century when the Arabians had possession of Alexandria, it went into disuse, and parchment was substituted. This last gave way, in the ninth century, to paper made from cotton; but not before the general demand for writing material had become so great, that it was a practice to erase the writings of older authors from the parchment, that they might have something to write on. The manufacture of cotton paper is carried on in the Levant now, but it was soon discovered that linen was a better material. The size of the papyrus paper was not more than two feet. The largest and finest was called imperial. and used for writing letters by persons of quality. Though the paper was made in Egypt, the process of polishing and sizing it with starch was the invention of the Roman workmen. The making of it was one of the principal occupations at Alexandria. "In this rich and opulent city," says the Emperor Hadrian, "nobody is seen idle, some are employed in the manufactory of cloth-some in that of writingpaper,—and all have something to do." Such a sight was new to a Roman, whose only employment, if he was not a soldier, was, to saunter round the city-to notice how the elections went on-to read the advertisements posted on the columnæ,-to spend half the day at the circus, or indulge in the luxury of the public baths-all labour being left to his slaves. Several sheets of the papyri being joined together, they formed a long sheet, which was rolled up,—and hence we get the word volume, from volumen, a twirl or fold, and the phrase, "volumes of smoke." "The heavens, (says Isaiah) shall be folded up like a book," or rather like a scroll, they should shrink into themselves, as it were, when the wrath of God was kindled. In the ruins of Herculaneum, which was overwhelmed by an eruption of Vesuvius, about A. D. 70, as many as 1800 rolls of papyri were discovered a few years ago. They were found in a house, reduced by the intense heat to a state resembling paper when burnt, but still whole, and in that condition had remained for 1700 years. Some of these papyri have been unrolled, and several destroyed in the attempt; for as they were all written on, it was expected that a few secrets of literature would be revealed. The letters are all capitals, without any stops between them, or marks to show where a word begins and ends. This is the case with most of the earlier manuscripts; and we may judge from this of the amount of learning and patience requisite to decipher their contents. The rolls or volumes were kept in a portable book-case, a sort of cylindrical cup, called scrinarii, each roll being labelled wiih its title, which expressed, in a few words, the substance or argument of the book. The ancients, as do the modern orientals, wrote with reeds instead of quills, so that the papyrus furnished both pen and paper. The ink was held in the inkhorn, which was carried at the girdle; and this inkhorn is, in the east, as much an indication of profession in the seribe, as a sword is of the soldier, or a knife of the butcher. Sometimes, the ancients used as writing materials, a tablet covered with wax, on which the characters were marked with a kind of bodkin, called stylus, sharp at one end and broad at the other. With the broad end, the writer could rub out in the wax what he disliked, and write anew as often as he pleased in the same place. The expression blot out, should oftener be rendered rub out, so that not the least trace appears in the wax; and thus many promises and threatenings in the bible will have a more emphatic meaning. The other productions of Egypt we have mentioned before. The true gum arabic or frankincense, was produced from the acacia tree, near Thur, on the Red Sea, and hence the Romans called it Thus. The oils were perfumed, and used by them to rub their bodies after the bath. The leeks and cucumbers, which the Israelites in the desert regretted the loss of, still grow as plentifully as ever. The beet, or Egyptian cucumber, is as sweet and cool as a melon. We have omitted to mention the glass and the marbles of Egypt. The quarries of the latter production were abundant in the hilly parts. The ancient inhabitants derived thence the materials which enabled them to build the obelisks and columns, and the vast cities and temples, whose scattered ruins exist to this day. They supplied the Greeks and Romans with porphyry, and other varieties of marble which could not be had at home. We may remark, that those of true Egyptian descent may be pretty well identified by the full length figures which are sculptured on all the ancient remains. The chief peculiarity in the old Egyptian's, and the Copts of to-day, is the large ear, rather more elevated than in other men. As to glass, there is no doubt of its existence in Alexandria from an old date; the chief ingredients, sand and soda, can be had there for nothing. A merchant adventurer, who presumed to defy the power of Aurelian in the third century, had glass windows in his house, which was looked on as a great luxury. The natron, or soda, is found in a pure crystalized state in the natron lakes, to the westward of Egypt, where the remains of an old glass manufactory has been found. This substance liquified with sulphur, was cut into vases, and other useful ornaments. The Alexandria still survives, and still carries on a commerce, but it is a shadow of what it was, though under the rule of the extraordinary man who governs it now, it may possibly improve. Strabo says, that in the worst of times, under the Ptolemies, the revenue was two millions and a half, when that of Rome was only a little more. actual treasures accumulated by the first two Ptolemies, amounted, some say, to nearly two hundred millions; this is, no doubt, exaggerated, but it must have been great to enable P. Philadelphus to maintain a standing army of 200,000 foot, and 60,000 horse, with an abundance of elephants and chariots, besides an armoury stocked with 300,000 suits of armour. After the decline of the empire, its commerce went into the hands