ANCIENT TEMPLES. J said to have been uniform, as being perfectly symI. metrical in design, whether their dimensions were THE great temple at Girgenti (the ancient Agri- great or small. * A cell, answering to the nave in our gentum), in Sicily, dedicated to Jupiter Olympius, is cathedrals, was sometimes open to the air (hypethral), supposed to have been built by Timoleon, about 337 when too spacious for a roof, or when small, very years before Christ, so that it has stood more than dark and gloomy, with the statue only, illuminated, twenty centuries. Timoleon erected it as a triumph and thus better adapted to exhibit oracular trickeries, of his conquests, which are celebrated by the Greek for which the Sicilians were eminently notorious. historians. There were, at Girgenti, two other large temples, of which there are nearly equal remains; those, namely, of Juno Lucina, and of Concord.

1833.]

we have, in this instance, to admire it as displayed in that grace and symmetry, so admirable in those buildings which were dedicated to the religion of the ancient world. But though science and taste may gratify the judgment, they do not delight the imagination in the same degree as the contemplation of "the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault," so wrought as to have the appearance of molten metal, and so lofty as to seem to exceed the powers of human construction. And, more than all, when we enter our magnificent cathedrals, we have our thoughts and feelings raised, not only to the contemplation of the beautiful specimens of human skill, but to the majesty and greatness of Him who is there to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

MIGRATORY BIRDS.
No. II.

SWALLOWS.

AMONG the migratory birds, none have attracted
more attention, or been the cause of more difference
of opinion, than the Swallows. Linnæus, the great
Swedish naturalist, unfortunately for science, relying
too much on the accounts furnished him by his cor-
respondents, recorded his belief that, in many in-
stances, the swallows, instead of leaving this country
at the approach of winter, retreated to holes of rocks
and other places of concealment, and remained there,
in a torpid state, until the return of spring.
even asserted by Olaus Magnus, a Bishop of Upsal,
that in the north of Europe, the peasants were fre-
quently in the habit of drawing up, from the bottom
of ponds and lakes, by means of nets, numbers of
these birds.

It was

Although later writers did not agree in all that had been stated by their predecessors on this subject, still, countenanced by the learned Swede, who was then deservedly considered the greatest naturalist that Europe had ever produced, they believed that it was not an uncommon thing, for these birds to Later observaremain dormant during the winter. tions have, however, clearly proved that the only

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effect produced on them, by exposure to cold, is that of benumbing their faculties, and quickly depriving them of life; it has also been ascertained, that they moult their feathers during our winter months, and when they return in the spring, they are clothed in a new suit.

At first we are apt to be startled at the idea of the immense distances traversed by birds during their migrations, but if we submit our remarks to calculation, the difficulty of the performance at once vanishes; since the longest flight across the sea, which a swallow is likely to take in his journey to Africa, would only be from the south of France, across the Mediterranean, a distance not much exceeding 400 miles; and, as a bird flies at the rate of 60 miles* an hour, it would only be on the wing for about seven hours, a matter of very little difficulty. But even this journey might be avoided; for if, instead of crossing the sea, it proceeded over the Peninsula of If the Spain and Portugal, a short trip would bring the feathered traveller to his winter-quarters. migratory route of any other bird, with whose movements we are acquainted, were submitted to the same test, we should, no doubt, find a similar result.

The swallow-tribe is scattered over the surface of nearly the whole globe; but in the regions between the tropics, where the insects on which these birds subsist are found in abundance throughout the year, the instinct of migration is not displayed.

There are four species of the swallow-tribe known in England: the House-Martin, whose well-known nest is found under the eaves of houses and in the angles of windows; the Chimney-Swallow, that builds its nest in old chimneys, barns, and hay-stacks; the Sand-Martin, that frequents holes in sand-banks; and the largest of the tribe, the Swift, or Great

Black Swallow.

The House-Martin arrives in England about the beginning of April, and is followed about the middle of the same month, by the Chimney-Swallow and

* Swallows have been considered to fly at the rate of sixty miles in the hour, Swifts at the rate of ninety.

the Sand-Martin; but it is near the end of April before the Swift makes its appearance.

The swallows belong to that tribe of birds called by CUVIER Fissirostri, (Cloven Beaks,) the gape of the beak extending as far back as the hindmost angle of the eye. The swallow takes its prey upon the wing, and this apparently disproportionate gape affords it a better chance of seizing insects during its airy evolutions. In the construction of its nest the House-Martin proves itself much more skilful than any other species of the swallow-tribe; its mode of proceeding is thus described by that acute observer of nature, the Rev. Gilbert White.

"About the beginning of May, if the weather be fine, the martin begins to think in earnest of providing a mansion for its family. The crust or shell of this nest seems to be formed of such dirt or loam as comes most readily to hand, and is tempered and wrought together with little bits of broken straws, to render it tough and tenacious. As this bird often builds against a perpendicular wall, without any projecting ledge under, it requires its utmost efforts to get the first foundation firmly fixed, so that it may safely carry the superstructure.

