vulgar; and their schools were open to none but the sons of the most illustrious families. Such was the fame of the British druids, that the druids of Gaul did not disdain to study in their schools. A long course of preparation was required, and we are told that many had the patience to spend no less than twenty years in this state of probation. They enjoined the strictest secrecy from their disciples, to whom each precept was delivered in verse by the teacher, and that the profane might not become acquainted with their mysteries, the use of letters was prohibited.

The great objects of the order were, according to themselves, "to reform morals, to secure peace, and to encourage goodness:" for which purpose, they inculcated the following lesson, "The three first principles of wisdom are -obedience to the laws of God-concern for the good of men-and fortitude under the accidents of life." They also taught the immortality of the soul.

In public and private deliberations of any moment, their opinion was always asked, and usually obeyed. By their authority, peace was preserved; at their mandate, contending armies consented to sheathe their swords. The punishment for crime was reserved to their justice; whoever disobeyed their decree was interdicted from their sacrifices, which, with them, was the severest punishment. Their authority was enforced by a singular Just as winter began, on a certain day, every family in Britain was compelled to extinguish their fires, and to pass the night in cold and darkness. On the

custom.

following day, an offering was carried to the nearest druid, and fire was procured from the sacred altar. No evasion was allowed; the mysterious beings whom they were taught to believe inhabited every object of creation, would, it was supposed, give information of any act of disobedience to the druids. An interdicted person was deemed both impious and wicked; all fled from him, and avoided his presence and conversation, lest they should be contaminated by the interview. The druids obeyed one chief, who had supreme authority over them: they had also great privileges; they neither paid taxes, nor engaged in war.

The priests were divided into three classes,—druids, ovates, and bards. The first regulated the laws and religion of the country; the second seem to have been engaged chiefly in the instruction of youth; and the third were musicians and poets, who composed verses, and sang the heroic deeds of great warriors. The official dress of the druid was a flowing white robe; the bard was clothed in sky blue,-regarded as the colour of peace; the ouate, or ovate, wore a dress of bright green, and carried a staff.

We have now told our young friends what the country was fifty-five years before the birth of Christ; in our next we shall have to tell them about the Invasion of Julius Cæsar, which took place at that time.

THE EDITOR.

BELEM CASTLE.

Letters from Sister Jane.

NO. II.

LISBON.

MY DEAR CHILD,

I embrace this opportunity of writing to you, with much pleasure, as I feel sure you will be pleased to hear again from sister Jane.

I concluded my last letter with an account of the miserable condition of the poor Portuguese, after death. I will now tell you something about the costume of the people at Lisbon. The women wear no bonnets, but a white starched muslin handkerchief round their heads, and the rest of their persons wrapped in a brown cloth cloak, with a large cape, notwithstanding the weather is so hot. The dress of the men consists of a coarse woollen cap, a jacket and trousers of coarse blue cloth, and a red sash bound round their waists; the boatmen and fishermen wear a coarse white cotton shirt, and short trowsers of the same, but no shoes or stockings.

I went yesterday to see the Queen's Palace, and have sat upon the throne of Portugal. The building is a very fine one, but it is in an unfinished state, the government being too poor to complete it; so you see, my dear child, that even queens may be poor, as well as other persons.

42

LETTERS FROM SISTER JANE.-NO. II.

I have also been to see a most beautiful Church, at Belem, called the Church of St. Jeronomie, and saw the coffins of two or three of the Kings of Portugal. They were covered with red cloth, and very handsomely trimmed with silver. The churches are very rich; but it seems to me the people must be impoverished to support them with so much wealth.

I have also been for a sail up the Tagus, which is a very noble river. Lisbon looks very well viewed from it; it is built upon several hills, which makes it very fatiguing to walk, there being no foot pavement as in England. The shops have no windows, but a pair of folding doors, which stand open all the day, and give light to the shop, as well as serving for an entrance.

Lisbon is chiefly supplied with water, by a noble aqueduct, of white marble, which unites two rocky hills across the valley of Alcantara. The arches are supported by square pillars, and are so high, that a fiftygun ship might pass under them. This is the noblest structure, of the kind, which has been erected in Europe since the time of the Romans :-the discovery that fluids, when conducted through pipes, will rise to nearly their level, superseding the utility of such stupendous

structures.

I must now conclude this letter; I will, however, write to you again by the next packet. Until then, good bye,-God bless you, my dear child.

I remain, your affectionate sister,

JANE.

Lessons in Botany.

"And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop, that springeth out of the wall."

I. WHAT BOTANY IS.

Botany is a charming study-so every one says who has studied it-and so we think you will say and believe, by the time you have taken half a dozen lessons in it. Some children and youth think it only fit for older persons; but this is a great mistake. Among the thousands of our readers, there is not probably one who cannot learn something about it, and who would not be delighted with it.

If you live in the country, you cannot visit a brook, or a meadow, or a mountain, or even walk along the way-side, from May to October, without passing many plants or flowers, or both. Every one of these opens a world of wonders to those who study Botany; while those who do not, often go along, and never see them; or, if they just see them, they seem not to take much more notice of them, than the lambs or the pigs do. Did not He, who made both us and the flowers, intend that we should be better acquainted with each other? If you live in a city, and never go out of it in your whole life, you may also see a great many plants and