186 October's farewell week. 



to Palestine. 



Such a discovery as that made by Colonel Sykes relieves us of our difficulty, 

 and casts no dim light on a much contested passage, besides extricating us 

 from the dilemma in which we were formerly placed. We can now affirm, 

 without hesitation, that Solomon's reference to the Ant, in illustration of his 

 subject, is not only quite correct, but also is worthy of his character as an 

 observing Naturalist. We trust the "borrowed light" with which we have 

 presented the Bible-student "for a dark landing-place," may be of some assist- 

 ance to him in his upward progress to the attainment of completely satisfactory 

 information on the insect which has detained us so long. 



There could be few conclusions more appropriate, as connected with the 

 subject, than the following one, with which we take leave of the reader. It 

 is a pretty little fable by Lessing, as rendered by Dr. Hamilton, in his elegant 

 work on ^^Ecclesiastes," page 143: — "It was a sultry day, and an avaricious 

 old man, who had hoarded a large amount, was toiling away, and wasting 

 his little remaining strength, when a heavenly apparition stood before him. 

 'I am Solomon,' it said, with a friendly voice, 'what are you doing?' ^If 

 you are Solomon,' answered the old man, 'how can you ask? When I was 

 young you sent me to the Ant, and told me to consider her ways; and from 

 her I learned to be industrious and gather stores.' 'You have only half learned 

 your lesson,' replied the spirit, 'go once more to the Ant, and learn to rest 

 the winter of your years, and enjoy your collected treasures.' " 



Aberdeen, April, 1854. 



OCTOBER'S FAREWELL WEEK. 



BY GEORGE R. TWINN, ESQ. 



Monday the 24th. was a clear, brown, sunny day, that gladdened the heart, 

 and caused you, nolens or volens, to turn out to enjoy the beauty of the 

 autumn. As far as my eye could track around our hill, it discerned among 

 the dark green Firs, (Pinus sylvestris,) the warm russet and golden branches 

 of the bronzed Beech, (Faffus si/lvatica.) In one direction the pale yellow 

 of the dying Ash, [Fraxinus excelsior,) contrasted with the rich orange leaves 

 of the Chesnut, {Fag us castanea;) in another the clustering Maples, (Acer 

 campestris,) with their light stems of pale sickliness, were relieved by the richer 

 brown of the Elm, (Ulmus campestris;) and over all the sunny sheen was 

 falling very gloriously, making it a luxury to ramble out and gather wisdom 

 from the lavish pages of Nature's wondrous work; on all which the impress 

 of Him, who is the God of all, is descried. 



Rambling adown our lane, that, branching from the high-road, leads to the 

 villa^^e, we found the wild Geranium, (Geranium,) the Bladder Campion, 

 (Silene injlata,) and the wild Mignionette, {Reseda lufeola,) still in flower, and 

 an abundance of those dear buds "that light pale October on its way;" also 



