the drawing, in Ethiopic: "In the same manner, every slayer that shall slay Cain, will I repay in this; and, as he slew, so shall he be slain." On the reverse of fol. 98, at the end of the Book of Exodus, are two figures, somewhat similar, but rather 'better drawn, and seemingly by the writer of the MS.; and, in another place or two, there are marginal ornaments. At the end of Deuteronomy is this inscription, in Ethiopic: "The repetition of the Law, which God spake to Moses. Numbered *5070 (words). Intercede for your slave Isaac."--At the end of the volume: "Pray for those who laboured in this book; and for your slave Isaac, who gave this to Jerusalem, the Holy." Then follows an inscription, in Arabic: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, one God. O Lord, save thy people from every evil! O our God, Jesus Christ, the speaker to men! O holy people, remember your slave Isaac, the poor: God shall remember you in the mercies of this Book. Pray, if God be willing, that I may be permitted to see your face. And pray for me, the sinner. Pardon my sins, O Lord! and let my body be buried in Mount Sion." Then follows, in Ethiopic : "That our enemies may not say of us; conquered them :' be ye prudent. We have given you a lamp. ye the culture. Sow ye the flock: reap and rejoice." A few lines have been erased. Then follows...." me, Isaac, the poor, in your prayers. It was completed in Beth Gabbaza, of Axuma. In thy name, O Lord, have I planted, that thou place me not in any other place except Mount Sion; the mount of Christ; the house of Christians. Let them not be forgotten in your prayers, who have read and testified to you. Preserve, O Lord, this my offering for me thy servant, the poor; and preserve all these Books which I offer, that the brethren, dwelling at Jerusalem, may be comforted. And pray for me :† forget me not in the Holy Offices, and in prayer, that we may all stand be

Be

"We have

It is customary among the Jews, Syrians, and Ethiopians, to number the words in the Books of Scripture.

+ In most of the Eastern Churches, it is the practice to enumerate their Saints in a certain part of the Liturgy.

may

That it might not be

fore God in the terrible day and hours. written that we were wanting, I have previously sent and given you this for the warfare of the testimony. Intercede, and bless. And also for the refreshing of the record of the Fathers; and also for Cueskam,* the Queen of the Sons of Abyssinia; that they be comforted, and thence convert our region-may, mereover, migrate into other regions, and restore Jerusalem :-and for the Calvary of Mary. Let them pray for me. Let it be preserved as the widow's mite, for ever and ever. Let them not sell or exchange; nor let them carry it away; nor let them cause it to be placed elsewhere. And...." the rest is wanting. Hence it appears, that the Book was written at Axuma, the ancient capital of Ethiopia ; and that it was sent by Isaac to the Abyssinians residing in Jerusalem. No date appears in the MS. itself. It is, probably, about three hundred years old. On the reverse of fol. 285, is a drawing, intended to represent Andrew the Apostle with the book of the Gospels in one hand, and the keys in the other. Some less ingenious draftsman, however, has, by means of the transparency of the vellum, traced out this figure. on the first page of this folio, and given the name of Peter to his humble representation. He has thus succeeded in assigning to St. Peter the first place, and also in bestowing on him the keys. Against this picture of Peter is placed his age 120 years.”

X. Reformation of the Convicts at Sheerness.

The following extract of a letter from a quarter on which dependence may be placed, and referring to circumstances highly interesting in themselves, we beg to lay before our readers:

* The name of a region, a sea, and a mountain, in Ethiopia; so celebrated, as to be esteemed by the Ethiopians as preferable to even Sinai, or Mount Olivet; and, as tradition says, whither Joseph or Mary, with the child Jesus, betook themselves, making it their residence for some time, after the flight into Egypt. Castel: sub voce.- -Ludolf: sub voce, says it is the name of a Monastery in Upper Egypt, which was always had in great veneration by the Copts and Ethiopians; and where Christ is said to have resided with his mother, when he fled from Herod.

"On my return from a late accidental visit to Sheerness, I felt so impressed by the scene I witnessed on board the Bel lerophon convict ship, that I am led to believe, if an account of it could be given to the public, it might be productive of much good, and would hold out to all persons in authority, and to the clergy in particular, the encouraging prospect of much fruit being produced under God's blessing, from the most unto ward soil, by persevering and unwearied culture. The profliga cy of convicts has been hitherto justly proverbial: not so the case on board the Bellerophon, where at this time are about four hundred and fifty persons of that description. Their rules oblige them to assemble for divine worship, in the chapel of the ship, every Sunday but besides this, every night in the week, except Saturday, (when only the singers meet, the others being employed in cleaning and fitting themselves for Sunday,) up wards of three hundred regularly and voluntarily assemble in the chapel for school.

