mountain rears its gigantic bosom towards the clouds, gathers round its summit the vapours of heaven, and scans the vale below with an air of superiority. The forest, attired in the efflorescence of summer, mocks the sunlight to which it is almost impervious. The fields are garnished with the richest verdure, the flowers enamelled with the most gorgeous colours, the landscape, varied with hill and dale, lake and woodland, the world an immense repository of beauty. Nor is the magnificence of nature confined to this earth. Beautiful and glorious as our globe is, it dwindles into a mere speck when contrasted with those suns and worlds which sparkle on the bosom of the midnight heaven. In the wide fields of immensity Jupiter travels his course and Uranus walks his round. There planets roll and systems rise in endless gradations of magnificence: whilst the galaxy- the manufactory of worlds, moves around with solemn but unobtrusive grandeur. What cultivated intellect can behold the splendours of midnight scenery with apathy? What philosopher can reflect on the dimensions, densities, and velocities of the heavenly bodies without experiencing the purest delight? Do not these phenomena declare the beauty, the dignity, and the grandeur of the universe?

But in the midst of all this magnificence we find one race of beings degraded and unhappy. "The lord of the creation,' "the paragon of animals," the being "who is in form and movement so express and admirable," who is "in action so like an angel, in apprehension so like a god," is frequently found in a state of moral and physical indigence, a prey to the worst evils that can lay desolate the heart. Though the earth has an immense productive power, equal, yea more than equal, to the supply of his wants, yet his corporeal desires often remain unsatisfied. The sources of knowledge lie scattered around him in boundless profusion, but he remains comparatively ignorant. Though we have laws innumerable embodied in our codes of criminal and political jurisprudence for the proper regulation of the affairs of the commonwealth and the repression of crime-though we have many thousands of well-paid

priests, whose labours were originally intended to promote morality, yet moral turpitude prevails to a frightful extent; the calendars in our courts of justice are lengthy and well filled, and the legislature of the country is embarrassed. Why are these things so? Because our politico-economical arrangements are defective, and because society, having the power to train up the rising generation in knowledge, virtue, and happiness, neglects to fulfil its natural obligations.

But, thank heaven, the reign of superstition, tyranny, and falsehood, is drawing to a close." Coming events cast their shadows before," and the shadows of the coming change already hover around us. The beams. of truth have begun to irradiate the world, and soon their benign influence will dissipate the mists which have been gathering for ages on the human understanding. Knowledge will then shine forth pre-eminently lovely, and socialism will teach mankind that, to perform a kind office for a fellow-being-to smooth the rugged pathway of life, so that it may be more easily trodden by him, is more truly honourable than to sit an enthroned despot, or be the conqueror of nations.

FRAGMENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF DIFFERENT NATIONS.

DANCING.

Definition.

DANCE, or dancing, as at present practised, may be defined an agreeable motion of the body, adjusted by art to the measures or tones of instruments, or of the voice. But, according to what some reckon more agreeable to the true genius of the art, dancing is the art of expressing the sentiments of the mind, or of the

passions, by measured steps, or bounds, that are made in cadence, by regulated motions of the body, and by graceful gestures; all performed to the sound of musical instruments or of voice.-Encyclopædia Britannica, article on dancing.

Probable Origin of the Custom.

"Dancing is looked on by philosophers at the present day with contempt; but I have no doubt that the dance was among the ancients esteemed of much greater importance than has been suspected. It was generally accompanied with both music and poetry, and the original intention was to keep in recollection the sacred mythoses before the invention of writing; and surely nothing could be better contrived for this purpose. All early sacred books were poetical. For the same purpose, festivals equally accompanied with dancing, and poetry set to music and sung to the dancing, were established to keep in recollection victories or other celebrated events. When this view is taken of those apparently frivolous acts, how surprisingly are they changed! Instead of sciences contemptible and demoralising, as they became after the art of writing was made public, we see that, when under the supervision of the first priesthood, they were originally most important, and must have been the firmest supports to patriotism, morality, and every generous virtue. We now see why they were patronised by the Socrateses and Pythagorases of antiquity."-Anacalypsis, by Godfrey Higgins, vol. ii., b. v., c. iv., s. 16, p. 424.

