have sometimes their field conventicles, and that they dance in such rings, we have ample testimony from divers good authors; some of them judges, who received it in confession from the criminals themselves, condemned by them, all agreeing, if to be believed, that their dances were always circular; but that as they served a different master, so they performed this exercise in a different manner from other mortals; Porro circulares esse omnes choros qui sic agitantur, atque ab aversis saltatoribus tripudiari affirmant, says Nicholaus Remigius, i. e. that they affirmed all their dances to be circular, their faces being turned away from one another; for which he alleges the confessions of Achen Weher, Joanna Gerardina, Dominicus Petronius, Hennel Armentaria, Anna Ruffa, Zebella the wife of John Deodat, Odilla Gaillarda, and many others; to which Sybilla Morelia, it seems, added another circumstance, that the circle was always led to the left hand, as Pliny observes the ancient Gauls did, though they danced single, totum corpus circumagendo, quod in lævum fecisse, Gallia religiosius credunt."

ton presented a paper to the Royal Society, in which the probability of these circles being occasioned by fungi, is stated and accounted for with considerable ability, agreeably to the known laws of vegetation, under given circumstances: and as no theory more plausible has yet appeared, this commands the sanction of general assent. It must, however, be granted, that the evidence on which this theory rests, is not indubitable. Accident and observation may combine in future years to assign fairy circles to a different cause. But should such an event take place, or the present opinion be confirmed by an accumulation of facts, in either case they will cease to excite amazement.

KING OF PERSIA.

Ir has been said, that the King of Persia has been recently converted to Christianity, by the arguments of the celebrated Missionary, Mr. Martin. Such a conversion must have an important effect in spreading the light of the gospel through regions of darkness, ignorance, and idolatry. If this report should prove correct, the providential obscurity which seemed to hang on the death of this amiable Christian, will be in a great measure unravelled.

PETRIFACTION.

AN elderly gentleman, who lately died in Fayette County, State of Kentucky, previously to his death requested that his daughter's remains should be disinterred, and placed by the side of his

own.

On this very singular phenomenon, many of our distinguished philosophers have exercised their ingenuity, and employed their pens, Jessop, following Walker, ascribes these circles to the operation of lightning; and their opinions are recorded in one of the early volumes of the Philosophical Transactions. The views of Dr. Priestley and Dr. Price nearly coincide with the preceding, both attributing these circles to electricity, to which conclusion they were led by observing the circular form which the electric fluid took, in some experiments that were His daughter had been buried made on metallic substances. But about eleven years, in the County of these opinions have, since their days, Bourbon, Kentucky. After his debeen generally discarded. There can cease, the old gentleman's request was be no doubt that these remarkable complied with. To the great surprise circles are entitled to a more patient, and astonishment of those engaged in extensive, and minute examination, raising the daughter's remains, her than they have hitherto received; and body was found to be entire, and of it is only by such an investigation, its full size. On a minute examinathat their real cause can be fully ex- tion, it was found to be perfectly peplored. But so far as observation has trified-its specific gravity was about hitherto extended, the result of inquiry the same as that of common limeconfirms the opinion advanced in the stone. The coffin was entirely decayintroductory remarks of this article, ed. Her countenance had undergone namely, that they are caused by a so small an alteration, that her hussmall species of mushroom. On this band, it is said, on beholding her, subject, in the year 1807, Dr. Wollas- | fainted.-American Paper.

Not only are many, while under the visitation of insanity, able, upon various occasions, to exercise their mental attainments with the usual correctness and ability, but this disease is found actually to operate as a great improve. ment to their intellectual attainments. A surgeon upon active duty in the country, some years ago, became inNo. 45.-Vol. IV.

man." In answer, I said, “I beg, Sir, to assure you, that there is not a more complete lunatic at Spring Vale than that man is, or one less fit for liberty. Did he say nothing to you about the army, or of being a coloI once taught a patient to play at nel?"-" Why, is he not a colonel?"— chess, which is well known to be pure-"No, he is nothing but a grocer, nor ly an intellectual exercise. While his was he ever any thing else.”—“I ask insanity continued, he beat me nine your pardon, Sir; I'm perfectly satisgames out of ten; and when he had fied." recovered, we played upon pretty equal

