ICELAND TO THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. SOCIETY OF CHRIST! whose fame Translated into English. The world shall raise o'er thy compeers-- Or in the past or present years- When they, our unbelieving foes, Would crush the hopes they could not feel, You, sons of England, then arose, With hearts all love, and hands all zeal; You, bound by charity's blest tie, And fearless in defence of truth, Spent in our aid unsparingly Riches and power-and age and youth. And what! though near the Arctic pole, An island in a frozen sea; Yet I this charity have known, For see-the messengers of Peace From Albion new Apostles come : They, like the old, shall never cease To quit their kindred and their home. Like them, with canvas wide unfurl'd, Careless of life, they tempt the gale, And seek the limits of the world Ye friends to God and Iceland, hail! Th' unfeeling heart, the sordid hand, You spread the gifts of Providence. Go forth, were'er your banners wave; SOCIETY OF CHRIST! most dear To Heaven, to virtue, and to me! While Iceland is-thy fame shall be. The trophies of the conquer'd field- Aged and clad in snow-white pall, I twine the wreath, and twine for thee; The north-wind with our minstrelsy. Can give the praise and blessing due; Ye CHRISTIAN FATHERS, prosper you. CICADA SEPTENDICIM, OR LOCUST OF AMERICA. (From Latrobe's Rambles in North America.) THE observation of a past century had shown the inhabitants of Pennsylvania and Maryland, that every seventeenth year they were visited by a countless horde of insects, of the Cicada tribe, hence called Septendicim; distinct in aspect and habits from those whose annual appearance and mode of life were understood. Though of a different tribe, and with perfectly different habits from the locust of the east, the fact of its occasional appearance, as though by magic in such vast swarms, had caused it to be familiarly alluded to by that name. Its last appearance had been in 1817, and its re-appearance was thus confidently predicted for the third or fourth week in May, this year, (1834.) Nature, true to her impulses, and the laws by which she is mysteriously governed, did not fail to fulfil the prediction. On the 24th of May, and following day, the whole surface of the country, in and about the city of Philadelphia, suddenly teemed with this singular insect. The subject interested me, and as during these days I had every opportunity of being daily, I may say hourly, attentive to the phenomena connected with it, both here and in Maryland, I send you the result of my observations. The first day of their appearance, their numbers were comparatively few, the second they came by myriads; and yet a day or two might pass before they reached their full number. I happened to be abroad the bright sunny morning which might be called the day of their birth. At early morning, the insect, in the pupa state, may be observed issuing from the earth in every direction, by the help of a set of strongly barbed claws on the fore legs; its colour is then of a uniform dull brown, and it strongly resembles the perfect insect in form, excepting the absence of wings, ornament, and antennæ. The first impulse of the imperfect insect, on detaching itself from its grave, is to ascend a few inches, or even feet, up the trunks of trees, at the feet of which their holes appear in the greatest number; or upon the rail fences, which are soon thickly sprinkled with them. In these positions they straightway fix themselves firmly by their barbed claws; half an hour's observation will then show you the next change which is to be undergone. A split takes place upon the shell, down from the back of the head, to the commencement of the rings of the abdomen, and the labour of selfextrication follows; with many a throe and many a strain, you see the tail and hind legs appear through the rent, then the wings extricate themselves painfully from a little case in the outer shell, in which they lie exquisitely folded up, but do not yet unfurl themselves; and lastly, the head, with its antennæ, disengages itself, and you behold before you the new-born insect freed from its prison. The slough is not disengaged, but remains firmly fixed in the fibres of the wood; and the insect, languidly crawling a few inches, remains as it were in a dose of wonder and astonishment. It is rather under an inch in length, and appears humid and tender; the colours are dull, the eye glazed, the legs feeble, and the wings, for a while after they are opened, appear crumpled and unelastic. All this passes before the sun has gained his full strength; as the day advances, the colours of the insect become more lively, the wings attain their full stretch, and the body dries and is braced up for its future little life of activity and enjoyment. Between ten and eleven, the newly risen tribes begin to tune their instruments; you become conscious of a sound, filling the air far and wide, different from the ordinary ones which may meet your ear. A low distinct hum salutes you, turn where you will. It may be compared to the simmering of an enormous cauldron,-it swells, imperceptibly changes its character, and becomes fuller and sharper-thousands seem to join in, and by an hour after mid-day, the whole country, far and wide, rings with the unwonted sound. The insects are now seen lodged in, or flying about, the foliage above; a few hours having been thus sufficient to give them full strength and activity, and bring them into full voice. Well may the school-boy and the young curly-headed negro, rejoice at the sound, for their hands will never want a plaything for many days to come. Well may the birds of the forest rejoice, for this is the season of plenty for them; the pigs and poultry too, they fatten on the innumerable swarms which before many days will cover the ground in the decline