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Ar the first appearance of the insurrection of the Jews against the power of the Romans, the Christians, who partook not of the visionary hopes of the Jewish enthusiasts, and who were mindful of the warnings of their Lord, (Matt. xxiv. 16), fled to Pella in Petrea. Vespasian was sent to Judea to suppress the rebellion, and after he had been proclaimed emperor of Rome, his son, Titus, conducted his irresistible legions to the walls of Jerusalem. The Paschal solemnity had drawn a countless multitude into the city, and whilst their enemy approached from without, all was confusion within. The zealots were engaged in daily and bloody strife; citizen slew citizen, and the blood of the murdered oftentimes profaned the holy of holies in the temple. At length the city was stormed and taken; the temple was burned; more than a million of the inhabitants perished, during the siege and in the attack, by famine, by the sword, or in the flames. Ninety-seven thousand were sent away in chains, for the barbarous sport of their conquerors in the theatre, or to be sold

as slaves in their markets. When the thirst of the Romans for blood and plunder had been sated, the still standing walls of the temple were cast down, and the foundations were uprooted from the earth. The city was razed, and the plough passed over it, as a sign that never should a city or a temple be built there again. Three gates were left standing, to proclaim where Jerusalem once had been. Thus, after a siege unparalleled in the history of war, fell this noble city, the beloved Jerusalem, after it had flourished, under the protection of Heaven, more than two thousand years. The miserable citizens, who had not been carried away in chains, or crucified around the walls of Jerusalem, wandered forlorn over their once happy land. Their descendants, after a vain attempt, in the reign of Adrian, to rebuild their city, were scattered amongst the nations of the earth, where their children may, to this day, be seen, distinct from the nations with whom they live. The seat of the Jewish religion had fallen; the city of sacrifice had been destroyed; that implacable enemy of Christ, the sanhedrim, had been annihilated; it had become evident, even to the most darkened eye, that the time had arrived, in which the Church should spring forth, as the young plant, from the dead seed of Judaism, and should, in a short time, become the vast tree, spreading its branches over the whole earth.

DÖLLINGER.

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THE habitation where moles deposit their young, merits a particular description; because it is constructed with peculiar intelligence, and because the mole is an animal with which we are well acquainted. They begin by raising the earth, and forming a pretty high arch. They leave partitions, or a kind of pillars at certain distances, beat and press the earth, interweave it with the roots of plants, and render it so hard and solid, that the water cannot penetrate the vault, on account of its convexity and firmness. They then elevate a little hillock under the principal arch; upon the latter they lay herbs and leaves, as a bed for their young. In this situation they are above the level of the ground, and, of course, beyond the reach of ordinary inundations. They are, at the same time, defended from the rains by the large vault that covers the internal one; upon the convexity of which last they rest along with their young. This internal hillock is pierced on all sides with sloping holes, which descend still lower, and serve

as subterraneous passages for the mother to go in quest of food for herself and her offspring. These by-paths are beaten and firm, extend about twelve or fifteen paces, and issue from the principal mansion like rays from a centre. Under the superior vault we likewise find remains of the roots of the meadow saffron, which seem to be the first food given to the young. From this description it appears, that the mole never comes abroad but at considerable distances from her habitation. In their dark abodes they enjoy the placid habits of repose and solitude, the art of securing themselves from injury, of almost instantaneously making an asylum or habitation, and of procuring a plentiful subsistence without the necessity of going abroad. They shut up the entrance of their retreats, and seldom leave them, unless compelled by the admission of water, or when their mansions are demolished by art.

LESSON XVI.

SMELLIE,

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THE spotted hyena, in stature and corpulency,

resembles a large mastiff. The head, however, is

M

thicker, and less elongated, and its motions have less freedom and elasticity. The hinder part of the body it carries very low, owing to its constantly keeping the articulations of the hinder legs considerably bent. Its glance is unsteady, for it is dazzled by a strong light, and this gives an additional indecision to its movements. Not that the animal is by any means deficient in force and vivacity. It is susceptible of very violent feelings, and on such occasions, is capable of acting with equal promptness and energy. The sentiments, indeed, which it manifests, however opposite in their natures, are all of a violent character: its hatred and its affection are both equally strong. An individual of this species showed the utmost confidence in all its keepers; and for one in particular, evinced an affection very unusual in wild animals, and parallel to nothing but what we witness daily in the common domestic dog. On the other hand, his hatred was extremely violent, and he often would exhibit excessive rage against persons who had done him no kind of injury. On such occasions, he would tremble with rage, the foam would isssue in abundance from his mouth, the hairs of his back would bristle up, and blows had no other effect than to exasperate his anger. He was taken very young, at the Cape of Good Hope, and had been tamed without difficulty. On his arrival in France, his cage having been left partly open, he walked out, and went away before he was observed, As soon as his flight was known, his keepers went to take him,

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