- For Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
WANDERINGS IN EUROPE.-NO. III. 
Q 
BY OLKZEN F. WILCOX. 
Heidelberg.—Professors and Students. 
A stranger passing through Heidelberg, would 
scarcely perceive the University if he had not a 
previous knowledge of its existence. About the 
buildings themselves there is indeed little to 
observe, for they are not as showy as some of our 
Seminaries. The main one, standing in the Lud- 
wigaplatz, is an hneient stone structure, entirely 
devoid of ornament, with a curiously curved roof, 
and plenty of windows in the walls. The Labora¬ 
tory, Bitoated in another part of the town, has been 
constructed more recently, and is the most showy 
building belonging to the institution. The Libra¬ 
ry occupies an old Jesuitical Seminary, and the 
Medical Department is in the Hospital. 
One morning I went to the Laboratory in order 
to hear Bunson, the Professor of Chemistry. His 
reputation is second only to that of Liebio, and 
indeed many of his admirers assert that he is 
the greater Chemist, although Liebig is better 
known among the people, and in England and 
America, on account of the discoveries be has made 
in Agricultural Chemistry. Bpnson is forty flve or 
six and unmarried; quite bald on the back of his 
head; rather above the medium height; is some¬ 
what round-shouldered; and on the whole has not 
a prepossessing appearance. In the course of his 
experiments he has lost the sight of one eye. He 
came into the lecture room dressed very plainly, 
if not a little coarsely, and immediately commenc¬ 
ed speaking rapidly, in a low and conversational 
tone. He has a slight impediment in his speech, 
and often he thrust both hands into his pantaloons, 
pockets, or joined them behind his back. He per¬ 
formed his experiments rapidly, and without 
failure. 
In the evening I heard Hanseb, the Professor of 
History. When T entered the room, there were 
but five or six persons present, bat, in r few mo¬ 
menta the students came pouring Jo, and the 
benches were quickly filled. fli9 lecture room is 
very plain, being furnished with nnpainted board 
desks and seats, which show the marks of knives, 
proving that the whittling propensity is not con¬ 
fined to the Yankees alone, The room is supplied 
with numerous gas-bnrners, and two huge stoves 
diffuse the necessary warmth. On one side is 
a plain desk for the lecturer with a large map lying 
on it, and on the opposite side is a gallery. Some 
of the students did not extinguish their cigars 
until the professor made his appearance, which 
was announced by the sudden ceasing of the buz¬ 
zing conversation. He is a portly man, having a 
most massive head set close to his shoulders. He 
speaks rapidly and without any hesitation, occa¬ 
sionally raising a langh by some witty remark. 
When he hud concluded, the audience applauded 
by clapping their hands and stamping on the floor. 
His lectures are well attended both by students 
and strangers. 
In the course of the Autumn a eommerz or general 
meeting of the students took place in the Hirch- 
gasse, and Henry B-, who was President of one 
of the Societies, gave me an invitation to accom¬ 
pany lam. About seven o’clock in the evening the 
studenls collected at, one of the Society rooms in 
Heidelberg, where they formed a procession, and 
marched through the Hauptstrasse aud over the 
bridge to the little valley, in the entrance of which 
the Hirchgasse is situated. Each Society bore its 
colors, and the procession was accompanied by 
torch-bearers, walking on each side. In one cor¬ 
ner of the room which we entered were several 
kegs of beer, and in the centre were placed five 
long tables, with two ranks of beer glasses stand, 
ing thereon, aud wooden benches by their sides. 
