others, wherein they differed from." An- | places, and unsuitable to the reverence due other circumstance indicated the weak- to his majesty, and his councils. But I ness and duplicity of the king. The do not know any formal act, of either royal printer had prepared fifteen hun- house, (for neither the remonstrance nor dred copies of the petition of right, with votes of the last day were such,) that was the last assent given by the king; this not agreeable to the wisdom and justice edition he was ordered to destroy, and to of great courts upon those extraordinary print another, with the first evasive an- occasions, And whoever considers the swer, which the sovereign had found it acts of power and injustice, in the interneedful to recall. vals of parliament, will not be much scandalized at the warmth and vivacity of those meetings." Disputes concerning the tonnage and poundage still continued, till Charles gave way, and admitted that they were held by him and preceding monarchs, as a gift from their subjects. Not content with this admission, the parliament required reparation for those who had suffered for refusing to pay. This was going further than was necessary; but the king went still further, by sending a message to the house, stating, that it was not his pleasure that any of his servants should be punished for acting according to his orders. The constitution of England as sumes that the king can do no wrong, but makes his ministers responsible: here was a proceeding which would have done away with the letter of this assertion. In February, 1629, charges were agreed upon more directly affecting Laud; but the king interposed, by adjourning the house. On its re-assembling, Eliot presented a remonstrance against the late proceedings relative to religion, and those respecting the customs and duties; he also denounced bishop Laud, and the lord treasurer Weston. Finch, the speaker, refused to put the resolutions, stating he had the king's orders to the contrary, and endeavoured to adjourn the house by leaving the chair; but some of the members forcibly held him in his place; while Hollis read the resolutions, which were adopted. The king, hearing what was going forward, was preparing to have the doors forced, when the resolutions being passed, the members separated. On the 10th, the houses re-assembled, when the king dissolved the parliament, and justified his proceedings by a proclamation. it Without dwelling upon particulars, is evident that both the king and the parliament had gone too far; but if the monarch had been supported by wise advisers, a more temperate course would have been pursued. Clarendon says, it is not to be denied, that there were, in all those parliaments, especially in that of the fourth year, several passages and distempered speeches, of particular persons, not fit for the dignity and honour of those Immediately after the dissolution, nine of the leading members were called before the council, and charged with disobedience to the royal message, ordering an immediate adjournment, and imprisoned; among these were Hollis, Selden, and Eliot, whose apartments were searched for papers to criminate them. After some legal proceedings, Eliot, Hollis, and another were condemned to large fines, and imprisonment during the king's pleasure, on the charge that their conduct, though in parliament, was extra parliamentary, and therefore under the cognizance of the courts of law. Eliot was the principal sufferer; he had, from the first, expected to be made a victim, and had conveyed his property to his sons. His health soon failed under his imprisonment; this was notified to the king, and Eliot was persuaded to petition for his release; but his repeated petitions were rejected as not sufficiently humble, or not in proper form; and he died in confinement, November, 1632. His death increased the public feeling against the monarch, and Eliot, by his sufferings, certainly advanced the cause he had at heart. But he claims notice, not only for the determined manner in which he opposed what he considered encroachments on the liberties of his countrymen. The heat of political discussion may have led him beyond his first design, and we willingly leave this part of his character to consider him as a Christian visited by affliction. He thus writes in a letter to a friend: "Oh infinite mercy of our Master! dear friend, how it abounds to us that are unworthy of his service! How broken, how imperfect, how perverse and crooked are our ways in obedience to him! How exactly straight is the line of his providence to us, drawn out through all occurrences and particulars, to the whole length and measure of our time! How perfect is His hand, that has given his Son to us, and, with him, has promised to give us all things! What can we render? What retribution can we make worthy of so great a majesty, worthy such love and favour? We have nothing but ourselves, who are unworthy above all, and yet that, as all other things, is his. For us to offer up that, is but to give him of his own; and that in far worse condition than we, at first, received it; which yet, for infinite is his goodness, for