NOTES OF THE MONTH. 299 



in which most of the scenes were enacted which must ever be interesting to 

 the believers in holy writ, present certain features which must be well under- 

 stood by the intelligent student of the scriptures. We pity the individuals 

 who can read his bible and study the lives of Abraham, Samuel, and others of 

 the Hebrew worthies, and yet be indifferent respecting the manners of the 

 people and the scenery of the country in which such important transactions 

 have occurred. The view of Tripoli is, perhaps, the best in the numbers that 

 we have seen. Mr. Game's illustrations ought not to be passed unnoticed. They 

 are elegantly written, and well worthy of the author of "Letters from the 

 East." An extract or two would not be out of place, but space does not 

 allow a more extended notice. 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



CLOSE OF AN UNPRODUCTIVE SESSION. Parliament was prorogued 

 on the 20th of August by the King in person. His Majesty went in 

 the usual state to the House of Lords, soon after two o'clock, and 

 delivered the following speech : 



"My Lords and Gentlemen The state of the public business enables me 

 at length to relieve you from further attendance in parliament ; and in termi- 

 nating your labours I have again to acknowledge the zeal with which you 

 have applied yourselves to the public business, and the attention which you 

 have bestowed upon the important subjects which I brought under your 

 consideration at the opening of the session. 



" The assurances of friendly dispositions which I receive from all foreign 

 powers, enable me to congratulate you upon the prospect that peace will 

 continue undisturbed. 



" I lament deeply that the internal state of Spain still renders that country 

 the only exception to the general tranquillity which prevails in the rest of 

 Europe : and I regret that the hopes which have been entertained of the 

 termination of the civil war have not hitherto been realized. In fulfilment of 

 the engagements which I contracted by the treaty of Quadruple Alliance, I 

 have afforded the queen of Spain the co-operation of a part of my naval 

 force ; and I continue to look with unabated solicitude to the restoration of 

 that internal peace in Spain, which was one of the main objects of the 

 Quadruple Treaty, and which is so essential to the interests of all Europe. 



*' I am happy to be able to inform you, that my endeavours to remove the 

 misunderstanding which had arisen between France and the United States 

 have been crowned with complete success. The good offices which for that 

 purpose I tendered to the two governments, were accepted by both in the 

 most frank and conciliatory spirit ; and the relations of friendship have been 

 re-established between them in a manner satisfactory and honourable to both 

 parties. I trust that this circumstance will tend to draw still closer the ties 

 which connect this country with two great and friendly nations, with which 

 they have so many important relations in common. 



" Ihave regarded with interest your deliberations upon the Report of the 

 Commissioners appointed to consider the state of the Dioceses in England 

 and Wales ; and I have cheerfully given my assent to the measures which 

 have been presented to me for carrying into effect some of these most 

 important recommendations. 



" It is with no ordinary satisfaction I have learned that you have, with 

 much labour, brought to maturity enactments upon the difficult subject of 

 tithes in England and Wales, which will, I trust, prove in their operation 

 equitable to all the districts concerned, and ^generally beneficial in their 

 results. 



