his way, overcome with fatigue and grief. Afterward, when he went to Egypt, he tried to gain the Mohammedans by speaking their language, and some at the time said, that he embraced the religion of the false Prophet. But this was not true; the conqueror of Egypt only made use of the language of the Koran to gain a more easy triumph: a trick of state too often employed by earthly rulers.

Having become master of France, and being clothed with the title of First Consul, Bonaparte made, it is true, a formal agreement with the Pope, and restored the exercise of worship. But it would be wrong to seek in such acts a proof of personal piety. He merely wished, according to all appearance, to strengthen his dominion. The Priests were only his agents, charged to preach to the people, in the cities and villages, obedience to the will of Napoleon. He had subsequently violent quarrels with Pope Pius VII.; and in their long and lamentable discussions, we discover nothing in the Emperor which shows a man piously submissive to the injunctions of the holy sce. On the contrary, Napoleon had formed the plan of making the Pope a simple Patriarch, who would have been subjected to his authority.

Continual wars filled up his reign. During this time religion was probably far removed from his heart; and if it sometimes pressed itself upon his attention, it was in a transient and vague manner. It has been remarked, that in this part of his career, he showed often a kind of belief in fatalism. He spoke of his star, to those who surrounded him; he confided in this star; he said, after a great victory, that he had been once more protected by his star. When he met with a reverse, he laid it upon his mysterious star, which he considered as presiding over all his actions. Strange and superstitious notion, borrowed from the astrology of the dark ages, but explicable when we look at the life of Napoleon.

He had passed through such a variety of fortune, had risen from so

humble a condition to so lofty an eminence, he had so often obtained splendid victories, that he must believe, either in a special blessing of divine Providence, or in the magic influence of a star. But as the idea of a Providence was not in his thoughts, he had adopted the notion of a blind destiny, which, under the name of "star," controlled all his actions.

It is remarkable that almost all illustrious men have been believers in fatalism. Is there, then, in the chances of battle, in the uncertainty of victory, in the triumphs achieved by force of arms, some undefinable impression which impels men to regard themselves as the slaves of an unknown and irresistible power? |

Terrible disasters drove Napoleon from his throne: I will not relate

them here; the world has resounded with them. The moment came, then, for the illustrious Captain to examine himself, to listen to the voice of conscience, to feel his utter weakness, and perhaps to turn his thoughts to God. His old friends had abandoned him, his power was gone, the din with which he had been surrounded was hushed. He was alone with some companions of his misfortune, he was more wretched than can be told. Was it not to be hoped that these severe trials would soften his hard heart, and lead him to seek in the religion of Christ, the only consolations adequate to his adversity?

Some persons thought so. An eminent Christian of England, the Rev. Dr. David Bogue, sent to the prisoner of St. Helena a copy of his "Essay on the Divine Authority of the New Testament." Napoleon read the little work with interest and satisfaction. The proofs cited by the author in favour of the divi. nity of Christianity convinced him, as eye-witnesses attest. True, this was not enough to make him a Christian, but it was enough to awaken in him serious reflections. After Napoleon's death, this copy of the Essay was given to an under officer, a pious man, who had taught English to the children of the Emperor's companions. When the re

giment returned to England, this same copy was given back to Dr. Bogue, who received it with much emotion, as a new testimony of the favour of God upon his book.

Another fact: Napoleon had asked to have a Chaplain, and the Italian Abbot, Bonavita, was selected to perform this office. It seems that he was an enlightened and liberal man; a rare thing among the Abbots of Italy. Coming to Belgium, he became acquainted with an Englishman, a zealous friend of Bible Societies, and travelled with him to London. The Englishman took occasion to hand Bonavita a splendid copy of the Bible, with the request that he would give it to the unhappy Emperor. The Abbot accepted this Bible with gratitude, and promised that he would recommend Napoleon to read it diligently. In fact, well-informed men attest, that after the arrival of Bonavita at St. Helena, Napoleon read much in the Bible, and that he spoke of it with profound respect.

