13.) The Hebrews frequently give the epithet of everlasting to their mountains, because they are as old as the earth itself. See, among other instances, Gen.

xlix. 26. and Deut. xxxii. 15.

The mountains of Palestine were anciently places of refuge to the inhabitants when defeated in war (Gen. xiv. 10.); and modern travellers assure us that they are still resorted to for the purpose of shelter. The rocky summits found on many of them appear to have been not unfrequently employed as altars, on which sacrifices were offered to Jehovah (Judg. vi. 19-21. and xiii. 15-20.); although they were afterwards converted into places for idol worship, for which the prophets Isaiah (ĺvii. 7.) and Ezekiel (xviii. 6.) severely reprove their degenerate countrymen. And as many of the mountains of Palestine were situated in desert places, the shadow they project has furnished the prophet Isaiah with a pleasing image of the security, that shall be enjoyed under the kingdom of Messiah. (xxxii. 2.)

CASTLE AND PORT OF SEYDA, THE ANCIENT SIDON.

The present town of Seyda extends along the sea shore for a space of less than a mile in length, and is not more than half a mile in its general breadth from

the water to its inner border; standing on a gradually ascending slope, from the sea to the more elevated ground behind, its appearance from without is more pleasing than many other towns of a better description in their interior. Towards the sea-side an old castle, said to have been built by the crusaders of France, and the ruins of another, running out at the extremity of a ledge of rocks, with arches, tend to give the harbour a picturesque appearance, particularly when a few of the native vessels of the coast are seen behind this ledge, where they usually anchor for shelter, if bound to some other port, or for convenience while discharging and taking in their cargoes here.

The buildings of Seyda are not at all superior to the common order of Mahommedan edifices in the modern towns of Syria; the streets are extremely narrow, the mosques mean, the caravansaries small and incommodious, and the bazaars few and badly furnished with even the necessaries in general request. The inhabitants are variously estimated, at from 5,000 to 10,000; perhaps the true number would be found to be between 7,000 and 8,000. The great majority of these are Mahommedans, the Christians not exceeding 1,000, and the Jews less than 500.-Buckingham's Travels among the Arab Tribes.

VIENNA.

VIENNA, the capital of Austria and of the whole German empire, is one of the most interesting cities in Europe. It is worthy of notice on its own account, and its name is associated with some of the most stirring incidents in history. This splendid city, which with its numerous suburbs, contains three hundred thousand inhabitants derives its name from the insignificant stream which passes through it, for strictly speaking, it does not, as is commonly said, stand upon the Danube, but upon one of its smaller arms, the river itself being a mile to the northward and separated from the city by an extensive suburb and a large tract of ground planted with groves and laid out with gardens.

The proper city is nearly circular in form and is about three miles in circumference. The style of building is not in general ornamental, but is massive and imposing, and the lofty houses rising to four and five stories on either side the narrow streets, have an air of sober and solid stateliness which when not degenerating into gloom, is perhaps the most becoming and appropriate style for the architecture of a large city. Some individual masses of building in the very centre of the city are as populous as moderate villages. One of these is

peopled by more than twelve hundred inhabitants, and another belonging to Prince Esterhazy contains 150 dwelling houses. Even the ordinary buildings are generally in the form of a square surrounding a court. The suburbs cover much more ground than the proper city, but they are not so densely inhabited; and though they contain five sixths of the whole number of houses which form the Capital, yet from the larger size of the buildings in the proper city they do not contain so large a proportion of the inhabitants. A considerable part of the suburbs is occupied with gardens belonging to the nobility, many of whom, besides their houses in the city have palaces and picture galleries here. Vienna has some very noble public squares which are not, as in other cities, places of recreation but of business. "They are not planted but they are excellently paved; they are not gaudy with palaces, but they are

surrounded by bustling shops and comfortable dwellings," and are commonly adorned with public fountains. The Prater of Vienna is the finest public park in Eu

rope. It lies on the north of the city and occupies part of a broad and level tract which is formed into an island by the Danube and one of its branches. Part of this beautiful promenade is divided into shaded alleys by rows of magnificent horse-chesnuts, and here every day may be seen long lines of glistering carriages with crowds of attendant cavaliers galloping along in gay and gallant style, doing homage to the beauties they contain; while in the more retired paths that wind through the denser parts of the wood, merry groups-of the lower orders are wandering unconstrained, now by the brink of some pure rivulet, now along the banks of the magnificent Danube, in which these smaller streams are lost. But the Prater is not the only delightful place to which the Viennese love to resort. The fortifications, the same from which the Turks were twice obliged to retire, are now converted into promenades; Napoleon's legions having taught Vienna that they could no longer be depended on for the protection of her citizens. From the foot of the ramparts stretches out the glacis, an extensive level space which runs entirely round the city, except where its walls are washed by an arm of the Danube. Part of the glacis has been laid out in gardens for the Imperial family and the rest is covered with shady groves which form the favorite resort of both sexes. After the repulse of the Turks by Sobieski in 1683 measures were adopted to obviate the necessity of destroying the suburbs in case of another siege, and with this view no houses, without the walls, were allowed to be built nearer to the glacis than 600 yards, so that there is around the city a circular field of that breadth, which presents a very beautiful appear ance. Beyond this the ground rises, and along the eminences stretch in splendid perspective the thirty four suburbs of Vienna, even these again being finally surrounded by a brick wall. The capital of Austria exhibits among its inhabitants a great diversity of character as it contains representatives of all the heterogeneous provinces of which the empire is composed. Here

you see the joyous and happy Austrian, pleased with himself and inclined to please every body else, the proud and haughty Hungarian, the sensitive Bohemian, the reserved and dignified Pole, and the cautious and taciturn Italian. There are in Vienna five theatres, and fifty seven churches, of which the Cathedral is by far the most majestic. St Stephens church is remarkable for its beautiful tower which rises four hundred and fifty feet from the pavement and leans visibly from the perpendicular. This is said to have been first produced by the bombardment of the Turks in 1683, and to have been increased by the cannonading of the French during the late war. This church also contains the chapel of the Princess of Lichtenstein in which a long inscription informs the visiter that by a grant of his holiness Pope Pius VI. the soul of a Lichtenstein shall be released from purgatory every time a mass is said at its altars.

The Literary and other public institutions of Vienna are justly famous; but our limits preclude our dwelling on them here, and compel us to remain satisfied with the imperfect sketch we have already given of the Capital City of the imperial house of Hapsburgh.

YOUNG GENTLEMEN'S DEPARTMENT.

FORMATION OF CHARACTER.

To the acquisition of extensive knowledge incessant application and industry are necessary. Nothing good or great has ever been achieved without them. Be willing then to labor-be not satisfied with superficial attainments, but accustom yourselves to habits of accurate and thorough investigation. Explore the foundation and first principles of every science. It is observed by Locke, that "there are fundamental truths that lie at the bottom; the basis upon which a great many others rest, and in which they have their consistency these are teeming truths, rich in store with which they furnish the mind, and like the lights of heaven, are not only beautiful and entertaining in

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