"On this occasion the bird not only clings with its claws, but partly supports itself by strongly inclining its tail against the wall, making that a fulcrum: and thus steadied, it works and plasters the materials into the face of the brick or stone. But then, that this work may not, while it is soft and green, pull itself down by its own weight, the provident architect has prudence and forbearance enough not to advance her work too fast; but by building only in the morning, and by dedicating the rest of the day to food and amusement, gives it sufficient time to dry and harden. About half an inch seems to be a sufficient layer for a day. By this method, in about ten or twelve days, is formed an hemispheric nest, with a small opening towards the top, strong, compact, and warm, and perfectly fitted for the purposes for which it was intended." This nest is afterwards lined carefully with feathers, and is fit to receive the eggs and become a dwelling to the young."

Experiment has proved that the instinct of these birds directs them, on their return in spring, to the same nests they occupied in the previous season, and and if the nest is not destroyed they take possession of their old habitation. The swift and the sandmartin are noticed as being much more slovenly in the construction of their nests than either of the other two species. The able naturalist above quoted, thus describes the character of these birds.

"The swallows are a most inoffensive, harmless, entertaining, social, and useful tribe of birds; they touch no fruit in our gardens; delight, all except one species, in attaching themselves to our houses, amuse us with their migrations, songs, and marvellous agility, and clear our outlets from the annoyances of gnats and other troublesome insects."

The Swallows are all soft-billed birds, their feet and claws also are badly constructed for defence or annoyance, but their rapidity of flight is such that they fearlessly attack, or rather tease by their numbers, hawks, owls, and other birds of prey, till they have at last driven them out of their neighbourhood.

CHILDREN should be enured as early as possible to acts of charity and mercy. Constantine, as soon as his son could write, employed his hand in signing pardons, and delighted in conveying, through his mouth, all the favours he granted. A noble introduction to sovereignty, which is instituted for the happiness of mankind.—JORtin.

ROBERT BURNS.

Lecture on Popular Literature, for the purpose of pointWE inserted, in a former number, an extract from a ing out the futility of some of the objections frequently urged against cultivating the minds of the poorer orders; and also for the purpose of citing the cases of some individuals, who had improved and refined themselves by education, without becoming in any way unfit to discharge the duties of their humble station in life. The man of whom we are now going to give a slight biographical sketch, was, we need hardly say, possessed of genius and powers of mind, which not only raised him vastly above the persons named in that paper, but which have seldom been surpassed in any rank or condition of society. There are, however, some circumstances in the history of ble candidate for knowledge and fame: neither, we Robert Burns, which should be known to every humtrust, can the principal incidents in the life of such a man be uninteresting to any of our readers. January;-and it happens, by a singular coincidence, Robert Burns was born in 1759, on the 25th of that the corresponding day of the year 1772, witnessed the birth of another Scotch Poet, who has raised himAyrshire ploughman,-we mean the simple, unsoself to celebrity, from a yet humbler origin than the world by his more poetical name of the Ettrick phisticated James Hogg, better known in the literary Shepherd.

two miles from the town of Ayr, in a cottage by the Burns was born in the parish of Alloway, about way-side, which was long pointed out to the traveller as his place of nativity; though, we believe, it has since been pulled down, and the timbers of the roof have been formed into boxes and various articles, highly prized by the admirers of the great bard. At the time of his birth, his father was gardener to Mr. Ferguson of Ayr; though he afterwards became tenant successively of two or three small farms in the neighhowever, suppose that it carried with it all the disbourhood. Humble as was this station, we must not, advantages incident to a like situation in South tages for obtaining education. They have a school Britain. The Scotch peasantry enjoy great advanestablished by law in every parish, where elementary instruction may be obtained at the lowest price;and, still more, the habits and modes of thinking of the parents lead them to practise the utmost selfdenial, in order to procure yet further information for their children. Neither can we forbear to pause for one moment, for the purpose of remarking, that, population of Scotland is free from crime, a fact when we consider in how great a degree the rural known and acknowledged on all sides,-this circumstance, even assisted, as we admit it to be, by some must be allowed to speak volumes in behalf of the others, favourable to the innocence of the people, great cause of popular education.

racter, of high principles, and of no common talents; The father of Burns was an extraordinary chaevery advantage of instruction for his children. and he yielded to none, in his anxiety to procure Beside sending them to the parish-school, he paid a master to instruct them at home; so that Robert, the eldest, not only was taught to read and to write, but learned some French; to which knowledge he afterwas conversant with the English grammar, and even wards added the elements of geometry and mensuration. Burns, therefore, started in his literary career with advantages superior to many, who have since been called self-taught poets. Still it should be remembered, that he passed the first twenty-threes years of his life in severe toil. He was literally, as