of the Venetians, and both were ruined by the discovery of Vasco de Gama. [To be continued.] century when the Arabians had possession Several sheets of the pa as do the modern pire, the papyrus farere ruined inkhorn, which v east, as much an the soldier, or a writing material were marked v and broad at th .ds,” sand the cagram. I = DIS r the first can a mis sho: Dus SL st meist on it; I canus de tenet. ath before I do : I am terminet D e first oath on board H. M. S. C graat me the favour Eamene of me soon: come, what or you ST. wearing the first oath on boREVË THE I stood for a moment quine at IIS ken," says one, "all aback." - Ther г, "all standing." They looked at each would say, why, there is to be no SVEDeiterated his demand in a firm but pinefellows, what do you say; am I we have of swearing the first oath on board !” onable, and the manner of the caperin so a general burst from the ship's company with their accustomed three cheers, when of the sailors to the boatswain's mate, as hatchway ladder, “my eyes, but what a ; stand clear jaw tackling fore-and-aft now, every dog on board,-mind you dont rally do,-clap a stopper on the red rope the corporal, all hands,-the captain's to nd upon it, he'll have the first fellow to the oath before he begins!" The effect was abolished in the ship. OLD ON, MOTHER.” lor to his widowed mother. She has several s "prayed day and night exceedingly.” prayers, one after another has been awakconvinced of sin, and subdued into saving e mediation of Christ crucified. One of her followed the seas." Much has she prayed "and many a letter has she written him rich nd solicitude. When at home, she has taken as none but a pious mother would take to withproper associations, and to interest him in whatand true, and lovely. s received letters from him, which breathe a new new language. I have just listened to the voice of with "joy unspeakable," she has read to me three of aly expressive of the views and feelings of a newborn all he acknowledges his special indebtedness to her gs, and her persevering prayers. In one he speaks of and prospects of her children who still remain impenitent, to encourage her to do for them as she had done for him hold on, mother; your prayers may yet be answered in their better counsel can I, or can any one give to every praying in the land? "Hold on, mother." Your children may not verted to-day or to-morrow, this year or the next; but “be not in well-doing." ""Hold on" to the divine promise, and the divine ulness, and "be not faithless but believing.' "It sha'nt be said that praying breath Was ever spent in vain." DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. EDINBURGH AND LEITH SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY. NEW MARINER'S CHURCH. We are happy to announce, that the New Mariner's Church in connexion with this Institution, the foundation stone of which was laid in May, 1839, is now finished, and opened for worship. Of the building itself, and the various apparatus connected with it, for carrying into effect the great design of the Society, we have the following statement: The church is a plain gothic edifice, with tall arched windows continued throughout the building. Its front is to the east, with two lofty octagonal towers or minerates, finished with obelisks at the height of 85 feet, in which are contained the stairs to the galleries; the space THE FIRST OATH ON BOARD. "My lads," said a captain when reading his orders to the crew on the quarter-deck, to take the command of the ship, "there is one law that I am determined to make, and I shall insist upon its being kept; indeed it is a favour which I ask of you, and which, as a British officer, I expect will be granted by a crew of British seamen; What say you, my lads, are you willing to grant your new captain, who promises to treat you well, one favour ?" "Ay, ay, sir," cried all hands. "Please to let us know what it is, sir," said a rough-looking hoarsevoiced boatswain. "Why, my lads," said the captain, "it is this: that you must allow me to swear the first oath in this ship; this is a law I cannot dispense with; I must insist on it; I cannot be denied. No man on board must swear an oath before I do: I am determined to have the privilege of swearing the first oath on board H. M. S. C—. What say you, my lads, will you grant me the favour? Remember you will come aft to ask favours of me soon: come, what do you say, am I to have the privilege of swearing the first oath on board the C-?" The men stared, and stood for a moment quite at a loss what to say. 66 They were taken," says one, "all aback." They were brought up," says another, "all standing." They looked at each other for a moment, as if they would say, why, there is to be no swearing in the ship. The captain reiterated his demand in a firm but pleasant voice: Now, my fine fellows, what do you say; am I to have the privilege, from this time, of swearing the first oath on board?” 66 The appeal seemed so reasonable, and the manner of the captain so kind and prepossessing, that a general burst from the ship's company announced, Ay, ay, sir," with their accustomed three cheers, when they left the quarter-deck. 66 I say, Jack," said one of the sailors to the boatswain's mate, as they went down the main hatchway ladder, "my eyes, but what a skipper we've shipped now; stand clear jaw tackling fore-and-aft now,-look out for squalls, now, every dog on board,-mind you dont rap out, Jack, as you generally do,-clap a stopper on the red rope now, keep your eye upon the corporal, all hands, the captain's to swear the first oath,-depend upon it, he'll have the first fellow to the gangway, who swears an oath before he begins!" The effect was good, swearing was wholly abolished in the ship. "HOLD ON, MOTHER." The exhortation of a sailor to his widowed mother. She has several children for whom she has "prayed day and night exceedingly. Manifestly in answer to her prayers, one after another has been awakened by the Spirit of God, convinced of sin, and subdued into saving |