Each Society was seated at a separate table, at the 
head of which were two Presidents with crossed 
swords lying before them. The deep hum of in¬ 
cessant conversation sounded In the room; the 
tumblers were filled with foaming beer and quick- 
ly emptied, then rattled sharply on the tables to 
call the waiters; healths were drank and glasses 
clinked together, and the smoke fiorn more than a 
hundred pipes and cigars soon made the atmos¬ 
phere so thick and blue that the very lights burned 
dim. In the beginning, a boy about twelve years 
old, mounted on a chair, gave a toast, drank off’ a 
tumbler of beer, aud then dashed the glass to the 
floor. I afterwards learned that he was a son of 
the Reed Fisherman, who for many years has as¬ 
sisted the students in their duels aud other pro¬ 
ceedings, and became quite a notorious personage 
among them. He then lay sick of an inflamma¬ 
tion, and the students took up a collection for him 
inthe course ot the evening; in two or three weeks 
afterwards he died. Finally, the Presidents beat 
the sworda upon the table, immediately the noise 
was hushed, and all joined In singing a song._ 
After it was finished, they recommenced talking 
and drinking, which they kept np until the Presi. 
dents again beat to order, aud another song fob 
lowed. Three songs were sung in this way, with 
intervals of drinking and conversation, until 
about one o'clock, when the tables were wiped oil", 
and the Landsfatlier sung, during which all the 
caps were thrust upon the sword blades. This 
concluded the ceremouies and the students then 
began to leave. 
During the last summer the authorities of the 
University endeavored to suppress the custom of 
duelling among the students. They were strictly 
forbidden to fight in the Hirchgasse, and for a 
while not allowed to wear their colors. To ensure 
the enforcement of these orders a body of troops 
came from Mannheim, and quartered in Heidel¬ 
berg for a few weeks. The students, however, did 
not oease duelling, though they were obliged to 
conduct their operations secretly, commonly going 
to some village a few miles from the city. One 
day my frleud told me there were some duels to 
take place in Sohwetzingen, a town a few miles 
distant, which I could witness if I would accom¬ 
pany him. Accordingly we entered a carriage 
with a couple of other students, and drove across 
the plain between rows of fruit trees, until we en¬ 
tered the village. Fiftoon or twenty students were 
already assembled when wc arrived, and going 
into a large room they soon coinmeuoed prepara¬ 
tions for fighting. The principals put on strongly 
padded leather armor, which protected the body 
and thighs, leaving the breast and face exposed. 
Thick stocks were bound round their necks, and 
cloth caps with strong leather front pieces bo as 
to protect the eyes, placed on their heads. Their 
rightarms were- thrust into great hnckskin sleeves, 
also thickly padded, and quite impervious to the 
heaviest sword cut. After being thus attired they 
walked slowly about the room, the seconds sup¬ 
porting their arms, to prevent them from becom¬ 
ing fatigued. Although they wore a smile, yet I 
could not help thinking they felt somewhat anxious, 
and their countenances were a little paler than 
usual. They took their positions, armed with 
swords, their seconds, armed in like manner with 
themselves on their left sides and a little behind. 
The seconds are allowed to ward off the blows of 
the opposite principal, and it sometimes happens 
that they receive a ent 
The jadge, a tall youDg man with a cold grey 
eye, called out " silentium the seconds gave the 
words ''ready — loose,” when the combatants ex¬ 
changed two or three blows after which the seconds 
cried “hold” and placed their swords between 
them. Twenty-six rounds similar to this ended the 
first duel. One of the combatants had his upper 
lip cut through at the twelfth round, the blood fall¬ 
ing on his shirt and ou the floor. Before the duel 
was ended be Bucoeeded in giving his antagonist 
a cut on the ear. The other duels were fought in 
the same manner, commonly lasting fifteen min- 
ntea each, oruntil the duellists became too fatigued 
to continue. Sometimes they paused to rest fora 
minute or two, daring which the principals walk¬ 
ed around the room while their comrades support¬ 
ed their arms. In the course of the three duels 
that followed, another wound was given, and seve¬ 
ral times their caps were cut through. 
