THE MENDICANT AMBASSADOR. "Why, O my soul, art thou not lost Outward objects were forgotten: I felt alone with God. "Heaven opens on my eyes, my ears With sounds seraphic ring." 205 O! what is all that this earth can afford in comparison with one moment's enjoyment of the Divine favour? May we, in this present evil world, consider that we "live not unto ourselves, but unto Him that died for us." Let us cultivate a higher tone of spirituality! Let us sink into perfection's height; and then forgetting those things that are behind, still press onward, until we are lost in God. GIOVANNA. THE MENDICANT AMBASSADOR. ONE of the consequences of the abdication of Napoleon was the grand Congress held at Vienna: the repository of national wrongs, and their presumed redresser. The news of the assembly of the Congress was received by all nations with interest, and especially by those smaller states or provinces which had suffered so severely by the Continental war. Amongst other countries, Servia recognised the Congress of Vienna as an event likely to prove beneficial to her internal welfare, and determined to appeal to it to arbitrate between the nation and her old oppressor, Turkey. For twenty years or more the Servians had been in a state of chronic insurrection against Moslem oppression. Weakened by the long and seemingly useless struggle, they were at last compelled to appeal to Austria, as they had before done to Russia, for intervention and assistance. When the opportunity occurred which the meeting of the Congress offered, a step was taken by a patriotic individual in Servia, which led to the grievances of the country being a second time laid before the Emperor of Austria, with a promise of the best results. Matthieu Nenadovitj, Pastor (prota) over a large flock of Servian mountaineers, half Priest, half soldier, with staff and wallet for his chief equipments, quitted his groaning country by the passes of her hills on the extraordinary embassy of laying at the feet of the Emperor Francis, at the Congress of Vienna, the petition of Servia for protection against Moslem despotism. Twice already had Matthieu Nenadovitj acted in the character of Ambassador for Servia. In the year 1805, while yet a comparatively young man, though enjoying the full confidence of his countrymen, he set out alone on the long journey to St. Petersburg, no better equipped for travel than the primitive habits of his countrymen permitted. He arrived at the Court of the autocrat, and was enabled to present his despatches. On this occasion the Czar deigned to reply, "that the Hospodars must constitute themselves into a Senate, and on this condition Russia would render her assistance." Again, in 1814, Matthieu departed from Servia on a second long journey to Vienna, the bearer of despatches to the Austrian power. In person he delivered them to the Emperor Francis. At the audience which was accorded him, the Emperor gave a distinct promise that he would intercede with the Porte for the Servians. The Emperor's words were, as recorded, "I have always been, I am, and will remain, your friend. I have proved my friendship by sending you corn, bread, and salt, and have ever accompanied the subsidies with the best advice." 206 THE MENDICANT AMBASSADOR. In 1815, for the third time, Father Matthieu assumed the ambassadorial office; and, in pilgrim garb, (a Slavonian embassy was never yet distinguished by costly display,) departed again for Vienna with the Servian petition to be presented at the Congress, the Emperor Francis having apparently forgotten his promises, or delayed to perform them. Once more did Father Matthieu cross the Danube; and knowing nothing of any language but his own, guided only by his good sense, made his way through the Austrian dominions, and ultimately reached the capital. He entered Vienna, as on a previous occasion, after weeks of foot-sore travel; and, as may be imagined, more like a way-worn pilgrim than the representative of an embassy. The poor Priest had no sooner arrived at Vienna than he commenced putting in force his plans for obtaining an audience of the Congress, and laying the petition he was the bearer of before it. But the royal and distinguished personages assembled in full conclave at Vienna, upon the above occasion, were not quite so approachable as Father Matthieu had dreamed. Those persons to whom he communicated his designs of obtaining audience of the Congress only laughed at him for entertaining so foolish an enterprise. How, they said, could it be expected that a poor pilgrim, or mendicant, would be received by the august assemblage of the Congress? Nevertheless, under the encouragement derived from the previous condescension of the Emperor Francis, Matthieu persevered. It was a strange sight that of the poor Pastor, with his flowing beard, day after day dragging his weary footsteps about the precincts of the Austrian Court! His constant attendance, and the pertinacity with which he pressed his suit, soon began to excite notice. This, however, he courted, rather than shunned. Whenever passers-by exhibited the outward signs of rank or high station, Father Matthieu, it is recorded, would bend his hoary head, with a supplication that the passenger would lead him— a stranger, but the representative of a nation-to the presence of the assembled Princes. The courtiers, for the most part, were heedless or incredulous to the Priest's importunities. Now and then some kinder-hearted individual would