above statements, the well-known fact of certain stars suddenly becoming very brilliant and then gradually fading to their former dimness. No longer ago than May of last year a remarkable case of this kind occurred. A star of the eighth magnitude, in the constellation called the Northern Crown, all at once blazed into a star of the second magnitude, and in twelve days declined again to its original rank. From a careful observation, conducted by experienced astronomers, indications were obtained that this star had been suddenly enwrapped in flames of burning hydrogen." In consequence of some convulsion, it may be, enormous quantities of gas were set free. A large part of this gas consists of hydrogen, which was burning about the stars in combination with some other element. As the free hydrogen became exhausted, the flames gradually abated, and the star waned down to its former brightness. It seems, then, there are known instances of worlds wrapped in flames. They ignite, burn fiercely, fade, and disappear. Suppose, now, that for any reason a combustible gas should be evolved upon our planet; there it may combine explosively with the oxygen of the atmosphere, or burn like a star in the Northern Crown. Either case would meet the condition of the prophecy. We think therefore that the words of Peter are amply illustrated by the latest discoveries of astronomy. The professor remarks, moreover, that "the fact that the purification of the present world can render it a beautiful habitation, fit for the residence of a prince, renders probable the belief of many divines, that the redeemed will dwell upon this earth after the day of judgment." EDITOR. SKETCHES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (Continued from page 360 of last year's volume.) THE DETHRONEMENT OF THE KING. OUR space will not allow us to even hint at the various occurrences that took place between the return of the King from Varennes and his dethronement. But in this interim the passions of the people ran high, and the enemies of royalty prevailed. On the 9th of August, 1792, at midnight, a cannon was fired, the tocsin sounded, and the insurgents began to assemble; and Paris was fairly aroused, and everything indicated that the fearful cloud was about to burst. The leaders of the people shouted "To arms! to arms! No other chance of escape is left us." Thus pretending that the poor king was plotting their destruction. The friends of the monarch hastened to the palace to be near his person in the hour of danger, but the greatest reliance was placed on the Swiss guard, who that night were about 800 strong. These brave men were drawn up in the palace-yard in the finest order, determined to defend the king to the last. The treachery of Petion, the Mayor of Paris, who should have stood by the side of order to the last; the death of Mandat, the commander of the National Guard; and the dejection of the soldiers, brought about the ruin of the throne. Amid the consternation of that night the King turned pale and was depressed, but the Queen, ever brave, thus addressed the grenadiers of the National Guard: "Everything you hold most dear, your homes, your wives, your children, depend on our existence. To-day our cause is that of the people." These spirited words aroused for a moment the enthusiasm of the troops, but the King was irresolute. Had he charged with his followers and the Swiss Guard, he doubtless would have quashed the insur rection and saved the throne. But the insurgents were resolute, and their numbers hourly increasing by large bands of the most ferocious men and women in France. Roederer announced that the danger was extreme; that the insurgents would listen to no terms; that the National Guard could not be relied on; and that the destruction of the royal family was inevitable. Counsel was given to take refuge in the bosom of the Assembly. "I would rather," said the Queen, "be nailed to the walls of the palace than leave it!" And, addressing the King, and handing him a pistol, she said: "Now, Sire, this is the moment to show yourself." The King was silent. At length M. Montjoye said: "Let us go, and no longer deliberate; honour commands it; the safety of the state requires it; let us forthwith go to the Assembly." Louis rose, and said to those around him: "Gentlemen, nothing remains to be done here.” He and his family crossed the garden, protected by his faithful Swiss and a few French troops, who had difficulty to save them from personal violence on their way. "Gentlemen," said the King, on entering the Assembly, "I am come here to save the nation from the commission of a great crime; I shall always consider myself with my family safe in your hands." The President assured him of the firmness and fidelity of the National Assembly. The insurgents, headed by Santerre, made an attack on the palace. The remaining Swiss, weakened by the loss of the detachment who had accompanied the King, and without orders, and threatened by thirty thousand rebels, knew not what to do. Their officers anxiously asked for orders. "Not to let yourselves be forced," was the reply. The porters at the royal doorway became intimidated, and opened this entrance, the Marseillais rushed up the staircase sword in hand. Santerre with his insurgents fired on the Swiss Guards and the grenadiers of the Filles de St. Thomas; the volley was returned, and the action became general. Before the discipline and steady fire of the Swiss every thing gave way. The insurgents fled in the wildest confusion and dismay. A troop of horse thrown in now would have retrieved the falling fortunes of the throne. The King always had a horror of shedding blood, and sent orders to his brave defenders to cease firing and repair to the royal presence at the Assembly. They suffered fearfully on their way thither, and on the night following most of the brave Swiss troops were disarmed. This command was a fatal error in the King, and for years deluged France with blood. While the firing was going on outside, the Assembly was violently agitated. All felt a fearful crisis was at hand. Many deputies rose to escape, others cried, "No! this is our post." The people in the galleries drowned the voice of the speakers, and loud shouts of "Victoire! victoire! les Suisses sont vaincus!"* told too plainly that the monarchy was lost. This event is known in French history as the Revolution of the 10th of August. EDITOR. THOUGHTS FOR LITTLE MINDS. ARTICLES made of brass are so common and so useful in every household that a few thoughts emanating from my pen respecting this metal (or so-called metal) may be instructive to my young readers. Though brass is so frequently mentioned in holy writ and in ancient history, and so is common amongst us in various forms, yet, strictly speaking, there is no such metal as brass. The principal mineral kinds that confess the mighty power of God in the bowels of the earth are gold, silver, platina, copper, iron, tin, and lead. The three first are called "perfect metals," because they lose nothing in value or weight by the heat of the fire. The remaining four are called imperfect metals, * "Victory! victory! the Swiss are vanquished." because they do lose by the heat of fire, and may both be corroded and dissolved by acids. But to proceed: Moses distinctly notices brass in his enumeration of the six kinds of metal in Numbers xxxi. 22. Daniel, also, in speaking of the image beheld by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream, says that "his belly and his thighs" were "of brass." John, in the book of Revelation, when illustrating the glorious power and majesty of our Saviour, says, "His feet" were “like unto fine brass." The Lord, in his directions to Moses, respecting the tabernacle, commanded the altar of burnt offering and the horns thereof to be made of brass; and, "all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, and the flesh-hooks, and the firepans," also the laver, and the foot of it, to be made of brass. Again, at the building of the temple, Hiram cast pillars of brass for it; and in later times, among ancient nations, brass was used in making weapons of war and defensive armour, on account of the fine polish it would bear and the length of time it would retain its lustre. Then, if brass is not a metal, what is it? Brass is an alloy. It is a compound made of copper and the calamine stone. Copper is a sonorous, red coloured metal, found in every part of the world. The best comes from Sweden. The most productive mine for copper is the Burra-Burra mine in South Australia. The largest copper mine is upon Paris mountain, in the Isle of Anglesea, North Wales. The calamine stone is found plentifully in our "happy island home," in Germany, and the Netherlands. It is dug out of the ground, roasted for some hours, passed through a sieve, ground, and sold to the manufacturers of brass, particularly to the brass founders in Birmingham. The finest brass is manufactured at Geneva, in Switzerland. Sometimes brass is made from copper and zinc. The art of making this metal is of the greatest antiquity. Moses, by the pen of inspiration, tells us that Tubal Cain, the son of Lamech, was an instructor of every artificer in brass." Job also says that "iron is taken out of the earth, and brass 66 |