It is extremely rare that a duel ends fatally, and 
I think never so intentionally. In the majority of 
them, indeed, no wounds are given, as only the 
face is aimed at, and their protective armour and 
peculiar mode of fencing render it difficult, to ap¬ 
proach it. A few years ago a student was killed 
by the sword of his antagonist springing, the point 
entering his breast which was unguarded. Since 
then the points of the swords have been blunted 
so that a recurrence of the same accident is im¬ 
possible. The swords have enormous basket hilts 
which completely hide the hand, and blades so 
thin andligbtthat after striking two or three blows ! 
they commonly become bent, obtigingthe seconds 1 
to end tne round in order to straighten them.— 
Though there is no danger of the’duels ending ' 
fatally, yet sometimes frightful wounds are given ‘ 
—a cheek cat through—an eye put out, or a scalp 1 
laid open. A story is related of a student whose < 
nose was entirely severed by a skillful stroke, fall- = 
ing at the feet of bis antagonist He dropped his 
sword, and stooped to pick it up, but before he ’ 
could reach it his opponent had crushed it to ' 
atoms beneath his foot. i 
After the fighting was ended the students ad- * 
joorned to a room in which dinner was prepared. 
The two Societies sat down at different tables and ‘ 
of course did not hold much conversation with * 
each other. Our party remained until evening, 
taking a walk in the fine gardens belonging to the 
castle, and afterwards drinking beer and singing 
songs. We returned to Heidelberg at 10 o'clock. * 
and then went to the Kneijise, or Society room, of i 
which Henry B-i3 President. The room of a \ 
Society of Students in Heidelberg University pre¬ 
sents a different appearance from that of a Society 
in an American College. Commonly there is a keg 1 
of beer in ona corner to supply the glasses of the ! 
students, who sit at wooden tables placed round t 
the rooms. Many without their coats, some bare 
headed, bat the most wear their colored caps.— j 
They laugh, talk, sing, discuss metaphysical ques- 1 
tions, and consume enormous quantities of tobac- I 
co and beer. The color of the room is bine and 1 
thick with smoke. The tables are wet w ith spilled j 
beer and commonly the clothes of the students re¬ 
ceive a fair portion. The floor ia bare and dirty, 
but the walls are hung with fine engravings, flags, T 
and portraits of the members. Tnere are also t 
commonly two or three dogs present, belonging to e 
the Sooicty, which are trained to leap over sticks, 
shut the doors, smoke cigars, and numerous other , L 
tricks that dogs are capable of learning. Three 1 
or four enormous drinkiDg horns, which one would * 
think could be procured uowhere but from the r 
spoils of Gordon Cummings' hunting expeditions 
in Africa, hang in some conspicuous position._ l 
Occasionally they are filled to the brim with foam- * 
ing beer, and their contents drank off at once by t 
some ambitious “ hurtth " The quantity of beeT J 
which the students drink is really astonishing. It 
is so weak that there is not much dauger of get¬ 
ting intoxicated upon it, though it sometimes hap- * 
pens that beginners after a night's caropsal have - 
what the Germans call “ katzenyammer.” The beer 
glasses iavailably hold a pint; it is very common 
for a student to drink twelve or fifteen in the course 
of an evening, and I have known some who at a 
"commtrz " drank thirty. 
Illustcatfb fijjpajpjjg—' 
HENRY WARDSWOLITH LONGFELLOW. 
This celebrated American poet, the son of Hon. 
Stephen Longfellow, of Portland, Maine, was 
horn in that city, February 27, 1807. Under the 
eye of his father, his preparatory studies were pur¬ 
sued in the schools of Portland, and he entered 
Bowdoin College, in Maine, when fourteen years 
of age. A decided talent at poetry manifested 
itself at a very early sge, and previous to bis ma¬ 
triculation he bad written several fugitive pieces, 
which indicated the growing genius of the em¬ 
bryo poet While in College he contiiboted some 
spirited poems to the “‘United States Literary Ga- 
zstte.” After the usual course of Btudy, he grad¬ 
uated with the highest honors of his class, in 1825. 
