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feel the pleasant sensations that every creature has after an escape from danger, and no doubt he fancied himself secure. But in this fancy he deceived himself. Better for him had he risen a few hundred yards higher, or else had uttered his self-gratulation in a more subdued tone; for it was heard and answered, and that response was the maniac laugh of the white-headed eagle. At the same instant two of those birds, those already introduced, were seen mounting into the air. They did not fly up vertically, as the swan had done, but in spiral curves, wheeling and crossing each other as they ascended. They were making for a point that would intersect the flight of the swan should he keep on in his horizontal course. This, however, he did not do. With an eye as quick as theirs, he saw that he was "headed;" and, stretching his long neck upward, he again pursued an almost vertical line. But he had to carry thirty pounds of flesh and bones, while the largest of the eagles, the female bird, with a still broader spread of wing, was a "light weight" of only seven. The result of this difference was soon apparent. Before the trumpeter had got two hundred yards higher, the female of the eagles was seen wheeling around him on the same level. The swan was now observed to double, fly downward, and then upward again, while his mournful note echoed back to the earth. But his efforts were in vain. After a series of contortions and manoeuvres, the eagle darted forward, with a quick toss threw herself backward, and, striking downward, planted her talons in the under part of the wing of her victim. The lacerated shaft fell uselessly down; and the great white bird, no longer capable of flight, came whistling through the air. But it was not allowed to drop directly to the earth: it would have fallen on the bosom of the broad river, and that the eagles did not wish, as it would have given them some trouble to get the heavy carcase ashore. As soon as the male, who was lower in the air, saw that his partner had struck the bird, he discontinued his upward flight, and, poising himself on his spread tail, waited its descent. A single instant was sufficient. The white object passed him

still fluttering; but the moment it was below his level he shot after it like an arrow, and, clutching it in his talons, with an outward stroke sent it whizzing in a diagonal direction. The next moment a crashing was heard among the twigs, and a dull sound announced that the swan had fallen upon the earth.

The eagles were now seen sailing downward, and soon disappeared among the tops of the trees.-Captain Mayne Reid.

PROTESTANTISM IN ITALY.

[A CORRESPONDENT of "The Times" writes the following account of his experience in Italy: it conveys information of no ephemeral interest, and we transfer it to these pages.]

For many years past I have paid almost annual visits to Sardinia and Piedmont, both before and after the granting of the constitution. The Bible formerly was as strictly prohibited as it now is in Tuscany or Rome: by its subsequent introduction and circulation, liberty of thought and action has seized the minds of the people, and a consequent enlightenment on all political, social, and moral subjects has been the result.

I was present at Nice when the first importation of Bibles into Sardinia took place, when liberty of conscience was allowed by the new constitution. They were sent by one of our Bible Societies. The difficulty was to find a person who would undertake the sale, as a warning had already issued from every pulpit. A chymist at length undertook the sale, and was in consequence denounced, with the usual graphic eloquence, from every altar, in language such as could be scarcely equalled by our lowest rabble. While this had the desired effect of well-nigh ruining the chymist, it nevertheless advertised the sale, and persons from Genoa and other parts came to Nice to purchase Italian Bibles. To counteract the effect, the Bishop issued a "pastoral," the language, however, not being that of a "gentle shepherd."

This missive was replied to in a most masterly manner, and in a truly Christian spirit, by the amiable French Pastor of Cannes. The two documents present a most striking contrast. This, also, had its effect.

I was subsequently introduced to a Genoa banker, who, when he came to Nice on his business tours, always took back with him copies of the Bible for private distribution. He told me that he happened to be present at Nice when the altar-denunciations took place, and his curiosity was in consequence excited. He purchased a Diodati's Testament; he took it home and studied it, and soon fully appreciated the motives of the Priests in endeavouring to conceal this book from the people. He became a Protestant; and added that there were many others in Genoa, in his position in society, who had been converted in a similar manner, but as yet they dared not declare themselves, as the power of the Priests over the minds of the great bulk of the people was too strong, and by an open confession they would only be bringing ruin on themselves and their families; but he said, significantly, "We cannot suffer this much longer: we must éclater" (burst out).

