see it ascend above the top of the chimney. He reflected on the incident, and proceeded to make a tissue-paper bag, and inflated it with smoke produced from cork cuttings: this succeeded agreeably to his expectations. He was soon imitated by others, and the experiments on gases, and principally by our Priestley, brought ballooning to perfection.

INCOMBUSTIBLE THATCH.-It has been proved, by repeated experiments, that straw saturated with a solution of lime, or common whitewash, is incombustible. This fact is of great importance to the rural population; especially as thatch is not only rendered fire-proof, but more durable. A solution of alum has been tried; but, being soluble, the rain destroys its virtues.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communications of H. S. T.; E. A.; R. M.; P. S. L.; C.; A Lady's Servant; R. A. S.; J. J. B.; M. D.; A Layman; J. H.; T. A.; and Rev. T. Farley.

THE meaning of the word repentance is, as St. Chrysostom saith," not only to cease from the old evils, but also to follow better offices. For it is said, ' Decline from evil, and do good.' Neither is it enough for us for health," saith he, "only to have plucked out the shaft, except we also lay medicines to the wound." Of these words of the holy Chrysostom, it is evident who truly repenteth, and who not. If not only a cessation or leaving off from the sins, but also a diligent exercise of the virtue, followeth repentance, then it is true and unfeigned. But if there be proved a continuance in the sin, and no correction or amendment of life, then it is manifest that such one had never true repentance in his heart. For St. Augustine saith, "What other thing is it to repent, than to be sorry for the sins past, and from henceforth to abstain from those things which he hath committed?" Again he saith," The fruit worthy of repentance is to lament the sins being past, and not to do them again, as it is written,' Cast not sin upon sin.' Be ye washed,' saith the Lord by the prophet Isaiah, and be ye clean.'

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He, therefore, is washed and is clean, which both lamenteth the things past, and doth not commit again those things that are worthy to be lamented." Paul describeth the true repentance in these words: "Put off," saith he, "the old man with his acts, and put on the new man.' Here he appointeth us not only to put off the old man, but also to put on the new man. Again, he saith, "Fashion not yourselves like unto the manner of this world, but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind," whereby we are made a new creature, walking in the newness of life. Doth not our baptism also preach unto us this thing? "We are buried together," saith Paul, "with Christ by baptism into death, that, as Christ is risen again from the dead, so we likewise should walk in newness of life.”—Becon.

SELF-EXAMINATION LEADING TO AMENDMENT OF LIFE.

I WAS reading a book the other day, which was written to expose the folly and misery of those who worship riches as their god, and who are wholly given up to the business of making money, and only seek how to make most and spend least, regardless of the feelings and wants of their fellow-creatures.

The story began with a description of one of these poor wretched misers: yes, I call them poor and wretched, for so they are, though surrounded with the means of wealth and comfort. It was Christmas-eve, and he was closing his office with a heavy heart, conscious that the morrow must be a holiday, a day on which he could not hope to make one penny more! From his office he ascended slowly to his solitary garret, stirred the few embers on his hearth, heated a little water-gruel, and, to save fire and candle, slunk into bed! There he fell asleep, and if we believe our author, had a most striking and profitable dream. Now, though I do not believe in the truth of his dream, I shall tell you something about it, because I think it reads a useful lesson to us all. The dream, then, represented to him three different periods of his life, and each at the same season of the year, at Christmas. First, he was carried through the scenes of a Christmas that he had passed long ago, while he was a

at

boy: he fancied that he was again at school, waiting impatiently for the coach to call and take him home; then he met his father and sister with joyful faces ready to greet him, and tell him all the pleasure that he was to have during the holidays; pleasure in which many were to share besides himself, and in which he was then willing that they should share. After all the various details of this scene had been placed before our sleeping miser, he was reminded of what was passing around him at the present time; comfort and happiness, from which he had excluded himself. He was carried in imagination through the streets, where every thing betokened the approach of Christmas. The shops all dressed with holly, the butchers' display of Christmas beef,-the grocers' preparation for Christmas puddings,-the busy throng of comers and goers all carefully providing for the morrow. From the streets he was taken into the house, where many a family greeting passed, and many a hospitable board was prepared for both rich and poor; last, he was shown himself lying in a miserable garret, encumbered with a chain, the weight of which seemed to weigh him to the ground, having provided no comforts for himself, nor any offerings of grateful love for others on the morrow; but with his heart and hands both fast closed against every kindly feeling, every charitable action. The scene was carried on to the next day. Our miser was taken out, and shown the multitudes dressed in holiday clothes, and crowding into the churches to offer up their tribute of praise and thanksgiving. He heard the merry peals resounding from every side; he saw the holly with its bright red berries ornamenting every church: he heard the song of the angels," Peace on earth, and good-will towards men ;" and he sought to join in the chorus, but, held back by his chain, he was only allowed to look on. Again, he saw the congregation disperse to their respective homes, gather their families together, and, full of serious and heartfelt joy, assemble round the hospitable board. And now came the last sad representation-the time to come. had seen the past-he had seen the present-he was now to see the future! And how was that future represented

He