stop, listen, and so, with a shake of the head, advise the pilgrim to depart. Others, again, less kind, visited the humble Ambassador with their worst suspicions. It happened, at length, however, that one of those whom Matthieu had importuned was an officer of rank, and himself an attaché to an embassy. This gentleman had constant audience of Prince Metternich; and one day he took an opportunity to mention to the great diplomatist the singular mission of the Servian. Matthieu continued to remain about the Court. His hopes of obtaining the much-desired audience were indeed declining fast; when, one day, he was approached by an Austrian official, who bade the Priest follow him. The officer conducted him, in the midst of crowds of courtiers, to the hall of audience, in which the Congress held its receptions. The appearance of the Servian in such presence was enough to excite curiosity. The Ambassadors and their suites, resplendent in Court costumes, pressed about the stranger, and wondered how so odd-looking a personage had penetrated to the audience-chamber of the Congress. But the lowly Ambassador heeded them not. He was neither awed nor deterred by the mere outward show and paraphernalia of Princes. Our Servian's heart beat with one firm and noble resolve; namely, to present the patriotic petition he carried in his bosom. With this most original scroll in his hand did Father Matthieu conjure the assembled diplomatists, even with tears in his eyes, to aid in the rescue of a nation of one million of patriots from the galling yoke of Mahmoud. The plenipotentiaries smiled at the naïveté of the strange THE DOGS OF THE CITY. 207 representative before them; until one member of the Congress, more serious than the rest, demanded whence the stranger came? "From Servia," answered the Priest. "And where is Servia?" almost jocosely inquired another personage. The question went the round of the assembly; and several of the distinguished individuals knew not, or pretended not to know or care, aught regarding the existence of so apparently insignificant a spot on the face of the earth as Servia. Statesmen, like other people, will occasionally unbend to enjoy a humorous scene. The Congress enjoyed their joke at the expense of Servia and her Ambassador. Nevertheless, they recognised the legitimate purpose of the Priest's mission. Metternich, from his place addressing Father Matthieu, gave him his congé, by informing him that he might return home, and state to his countrymen that Austria would, in good faith, take into consideration the needs and requirements of his people. Thus addressed, in the bland voice of a dignified personage, glittering with diamond crosses, stars, and orders, our Ambassador knew that his long-sought mission was accomplished. Prince Metternich beckoned, and whispered in the ear of an attendant. The latter approached Matthieu, and, with studious politeness, withdrew him from the presence. The same day Father Matthieu quitted Vienna, to prosecute his journey homeward; but in better guise, and more befitting the ambassadorial office than that in which he had entered the Austrian capital. Matthieu, in due time, reached the banks of the Save; and, as he made his way through the mountain-passes into Servia, he found, by the talk of the mountaineers and villagers, that matters fared more desperately than ever with his unfortunate country. The seizure and decapitation of prisoners by the Turks proceeded to that extent, as to strike terror into the hearts of the people. The patriot Chiefs, hiding in the fastnesses among the mountains, were at a loss how longer to sustain their independence, safety, or freedom. In this state of things the news of Father Matthieu's return reached them. The Priest met his friends, and was not slow to communicate the result of his journey to Vienna. The spirit of the patriots revived with the communication of the good news. In a short space of time a new army was raised, and with this force the Servians ultimately compelled the Porte to grant them the immunities they had so long sought in vain. Among the concessions made, were the withdrawal of the Pashalics from the country, and the issue of a hatti scheriff, declaring Servia a free principality.-Leisure Hour. THE DOGS OF THE CITY. "Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat."-1 Kings xiv. 11. IN Constantinople, (says Mr. Albert Smith,) lazy, thin, wolf-like curs lie about by hundreds, literally in all directions. I counted ten before one shop. They are nobody's property, but are allowed to multiply without check. They do not get out of anybody's way. They sleep all day, and fight and howl all night, and live as they can. Each pack has its own territory; and if an alien intrudes, he is terribly mangled. When one dies, he is eaten up by the others: an uncommon circumstance, I believe, in canine economy. They may, besides, be considered, in some degree, the scavengers of the city; but this does not appear to be the account on which they are tolerated. If you have to return home late at night, it is advisable to carry a stone or two in your hand, as they occasionally show their teeth. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. THE FIRST CLOTHING. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.' ."