Since that time Protestantism has made rapid strides, and Nice has taken the lead, by opening a French evangelical church last October. Hitherto the English Chaplain has conducted the service in a private room.

When at Turin I took some pains to ascertain the number of Protestants there, and from the most authentic sources I discovered that there were at least seven thousand.

The traveller in Sardinia discovers a marked difference in all classes of the people now that liberty of conscience and of speech is granted to them. A spirit of free inquiry and discussion is gaining ground, not so much on political as on religious subjects; even the professed Roman Catholic papers in Turin and elsewhere do not hesitate freely to discuss these matters; and it is truly refreshing to see the natives of Tuscany and the Papal States pass through this country they seem to breathe a purer atmosphere, and give vent to their feelings in no measured terms. In September last I travelled in the interior of a diligence with a

Tuscan and a merchant of the Papal States. I omit to name the place, as he could be easily traced. They could not restrain the expression of their long pent-up feelings. On all questions, except on doctrine, the Tuscan was most inveterate against his Church system: from the Pope to the lowest Priests, all came in for an unmeasured share of his execration; but he would not allow one word to be uttered against the peculiar doctrines of his Church, and looked with great jealousy on every step taken for the distribution of Bibles and tracts;-not that he feared their effects in a religious point of view, of course not; but he asserted that this tract-distributing was a part of a grand political scheme to subvert the government of Tuscany, and ought to be resisted. Our other friend was much more reserved. During the night, however, when walking over Mont Cenis, unobserved by his fellow-traveller, he stated to me that he was a Protestant; that he was obliged to be on his guard, for had the Tuscan discovered he was a Protestant, as a merchant well-known in his locality, he would soon find him out, and denounce him to the authorities. Already several of his townsmen were in prison for committing the indiscretion of disclosing their religious sentiments to fellowtravellers, and on their return had found themselves imprisoned without trial. He, his two brothers, and a few others, however, still continued their evening Bible and prayer meetings. He gave me many interesting details of the secret working of Protestantism in the Papal States.

Another striking and curious circumstance happened. This same gentleman stated that he was in correspondence with editors of papers and others, furnishing them with information on the movement, and had been entrusted to select some English works on the controversy for translation into Italian, and asked me to recommend a standard work. I recommended Faber's "Difficulties of Romanism," third edition, which he noted down. On coming to London, and calling on the publisher, I found, to my surprise, that this same work had been selected by another person for the very same purpose, and a subscription is to be opened for the VOL. XVIII. Second Series.

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translation of that admirable work into Italian, that the Italians may learn, on the very best evidence possible, the errors of the Roman system.

TRANSATLANTIC PUBLISHERS.

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THE loss of English reprints is said to have been very great in the calamitous fire, one of the most destructive ever known in New-York, which has destroyed the premises and consumed the stock of the well-known publishing firm, the Messrs. Harper, Brothers. The value in dollars of the books, plates, and other materials consumed is roundly set down at 1,200,000. The "New-York Daily Times," in giving a long account of the disaster, adds some particulars about the rise of the Messrs. Harper which may interest readers on this side of the Atlantic. "The establishment of the Harpers," says the authority quoted, founded by James Harper, the eldest of the four brothers who now constitute the firm. He came to this city in 1810, a lad fifteen years old, and served an apprenticeship of six years to Paul and Thomas, the leading printers of that day. His brother John soon followed him, and learned his trade of Mr. Seymour, a printer in John-street. In 1817, with the small capital James had saved, the brothers opened a small book and job office in Dover-street. The first book they printed was Seneca's Morals;' the second was an edition of the 'Methodist Catechism.' The first book they published on their own account was Locke'sEssay on the Human Understanding.' They toiled with unremitting industry, and maintained the highest character for enterprise and integrity. In 1820, the third brother, Joseph Wesley, joined them; and six years later Fletcher became a member of the firm. From that time until now they have carried on the publishing business with a degree of welldirected energy which has few parallels. They removed to Cliff-street about 1820, and have added one building after another to their establishment, as the demands of their business required. The amount of books they have issued is almost incalculable. For the last few years they have

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