On finishing his collegiate course, Mr. Longfel¬ 
low entered the law office of his father, where for 
a year or two he divided his time between the 
musty tomes of the law and the green bowers of 
the muses. The professorship of modern langua¬ 
ges in his alma mater becoming vacant, he was 
called to occupy its chair. Accordingly he bade 
a cheerful adieu to the uncongenial study of Coke 
and Littleton and sailed for Europe, where he 
spent three years, dividing his time between Eng¬ 
land, France, Spain, Holland, Italy, and Germany, 
gathering such stores of knowledge as might fit 
him for the acceptable discharge of the duties of 
his professorship. 
In 1829, he returned home, and entered at once 
upon his labors. He remained an incumbent of 
the chair of modern languages in Bowdoin for the 
space of six years, during which he discharged the 
duties of his office with great acceptance. Amidst 
his numerous official duties he found time for the 
general study of literature, and contributed seve¬ 
ral valuable articles to the North American Re¬ 
view. During the last year of hi3 residence at 
Brunswick, he published an English translation of 
the celebrated Spanish poem written by Don Jorge 
Manrique on the death of his father, to which was 
added an essay, full of critical beauty, on Spanish 
poetry. 
For lloore’i Rural Naw-Yorker. 
HEAT LIGHTNINd-WHiiT IS IT? 
The lack of intellectual amusements among the 
students is probably owing in a great measure to 
the government. Literary and debating societies 
could not be well sustained, for the discussions 
would invariably turn npon politics, and the lib 
eral, outspoken opinions of the minority of the 
students woald give the authorities a pretext for 
mterteriug. Besides, there is scarcely any incen¬ 
tive to oratory and debate, for where is the are ua 
in Germany on which ability in these department* 
can be sbiningly displayed. In America and Eng¬ 
land the student is scarcely less ambitions to dis¬ 
tinguish himself in his debating society than in 
the recitation room, and he looks forward to the 
bar or legislative hall as the scene of his contests 
and triumphs in future years. The German stu¬ 
dent, if he is ambitious, devotee himself to his 
books, with a prospect of success only if he stands 
in the first ranks. He becomes a walking folio of 
musty knowledge. In literature he must be at 
least a Hauff or a Lsn an, to earn his subsistence, 
and if ho enters the church it is very probable, 
despite his deep knowledge of Greek, Latin, He¬ 
brew, and metuohyaics, that he will spend his life, 
ministering to the spiritual wants of a congrega- 
tioii of ignorant peasants in some obscure village, 
l et it is this absence of opportunity of rising at 
the bar and in politics which has turned the great 
minus Ot iiBNUHny to Bftitiftf'n flfir) lifpMature otw* 
This is one of the common phenomena of the 
atmosphere, which is easy to he misunderstood.— 
Like many other things, however, the circum¬ 
stances need only to be carefully observed. Most 
people will not do this for want of time or iuterest; 
yet they readily understand the explanation when 
ft is made to them. This is now proposed to be 
done for all your readers who will think far a few 
moments, and desire a satisfactory solutiou of the 
matter. 
Lightning is connected with clouds, hat is de¬ 
veloped in peculiar circumstances. All know that 
most clouds do not exhibit it. The reason why 
any clouds show it, is of no consequence in this 
case, only it appears chiefly in hot weather. 