·

"The first of these may be descriptive of such as did not hear the gospel, but merely abused the light of nature: this therefore cannot apply to us.- -We are all in the situa tion of the second or third class; for though Christ is not personally come to us, yet having sent us the word of salvation, it amounts to the same thing: we either receive him, or we receive him not.

in his preface, was, to present a work | the Saviour met with. One from the world in Another "prepared with a view to a nume- general: they knew him not.' from his own nation, to whom he came : 'they rous and respectable class of public received him not.'" And another from the teachers, who have not had the advan- godly: they received him, and believed on tage of an academical education, and his name.' have neither time nor ability to prepare any thing like a regular composition for the pulpit; but who possess, notwithstanding, sufficient capacity to relish and to communicate what might be profitable to their hearers." We furthermore learn, that these two volumes are to be succeeded by others, making, in the whole, six or eight. Prefixed to the first volume is an essay on the composition of a sermon, by the late Mr. Fuller, whose name is a sufficient recommendation of whatever comes from his pen.

In these skeletons or outlines of sermons, blank spaces are left at the conclusion of such sentences or paragraphs, as admit of and require enlargement. In this respect, the method recommended by the late Mr. Robinson, in his plan for lectures on nonconformity, seems to be adopted or imitated; and that teacher must be very deficient indeed, in taste and judgment, who cannot take the hint, and make the necessary improvements.

It will readily be perceived, that these sketches are exceedingly short, but they discover a comprehensive mind, and connect together a vast fund of leading ideas. The authors seem invariably to take their stand on the frontiers of their subjects, and having taken a walk round their various circumferences, leave the reader or pupil to explore the internal parts, according to his own views. From among these sketches, we select the following as a specimen, which we conceive will place the work in a favourable light.

"Evidences of Adoption. John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.'

"Since God has sent his Son into the world as the Saviour of the lost, the great concern of sinners is to be interested in him. What we think of him, and how we stand affected towards him, is the great turning point of salvation. If we believe in him, our sins are forgiven us for his name sake: but if not, the wrath of God abideth on us.

"The principal design of the apostles was to exhibit Christ, and it is evident that their hearts were full of him.

"In this connection the sacred writer men. tions three different kinds of treatment which

in 'receiving' Christ.
"I. Enquire what is supposed or included

"In general, it is the same for substance as
believing on his name.' There may be some
shades of difference in the meaning of the
terms, believing, trusting, and receiving;
but their general import is the same, or they
would not be so represented in the text.
"Believing has respect to Christ as exhibited
in the gospel testimony trusting, as
revealed with promises
ceiving, supposes him to be the free gift of
But all comes to the same thing: he that
God, presented for our acceptance.
believes the testimony, trusts the promises;
and he that trusts in him, in so doing,
receives Christ as the unspeakable gift of
God.

"More particularly,

and re

"1. To receive Christ, implies a sense of our need of him.-The want of this is the reason why so many receive him not.

Why do unbelievers reject the gospel; and nominal Christians impugn its leading doc They see no such evil in sin as to need a Satrines? Because those doctrines are holy. viour: or if they feel the need of a Saviour, it is only of such a one as can teach them the right way. They feel no need of grace, no need of an atonement, no need of a new Others who think a little about doctrines, yet creation, and being born again. make light of religion, in favour of the world.

"No man ever yet embraced the Saviour, till he perceived his need of him. How can we receive a free salvation, till convinced of our own utter unworthiness? How can we feel our need of help, till helpless in ourselves? How can we flee for refuge, to lay hold on the hope that is set before us, till we are aware of our danger, and find ourselves hopeless? Consider whether the want of this conviction be not at the bottom of your case, while living without Christ in the world?

"2. Receiving him, includes the renunciation of every thing that stands in competition with Christ. We cannot receive this guest, and yet retain our old ones. We must refuse the world for our portion, before we can embrace the Saviour as our all in all. Heb. xi. 24-26.

All your vain notions, vain hopes, and self-righteous dependence, must be given up: what you have accounted gain must become as loss. Phil. iii. 8. You must no longer go about to establish your own righteousness, but cordially submit to the righteousness of God. Rom. ix. 27.

Are none of these obstractions in