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When I see a boy fond of the Bible, and well acquainted with it, I think it a sign that he will be a pious and happy

man.

And though great changes sometimes take place in the character, yet as a general rule these signs do not fail.— American.

"THE LORD GOD IS A SUN."
God is a sun; His glories shine
O'er earth with brilliancy divine;
But on the Christian's lonely way,
His presence kindles constant day ;-
No cloud need that bright radiance dim,
No lack have they who trust in Him.

God is a sun: His presence cheers
The wanderer through the vale of tears;
No warmth-save where His sunbeams glow;
No light-save where His glories flow;
No hope-save when his cheering ray
Illumes the pilgrim's onward way.

God is a sun in sorrow's night
He gives us hope, and joy, and light;
Glides the dark billow's surging foam,
And shines upon the saint's bright home:
Gaze on the sun with tearful eyes,
And, lo! the rainbow beauties rise.

O be my Sun: while in life's morn!
My onward path with grace adorn :
Each day, in sunlight I would dwell;
Each day, Thy presence I would feel ;
And, when life's noonday wanes to night,
"At evening time it shall be light."

And when all earthly shadows fly,
And Jordan's billowy flood rolls high,
Thy radiance then shall brightly gleam,
And make dark death a golden stream:
I'll plunge beneath the awful wave,-
The sun can cheer-the Lord can save!

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three feet in thickness, the inside is but about nine feet in the clear.

"About nine feet from the ground on the north side, it has a door five feet high, and two feet wide, which appears to have been the chief entrance. On the south side there are three of these doors, the lowest of which is, as nearly as I could measure it with my eye, about thirty feet from the ground. This tower is finished at top with a pyramidal or conical roof; and immediately under this, it has four doors or openings, which I found by my compass to be placed very nearly to the four cardinal points of heaven." That is, east, south, west, and north. "None of these doors or openings are arched; they are all finished with horizontal stones; but the lower door, or chief entrance mentioned above, has a piece of oak timber laid across as a lintel; and this oak, though a very little decayed on the outside where it is expossed to the weather, is otherwise perfectly sound, though it must have occupied its present situation for several centuries.

"There is no church, nor any remnant of any religious building near the tower; but the proprietor told me that in the adjoining grounds, human bones, teeth, &c., are frequently turned up by the plough and spade. Hence it is evident, that there has been a burying-place in the vicinity of this tower; and if a burying-place, consequently a church, or some religious building; as the dead were supposed to have repose, sanctuary, and safety in such consecrated places. When I was about to leave this building, the proprietor directed my attention to a stone, above the lintel of the principal door-way, which he said was supposed to contain some hieroglyphic. This stone, the only one in the building which appears to have been chiselled to a tolerable smoothness of surface, has portrayed on it a cross of very rude workmanship, with five deeply indented holes. The five holes were

in all probability designed to point out the five wounds which our blessed Lord received at his crucifixion, in his hands, his feet, and his side."

Dr. Clarke has also given descriptions of two other

round towers, in the article from which we have quoted. He says, "I found little to distingnish the Round Tower at Swords, near Dublin, from any of the same kind which I had seen in other parts. It stands fifty-six feet from the church, and is about seventy-three feet high; the top or conical roof, appears to have been rebuilt at no very distant period; it is surmounted with a cross of the same age with the repairs. This is stated to be one of the most perfect round towers in Ireland; but this is to be considered only in reference to its repaired state; for in other respects it is far less perfect than that at ANTRIM. It has also the four doors under the conical finishing, like the preceding; and the walls of it are four feet in thickness. The person who rebuilt the top has rough-cast the whole tower; this is said to have been done about forty years ago. Here are the ruins of an ancient monastery, probably of that founded by St. Columb in 512, part of which serves for the church, near to which the round tower stands; and also the very extensive remains of the palace of the archbishops of Dublin, who, several centuries ago, had their residences here."

When referring to the round tower at Munster Boyce, Dr. Clarke says "The small village of Munster Boyce is situated about three miles beyond Drogheda, half a mile on the left of the road leading to Dundalk. This tower, a part of the top of which is fallen down, appears to be of the same workmanship, and of the same age, with that near Antrim. The walls are nearly of the same thickness, and the building of the same diameter. At the time I visited this tower, I had no means of taking the height, but it is said to be 110 feet. It has evidently had the four doors at the top, under the conical roof, which we have observed in the others. The door or principal entrance, is about five feet from the ground, but formerly it must have been much higher; as the earth is raised some feet round its base by frequent burials. On entering it, I found it to be a mere hollow cone; some reckon a division of five stories, marked by rings of stone slightly projecting; but to me these were not very distinct. That at Antrim

has such projections on which a floor might rest, and undoubtedly there must have been some such stages in this and all others of this kind, in order to ascend to the top; where, according to a supposition which I shall shortly state, the chief business of the tower was transacted.

"Relative to the use of those round towers there have been three principal opinions.

"1. That they were watch towers. This is very unlikely, as they are generally situated in low grounds, and consequently, a person, even on their top, could not discern danger till almost at hand, and even when discerned, could, not propagate the alarm to a sufficient distance, to excite the inhabitants of a whole country to provide for their safety.

This was first

"2. That they were penitentiaries. broached on the authority of one of the legends of the country, which gravely stated, that the delinquent was first placed at the top, and in proportion to the depth and duration of his penitence, he descended from stage to stage, till at last he got to the lower floor, where he received absolution, and was liberated from his confinement, and the penance annexed to it. This seems so completely whimsical, as to entitle it to no credit.

"3. That they were belfries. Had not some late eminent antiquarians leaned to this opinion, it could never have gained even the little credit that it now has. It is very likely that some of these towers were built long before bells were used in or about churches; and long before the Roman Church had any footing in this country."

After some remarks on the uses made of towers and minarets in Asia, Dr. Clarke says, "But to return to the round towers of Ireland, to which I have intended to apply all these observations; when I consider the remains of Asiatic customs, both religious and civil, which exist among the aboriginal inhabitants of Ireland,-when I consider the fact that they received the Christian religion by means of Asiatic Missionaries, when I consider that a species of round tower was anciently in use among the Asiatics, and that the minaret is still in use for the purpose of announc

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