Heat Lightning is bo called because it appears 
in a clear sky on a hot evening. It is unattended 
by thunder the observer says, because he does not 
hear it. So also the lightning of thundershowers 
is often so remote that its explosion (thunder) 
does not reach the ear. It is uot called heat 
lightning because it has over been found, or proved 
by any one or by all men, that heat can produce 
lightning. It is a name given merely to indicate 
minds ot Germany to acience and literature) aud K . 8 * 1118 a aamo S lveQ merely to indicate 
given her the pro roundest scholars and the richest ^ ie circumstances of its appearance. Observers 
language ol modem times. have long since found that the so-called heat 
The students have torch-light processions quite lightning is the flashing of lightning formed in 
mm”? Me "t” Sf, h ° rl “\ 0 ' ‘ he bell ° 1Je '- Tl " 
of the Theological Department. The procession * acts are the followiu S- Soon after snnset of a 
marched the whole leugth of the Hauptstrasse ,10t ^ ia summer, with the sky clear of clouds, 
from the market place, to the Mannhini gate, and lightning flashes above the western horizon; soon 
then to the Kirohhof, at the foot of the mountains another, and another, white no cloud appears.— 
outside ot the city. It was headed bv a bun. l nf ... - . . . , . “ „ appears, 
music, playing a solemn requiem, feehind the “ repeatcd “ d rtpeated for ® Mf hour or 
music came the hearse, drawn by four horses._ more - Only call it heat lightning and you are 
Flowers and wreaths were laid on the top of the satisfied. No, by no means. You see it again* 
pall. On each side walked four students, bearing and now a cloud is also seen lying along tho hor- 
mverted torches, behind came the rest of the pro- .. . 
cession also bearing torches, numbering a bun- , * lightning is repeated, and flashes high* 
dred nnd twenty, tttior which ftoccccded a few oar- er a3 * 46 cloud nsee. At length you see the 
riages. The lurid smoko rose in a cloud from the lightning in the thunder head risen above the 
many burning torches, and as the train became horizon, which sends its flash upon the still, cloud- 
more and more distant, the lights fainter and less sky above The shower move* onward with 
fainter, and the measured music and roll of the ' 100 8 “ ower mo ™ uUwar<i Wlt “ 
In 1335, the professorship of modern languages 
and beiles lettres, in Harvard University, became 
vacant. Resigning hia chair at Brunswick, he ac¬ 
cepted the trust reposed in him by the government 
of Harvard, and immediately sailed once more for 
Earope, where he spent one year in acquiring a 
more thorough acquaintance with the languages 
of Northern Europe. He visited Denmark, Swe¬ 
de o, Switzerland and the Germanic States, availing 
himself of the aid of the most eminent men in these 
places, and collecting a valuable library, with 
which he returned to Cambridge in the following 
year, and at once assumed the duties of the vacant 
professorship, to the labors and responsibilities, 
the honors and emoluments, of which he was inau¬ 
gurated in 1336. 
On the return oi Mr. Longfellow from Europe, 
he published his “Outre Mer," a production on 
whtch the critics have heaped both anathema and 
eulogy in no stinted measure. Since entering 
upon the duties of his prolessorship at Cambridge, 
he has been a vigilant traveler in the fields of lit¬ 
erature and poetry, from which he has colled many 
a choice bouquet for the admiration of hia coun¬ 
trymen and the world at large. He has given 
many volumes to the world, several of which have 
been translated into the various living languages 
of Earope. and which have contributed not a little 
to the reputation of their author and American 
literature. 
The following is a list of his published works, 
besides those already mentioned:—“Hyperion," a 
lomance; “Voices of the Night," a collection of 
poems, both published in 1839; a second collection 
of poems, entitled “Ballads, and other Poems,'' in 
1341; "Poems on Slavery," in 1843; “The Span¬ 
ish Student," a play, in 1313; “The Poets and 
Poetry of Europe," end “ The Belfry of Bruges,' 
in 1845: “Evangeline," in 1347: “Kavanagb, a 
Tale," in 1848; “The Seaside and Fireside,” in 
1849; “The Golden Legend," in 1851, and “Hia¬ 
watha, an Indian Legend," in 1856. 
ning in clouds below your horizon, and hence in¬ 
visible till the cloud had advanced nearer to you. 
A few evenings since the heat lightning appear¬ 
ed in the southwest part of the horizon. I watch¬ 
ed its continued flashing for an hour, and no cloud 
appeared to my eye. At length the flashing had 
moved eastward till nearly in the south a vivid 
flash showed the rolled up masses of the thunder- 
heads just above the horizon. That heat lightning 
was only the common lightning of the thunder 
6torm below my horizon throwing np its flashes on 
the cloudless atmosphere above. Had the shower 
been farther south, no clouds woald have appeared, 
and yet the origin of the lightning flashes wo-uld 
have been the same. Such instances often occur. 