"I some time ago made an observation on the attachment of Pythagoras and the ancients to music. I have no doubt that music was closely connected with religion. All the ancient unwritten mysteries (and all mysteries were once unwritten), were originally preserved in rhythm or metre, and set to music, or preserved by or contained in music. Rhythm, metre, and music, were all invented for the purpose of aiding the memory-of assisting it more correctly to retain the sacred numbers. For many generations after the

use of letters became public, there were no writings in prose: all were in poetry or rhythm. All the stone pillars in the temples, erected or placed according to the numbers of the cycles, were partly for this same purpose.

The sacred dances and scenic representations were for the double purpose of doing honour to the god and aiding the memory; precisely as the scenic representations of the acts of Jesus Christ by the romish church originally were, or perhaps are at this day; and of which the plays called mysteries in Elizabeth's time were a remnant. The bards were an order to preserve and regulate the choirs, the salii to preserve and regulate the dances." The salii were probably priests of Sol, the Sun.-Ibid., b. iii., c. ii., s. 16, p. 233.

Priests, pietists, methodists, and all who professionally belong to the "unco gude," look upon dancing as a sinful amusement, but in ancient times it was deemed more important. We read of David dancing before the ark, and of the daughter of Jeptha going out to meet him with timbrels and dances. Calmet informs us that there were dancing-girls in the temple at Jerusalem; which the good father should by no means have made known, as it strengthens the proof of the identity between Jewism and the pagan superstitions. It appears from some passages in the Psalms, that dancing, though not enjoined by a positive precept, formed a part of the Jewish worship. A writer in the Encyclopædia Britannica observes, "In the christian churches mentioned in the New Testament, there is no account of dancing being introduced as an act of worship, though it is certain that it was used as such in after ages. Mr. Gallini tells us, that, "at Limoges, not long ago, the people used to dance the round in the choir of the church, which is under the invocation of their patron saint; and at the end of each psalm, instead of the Gloria Patria, they sung, St. Marcel, pray for us, and we shall dance in honour of you."

According to Gallini, the spirit of dancing prevails to a wonderful extent in Africa. "The Mexicans," the same author says, "have their dances and music, but in the most uncouth and barbarous style." The ancient Greeks

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had dances, which were divided by Plato into three classes: First, The military dances, which tended to make the body robust, active, and well disposed for all the exercises of war; Secondly, The domestic dances, which had for their object an agreeable and innocent relaxation; and Thirdly, The mediatorial dances, which were in use in expiations and sacrifices."* "Let it be also recollected," says Higgins," that Diodorus informs us, that Apollo was adored with dances."†

Most of the religious ceremonies amongst the ancients were accompanied with dances, and amongst the most ancient of these was the Bacchic. This was consecrated to Bacchus and all the deities, and was celebrated with the greatest enthusiasm. Theseus, after his return from Crete, assisted, at the head of a band of youths, in the celebration of the Hyporchematic dance round the altar of Apollo. Mr. Henry O'Brien, in page 227 of the Phenician Island, as quoted by Godfrey Higgins, says, "that the Christians of St. Thomas, till a very late day, celebrated their christian worship with songs and dances."

Thus, to whatever department of the globe we turn our attention, whether it be the continent of Africa, the immense regions of Hindostan, or the wild and uncultivated regions of America, we behold the prevalency of this custom. That it is a healthful and agreeable relaxation few will deny, and that it may be abused is indubitably certain.

Dancing Girls.

"Dancing girls are employed all over the East, as affording great diversion at all public entertainments.'

These dancing girls are trained up to the arts of pleasing and of love by some superannuated female who has followed the same profession. They possess great powers to please and captivate the other sex; and the native princes, we are told, often expend large sums upon them, even though their harems should be stocked with beauties. The dancing-girls are made use of in religious ceremonies in eastern countries. *Encyclopædia Britannica. + Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 262.