of their strength. The pretty insect, for it is truly such, with its dark body, red eyes, and its glassy wings, interlaced by bright yellow fibres, enjoys but a little week; and that merry harping which pervades creation from sunrise to sun down, for the time of its continuance is but of some six days duration. Its character would be almost impossible to describe, though it rings in my ears every time I think of the insect. Like all those of its tribe, the sound produced is not a voice, but a strong vibration of musical chords produced by the action of internal muscles upon a species of lyre, or elastic membrane, covered with net work, and situated under the wings, the action of which I have often witnessed. The female insect may utter a faint sound, but how I do not know-it is the male who is endowed with the powerful means of instrumentation which I have described-though the sound is generally even and continuous as long as the insect is uninterrupted, yet there is a droll variety observable at times, but what it expresses, whether peculiar satisfaction, or jealousy, or what other passion, I cannot divine. It has been well described by the word, Pha-ro! the first syllable being long and sustained, and connected with the second, which is pitched nearly an octave lower, by a drawling smarzando descent. During the whole period of their existence, the closest attention does not detect their eating anything; and with the exception of the trifling injury received by the trees, consequent upon the process observed by the female in laying her eggs, they are perfectly innoxious. The end to which they seem to be sent to the upper day is purely confined to the propagation of their species. A few days after their first appearance, the female begins to lay her eggs: she is furnished with an ovapositer, situated in a sheath on the abdomen, composed of two serrated hard parallel spines, which she has the power of working with an alternate perpendicular motion. When her time comes, she selects of the outermost twigs of the forest trees or shrubs, and sets to work, and makes a series of longitudinal jagged incisions in the tender bark and wood; in each of these she lays a row of tiny eggs, and then goes to work again Having deposited to her heart's content, she crawls up the twig a few inches yet further from the termination, and placing herself in a fitting position, makes two or three perpendicular cuts into the very pith. Her duty is now terminated. Both male and female become weak-the former ceases to be tuneful-the charm of their existence is at an end; they pine away, become blind, fall to the ground by myriads, and in ten or fifteen days after their first appearance, they all perish. Not so, however, their seed. The perforated twigs die, the first wind breaks them from the tree, and scatters them upon the ground; the eggs give birth to a number of small grubs, which are thus enabled to attain the mould without injury, and in it they disappear, digging their way down into the bosom of the earth. Year goes after year-summer after summerthe sun shines in vain to them-they 'bide their time!' The recollection of their existence begins to fade,-a generation passes away; the surface of the country is altered-lands are reclaimed from the forest-streets are laid out, and trampled on for years-houses are built, and pavements hide the soil. Still, though man may almost forget their existence, God does not. What their life is in the long interval, none can divine; traces of them have been found in digging wells and foundations, eight and ten feet under the surface. When seventeen years have gone by, the memory of them returns, and they are expected. A cold, wet spring, may retard their appearance, but never since the attention of man has been directed to them, have they failed, but at the appointed time, by one common impulse, they rise from the earth, piercing their way through the matted sod,—through the hard, trampled clay of the pathways-through the gravel-between the joints of the stones and pavements, and into the very cellars of the houses—like their predecessors, to be a marvel in the land, to sing their blithe song of love and enjoyment under the bright sun, and amidst the verdant landscape; like them to fulfil the brief duties of their species, and close their mysterious existence by death. We are still children in the small measure of our knowledge and comprehension, with regard to the phenomena of the natural world. All things considered, we may venture to prophesy the re-appearance of the Cicada Septendicim, on the coasts of Maryland and Virginia, for the year, 1851. I may still mention that I took care to ascertain that all these insects sung in one uniform musical key, and that this key was C sharp. THE STEAM ENGINE. Up to 1663, the date of the Marquis of Worcester's apparatus, the only persons who have any claim to be considered as inventors of steam-engines are Hero and Porta. In 1672, Otto Guericke formed an apparatus to raise heavy weights on the principle of the hydrostatic press. He exhausted a cylinder of large diameter, so that the cylinder, being fitted with a piston to receive the pressure of the air, power would be gained in the ratio of the areas of the larger and smaller pistons. In 1688, Dr. Papin, a French philosopher, proposed to make a vacuum under a piston in a cylinder by the explosion of gunpowder; and in 1690, he proposed to use the well-known condensibility of steam for this purpose instead of manual exertion. Papin's apparatus consisted of a cylinder close at bottom, fitted with a piston, under which was placed a small quantity of water, to be alternately vapourised and condensed, by alternately placing the cylinder on and off the fire. This is inferior as a practical machine to that of Guericke, though it was the first that