moon; which, they say, has a very cooling effect on the body.*

The people of the East, in very remote antiquity, were also acquainted with the influence of the moon on the sea. Thus, in that ancient book, the Scanda Purāna, mention is made of the restoration to life of the king of the Assurs by the supreme Siva, to whom he had offered himself as a sacrifice. When his subjects saw him alive again, they "cried aloud, 'Our king is come! our king is come!' and their minds swelling like the ocean on seeing the full moon, they shouted, 'O king! prosper, prosper!""

They believe the moon causes the sea to flow or swell, and that the sun makes it ebb or subside. See the observations on Psalm cxxi. 6.

Though a few of the following extracts may excite a smile on some countenances; yet, in connexion with the opinions of antiquity and of modern days, and with the sentiments of the philosophers both of the East and the West, it may be well to give them an impartial investigation. In ridding ourselves of some of the crude notions of the dark ages, we may have too hastily rejected others of their dogmas, which, if they cannot demand our confidence, may at least excite inquiry. Amidst all the lumber which such writers as Culpepper and Sibley have accumulated, some truth is undoubtedly contained; and though human reason may not always be able to account for certain facts, yet, their existence being cognizable by the senses, they call for our candid consideration.

Dr. Johnson, in his "Journey to the Western Islands," tells us, the "inhabitants expect better crops of grain, by sowing their seed in the moon's increase."

"Pease and beans sown during the increase, do run more to hawm and straw; and, during the declension, more to cod, according to the common consent of countrymen."-TUSSER REDIVIVUS.

In Montgomery Martin's "History of the British Colonies," we have the following account of the influence of the moon :"In considering the climate of tropical countries, the influence of the moon seems to be entirely overlooked and surely, if the tides of the vast ocean are raised from their fathomless

:

Do gardeners, farmers, or even physicians, pay sufficient attention to this

circumstance?

K

bed by lunar power, it is not too much to assert that the tides of the atmosphere are liable to a similar influence. This much is certain, that in the low lands of tropical climates, no attentive observer of nature will fail to witness the power exercised by the moon over the seasons, and also on animal and vegetable nature. As regards the latter, it may be stated, that there are thirteen springs and thirteen autumns, in Demarara, in the year; for so many times does the sap of trees ascend to the branches, and descend to the roots. For example the wallaba, (a resinous tree, common in the Demarara woods, somewhat resembling mahogany,) if cut down in the dark, a few days before the new moon, is one of the most durable woods in the world for house-building, &c. : in that state, attempt to split it, and with the utmost difficulty it will be riven in the most jagged, unequal manner that can be imagined. Cut down another wallaba, that grew within a few yards of the former, at full moon, and the tree can be easily split into the finest smooth shingles, of any desired thickness, or into staves for making casks; but if in this state it be applied to house-building, it speedily decays. Again: bamboos, as thick as a man's arm, are sometimes used for paling, &c.; if cut at the dark moon, they will endure for ten or twelve years; if at full moon, they will be rotten in two or three years: thus it is with most, if not all, of the forest trees. Of the effects of the moon on animal life, very many instances could be cited. I have seen in Africa the newly-littered young perish in a few hours, at the mother's side, if exposed to the rays of the full moon; fish become rapidly putrid; and meat, if left exposed, incurable, or unpreservable by salt. The mariner, heedlessly sleeping on deck, becomes afflicted with nyctolopia, or 'night-blindness,' at times the face hideously swollen, if exposed, during sleep, to the moon's rays; the maniac's paroxysms renewed, with fearful vigour, at the full and change; and the cold, damp chill of the ague supervening on the ascendancy of this apparently mild yet powerful luminary. Let her influence over this earth be studied: it is more powerful than is generally known."

I will only add, that though the moon may have more influence over vegetation, and on the rising and falling of the sap, in tropical than in temperate climates, it is well worth the experiment, to try whether the sap is not regulated in this

country by the rising or waning of the moon; and whether the dry-rot may not be thus accounted for. Let a hole be bored in a tree which produces the most sap, or in the oak, and insert a small glass tube and a vessel to receive it; and see whether the moisture does not vary according to the age of the moon. It might be well also to ascertain whether the quantity does not change with the months, which might be proved by tapping twelve trees of the same kind, one in every successive month.