Who can tell the influence which this divine book exerted upon the soul of the illustrious prisoner? Was he not prepared by misfortune to receive and to feel the great consolations of the word of God? Is

it not allowable to hope that the Lord, after having so severely punished, deigned to make him understand these revelations which would be as a balm to his wounds? We know that the Father of mercies calls labourers into his vineyard even at the eleventh hour, and that he takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live.

I come to a third fact. During the residence of Napoleon at St. Helena, there was a religious revival among the inhabitants of the island, and it extended to the soldiers. They held a religious meeting for exhortation and prayer a few steps only from the humble dwelling of the Emperor. These soldiers often accompanied in bis walks the exile whom they guarded; they remarked the poignant grief imprinted upon his countenance and his conversation. It is easily conceivable that

they would feel strong compassion for this man, plunged in such deep disgrace, and that they would especially commiserate his soul, which was soon to appear before God with the responsibility of such a life as his. They would desire to communicate their pious feelings directly to the Emperor; but this was forbidden them. They would then have recourse to Him who is prevented by no barrier from pouring out his Spirit. They would pray Him to soothe the severe and long-continued sufferings of the prisoner by the heavenly peace which the knowledge of Jesus Christ imparts.

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Were these fervent and persevering prayers wholly lost? "The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much," says an Apostle. (James v. 16.) It is also written, Ask, and ye shall receive." Was it not affecting to see these Christian soldiers besieging the throne of mercy for the old and unfortunate Captain, dying in exile after having conquered Europe? and may not the Lord have been touched with compassion?

Lastly, (and this is the most interesting fact in my communication,) a journal lately publishes a conversation related by Count de Montholon, the faithful friend of the Emperor. Without being responsible for the truth of this conversation, I will copy it literally; hoping that it may have been really uttered by the Emperor. It deserves to be read with attention.

"I know men," said Napoleon ; "and I tell you that Jesus is not a man!

"The religion of Christ is a mystery which subsists by its own force, and proceeds from a mind which is not a human mind. We find in it a marked individuality, which originated a train of words and maxims unknown before. Jesus borrowed nothing from our knowledge. He exhibited in himself the perfect example of his precepts. Jesus is not a philosopher; for his proofs are miracles, and from the first his disciples adored him. In fact, learning and philosophy are of no use for salvation; and Jesus came into the world

not for her the right of suffrage, nor any immunity by which she may "usurp authority over the man. And yet it gives her her throne; for she is the queen of the domestic circle; it is the bosom of her family; it is the heart of her husband and children; it is the supremacy in all that interesting domain, where love, and tenderness, and refinement of thought and feeling preside. It is the privilege of making her husband happy and honoured, and her sons and her daughters the ornaments of human society. It is the sphere of piety, prudence, diligence in the domestic station, and a holy and devout life. It is the sphere that was occupied by Hannah, the mother of Samuel; by Elizabeth, the mother of John; and by Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price." It is the respect and esteem of mankind. It is that silent, unobserved, unobtrusive influence, by which she accomplishes more for her race than many whose names occupy a broad space on the page of history. More than this

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too does the Bible do for woman. It opens to her the stores of knowledge. It proscribes her no intellectual advancement. It commits to her intelligent culture the minds of the rising generation. It tells her that her peculiar province is to embellish and adorn. It opens before her the loveliest spheres of active benevolence. And while it tells her to be a keeper at home," it at the same time points her to the poor, the afflicted, the widow, the orphan, the sick, and the dying, and says, "Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father, is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep herself unspotted from the world." It does for her what it does for the stronger sex it gives her the piety that it gives to pious men; ardency and devotion in her religious affections; numerous and illustrious examples of converting grace; a great reward, and a bright crown. Nor can she ever know what she owes to the Bible, until she is presented by her great Lord and Husband faultless before the throne.-Dr. Spring.

and Co.

Hamilton;

SOME ecclesiastical historians have endeavoured briefly to describe the

nature of the circumstances through which Christianity has passed, in