whom this volume, so accessible to all, and so worthy of all our thoughts, is neglected like any common thing, or to whom it is as a sealed book. In the contemplation of this far more rich possession, we may soothe our regrets at the loss of the library of Kirjath-sepher.

"But, after all, what did become of these books? When Caleb acquired the city, did he preserve or destroy them? It does not seem to us likely that he would treat with much respect books which, however precious they might be to us, in our day, for the illustration of ancient history and ethnography, would, in his eyes, exhibit much that was profane and abominable. The whole had probably the flavor of idolatry, and much must have had reference to the superstitious rites and acts to which the Canaanites were addicted; and these things, however interesting they may be as materials of antiquarian investigation into matters long since extinct, are received differently as living and actual things. At the present day, a nobleman will give large sums for a collection of the very broadsides and chap-books, with which, at the time of their publication, one or two centuries ago, a gentleman would have scorned to soil his fingers. Besides, the collection very probably included records and covenants respecting the ancient arrangement of estates and territories, which a conquering people would have no interest in preserving, but had a very obvious interest in destroying. So it is by no means unlikely that old Caleb threw the entire bundle of books that formed the library of Kirjath-sepher into the fire. We may the rather think so, as, although the name of Kirjath-sepher is a perfectly intelligible one in Hebrew, the conqueror evidently regarded it with no favor, for he hastened to change its name to Debir, by which it was afterwards known. Yet we should not like to press too much on this. For even the new name seems to have some analogy to the old reputation of the place. Debir means a 'word,' or 'oracle,' and is applied to that most secret and separated part of the temple-the holy of holies—in which the ark of God was placed, and where his oracles were delivered from between the cherubim. It is, therefore, not unlikely that this, equally with the old name, although in another form, communicates the facts that Debir had been some particularly

sacred place or seat of learning among the Canaanites, and the repository of their books and records. It is, indeed, quite possible that it was not, at a later day, without some regard to the old reputation of the place as a seat of ancient learning, that it was made a city of the priests. The town appears to have lain a few miles to the west of Hebron, but no traces of it has yet been discovered."

The incidents in the life of Samson comprising the several chapters entitled the Nazarite-the Lion-the Riddle-the Foxes-the Jawbone-the Gates of Gaza-the Beguilement― the Secret, and the Avengement, strike us as peculiarly graphic and interesting. But we may say this of many others in both the volumes hitherto issued.

How well Dr. Kitto knows the force and importance of undesigned coincidences in the Scripture narrative, and how skilfully he uses them will be understood by an extract relative to the plague of hail with which Pharoah was visited. (Exod. ix. 22-32.)

"It is well worthy of notice, as one of the numerous incidents which evince the authenticity of the narrative, by facts which show the writer's familiar knowledge of Egypt, and by circumstances impossible to a fabricator-that the time when this occurred is included within the period during which alone the cattle are turned out to graze in Egypt. This is in the months of January, February, March, and April. In these months only can green food be found, and during the rest of the year the animals are supplied with dry fodder. It was about the middle of this period that the recorded event occurred, and correspondingly the cattle are described as abroad in the fields. At any other period of the year this incident would have been very inappropriate and untrue.

66

Again, we are told: The flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye were not smitten, for they were not grown up." This is one of those texts which have a bearing on the authenticity of the composition in which they appear, the more satisfactory on account of their unobtrusive character. The fact here mentioned is not of the sort which tradition would be at all likely to preserve, or an historian of any subsequent age to

introduce. But in an eye-witness of the scene, excited as his mind was by its whole aspect, it was natural to record such particulars. It would have been unaccountable in a writer otherwise circumstanced. The peculiar nature of the climate and physical constitution of Egypt, produces particular conditions with respect to these products, which do not apply to the neighbouring countries; and it is this fact which renders such indications peculiarly valuable and important. Flax and barley are there nearly ripe, when wheat and spelt are yet green. Barley is especially important in Egypt. It there comes to maturity about a month earlier than wheat, and its harvest is peculiarly abundant. Barley and flax are generally ripe in March, wheat and spelt in April, the two latter coming to maturity about the same time. In the land of Canaan the season for the ingathering of all these products is from a month to six weeks later."

But we have already extended this paper to an unusual length, and have only space to add that our readers, anxious to learn more respecting this work, may make it their own at a very reasonable cost.

POPISH CREDULITY.

To the Editor of the Youths' Magazine.

