Zuinglius preached in Söllnau upon the Gospel (St. John x.) 'I am the good Shepherd,' &c. He explained it SO pointedly, that I felt as if some one had pulled me up into the air by the hair of my head, and made known to me how God would require the blood of the lost sheep at the hands of the shepherds who are guilty of their destruction. Then I thought to myself, 'If that be the meaning, then adieu to the priest's office! a priest I will never be!' 'I continued however in my studies; also began to dispute with my comrades; attended the sermons diligently, and was fond of hearing my preceptor Myconius."

So ardent, indeed, grew his appetite for knowledge, that he was “near overdoing himself," contriving all possible artifices for prolonging the hours of study by keeping himself awake at night. Myconius only drilled him diligently in the Latin language; but Greek and Hebrew were his delight. Such was his proficiency in the latter, that he was thrust into a professorship against his will, and while working under a worthless master at rope making! His own account of this affair, is so full of interest, and told with such beautiful simplicity, that we give it entire.

"Amongst others, I became acquainted with Dr. Oporinus. He required of me that I should instruct him in Hebrew. I, however, excused myself, saying that I myself knew but little of it, and also that I had no time. As, however, he left me no peace, I made my master the offer, that, if he would only leave me some time free, I would serve him for nothing, or else take less wages than hitherto. Then he allowed me every day one hour in the afternoon, from four to five. Now Oporinus stuck up a notice on the church, that there was a certain person who intended to give lessons in the elements of the Hebrew language, about 4 o'clock on Monday, at St. Leonard's. When I came there at the appointed hour, thinking that I should find Oporinus alone, (for I had not seen the bill on the church door), there were eighteen very learned gentlemen there, and I wished directly to run away. But Dr. Oporinus called to me 'Do not run away; these are also good fellows.' Although I was ashamed, in my little apron which rope-makers are in the habit of wearing, yet I allowed myself to be persuaded, and

began to read them 'Munster's Hebrew Grammar,' which had not yet come to Basle, also the Prophet Jonah, as well as I was able. In the same year, a Frenchman came from Basle, whom the Queen of Navarre had sent, that he should learn Hebrew. He also came into the school, and when I went in with my bad clothes, I seated myself behind the stove, where I had a comfortable little seat, and allowed the students to sit at the table. The Frenchman now asked, 'When does our professor come?' Oporinus pointed to me. Then he looked at me and wondered, without doubt, because he thought such an one ought to be otherwise dressed, and not so badly. When the lesson was over, he took me by the hand, led me over the little bridge, and asked me how it happened that I was so badly clothed, offered to write on my account to the queen, saying she would make me a great man if I would only follow him. That man was expensively dressed, had a golden cap, and his own servant, who carried his hat and cloak after him. He also attended my lectures till he left the place; but I had no wish to follow him."

"I had no wish to follow him!" No. To endure hardness and poverty, where the mind was not bound, was a wiser choice than to mix with grandees and gold sticks in waiting, where the better nature would be blown off and the dross alone remain.

Platter now turned his thoughts to marriage and had a sumptuous wedding-a folly for which, no doubt, he was less responsible than the lady, who had a splendid fortune of fourteen florins! He had some household furniture, and the loan of a donkey. With these they commenced house keeping at Visp. "There" says he "all went on well at first. I began to prepare my rope-making trade and to keep a school. In winter I had about thirty scholars; in summer, scarcely six. Each had to pay a penny every quarterly fast, and besides many presents. I had many relations; one brought me eggs, another cheese or a ball of butter, also others whose children came to me to school, brought the like; some a quarter of a sheep; those who were at home in the village, gave milk, vegetables, and jugs of wine; so that seldom a day passed in which something was not given to us: at times we have reckoned

at night, that in one day eight or nine different presents had been sent us."

Platter was soon called to take part in the religious war that now desolated the country; and in this, as in every thing else, acquitted himself nobly. His active mind next found employment in a printing office, where he was associated with his old friend Dr. Oporinus. "But here,” as he says “I had a bad time of it, as also my wife and children; for the children were often obliged to fold paper till their little fingers bled. But yet my circumstances were improved; for, with the printing alone, I was able to gain 200 florins a year, improve my printing office, and household furniture; and always found, when I wanted it, people who advanced me money. Notwithstanding, through various circumstances, I got tired of my business after some time; and I was also requested from various quarters to become schoolmaster again; for in a few years they had had several schoolmasters, and the school had almost entirely fallen into decay. One day I came to Mr. Rudolph Frey; he was chief deputy and constable in the town. He said, 'Pray become schoolmaster; by so doing you will oblige the council, and serve God and the world.' Dr. Grynæus said to me, 'Become schoolmaster! There is no more heavenly office! There is nothing I would rather be, if only I needed not to say a thing twice over.' They went on persuading me, until at last I consented."