the merits of his Son, He is contented to accept. This, dear friend, must be the comfort of his children; and this happiness have his saints. The contemplation of this happiness has led me almost beyond the compass of a letter. But friends should communicate their joys; this, as the greatest, therefore, I could | not but impart unto my friend.” Another case, which attracted much public notice, was the prosecution of Leighton, a Scottish divine. He had printed a book in Holland, entitled, "Sion's Plea against Prelacy," in which he strongly censured episcopacy, and made rude allusions to the queen as a Papist. The book was only privately circulated in England; but he was brought before the star chamber in 1630, fined 10007., degraded, publicly whipped, and pilloried, having one ear cut off, and one side of his nose slit; after a week's interval, these personal sufferings were repeated, the other ear was cut off, and the other side of his nose slit. His cheeks were also branded with the letters s.s., to signify sower of sedition. Laud was present when this sentence was passed, and testified his concurrence aloud, giving thanks to God! This cruel sentence was carried into effect with the utmost severity, but the sufferer endured with much patience; and the conduct of Laud and his supporters, on this occasion, made a deep impression on the public. His presence, as a judge in that arbitrary court, was not unfrequent, and the part he took there much increased his enemies. The apartment where the court of Star Chamber sate, was known and pointed out till destroyed by fire a few years ago. The king resolved to govern without a parliament, and maintained this resolution eleven years. One of his first measures was to diminish the expenditure of his government, by making peace with France and Spain, in which treaties, the great Protestant objects of the restoration of the palatinate, and the protection of the Huguenots, were virtually given up. The chief advisers of the crown were now, Laud, Strafford, and Weston. The measures principally resorted to for raising money were the custom duties, which, in some cases, were increased; also a fine for every one who held land to the value of 401. by the year, and who had not presented himself at the coronation to receive knighthood. The exaction was founded on an ancient and obsolete feudal usage. Another was the enforcement of the forest laws, chiefly by claiming large sums from all occupiers of land within what were anciently the forest boundaries. In some instances, these were extensive; Rockingham forest had been reduced from a circuit of sixty miles to six. The fines were large; those levied on_lord Salisbury amounted to 20,000l. The alarm, on this account, was very great; it was supposed that, in many counties, the greater part of the landed estates were liable to this claim. The monopolies were revived, chiefly by charters to new companies; and all cases of delinquencies were largely fined. Continual attempts were made to give the force of laws to the royal proclamations. Among many instances may be mentioned the fining a large number of gentry for residing in London instead of the country. At this period, some hopes of the reestablishment of the elector palatine were revived by the successes of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, who was engaged to oppose the imperial armies. This champion of the Protestant cause was eminently successful; the extent and rapidity of his conquests reduced the imperial power; but after a most remarkable career of victory during more than two years, he fell at the battle of Lutzen, in November, 1632. The elector Frederic died soon afterwards; his son was not successful, and the hopes of re-establishing this branch of the Stuart family wholly failed. Although the king of England did not take an open part in the wars of Gustavus, yet he caused the marquis of Hamilton to join his forces with a considerable body of English and Scots. Many of both nations also served in the Swedish army; the military skill of Gustavus was most eminent for enforcing strict discipline. In his religious conduct, there was a very great and favourable contrast with the commanders of the imperial, or popish forces, who sanctioned, and even ordered, the most horrible atrocities to be committed on the inhabitants of the countries occupied by their army. The next event of importance was the visit of the king to Scotland, where he was crowned in 1633; but the people were disgusted by some of the ceremonies, which seemed to savour strongly of Popery. We are told, "Now it is marked that there was a four-nooked tassel in manner of an altar, standing within the kirk, having thereupon two clasped books, called blind books, with two chandlers, and two wax candles, which were on light, and a basin wherein there was nothing. At the back of the altar (covered with tapestry) there was a rich tapestry, wherein the crucifix was curiously wrought; and as the bishops, who were in the service, passed by this crucifix, they were seen to bow their knee, and beck, which, with their habit, was noted, and bred great fear for the inbringing