Bat no one can doubt the source of such (so called) 
heat lightning, or avoid feeling the absurdity of 
the name. There has never occurred any case of 
heat lightning which did not originate in thisway. 
The matter Is plain; the solution distinct and ad¬ 
equate; no other cause is needed. He that run¬ 
neth may read by the light of it c. o. 
Rochester, N. Y., 1857. 
- 4 —-*-- 
Facts for tub Curious. — Thomas Jefferson 
and John Adams both died on the 4th of July, 
1826. John Adams died in his 91st year, and was 
eight years older than Thomas Jefferson; Thomas 
Jefferson was eight years older than James Madi¬ 
son; James Madison was eight years older than 
James Monroe; James Monroe was eight years 
older than John Quincy Adams. The first five of 
onr Presidents—all revolutionary men—ended 
their terms of service in the 66th year o: their 
age. Washington, born February 22, 1732; inau¬ 
gurated 1789; term of service expired in the 66th 
year of his age: John Adams, born October 19tb, 
1735; inaugurated 1797; term of service expired 
in the 66th year of his age: Thomas Jefferson, 
born April 21st, 1713; inaugurated 1801; term of 
service expired in the 66th year of his age: James 
Madison, bom March 4tb, 1751; inaugurated 1809; 
term of service expired in the 66th year of his 
age: James Monroe, born April *3d, 1759; inaugu- 
JIT'Z, '—n . uibuuu, vuc uguwi iwmct mu less say above. The shower moves onward with “s 0 - ‘“vnivv, uuiu Apm ju, iion; inaugu- 
alkSS |^ itn flashes higher up! till the of 8ervic * es » ired ia the 66th 
emblem of the last flickering:* of the spirit, and t)UUIier storm is upon your place. Now yon J ^ e ‘ _ _ 
beatings of tho heart, in that body they were bear know the origin and cause of tbIs (you called) heat Tn „„„ ~ " ~ 
Ing to the grave. lijrhtnincr on*i* i , C . , ' Iherr are about mne thousand cells in a square 
6 K lightning, and see it is only the flashing of light- foot of honey comb. 
laliktfj pusiitp. 
8ABBATH EVE. 
ET 0S0EB8 r». P8BNTI0U. 
How calmly finks the parting etm' 
Yet twilight Ungers stiff, 
And beautiful as dreams of Heaven, 
'Tis slumbering ou the hilL 
Earth sleeps with all her glorious things, 
Beneath the Holy Spirit's wings, 
And rendering buck the hues above— 
Seems resting in a trance of lore. 
Mysterious music from the pines, 
O'er you dark rocks reclined. 
Falls like the whlfpered words of peace 
Upon the heavenly mind; 
And winds with pinions steeped in dew, 
Breathe gently, as if stealing through 
From Eden's bower?, they came to bless 
The Spirit with their holiness. 
And yonder glittering throng of clouds 
Retiring from the sky. 
So calmly move, so sweetly glow 
They seem t. fancy's eye 
Bright creatures of a better sphere, 
Come down at noon and worship here; 
And from that aaerifioe of love, 
Returslng to their homes above. 
The blue isle of the golden sea. 
The night arch floating high. 
The flowers that gaze upon the heavens, 
The bright streams leaping by, 
Are living with religion; deep 
Its glories on the waters sleep. 
And mingle with the moon's pale rays 
Like the soft light of parted days. 
The spirit of the holy eve, 
Comes through the silent air, 
To feeling's hidden spring, and wakes 
The gush of music there; 
And the far depths of ether beam 
So passing fair, we almost deem 
That we can rtee and wander through 
Their open paths of trackless blue. 
Each soul is filled with glorious dreams, 
Each pulse is beating wild, 
And thought is soaring to the shrine 
Of glory undefi ted. 