combined the piston and cylinder with the condensibility of steam, each of them having been well-known separately. Whatever be the merit, therefore, of suggesting this combination, though in a most impracticable manner, belongs to Papin; and to this extent France may fairly claim a share in the progressive improvement of the steam-engine. In 1669, Mr. Savery made his first working model of a steam engine, in which the elastic force and condensibility of the steam were employed upon the principles of Hero and Porta; the whole being arranged with a series of vessels, valves, and pipes, so as to produce an effective machine, which in a few years was practically employed on a large scale. In 1707, Papin, who had abandoned his cylinder and piston published a second project, copied avowedly from Savery's, and altered, as is universally admitted, for the worse. Still no very economical or practicable engine had been invented; this was reserved for Newcomen and Cawley, who between the years 1705 and 1712, invented and perfected the common atmospheric engine, in which steam was generated in a boiler, conveyed under a piston in a cylinder, condensed by cold water, and adapted to a system of valves and other apparatus, which first rendered any effectual service to the manufacturing interests of England. In these progressive changes there is evidently not one which can be called very extraordinary. Hero applied all the powers of steam which are at present known. Savery and Newcomen are entitled to the praise of inventing ingenious machinery, which embodied the various suggestions that had been made; but the only great name in the history of the steam engine, the only person who individually made any considerable advance, is the person who, by successive contrivances, converted the comparatively feeble, dangerous, and unmanageable machine of Newcomen into the powerful, safe, and pliant instrument which now occupies and traverses every part of the civilized world, forming as it were so many living monuments to the memory of JAMES WATT.-From an account given by Mr. Ainger at the Royal Institution. SONNET WRITTEN ON THE BANKS OF THE DOVE, NEAR DOVERBRIDGE, in the BY W. W. BAILEY, PROV. D. G. M. THOU Sweet soft-flowing Dove, thy peaceful stream No sullen murmurs haunt thy gentle tide, But silv'ry whisp'rings. Fancy well might deem, The dying swan outpours; or tender chide Of modest lily fair, the water's pride, Wooed by some current rude, or fierce sun-gleam! The pendent willow, rich in lines of grace, Where gay-wing'd myriads flit 'neath pleasure's wand. Stanhope Lodge, Horsley Woodhouse, Aug. 5, 1836. A SERMON PREACHED AT GREAT OUSEBURN TO THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS. TO THE EDITOR AND COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT FOR THE GENTLEMEN, MAGAZINE. THE following compilation is at your service, should you think it worthy of a place in your Magazine. I had not originally the most remote idea of sending this Discourse to the press, but having been earnestly requested to do so, by those members of your Loyal and Independent Order who heard it preached, I have acceded to their wishes, hoping that, imperfect as it is, the blessing of God may attend Allow me to subscribe myself the Order's well-wisher, it. Great Ouseburn, November 15, 1836. E. GREENHOW. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men."-LUKE, chap. 2nd, ver. 14th. THESE were the joyful acclamations with which angels announced the birth of the MESSIAH to a company of shepherds, while tending their flocks on the plains of Bethlehem. Amidst the quiet solemnity of the night, when all nature was sunk in profound repose, a glorious brightness suddenly shone around them, "and they were sore afraid." But a heavenly form appearing in the midst of it soon dispelled their fears. "Be not afraid," said the angel; "behold, bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' The Gospel of Christ is a message of reconciliation between God and man,-a proclamation of peace between heaven and earth. Its tendency and business is to produce love to God, and universal kindness and good-will, peace and friendship, among mankind. It gives us a clear account of our personal and social duties, "teaching us,' as individuals, "to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts," and to "keep ourselves unspotted from the world ;" and, as members of society, แ to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction ;" and, have opportunity, to do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." "as we As Societies, like that which I have been commissioned to address this day, profess to be, and, I trust and hope, really are based on the principles of Christianity, I shall endeavour, with the blessing of God, to set before you the designs of such Institutions, calculated, as I believe they are, when not abused, no less to promote the benefit of man, than to redound to the glory of God. The plan I propose to pursue, in the following Discourse, is to notice a few of the most prominent points of excellence which the rules of such Societies should embrace, and among these I shall successively and particularly bring before you some of the leading benefits of those principles which the members of your Loyal and Independent Order are desirous to encou rage. 1st. The first excellence, to which your Society holds out much encouragement, is-Industry; an active and unremitting attention to your duty in that state of life in which it has pleased God, in his good providence, to place you; a regular exercise of your respective employments and useful occupations; a conduct, in short, with respect to your various duties in the world, diametrically opposite to sloth and inactivty. And what are the good consequences which will flow from the exercise of this VOL. 4-No. 7-2 S. |