So the poor Rabbi was taken into a chamber, where he passed the remainder of the night and day, weeping and praying to the Lord for deliverance. At sunset the Demon

returned, and set before him a dainty dish; but he begged to be excused. Thus three days passed away, the dishes offered ever daintier, and the Rabbi's appetite ever keener. But by the grace of God the Rabbi was firm in his refusal.

Then the Demon took a torch in his hand, and led the Rabbi through winding passages of his palace to the door of a lofty chamber, which he opened with a key that he took from a niche in the wall. On entering the room, Jochonan saw that it was of solid silver,-floor, ceiling, walls, even to the threshold and the doorposts. And the curiously-carved roof and borders of the ceiling shone in the torchlight as if they were the fanciful work of frost. In the midst were heaps of silver money, piled up in immense urns of the same metal, even over the brim.

"Thou hast done me a serviceable act," said the Demon; "take of these what thou pleasest—aye, were it the whole.”

"I cannot, my lord," said Jochonan. "I was adjured by thee to come hither in the name of God, and in that name I came, not for fee or for reward."

"Follow me," said the Prince of the Demons; and Jochonan did so into an inner chamber.

Its golden

It was of gold, as the other was of silver. roof was supported by pillars and pilasters of gold, resting upon a golden floor. The treasures of the earth would not purchase one of the four-and-twenty vessels of golden coins which were disposed in six rows along the room. The heart of Jochonan was moved by avarice when he saw them shining in yellow light. But God enabled him to persevere.

"These are thine," said the Demon: "one of the vessels which thou beholdest would make thee richest of the sons of men."

But Jochonan refused again, and the Prince opened the door of a third chamber, which was called the Hall of

Diamonds. When the Rabbi entered, he uttered a cry of surprise, and put his hands over his eyes, for the lustre of the jewels dazzled him. In vases of agate 10 were heaped diamonds beyond numeration, the smallest of which was larger than a pigeon's egg. On alabaster 11 tables lay amethysts, topazes, rubies, beryls, and all other precious stones, wrought by the hands of skilful artists, beyond power of computation. This was a sore trial for the Rabbi; but he was strengthened from above, and he refused again.

THE RESULT.

Far different from the other chambers, the one into which the Rabbi was next introduced was a mean and paltry apartment without furniture. On its filthy walls hung innumerable bunches of rusty keys of all sizes, disposed without order. Among them, to the astonishment of Jochonan, hung the keys of his own house, which he had so carefully concealed on leaving home.

"What dost thou see," said the Demon, "that makes thee look so eagerly? Can he who has refused silver, and gold, and diamonds, be moved by a paltry bunch of rusty iron ?" They are mine own, my lord," said the Rabbi ; will I take, if they be offered me."

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"them

"Take them, then," said the Demon, putting them into his hand: "thou mayest depart. But, Rabbi, open not thy house only when thou returnest to Cairo, but thy heart also. That thou didst not open it before was that which gave me power over thee. It was well that thou didst one act of charity in coming with me without reward, for it has been thy salvation. Be no more Rabbi Jochonan the miser."

The Rabbi bowed to the ground, and blessed the Lord for his escape. "But how," said he, "am I to return? for I

know not the way."

"Close thine eyes," said the Demon.

He did so, and in the space of a moment heard the same

voice ordering him to open them again. And behold, when he opened them, he was lying on his own bed in his house at Cairo, just as though he had spent the night at home.

When he had recovered from his surprise, and had offered thanksgivings to God, he opened his house and his heart also. He gave alms to the poor, he cheered the heart of the widow, and lightened the destitution of the orphan. His hospitable board was open to the stranger, and his purse was at the service of all who needed to share it. His life was a perpetual act of benevolence, and the blessings showered upon him by all were returned bountifully upon him by the hand of God.

PARLIAMENT.

PARLIAMENT consists of two chambers, commonly called the House of Lords and House of Commons, and sometimes styled the Upper and Lower House respectively.

THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

The House of Lords is composed of the nobility of the land, who are called Peers, or equals, and of the Archbishops and Bishops of England. The Peers are styled Lords Temporal, and the Archbishops and Bishops Lords Spiritual. The Peers are divided into three classes, each of which holds a position in relation to Parliament different from that of the other two. The first class is composed of Peers who sit in their own right, either as heirs to the dignity of the Peerage or by virtue of having been created Peers by the Crown. The second class consists of sixteen Scotch Lords, elected by the Peers of Scotland to represent them during the Parliament then called; and the third class of twenty-eight Irish Lords, elected by the Peers of Ireland to represent them for life in successive Par liaments.

This distinction between the different Peers arises from the changes which have occurred from time to time in the relation existing between England, Ireland and Scotland. In former times, when the three portions of the United Kingdom had each its Parliament, the Peers of Scotland and Ireland sat in their own Houses of Lords; and when the Union was negotiated an arrangement was made by which the Peers of Scotland and the Peers of Ireland should be represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was accordingly agreed that the Scotch Peers should elect sixteen of their number for each Parliament, and only for the Parliament; and when the Union with Ireland was negotiated, it was settled that the Peers of

Ireland should elect twenty-eight of their number to represent them for life.

The following are the titles of Peers set down in their order of precedence :-Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. The title of Lord is common to all. But although all Peers may be addressed by the title of "Lord," it must not be supposed that all persons who are styled "Lord" are Peers of Parliament, because the eldest sons of Dukes, Marquises, and Earls, sometimes bear by courtesy1 the next inferior title conferred upon, or inherited by, their fathers, and are commonly known as Marquises, Earls, or Viscounts. For instance, the eldest son of the Duke of Buckingham is commonly styled the Marquis of Chandos. The younger sons of Dukes and Marquises also are styled by courtesy Lord John or Lord Henry, as the case may be. But these titles confer no Parliamentary privileges, and those who bear them are commoners in the eye of the law, as are all subjects of the Crown save Peers only.

The number of Peers composing the House of Lords is not fixed; it amounts to about 460, but it is liable to decrease by the death of Peers without heirs, and to increase by the creation of new Peers. Peers who are minors,2 or imbecile, or bankrupt, do not sit in the House of Lords. In former times the Kings of England conferred the dignity of the peerage upon subjects as often from caprice, or favouritism, as from any other cause; but now the dignity is conferred by the Sovereign on the advice of the Ministers of the Crown, and is generally bestowed upon men who have done distinguished service to the State either as politicians,3 men of letters, or lawyers, or as great military or naval commanders. The House of Lords is thus composed of the most distinguished men in the country, or the descendants of those, who, in their day, had made themselves famous by rendering distinguished service to the State.

The Lord Chancellor5 presides over the House of Lords, and when acting in this capacity he is styled the Speaker