-Genesis iii. 21. SOME Covering of the bodies of our first parents was necessary, not only to conceal the shame of their nakedness, but to protect them from the elements; and for the slender fig-leaves which they had wrapped around themselves at first, they were provided with a better substitute in the skincoats which God directed them to wear. But how or whence were those skins obtained which formed their rude and primitive clothing? The drift of the passage obviously points, not to a single dress which, on some special occasion, had been given them, but to that which probably formed their customary attire during the rest of their protracted life. It is manifest that their refitment with new garments as the old wore out, could not be left dependent on so casual and uncertain a mode of supply as that of procuring it from animals that had died from age or accident. And if they were furnished by more regular means, there is no source from which we can imagine them to have been got except from those which had been slaughtered for food, for clothing, or for sacrifice. But for food they could not have been slain, because the grant of flesh as an article of human food does not bear an earlier date than after the flood. It would never have entered their heads to kill them for articles of clothing; and, consequently, there is no way of accounting for the slaughter of those animals whose skins furnished the coats of our first parents, but by assuming the fact, that sacrifices were made by Divine appointment a necessary and principal element in the worship of fallen man. That was now the only acceptable mode of worship; and nothing could have been better calculated, at a period when people were taught like children by signs and emblems addressed to their senses, to impress the minds of our first parents with a conviction of sin, and to inspire them with horror of the awful effects it had produced, than the death of the gentle lamb that had just a moment before been gambolling at their feet. A natural and lively picture of Adam's feelings, when, in obedience to Divine authority, he offered his first sacrifice, is given in the following little parable from the German:-" Adam, according to the instructions of his Divine Teacher, built an altar. It was a mere simple pile of stones, spread over with a covering of turf. Then going to the flock, he singled out one of the strongest and fattest of his lambs. It came, as it was wont to do, at his call; and, in playful fondness, it licked his hand as he laid it on the altar. He applied a sharp stone knife to its throat; and forthwith there gushed forth a crimson stream, that soon dyed the whole altar. The poor, helpless creature looked with so piteous an eye to Adam, that he felt as if the knife had pierced his own heart. He could not rescue it; and by and by the spectacle became more painful still. As the blood began to flow more slowly, and in a less degree, the poor lamb was agitated most violently. The quivering throbs of expiring nature convulsed its body in quick succession, till at length the heavings ceased; and after one convulsive throe, it lay perfectly still. Every sign of life and sensation was gone, and there was nothing but a dead carcass on the altar. Adam and his wife stood motionless; and the tear of sympathy that started in the eye of both, seemed to express the thoughts of their heart,- This is what our sin has done.' Soon after, they were ordered to strip off the skin, which, on its being duly prepared, they were taught to wear as their dress; and their feelings were still more excited by the sight of these woolly garments. In a few days the painful impressions produced by the dying struggles of the lamb were greatly effaced. But their wearing about their persons the blood-stained relics of the victim, kept them in constant remembrance of their sin as the cause of its death, as well as of the promise by which alone their guilt and shame could be covered."-Dr. Robert Jamieson. NATURAL HISTORY. BRITISH MOTH. THE beauty and the delicacy of their plumage, its fulness, and the marbled arrangement and blending of varied tints of grey, brown, and black, and different tones of yellow, render the moths of our island not inferior in attractiveness to the more gaily painted butterflies that court the bright sunbeams of summer. In general, the moths, as we well know, are nocturnal in their habits. Like the owl, which so much resembles many of ONLY A BUBBLE. "I WISH you would be still, Blanche, and not fidget about so much. Don't you see that you have made me break my bubble five or six times ?" So Oliver said to his little sister, who was holding an earthen saucer of soap and water, while he was blowing bubbles from a clay pipe. "Keep still, Blanche, and do not laugh so much. Every time you laugh, you shake me so that the bubble breaks; and I do not want to stop till I blow one as big as my head." Just at that moment the little girl laughed again, and the bubble burst. Oliver threw down the pipe in anger, and overturned the stone pitcher. VOL. IX. "Never mind, brother," said Blanche, with a sweet smile: "it is only a bubble." "But I do mind: I will mind! See how you have broken the pipe and the pitcher, too! And you have done all you could to wet me." "O, no, brother!" said Blanche, patting her brother's cheek, which was red with anger: "it is only a bubble, after all. I have not done anything on purpose. You see my arms are tired holding the saucer for you all the morning; and, indeed, I could not help laughing to see how your cheeks puffed out, and how very earnest you looked, and all for nothing but a soapbubble." And here Blanche laughed again P |