of Popery." Laud also gave much displeasure by taking a prominent part. The king excited much discontent by ordering changes in religious ceremonies. But these proceedings were enforced in a manner which gave no less alarm than the measures themselves. When the law was proposed, establishing the king's right to direct all ecclesiastical matters at his own will, Charles not only was present, but forbade all discussion, and himself proceeded to mark the votes. The greater number were against his wishes; but the clerk declared the contrary; this being questioned by the earl of Rothes, the king silenced him by a threat. The nobles were silent; but from that period, a great part of them, convinced that they could not trust their monarch, secretly consulted on the measures to be pursued. They were confirmed in this course, by apprehending that the king meant to take from them the church lands they had acquired by the downfall of Popery. THE USE OF THE BRAIN. ONE of the first laws of physical or organic life is, that in order to secure its healthy function, every organ must be exercised; that lengthened repose is fatal to its tone; and that excessive exertion, or irritative action, will result in diminished power or feebleness. And this is especially true of the brain. Again, the brain is associated with other organs, whose direct or sympathetic influence will exert a beneficial or a morbid agency, according to the state of health or disorder of those secondary organs. And, lastly, the capacity of the brain, for exertion, is progressive, for it is a law of the human mind, that it cannot be stationary; if it do not advance, it must retrograde. But its physiological condition is to seek after improvement; to carry its powers and principles onwards towards perfection; never to be contented with the attainment of to-day, but to be always advancing; and finally to be seeking after that happy immortality, which alone can employ all its faculties, or satisfy all its desires. This consideration will unravel many an intricacy of mental manifestation, and wanting this clue, it would be impossible to explore, what would then appear to be, an inextricable labyrinth. The education of the brain, then, as the organ of thought, becomes a question of primary importance; for although the immaterial principle will remain the same under any mode of its exhibition, yet the manifestation of its influence will be widely different; and the result upon the individual himself, and upon those with whom he stands associated in a nearer or less intimate connexion, will scarcely be recognized as coming from the same spiritual origin. Good or evil, blessing or cursing, are mainly in the power of the instructor; and as the mind can only be reached through its material organ, it is of the first consequence to consider that organ, to estimate fairly its physical relations, to judge how far it may also be acted upon through the medium of intellectual manifestation, as well as the degree in which it may be guided by moral and religious principles and motives. With regard to the agency of physical education, in promoting or obstructing these views, two very opposite errors prevail: the first, in which every effort is made to stimulate the brain, and to produce little prodigies of intellectual developement and acquisition, an error which very generally terminates in the destruction of life, or conducts, pari passu, to infantile decrepitude; and the second, in which the brain is allowed to remain quiescent during the early years of childhood. And it may be fairly asked, Why? Nature has taken abundant care to perfect the organ early, to supply it with all that it would require in order to maintain action; and she has declared, that the senses are given us as so many channels for the reception of ideas. Why, then, it may be asked, may not attention be awakened to these ideas? Why may not reflection be developed, and associations cultivated? In fact, why may not the organ of mind be led to think, to reason, to combine? When the senses are perpetually employed so as to repress intellectual manifestation, why may they not also be engaged in promoting its growth? The effect of regular and moderate exercise, is to increase the aptitude of every organ for its peculiar function, to give it strength, to preserve it from too high a degree of susceptibility, to furnish it with such a regular supply of blood, as shall enable it to maintain increased action without suffering, and so to strengthen its vessels and its fibres, as that the former shall not easily admit of over-action, distension, or congestion; nor the latter of too great tension or irritation, upon every application of more than ordinary stimulus. On the contrary, a state of repose is fatal to these good results, because it places the organ in a peculiar state of irritability, unequal to its due measure of physiological action, exposed to a degree of feebleness commensurate with the duration of its listless inactivity, furnished only with such a supply of blood as shall enable it to vegetate, (for the supply is always equal to the demand,) and placing its vascular