of great splendour. The same accurate observer, perceiving the sea remarkably luminous in the road of the Cape of Good Hope, during a perfect calm, remarked that the oars of the canoes produced a whitish and pearly kind of lustre. When he took in his hand the water, which contained phosphorus, he discerned in it, for some minutes, globules of light as large as the heads of pins. On pressing these globules, they appeared to his touch like a soft and thin pulp; and some days after the sea was covered with entire banks of small fishes, in innumerable multitudes. During the sunsets, which make the sea on our coasts brilliant with rich ruby light, these luminous appearances are often observed in small patches upon its surface; but as soon as the waves rise into motion, these bright spots disappear, and the surface of the ocean assumes its usual appearance, and the tide ebbs and flows, as it has never ceased to do from the day of creation. Standing on the shores of the mighty sea, and listening to the deep mysterious murmur of its ceaseless waves, as they ripple against the sand and shells of the rugged coast, what thoughts arise of the power and greatness of my God: Ah! what pleasant visions haunt me As I gaze upon the sea! All the old romantic legends, : Till my soul is full of longing Send a thrilling pulse through me! But not always do the waves lie in calm brightness and rippling beauty: sometimes they rise tumultuously, and heave and swell, till, with the wind roaring and the lightning flashing, the heart of the mother sinks within her as she thinks of her dear boy at sea! Cold blows the blast, and down comes the storm in its fury, and the vessel struggles with the mighty waves—now rising high up in the air, now sinking deep into the dark abyss— again shuddering and shivering like a panting war-horse beneath the weight of the elements' fierce anger. And fast through the dark midnight she drifts-a wreck upon the heaving billows! Masts and yards, and sails and shrouds, are cast overboard, one by one-anything to save the lives of the devoted crew. And the life-boat is lowered, and a brave but silent company prepare to leave the ship which has been their home for months. One lingers in the tossing vessel while a spark of hope remains, and is the last to leave it it is the captain of that brave bark. And some, frenzied with despair, cast themselves upon the wild waves with only a plank or spar for their support, while others lash themselves to the wreck, trusting rather to the chances of discovery by some passing ship than to give themselves to the treacherous waves in an open boat. Oh, what a fearful thing is a storm at sea! and when we think how many brave fellows are every day exposed to these dangers; how fearlessly they go about their proper business in the vessel, never shrinking or refusing to obey the orders of their superiors; how simple and true-hearted they remain to each other; and how very poorly they are paid for all this exposure of life and limb in their country's service, we ought to bless God who has given such brave defenders to our beloved country, and enabled us to say of the flag of Old England, that it has OUR QUEEN'S EARLY DAYS. XCEPT for a few days, Queen Victoria has not resided at Anne's favourite palace at Kensington since her accession to the throne. In her early days, the then little Princess, clad so simply that it is wonderful the people did not avail themselves of the example, and dress their little darlings less tawdrily, might be seen, of a bright morning, in the enclosure in front of the palace with her mother at her side. On one of these occasions I remember seeing a footman, after due instruction, bringing out to the lively daughter of the Duke of Kent, a doll most splendidly attired-all gold without, and sawdust within. The brilliant effigy, however, had no other effect upon the little Princess but to put her in a passion. She stamped her little foot and shook her lustrous curls, and it was evident that the liveried Mercury had unwittingly disobeyed her bidding. He disappeared for a minute or two, but soon returned, bearing with him a very torso of a doll. A marine-store dealer would not have hung up such an |