east when the golden lamp of day is in the west. When she is west of the sun, she rises before him; and in that case, is a morning star: when she is east of him, she rises after sunset, and is then an evening star.

the

If we view this beautiful planet with a good telescope, we shall discover several permanent spots upon her surface, by which her rotation on her axis has been discovered. Her days and nights are nearly of equal length, except at the poles, her axis being nearly at right angles with the plane of her orbit. Her light and heat will be about double that of the earth; and Mercury will be to the inhabitants of Venus, sometimes a morning and sometimes an evening star, as she appears to us. Although year of Venus is little more than 224 days, yet to an observer on the earth, the period from one conjunction to another is little short of 584 days; which is accounted for by the fact that the earth revolves in her orbit the same way, though with a vastly decreased velocity; so that Venus must perform two revolutions, and a portion of a third, before she can be again in conjunction with Venus moves in an elliptical or elongated orbit; and the elongation is so great that she appears 32 times larger when on the nearest point of her path, than she does in that which is the most remote from our observation.

us.

If, with a good glass, we observe Venus, throughout the whole of her course, from one conjunction to another, we shall find that when she is east of the sun, and rises immediately after sunset she is nearly round, and but

small; she is then behind him, and the whole of her enlightened surface is turned towards us as she leaves the sun, and proceeds towards the east, she appears larger, alters her figure, and presents to us the various successive changes which are observable in the moon, until at her greatest apparent distance from him, she shines like the moon in her first quarter, or what we call a half moon. Proceeding onward, she becomes invisible, her dark side being then turned towards the earth: after a little time, she again becomes visible, as a thin crescent, and decreasing (apparently) in size, but increasing in lustre, she goes on until once more we behold her beauteous and enlightened figure, adorning the concave of the sky.

but seldom :

Owing to the planets Mercury and Venus revolving in orbits within that of the earth, they are sometimes seen to cross the body of the sun, and then appear like small round black spots upon his surface. These are called transits, and those of Venus occur those of Mercury are much more frequent. We subjoin a list of those which will occur during the remainder of the present century. A transit of Venus will happen in 1874 those of Mercury will occur on May 8, 1845; May 9, 1848; Nov. 12, 1861; Nov. 5, 1868; May 5, 1878; Nov. 8, 1881; May 10, 1891; and Nov. 10, 1894. Neither of these planets are, so far as is known, attended by a moon; the light of the sun probably rendering such an appendage unnecessary. The names given to the planets by the ancients, are those of their

:

gods and goddesses. Mercury probably was so called from his swift motion; for Mercury among the pagans was the messenger of the gods, and was painted with wings upon his cap, and sandals. Venus was the goddess

of beauty; and this planet was no doubt named after Venus, because of its surpassing beauty and lustre.

Thus we have endeavoured to instruct you in the principal matters connected with the planets Mercury and Venus; and we doubt not you feel much interested about them; but we must never forget that knowledge is worse than useless, if it does not lead us to some moral improvement: let us then deduce from this account, the following useful lessons :-Remember that the sun is an emblem of love; and that Mercury, who is nearest to the sun, is all bright, and has no dark spots; and let this teach us, that the more we are influenced by the spirit of genuine love, kindness, and benevolence, the more pure and spotless will our character become. Observe next, that Venus appears the brightest, when she appears the smallest; and let us learn from this that pure truth in the mind, and sincere love to God and our fellow men in the heart, will invest us with a divine lustre, although we may appear small and insignificant to a thoughtless and mis-judging world. When Mercury and Venus pass over the sun, they look like black spots, aud yet they are then the most perfectly enlightened by his rays: let this teach us ever to act from motives of sincerity and goodness, although our doing so may expose us to the contempt and censure of those who do not, or who will

not, understand us. And lastly, when we think of the planets being named after the false gods of the heathen, let us lift up our hearts in thankfulness for the bible, that has taught us to worship the Lord God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, in spirit and in truth.

We shall next tell you something about the earth and

moon.

T. B. S.

Letters from Sister Jane.

NO. VI.

ISLAND OF SARDINIA.

MY DEAR CHILD,

I think you will be pleased to hear again from sister Jane, relative to what I have seen.

On my arrival here, I was three days in quarantine, but I am happy to say I have got my liberty again. I have seen a grand religious procession-and whilst it was passing, every body had to kneel down in the streets, and the men had to take off their hats-but I am sorry

to say their religion does not soften their wicked hearts, for I am told they are a very revengeful people, and are always quarrelling with each other—for if any one offends them, they think nothing of stabbing him—and then his friends take up the cause, and stab any body that is related to the murderer-his friends retaliatingand so they go on, until they are at enmity with all their countrymen.

The dress of the people is very picturesque; but I cannot describe it, for every trade has a particular dress to itself; the fishermen, the watermen, the oilmen, the butchers, and a great many others, too numerous to mention: most of them carry a large knife in a carved brass sheath, in their girdle. I shall not be sorry when I leave this dangerous country. I never knew a place so infested with fleas as this is; the people shake them out of the windows upon you, as you walk through the

streets.

I expect my next letter to you will be from Malta, when I hope to have something more pleasing to communicate and I promise you a longer letter. Until then, God bless you, my dear child, good bye.

I remain, your affectionate sister,

JANE.