misfortune. But no account of any being, doomed from birth to a privation so complete, both of sight and hearing, has hitherto been discovered in the records of science, unless we except that of an American girl, and which appears to have been unknown to Professor Stuart, but who was four years of age before she united such an accumulation of misfortune as that which distinguishes the case of poor Mitchell.

The following additional anecdote of him was communicated by his sister to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

There is a point of land leading from Nairn, (the town where he lives) along the side and to the mouth of the river, and which with high tide is overflowed by the sea, where there are boats frequently left fastened to something for the purpose. He had been in the habit, it seems, of going down to these boats; and had that day gone down and stepped into one of them as usual. Before he was aware, however, he was afloat, and completely surrounded with water. Had he remained quietly there until the tide had ebbed, he probably would not have been in any danger; but instead of that, upon perceiving his situation, he undressed himself and plunged into the sea, seemingly with the intention of attempting to drag the boat with his clothes to land. Finding that however impracticable, he next attempted returning to the boat, but failed in getting into it, and with his struggling upset it; and there is not a doubt but he must have perished, had not some salmon fishers been most providentially employed within sight of him, and rowed to his assistance. By the time they reached him he was nearly exhausted by his

exertions; and having been repeatedly completely under water, was so benumbed with cold, that they were obliged to strip themselves of what clothes they could spare, and put them on him, his own being quite wet from the upsetting of the boat. They then very humanely brought him home, carrying him great part of the way, until he recovered strength and warmth sufficient to enable him to walk. "It is curious enough," says his intelligent sister, "to observe the sagacity displayed in some of his actions. His shoes were found with a stocking and a garter stuffed into each of them. The shoes (having got them on new that morning) were the only articles he discovered any anxiety to recover; and these he seemed much delighted with upon their being restored to him, they having been found when the tide ebbed. His first action when I met him, upon being brought home, was to pull off a worsted night-cap, and give it to me with rather an odd expression of countenance. The men had been obliged to put it upon him, his hat having shared the fate of his clothes in the boat; and he certainly made a most grotesque appearance altogether, which he seemed to be in some degree aware of, as after getting on a dry suit of his own clothes, he frequently burst out laughing during the evening, although upon the whole he appeared graver and more thoughtful than usual."

Young Reader! ought you not to be thankful to that Divine Providence which has favoured you with the use of your tongue, and eyes, and ears? Never abuse them; but always use them to the glory of your God and Saviour.

TOMBS OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH.

WE have visited the "Tombs in the Valley of Jehoshaphat." Hence we may pursue our way through the olive-groves to the celebrated monument, called popularly the "Tombs of the Kings," which is a considerable distance beyond the present wall. This is by far the most remarkable work of antiquity of its kind at Jerusalem. We descend into a trench sunk in the rocky level, and divided by a wall, consisting of the rock itself, squared into shape, from a large court similarly sunk below the level, and of course open to the sky. The passage through the wall or rock is by an arch. The great court is about ninety-feet square, and on its west side is a portico about twenty five feet wide, excavated in its rocky wall.

The above sketch will give an idea of the front entrance, which was formerly supported by pillars. The style is what is called the Roman Doric, and the entire front, when perfect, must have been very rich in effect, from the profusion

of carved foliage and fruit which it exhibits, portions of which may still be traced in the sketch.

The entrance is on the left-hand corner, by a very low door. The first room is an antechamber, square and plain. The two rooms south of the entrance, contain small niches, or crypts, for sepulture, running into the rock. The general character of these chambers is the same. The apartment west of the antechamber, which is entered by a door in the centre of its wall, is the most extensive of any. On the ground is a pannelled stone door, which was formerly inserted by its stone tenon at the corner, into the groove which is hollowed out in the angle of the doorway. All the doors

seen around, except the centre one, lead into similar crypts to those in the other apartments. Through the centre arch is a passage into a low vaulted room, from which there is no issue, and which was probably the resting-place of honour in these sepulchral chambers. The sarcophagi, beautifully sculptured with wreaths of fruit and flowers, thrown from their niches, lie broken and tenantless on the rocky floor.

As the whole of the apartments lie south of the centre of the portico, it has been supposed that others, with a concealed entrance, may exist on its northern side; but all attempts to discover them have hitherto been in vain.

From the extent of this noble sepulchre we should be disposed to accept the tradition of its being the burial-place of the "Kings of Judah," though Robinson seems rather to consider it as that of Helena, queen of Adiabene, who resided at Jerusalem, and built a very splendid sepulchre.

Besides this extensive and important sepulchre, others are scattered about in the neighbourhood, as well as ancient cisterns and other vestiges of the former extent of the city in this direction.

REFLECTIONS ON RETIRING TO REST.

It is good when we lay on the pillow our head,
And the silence of night all around us is spread,
To reflect on the deeds we have done thro' the day,
Nor allow it to pass without profit away.

A day-what a trifle !-and yet the amount

Of the days we have pass'd form an awful account,
And the time may arrive when the world we would give,
Were it ours, might we have but another to live.

In whose service have we through the day been employ'd,
And what are the pleasures we mostly enjoy'd?

Our desires and our wishes, to what did they tend,
To the world we are in, or the world without end?

Hath the sense of his presence encompass'd us round,
Without whom not a sparrow can fall to the ground?
Have our hearts turn'd to Him with devotion most true,
Or been occupied only with things that we view?

Have we often reflected how soon we must go
To the mansions of bliss, or the regions of woe?
Have we felt unto God a repentance sincere,
And in faith to the Saviour of sinners drawn near?

Let us thus with ourselves solemn conference hold,
Ere sleep's silken fetters our senses enfold;
And forgiveness implore for the sins of the day,
Nor allow them to pass unrepented away.

BERTHAM.