JOSHUA.

CHAP. II.

As soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man.-Verse 11.

IN the book called Scanda Purana, it is said, that Sooran, the demi-god, who was at the head of the Assurs, inquired of Velle, their Gooroo: "What is your object in coming hither? My very bones melt, so that I am not myself; my whole mind is fixed on you: my feet cannot urge me forward."

Thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by.-Verse 18.

The scarlet thread, in this instance, might be nothing more than a sign: it is, however, sacred among the Hindoos. When the devotees hear the history of the god Pulliar, which takes up twenty-one days, a scarlet thread is tied round the right arm, which shows that they are engaged in a sacred duty, and that during that period "they will not commit sin." When the priest whispers the ubatheasam in the ear of a youth, the thread is tied in the same way, to denote the same thing. On the day of marriage, the scarlet thread is bound round the right wrist, but is taken off on the fourth day. When a person learns to fence, or goes into battle, the thread is fixed round the right arm or right ankle. The priest also sometimes binds it round the wrist of a person in the article of death. It is called kapu, which signifies "guard or pro

tector;" and is applied also, in the same sense, to bracelets, armlets, or anklets. A person having on the scarlet thread, will not be interrupted; and during the period, he will neither shave nor bathe, and will endeavour to be very moral. See Gen. xxxviii. 28.

CHAP. VI.

The seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.-Verse 4.

No heathen priest would blow a trumpet, or any other wind instrument, as that service is performed by a particular caste. If a priest touch any thing with his lips which has been near the mouth of another, he is at once rendered unclean.

For the sacrifice of the yāgam, seven priests are especially required. A man who has been long absent from his temple, goes round it, on his return, seven times from the left to the right. When devotees have a particular favour to ask of the gods, they walk round three or seven times, with their hands clasped before them.

CHAP. VII.

And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the even-tide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.-Verse 6. See Job ii. 12. Joshua and the elders of Israel were in great distress, because they had been defeated by the men of Ai, and because they saw in that a token of the divine displeasure. They therefore fell prostrate before the ark of the Lord, and put dust on their heads as an emblem of their sorrow. See 1 Sam. iv. 12; 2 Sam. i. 2; Neh. ix. 1.

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How often is the mind affectingly thrown ancient custom, by similar scenes at this day! See the poor object, bereft of wife, children, property, friends, or suffering under some deep affliction of body! He sits on the ground, with his eyes fixed downwards, a dirty rag round his loins, his arms folded, his jewels laid aside, his hair dishevelled and covered with dust; and, bitterly bemoaning his condition, he exclaims, Iyo! iyo! iyo!" Alas! alas! alas!"

CHAP. IX.

Take victuals with you for the journey.-Verse 11. The Hebrew has, for with you, "in the hand."

When people are directed to take any thing with them, it is always said, Un-kailea, "In your hand take."

CHAP. X.

Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon.-Verse 12. See Hab. iii. 11.

In the Scanda Purāna it is recorded of the demi-god Sooran, that when he heard of the death of his brother, he "was plunged into a sea of grief; he fell from his throne on the earth, and cried out like the roaring of thunder. The earth and the sea began to quake, the infernal Yama trembled, the god of fire was bereft of power, the god of wind was troubled, and the sun and moon ran off astounded at the scene."

When the sun stood still over Gibeon, and the moon over Ajalon, a great battle was being fought betwixt five kings on the one side, and Joshua and the Gibeonites on the other.

In the book called Pāratham, there is an account of a battle which was fought betwixt five princes on the one hand, and one hundred on the other; on which occasion the light of the sun was concealed, for the purpose of allowing the one party to conquer the other.

"In the regions of Attanap-Oor lived two kings, who were brothers. The one had one hundred sons, but the other had only five. He with the large family, finding great difficulty in providing for them, wickedly endeavoured to despoil his brother and five children, in order that his own sons might reign in their stead. After many false accusations, for the purpose of seeking a quarrel, a relation of the one hundred princes slew one of their five cousins. The father, on hearing of the death of his son, became enraged, and said, 'Before the morrow's sun shall set, I will slay the murderer, or cast myself into the fire.' The message being sent to the offenders, they prepared for the contest. The murderer was a giant, being four cubits taller than the rest of his fellows; and therefore