ound it. Some of the ancient Christians too, it
seems, used to go to church with a purpose of receiving as the will of
heaven the words of scripture that were singing at their entrance.

To pay a very great deference in opening upon a place of scripture, as
to its affording an assurance of salvation, used to be a very common
practice amongst the people called Methodists, but chiefly those of the
Calvinistic persuasion; this, it is probable, has declined in proportion
with the earnestness of these people in other respects. They had also
another opinion, viz. that if the recollection of any particular text of
scripture happened to arise in their minds, this was likewise looked
upon as a kind of immediate revelation from heaven. This they call being
presented or brought home to them!

* * * * *

THE GATHERER

"I am but a _Gatherer_ and disposer of other
men's stuff."--_Wotton_.

* * * * *

Whoever the following story may be fathered on, Sir John Hamilton was
certainly its parent. The duke of Rutland, at one of his levees, being
at a loss (as probably most kings, princes, and viceroys occasionally
are) for something to say to every person he was bound in etiquette to
notice, remarked to Sir John Hamilton that there was "a prospect of an
excellent crop:--the timely rain," observed the duke, "will bring every
thing above ground." "God forbid, your excellency!" exclaimed the
courtier. His excellency stared, whilst Sir John continued, sighing
heavily as he spoke:--"yes, God forbid! for I have got _three wives_
under it."--_Barrington's Sketches_.

* * * * *

It is a singular circumstance that Italia, or, as it is called in
English, Italy, has, under all the changes and revolutions to which it
has been subjected, always preserved its name. Every other country in
Europe is now known to its inhabitants by other names than were given to
it by their ancestors in the time of the Romans; but Italia continues to
be the name of the country at the present day, and we have no authentic
records by which we can ascertain that it ever bore any other.

* * * * *

SINGULAR INSCRIPTION.

_Written over the Ten Commandments in a church in Wales._

PRSVRYPRFCTMN
VRKPTHSPRCPTSTN

The meaning can only be developed by adding the vowel E, which makes the
sense thus--

Persevere ye perfect