apparatus, and its sentient fibres, in a condition favourable to the developement of every morbid action. It is a perfect mistake to suppose that the brain will suffer from judicious exercise it is injudicious and fitful exertion, grafted upon a state of feebleness, resulting from lengthened inaction, which is to be feared; and its means of preservation from such a state are, by gradual employment, to awaken the powers of intellect, and to carry them safely onward to their highest reach. In accomplishing this object, the only caution necessary to be observed, is not to induce excessive, or irritative action. This may be occasioned by long-continued exertions, giving rise to fatigue and exhaustion, these being followed by a morbid state of irritability, and oftentimes by greater efforts, and a consequent semblance of power; but really accompanied by a diminished capacity for exertion, a state which, if now mistaken, will soon result in difficulty-irrecoverable feebleness. The same event may be brought about by the abuse of stimuli, and by the lavish excitement of feeling and emotion, rather than by the cool growth of intellect, and judgment, and principle. These are evils which would endanger the ultimate integrity, and assuredly would diminish the immediate power of the brain, and should serve as beacons to guide the pathway of the instructor. That there should be difficulties to surmount, is one of the laws of the probationary state in which we live, and these should only serve to define the way in which we may securely walk, so as to obtain a high degree of healthful, intellectual manifestation. Every step in advance will not only be a point gained against ignorance, and error, and obliquity, but it will form a resting place from which to set out for further progress; and these advances and resting places may be multiplied in an indefinite series; and they will proceed in an augmenting ratio, because every such advance adds to the future power of acquisition; and, therefore, after a certain number of steps have been gained, the capacity for reaching onwards has been increased to such an extent, that the same effort will produce an accumulating effect; the sphere of intellectual vision will be enlarged, and the mind will be early conversant with objects, which, but for this graduated exertion, it could scarcely have hoped to obtain. Surely, then, it can require only a moderate share of intelligence to perceive, how important it is to develope the physical powers of the organ of mind, in order to ensure the largest amount of intellectual manifestation, which is compatible with unbroken bodily health. To secure the latter, it must not be forgotten, that the organ of mind is associated, intimately, with other organs and functions; and that it is influenced by their health or disorder; and this, too, whether they may be mutually and immediately dependent upon each other; or whether the connexion be only one of sympathy, a term which perhaps designates a hidden relationship, whose laws we may be as yet unable precisely to investigate. This term, however, is not to be derided as a synonyme for ignorance of certain conditions; for it is not so: it implies and intends, where it is morbid, the capacity of suffering with a distant organ in a state of irritation; and it is by no means necessary that we should be enabled to say in what this irritation consists, or to trace the mode of its operation; it is sufficient to show that it does exist; and imbecility alone can doubt it. -Newnham on the Reciprocal Influence of Body and Mind. It might be thus paraphrased in English: Heigh, heigh, oxen, tread the corn faster, This simple strain furnishes a pleasing comment upon the Scripture precept regarding this operation of agriculture, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn," Deut. xxv. 4, which is quoted by the apostle Paul, in his first epistle to Timothy, with the addition, "And, The labourer is worthy of his reward." The song before us, as well as the picture that it accompanies, would seem to imply that this merciful injunction was contrary to the custom in Egypt. -The Antiquities of Egypt.* +for men the grain (The character is a bushel pouring out grain.) who (are) your masters. This most ancient labour song is inscribed over a man driving two yoke of oxen, treading out a floor of corn, in a DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAMMALIA. WE are induced to offer some observations on the present interesting and important topic, because, though it is a subject which engages the attention of few, excepting professed naturalists, it merits the consideration of every inquisitive mind, and furnishes much matter for reflection and inquiry. Our observations refer more immediately to the mammalia than to any other classes of the animal kingdom; but they bear, more or less, upon other groups also; the subject, however, in all its branches, is so extensive, that an outline is all that we can here attempt. The distribution of animals over the surface of our globe will be found, on investigation, to be regulated by certain laws Published by the Religious Tract Society. |