Here, then, we must leave him, honorably serving his generation, till he falls peacefully asleep, on the 26th January, 1582, at the patriarchal age of four score years and three. "He rests from his labors, and his works do follow him."

THE EVENING AND THE MORNING.

How many religious and Christian associations there are with the evening and the morning. Morning and evening did the manna fall in old time, morning and evening did the ravens feed the solitary prophet, morning and evening were the sacrifices of the old tabernacle offered, and special prayers uttered by the devout. It was in the morning that Abraham "saddled his ass" and went forth to make the great typical

sacrifice, in faith, sorrow, and silence. It was in the morning that Darius came with a "lamentable voice" to the prison of the faithful, steadfast-hearted prophet, the cave whose only dim light was the glare of lions' eyes. It was in the morning that our Saviour went forth before the daylight for his solitary thought and prayer. And it was in the morning that he rose, the now discovered "sun of righteousness," face to face with that great light of heaven which had darkened at his death, and now rejoiced in his rising.

It was in the evening that the "Father of the faithful" must have often walked forth, and looking upwards, have thought of the promise, which, steadfast as heaven, assured him of a posterity numerous as the stars. It was in the evening that Isaac, meditating in the fields, beheld approaching the future mother of Israel. It was in the evening that our Saviour stood at the door of the house at Capernaum, and gathering the sick and sorrowful under his outstretched wings of healing, dismissed them restored and comforted; and it was in the evening that, celebrating the great festival of Judaism, he instituted the great festival of Christianity, thus "making both one," and in the noble memories of the departing day, preparing for the fuller glories of the coming morrow.-Lynch.

THE POET AND THE PHILOSOPHER.

Astronomy is a majestic and soul-elevating science, but in certain cases it would seem to be subordinate to Poetry. Long before science swept the heavens, the sacred poets, Job, David, Isaiah, and a host of others, not excepting the rustic Amos, the herdsman of Tekoa, had pressed into their service and associated with the sublimest and most enlightened strains, the sun and the moon, Arcturus, Orion, and the Pleaides, educing from them lessons of the most thrilling interest, and calling forth their harmonies in one majestic chorus, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth His handy work!"

But as a science, useful to the world in many ways, what may we not say of astronomy? Has it not enabled us to circumnavigate the globe, to find our whereabout upon the waste ocean, to reach shores hitherto untrodden-to conquer vast

territories, and to bring over to our own firesides the luxuries of every clime? Has it not served us, too, to correct our measure of time; a circumstance, the vast importance of which can only be appreciated by remembering that time is the stuff life is made of.

It is readily granted that astronomy has been useful to the navigator, but not so useful, perhaps, as may be generally supposed. In the earlier ages, and before it had any claim to be regarded as a science, the Pole Star had been identified and used as a guiding point, not only on the ocean, but on the wide and trackless deserts of Arabia and its neighbour countries. But commerce and navigation, and chronometry are but means after all, and it may be doubted whether the acquisition of territory, taking into account all its attendant circumstances, has been really a benefit to society. A flag, a volley of musketry, a few huzzas, and perhaps the valuable consideration of a cocked hat, a rifle, a doll, or a string of beads, have been the means of deluding nations of their rights, and adding to the British crown that vast extent of territory on which it has now the cool impudence to boast that the sun never sets.

A short time since we were telling a child of the discovery of the planet Neptune. He listened with some interest to the claims made by Le Verrier and Adams, but at last puzzled us completely by the question “Well, and how much did they get for it?" We were quite unable to tell him, and much wiser men have experienced the same difficulty, though they talk stoutly of the immense value of science.

And what has Geology, as a science, ever done for society? Where is the Geologist who will so far trust his own principles, as to risk money upon them, the surest test by which they can be tried. After he has proved, to the conviction of his scientific brethren, the exact position, extent, and untold value of this or that stratum, do we find him selling all he has, to buy that field in which he is so sure the pearl of great price may be found, for the mere trouble of seeking? With regard indeed to so common, but invaluable a gift as pure water, do we not often find him involved in enormous expenses for boring and drilling the soil in all directions, without any greater measure of success than the common well-digger! And then, after going to thrice