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Some serious reflections respecting our duty to
God, our children, and ourselves. By HUSON
LANGSTROTH.

As I believe it was much the concern of our

taking their repose in the earth, unconcerned for themselves, and their tender offspring! Thus, the children become wounded, yea, sorely hurt, on account of the carelessness of such parents, worthy ancestors respecting our meetings for who suffer their tender lambs, by little and little, divine worship, that they might be preserved in to gratify their natural inclinations; first by that awful stillness, which is necessary in order complying with their desires in small things, or to perform this solemn duty to God;-so it still such as appear small, for want of keeping to the remains to be the concern of the honest-hearted pure principle of light and life, by which they children of our heavenly Father. These feel might be clearly seen, and their nature and tendeeply exercised on account of the young people, deney discovered. Thus, by indulgence in little and others, who, for want of keeping their minds things, their tender minds become more and centred down in the valley of humiliation (in themselves, may appear trifling, yet they have more captivated: for although the things, in which only the Lord can be truly worshipped) the tendency to draw fresh objects to the view -suffer the enemy of all good so to divert and of these children. Therefore this language and disturb their thoughts, that they have no true advice is worthy of our serious consideration, knowledge or enjoyment of the satisfaction witnessed by the rightly exercised, in their silent"Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil waiting on God, who commands the winds and the vines; for our vines have tender grapes." waves to be still, the storms to cease, and a great calm to come over the mind.

This is the state we must come to witness, before we can perform acceptable worship to him who is a spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth; for he seeketh such to worship him. As we are thus engaged in the spirit of our minds, we come to see our own nothingness, and that it becometh us to wait in quietness till we feel the spring of life opened, or the arising of the sun of righteousness in our minds; by the power of which we shall be enabled to offer acceptable worship to our heavenly Father. But this influence cannot be expected to be felt while the mind is carried away from its proper object, into the hurries of the world. Therefore, how necessary it is for us to dwell in this lowly valley of humility, where we may have perfect peace with Him who will be a tender father to his poor, seeking children, and will preserve them from that careless spirit, as they lean on his arm of power, which is always stretched out for their deliverance.

My spirit hath often mourned, under a sense of the great unwatchfulness of many, who profess the truth, and are pretty constant attenders of our religious meetings. I have feared many of these have let their minds run too much on the transitory things of this fading world; even when assembled in order to perform divine worship. Thus, from time to time, some have given way to the delusions of the enemy, and by that means have got into a poor, dry, stupid state; and so are at case, under a name of attending meetings, but are not sensible of any spiritual benefit thereby; which often occasions the labor of the faithful to be exceeding hard.

Therefore, how can we expect our meetings to be attended with that awful stillness and solemnity, while such a careless spirit rules in so many who are at ease in Zion, and while so many are stretched as on their beds of ivory, and

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with improper indulgences, renders them less It is thus that every compliance of parents able to stand with firmness, and they become weaker and weaker in the exercise of right discipline in their families; so that things which once appeared reproachful, become small and of little consequence in their view.

Has not this been the case with too many in this day of ease? And therefore many of our of Babylon, that great city of abominations, imiyoung people appear to be walking in the streets tating the Babylonians in their garments, manners and customs,-yet bearing the name of Christians, though by their appearance, it could not be known that they so called themselves.

I have often felt my mind bowed under a sense of these things, which are too apparent amongst us as a people, notwithstanding the labors of those, who, from time to time, are engaged, in tenderness, to advise and caution against such indulgences;-and the many advices which have been handed down from our Yearly Meetings, where the honest hearted have travailed under a sense thereof, even from early days. A few of these advices and cautions I here insert as follows.

London Yearly Meeting Epistle, 1688.

"We do entreat and desire all of you, our dear friends, brethren and sisters, that are parents and governors of families, that ye diligently lay to heart your work and calling, in your genera tion, for the Lord, and the charge committed to you; not only in becoming good examples unto the younger sort, but also to use your power in your own families, in the educating your children and servants, in modesty, sobriety, and in the fear of God; curbing the extravagant humor of the young ones, when it doth appear, and not to indulge and allow of it. And when you see a libertine, wanton spirit, appear in your children or servants, that lusteth after the vain customs and fashions of the world, either in dressings,

habits, or outward adornings, and craves your assistance or allowance, without which it cannot get forward, while they are under your government,-Oh! then look to yourselves, and discharge your trust for God, and for the good of their souls; exhorting in meekness, and commanding in wisdom; that so you may minister and reach the witness, and help them over their temptations, in the authority of God's power. And when they feel themselves helped and delivered, their souls will bless God for you, and you will reap the comfort of your labor."