he styled himself, a ploughman. His father worked | which were most injurious to his respectability, to his farms only by the labour of himself and his sons; his morals and religion, and to his happiness in his a labour, that was exacted to the utmost: and it is after life. melancholy to think that, even with the closest industry, combined with the strictest frugality, and the humblest mode of living, the poor old man was unsuccessful in all his efforts, and, after having been obliged to retire successively from three farms, died at last in poverty. Still, during the few hours of leisure that this laborious course of life afforded, Robert Burns eagerly devoured every book, which chance, or the kindness of friends, threw in his way. He also sharpened his intellect by forming an association of young men, who met periodically to discuss subjects of importance and interest: but, much more than all, he occupied his mind, during this period of his life, in composing several of those poems, which have since inscribed his name in the rolls of fame. As he guided the plough or wielded the flail, his mind expatiated in the bright regions of fancy; and the little incidents of agricultural life, and the simple habits of agricultural economy, gave rise to the beautiful poems of the "Field Mouse," the "Mountain Daisy," and the most delightful of all, the " Cotter's Saturday Night." It is also remarkable that, while thus labouring for a bare subsistence, and never having extended his personal observation beyond the neighbouring markettown, Burns was vet able to form a just estimate of his own powers, and was conscious that they qualified him to take his place among the eminent and the great. At the same time, apprehensive that his humble and indigent circumstances would bar him from assuming his proper station, he felt within himself a restlessness and uneasiness, which we could well understand in such a mind. In a letter written to his father, when he was twenty-two years of age, he says, "As for this world, I despair of ever making a figure in it. I am not formed for the bustle of the busy, nor the flutter of the gay; I shall never again be capable of entering into such scenes:-indeed, I am altogether unconcerned at the thoughts of this life. I foresee that poverty and obscurity probably await me, and I am in some measure prepared, and daily preparing to meet them. I have but just time | and paper to return you my grateful thanks for the lessons of virtue and piety you have given me, which were too much neglected at the time of giving them, but which, I hope, have been remembered ere it is yet too late."

But at length the time arrived, that was to form the great epoch in the life of Burns. He had lost his excellent father; he had made an imprudent marriage; and farming had proved unprofitable. In despair, he came to the resolution to go out to Jamaica in the capacity of an assistant on the estate of Dr. Douglas ;-but not having sufficient money to pay his passage, he was advised to endeavour to obtain the means, by publishing his poems by subscription. The success of the experiment exceeded his most sanguine wishes: they were warmly and universally admired, and procured for their author a sum of money, sufficient not only to induce him to abandon his design of quitting his native country, but also to give him the means of establishing himself in credit and comfort, in his former line of life, in any part of Scotland. His reputation also procured him invitations to Edinburgh, for which place he set out in November, 1786, and where he was received by the learned, by the great, and by the gay, with a cordiality and hospitality, which at once placed him among society widely different from any to which he before had been used, and which also, we fear, engendered tastes and habits,

It is our desire to speak with the utmost tenderness of such a man as Burns. We wish it ever to be remembered, that to the end of his career, he maintained an integrity and independence of spirit, which no poverty could bend, and which we delight to see associated with so much genius. But we make no apology for his vices; neither, certainly, is it our intention to follow Burns through those scenes of irregularity, which at length brought his career to a premature close on the 21st of July, 1796, in his thirty-seventh year. Our object is principally to illustrate one point: by the successful sale of his poems, Burns had found himself in possession of nearly 5007.; a sum, that was affluence to one whose means had always been so scanty, and certainly forming a sufficient capital to have enabled him to embark steadily and systematically in the reputable occupation of agriculture. In fact, he took the farm of Ellisland, on the banks of the Nith, a few miles above Dumfries, on which he entered at Whitsuntide 1788. But his rustic labours soon grew distasteful to him, and were neglected; every thing on his farm went amiss, and, after an occupation of three years and a half, he resigned it into the hands of his landlord. In the mean while, Burns had also been appointed to an office of no large emolument in the excise; but this appointment, while it diverted him from the steady prosecution of his agricultural labours, threw him also into situations by no means favourable to the virtue of temperance; and from this, as well as from other concurrent circumstances, he became gradually more and more addicted to excesses in drinking, which undermined his health, and brought him to an early grave. It may also be added that, although many passages in his writings, both in prose and verse, show that Burns was deeply impressed with the sentiment of religion; a sentiment, in which we can hardly conceive how by any possibility a real poet can be deficient; yet his devotional feelings do not appear to have sprung from sound Religious principle nor to have been sustained and strengthened by regular, constant, and systematic acts of worship. In short, the main purpose for which we have sketched the life of this extraordinary and unfortunate man, has been to show how the brightest genius may be obscured, and a mind of the highest and noblest aspirations may be laid low, by want of steadiness, by want of prudence, by want of perseverance, and above all by want of practical Religion.

Burns is not properly an instance of lowly talent cultivated and improved by its owner to his cost: his misfortunes were occasioned by other causes. His cultivated intellect would have added both to his respectability and to his happiness, if, at the same time, he had learned to control his appetite, and acquire habits of regular application to business,-making his poetry a solace from care, a recreation from toil, or, to put it upon a lower footing, a source of profit, valuable and acceptable, but still secondary and subordinate to some fixed employment.

Immediately after the death of Burns, noble subscriptions were raised, in behalf of his destitute family: splendid monuments have since been erected to his memory.

The Scottish peasant feels his heart swell with pride, as he recollects that he is of the same country, and of the same class with the AYRSHIRE PloughMAN. We think that not an honour beyond his