THE VILLAGE GRAVE YARD. SELDOM do I visit a village, especially if in a retired and secluded part, and I can spare the time, that I do not wander for half an hour in the grave yard, where "The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." And seldom do I retire unrewarded. The great lesson, that death levels all, is not only WE are gratified in being able to furnish a pictorial view of that ancient and remarkable edifice-the Porcelain Tower of Nanking; with a brief descriptive notice, taken from a Chinese account of the building. The paper, of which it is a translation, was recently obtained at the Tower by a British officer, by whom it was forwarded, through Dr. Philip, of Cape Town. The statement exhibits, in a striking but mournful manner, the gross credulity and superstition of that remarkable people. 666 "After the removal of the imperial residence from Nanking to Pekin, this temple was erected by the bounty of the emperor Yung-lo. The work of erection occupied a period of nineteen years. The building consists of nine stories of variegated porcelain, and its height is about three hundred and fifty feet, with a pine-apple of gilt copper at the summit. Above each of the roofs is the head of a dragon, from which, supported by iron rods, hang eight small bells; and below, at the right angles, are eighty bells-making in all one hundred and fifty-two. On the outside of the nine stages, there are one hundred and twenty-eight lamps; and below, in the centre of the octagonal hall, twelve porcelain lamps. Above, they illuminate the thirty-three heavens; and below, they enlighten both the good and the bad among men. On the top are two copper boilers, weighing twelve hundred pounds, and a dish of six hundred pounds weight, placed there in order constantly to avert human calamities. This pagado has been the glory of the ages since Yung-lo re-built and beautified it; and, as a monument of imperial gratitude, it is called The Temple of Gratitude. The expense of its erection was nearly two and a half millions of Chinese ounces of silver.' There are in the pagoda, as a charm against malignant influences, one carbuncle; as a preservative from water, one pearl; from fire, one pearl; from wind, one pearl; from dust, one pearl; with several Chinese translations of Sanskrit books relating to Buddha and Buddhism. The wall, at the bottom, is at least twelve feet thick. The staircase is narrow and troublesome, the steps being very high. The ceiling of each room is beautified with paintings, and the walls of the upper rooms have several niches full of carved idols. There are several priests, or bonzes, attached to the building, to keep it in order, and illuminate it on festival occasions. This is effected by means of lanterns made of thin oyster-shells, used instead of glass by the Chinese. These are placed at each of the angles on every story, and the effect of the subdued light on the highly reflective surface of the tower is striking and beautiful." In a late work on China, we find the following description of the city of Nanking and its environs, by one who had enjoyed the opportunity of personal observation :-"The view from the summit of a hill within the gate well rewarded us for the labour of the ascent-it was a perfect panorama. On one side, and as it were beneath our feet, lay the suburb which we had just quitted; the noble stream of the Yang-tsekeang, with its several branches, or rather subdivisions; beyond them the pagoda of the city of Pooken-hien; and a distant range of hills in the horizon. On the other side was a beautiful vale of many leagues in extent, the whole of which, with several lesser eminences within its compass, is included in the ancient boundaries of the imperial city. We could trace with the eye, assisted by a telescope, nearly the whole circuit of the walls; but, within the vast space which they enclosed, we looked almost in vain for the habitations of men, or any traces of the former populousness of this ancient capital of China. Even the very ruins and vestiges of the buildings, which we are led to conclude must formerly have filled the space, have disappeared; and the present clumps of trees, orchards, cultivated fields and gardens, and a few scattered farm houses, occupy their places. At a distance indeed, beyond the elevated ridge to the westward, we could perceive that a part of the valley was overhung with a cloud of smoke, which partially disclosed a few considerable buildings, and which, no doubt, arose from the portion of the city that continues to be inhabited. We could distinguish pretty clearly the roofs of two or three buildings resembling temples, two arched gateways and three pagodas, one of which, from its superior size and stateliness, and its nearness to the river, we immediately concluded to be the famous Porcelain Tower, and in this opinion we were confirmed by our Chinese conductors." WHO WILL BE A MISSIONARY? [One of our young friends (M. J. W.) has kindly furnished us with a well-written copy, from her own notes, of a missionary sermon to the young, which was delivered by Mr. Knill, in London, April 28, 1845, from which we have extracted the following remarks and anecdotes.] "After I returned from India, I went to Leeds, and was asked to preach to the young for the mission. I told them that in the Madras school there was a clever boy, who was a great favourite, and once, when I had been away some time, he came to see me, and said, 'There has been a dreadful scourge at Madras, sir, since you left.' 'What was that?' said I. 'The cholera morbus has carried off hundreds in a day.' 'Were you afraid?' 'Yes, sir, I was very much afraid till I found a cure.' A cure! what was that? how could you find a cure?' 'I found one in your bible, sir, and it was this, 'A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thonsand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee," Psalm xci. 7. I told this to the young people at Leeds, because it is an encouragement to send the truth abroad. After the service, I went to tea at a friend's house, and while I was there, there was a knock at the door, and the servant came and said, 'Mr. Knill, here is a young person who wishes to speak to you.' I said, 'shew him in ;' and in came a little boy. 'Well, my dear,' said I, what do you want?' 'I want to go, sir.' 'Well go, my dear, go home, and honour your parents, and be a good boy.' 'No, that is not what I mean, sir, I want to go to tell the black boys about Christ.' 'Oh! that is delightful; how old are you?' 'Ten years and a half, sir.' 'You are too young, you must go home and read more, and pray more, and understand the Bible better before you can go there.' 'I |