Those who are capable of it instruct the others; and numbers, even of old men, have, with much delight and comfort to themselves, learned to read during their impri sonment, and now declare that they feel an happiness from their Bible which no other thing ever afforded them.` Nay further, they are often heard to assert, that they should never be asham ed to confess that they had been confined on board a convict ship; since they have learnt far more in that situation, than they had done at any period of their life before. The sight is grati fying in the highest degree, to see upwards of three hundred of these once unfortunate men and boys, some instructing, and others attentively learning, and then all closing the evening together with prayers and praises; their chaplain, the Rev. E. Edwards, and the commanding officer of the ship, Captain Owen, and the other officers superintending and conducting the whole. A prophane or obscene word is not heard amongst them : and I can in the utmost sincerity declare, having been present several evenings in the chapel aboard the Bellerophon, that I never in my life saw a congregation met together amongst whom there appeared more real devotion.

"The good order and decorum of these men is indeed wonderful; and they seem to feel for their chaplain and commanding officer an affection and a sense of duty like that of children for parents; which indeed these deserving persons have well earned by their humane, though firm, superintending care of the prisoners, whose welfare and everlasting happiness, I believe, they constantly feel the most anxious desire to promote. To so much earnestness have the men themselves been brought for spiritual improvement, that some of them every evening repeat from memory, the lessons of the day; on Sunday, the Epistle and Gospel; and occasionally the whole Thirty-nine Articles, and several homilies. During my visit, a lad repeated a double homily in the chapel, without the least hesitation or a single mistake.

"It is not to be supposed that this has been effected without the most unwearied zeal and diligence of the above-mentioned chaplain, aided and assisted in all his pious and moral plans by Captain Owen, and the officers under him. The Almighty, who generally may be observed to prosper a diligent use of the means of has blessed their zealous endeavours with a success, grace, which affords the brightest omen for all who are desirous to emulate their pious labours.

"A pleasing instance of honesty lately occurred amongst the convicts :-one of whom, whilst at his labour in the Dock Yard, found a purse containing four three-shilling pieces, which he could undiscovered have converted to his own use; but he carried it to his officer to have the owner found, who proved to be one of the drivers of the carts employed in the yard."

XI. Letters of the Emperor Alexander and Prince Gallitzin to the Secretary of the Massachusetts Peace Society.

་

The Massachusetts Peace Society are publishing a monthly work under the title of, the "Friend of Peace." Copies of this they have sent to the Emperor Alexander and to Prince Gallit

Q

zin, with a letter addressed to His Imperial Majesty respecting the object of their Society. The answer returned by that Monarch will be pleasing to every friend of humanity. It requires only to be substantiated by future deeds, as we hope will be the case, and many millions will have cause to rejoice.

Letter of the Emperor.

"To the Reverend Noah Worcester, Secretary of the Massachusetts Peace

Society.

"Sir-Your letter in behalf of the Massachusetts Peace Society, with the books accompanying it, were received. The object which this philanthropic institution has in view, the dissemination of the principles of peace and amity among men, meets my cordial approbation. My endeavors to procure peace and good-will among nations are already known; and the power and influence which Almighty God has committed to me, shall ever be employ ed, I trust, in striving to secure to the nations the blessings of that peace which they now enjoy.

"Considering the object of your Society, the promotion of peace among mankind, as one eminently congenial to the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have judged it proper to express these my sentiments respecting your labours, in answer to your communication to me on this subject.

"St. Petersburgh, July 4, 1817.”

Letter of Prince Gallitzin.

ALEXANDER,

"Sir-I received your letter of the 9th of April, with the Numbers of the Friend of Peace' accompanying it, for which I return you my hearty thanks. The object which your Society has in view is of great importance to the well-being and happiness of the human race, Indeed it seems to me to be almost the same as that of Bible Societies; for it is only in proportion as the divine and peaceable principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ prevail in the hearts of men that lasting and universal peace can be expected. A blessed period is promised in the word of God,