And holy inspirations start 
Forth from the temple of the heart, 
And chain—for earth's dark ties are riven— 
Our spirits to the gates of heaven. 
For Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
THOUGHTS. 
Reflection is a flower ol the mind, and a flower 
of mind, like a flower of earth, giveth fragrance of 
its kind. Like the blossom of a papaver, so is the 
fragrance cf evil thought Better were it if mind 
drank the poppy’s opiate, than to breed thoughts 
corrupting to mental wisdom. By reading, we 
garner from the fields of wisdom, but by thinking, 
we fill the storehouse of memory. Meditation 
winnoweth the products of thought Memory 
receiveth from mind, as a bank, the deposits of 
wealth, but drafts thereon only increase the wealth 
of its treasures. Read little and think much; for 
better is little with meditation than much with 
levity inconsiderate. Scon well the productions of 
thy observation, and reason npon the objects 
around yon. And to store thy memory with wis¬ 
dom, seek well the teachings of thy Bible. For 
who can measure the value of Omnipotence, or 
know the extent of God's understanding. Real 
and think understandingly, and with all, meditate 
with prayer. For without asking, yon have no 
promise of receiving; and without the blessing of 
thy God thy reason profiteth little. a. l. j, 
Gaines, N Y-, 1851. 
■ ■ — ♦ ■ » - 
The Will op God. —I often think that the real 
value of whatever we do is proportioned by the 
I conformity with which we do it to the will of God. 
If in merely eating or drinking, I do it because it 
is the will of God that I should, I am doing what 
is more agreeable to him than if I were to do what 
should even cost me my life, without any such 
Divine intention. I would advise you often, da¬ 
ring the day, beseech. God that he would inspire 
you with a roal tove of your vocation, and that 
you should say, like St. Paul, when he was convert¬ 
ed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?— 
Wouldst thou that l should serve thee in the low¬ 
est office in thy house? I will reckon myself here, 
too, blest. Provided I serve thee. I care not in 
what capacity." And coming more particularly 
to what is vexing you, say, “ Wouldest thon that I 
should do such and such a thing? Alas! O Lord, 
though I am not worthy, willingly will I do it"— 
St, Francis de Sales. 
Pbivatx Prayer.— “Philosophy,"said the good 
and great Richard Watson, “asks a reason for the 
offering of prayer, and, waiting for answer never 
prays as all. Religion hears that God will be in 
quired of by all, thankfully bends the knee, touches 
the golden sceptre, and bears away the blessing." 
An apology for prayer is neither needed or at¬ 
tempted here, as we write for those who admit Its 
adaptation to man's utter dependency, and per¬ 
haps who pray themselves. We ask no other rea¬ 
son for calling upon the name of the Lord than 
the single command of our great Prophet:—“But 
thou, when thoa prayest, enter into thy closet, and 
when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father 
which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in 
secret, shall reward thee openly." This is onr au¬ 
thority, onr argument, for private prayer, sitting, 
as it does, like a jewel on the bosom of that all-per¬ 
fect book of divinity, the Sermon on the Mount. 
The Fueling Preacher.— He that can tell men 
what God hath done for his soul, is the likeliest to 
bring their souls to God; hardly can he speak to 
the heart, that speaks not from it. How can a 
frozen-hearted preacher warm his hearers' hearts, 
and enkindle them with the love of God? Bathe 
whom the love of Christ constrains, his Uvely 
recommendations of Christ, and speeches of love, 
shall sweetly constrain others to love him- Above 
all loves, it is most true of this, that none can 
speak sensibly of it but those that bare felt it 
Sorrow. —Sorrow is the night of the mind.— 
What would be a day without its night? The day 
reveals one sun only; and brings to light the 
whole of the universe. The analogy is complete. 
Sorrow is the firmament of thought and the school 
of intelligence. 
AUGUST 15. 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND F AMIL Y NEWSPAPER. 