In your last volume, at page 68, you give an account of some continental "Popish cheats." You need not have travelled thus far to expose the "lying wonders" of Romanism. We have miracle-mongers enough in our own land, and almost at our own doors. The following account is extracted from a so-called "Catholic" periodical, printed in London only ten years since. To say nothing of the impiety of the thing, what has become of that writer's common sense, who really thinks that a sprig of moss, or the "devout use" of a well, could work the miraculous cures assigned to them—that the tracks of wheels made on the "surface" of a river eight centuries ago are there still, or that the halt of two oxen, on a hill side, could cause a perennial spring to burst forth?

"A recent instantaneous and complete cure,” says this writer, "obtained by the pious use of a small portion of moss from St.

Walstan's well, has happily drawn the attention and directed the devotion of many faithful souls to the too long neglected name of St. Walstan. The recent cure is far from standing a solitary witness of the blessing accorded to the patronage of this saint, even in this unbelieving generation: and though his very name has been forgotten in other parts, devotion to him has been ever kept alive in this immediate neighbourhood—the place of his birth, the scene of his saintly life, and the sepulchre of his hallowed remains.

"The narrative given from Capgrave in his 'Nova Legenda Angliæ,' is perfectly familiar to many in this part of Norfolk, and the traditionary accounts here agree in the principal par ticulars with the history of Capgrave. But vain must be any attempt now to determine whether they were mere variations of his account, or whether he compiled his legend from the traditions preserved from the eleventh century, in which the saint died. The old men of our day, many of whom the present writer has interrogated, all agree in designating as the place where St. Walstan served at Taverham, the farm below the church and near to the river; and they point out the place where the oxen, which conveyed him to his burial, crossed the river Wensum, in a deep part, opposite a rustic lodge at one entrance of Lord Stafford's park, called the Beehive Lodge. We have known those who have protested that they could plainly discern, on the surface of the water, the tracks of the wheels alluded to by Capgrave. But this at least proves that the history of St. Walstan has been preserved with remarkable tenacity, even to our days, in his immediate locality.

“There are still remaining three wells bearing the name of St. Walstan one at Taverham, one at Cossey (Costissey) and the most celebrated at Babur, (Bawburgh.) Of the well at Taverham, Capgrave says nothing, nor is it mentioned by any other writer. Yet tradition calls it St. Walstan's well, equally with the other two; and, since Taverham was so long blessed with the presence and edified by the virtues of the saint, it is most probable that the well there is equally venerable. It is, however, the smallest of the three, and is only now a little gush of very clear water, in the midst of a small wood, on the rising ground, some way above the church. May not this spot have

been the site of the forest where the saint was miraculously preserved from injury, when obliged by his cruel mistress to load thorns with his bare feet ?* The writer has never ascertained the exact position of the meadow in which St. Walstan died. But there is so little meadow land in the parish of Taverham, that it must have been near the river side, and probably close to the farm where the saint lived in voluntary servitude.

"The well at Cossey is more remarkable and better preserved. The history states, that where the oxen stopped when conveying the saint's body to be buried, a well sprang up. Capgrave states this to have happened at Cossey on the top of a certain high hill. The well remains to this day. It is not at the top of the hill, though a considerable way up, and much above the level of the water at the foot of the hill. The water enters the well from one side, so that the spring may be still higher up. The hill, though not high, is extremely steep, particularly above the well, which makes it very probable that the oxen rested half way up, where the well actually is. It is now a large opening with a thick lining of flint stones round the inside, and laurels and other shrubs planted round it. It is situated near a hermitage of reeds in Lord Stafford's park, and the way leading to it has always been called St. Walstan's Well-walk. This well in Cossey park is about two miles from Taverham, and between three and four from Babur.

"From the top of this hill, the oxen would, as Capgrave says, 'pass down' to Babur; and the spot where they stopped there, is a little below the church, and at the foot of the steep eminence on which it stands. This well at Babur is the most renowned of the three which bears the name of St. Walstan, and the only one, as far as we know, where any miraculous cures have been received. It presents at this day a very humble and neglected appearance, being merely a circular opening about a yard across, and about the same in depth, and obscurely

The tradition says, "that he boldly trod, with his naked feet, on the briers, as if upon rose blossoms, without the injury of the slightest prick."

+ This fountain is said to have sprung up "contrary to the nature of the place;" as if there were anything miraculous in the fact of springs bursting forth in such situations, than which nothing is really more common.