EDIBLE BIRD-NESTS OF CHINA.

Of the great mass of edible bird-nests which are consumed in China, and now also in Europe, the Philippine Isles furnish a considerable portion. Our attention, however, may be more particularly directed to the eatable sea-weeds which are found on the coasts of the Philippine, of the Bashus, of the Japan islands, of the Malaccas, &c., and which serve for food to the inhabitants as well as for exportation. In the markets of Macao and Canton we have seen large boxes of such dried Tangles which had been imported from Japan. The species of Alga which constitutes this branch of commerce is the Sphærococcus cartilagineus, var. setaceus, (Agardh,) which, abounding as it does in the Indian Ocean, is the common food of the Salangane, (Hirundo esculenta L.,) and serves for the construction of its valuable nest. The swallow devours the fresh Tangle, and after allowing it to macerate for some time in its stomach, ejects the mass converted to a pulp or jelly, with which it moulds its nests. The nests, which in the course of time become soiled with dirt and feathers, are brought in their rough state to China, when they are cleaned with particular instruments in large warehouses appropriated to the purpose, and then sold. These far-famed Indian bird-nests are therefore to be considered as little else than the softened substance of the Sphærococcus cartilagineus, and their dietetic qualities are only those of a rich jelly. In cooking them they are seasoned with a variety of fine spices, and deservedly hold the first rank among the delicacies of a Chinese table. The Japanese had the sagacity to perceive that those precious birdnests were only composed of sea-weeds, and they now prepare the superstructure of them by artificial process. The Tangles, which are found in great quantities on their coasts, are gathered, and, after being dried and pounded, are boiled down to a thick jelley, which is drawn or poured out into long threads like Maccaroni, and then sent into commerce under the name of Gin-shan. The Dutch call this preparation Ager-ager, and consume largely of it. The Chinese use the birdnests, both natural and imitative, in the form of sauces to their meats; but the Europeans resi

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dent in China prefer them in the shape of jelly, for which the Gin-shan is admirably adapted. A single boiling is sufficient to reduce it to a uniform gelatinous mass, to which wine or the juice of any fruit may be added, to give it an agreeable flavor; or the dry Gin-shan may be broken into small pieces and thrown into broth as it is brought warm to the table. In a minute's time it swells, and appears like transparent vermicelli. In this state it forms a not unpleasant sort of food, which, though highly nutritive, is easily digested. How great and general the consumption of these edible Tangles must be in Japan appears from the circumstance that in all the geographical or statistical works relating to that empire, wherever they are found, they are mentioned as one of the remarkable products of the country. We have been induced to enlarge on this matter the more particularly as much notice has latterly been excited by the Carrageen Moss, which is nothing but the dried Sphærococcus crispus, found in vast abundance on the western and northern coasts of the British Isles. In its qualities it would seem to be perfectly analogous to the Sphærococcus cartilagineus setaceus, yielding like it a rich and nutritive jelly.— Meyen (a German writer.)

EARLY RISING.

In England resides a venerable minister of great celebrity, both as a preacher and writer. For upward of sixty years he has maintained a high degree of popularity in his public character, and has been singularly respected, beloved and honored in private life. A few years since, the writer of these lines, being on a visit to his house, was not a little surprised to see the good old gentleman, between five and six o'clock in the morning, working in his garden with the agility and energy of a young man; and this on Monday morning, after having conducted two public services on the preceding day. He stated that this was his usual practice, and a source of health and enjoyment. From a youth, he had never been in bed at six o'clock, except on occasions of real illness, which were of rare occurrence.

"But," said he, "do not imagine that it has cost me no effort to rise early. When young, I was much inclined to indulge in bed, but being convinced that it was a wicked waste of time, and a bar to improvement, I resolved to put an end to it. So every night I had a large basin of water placed by my bedside, and the moment I awoke, out I turned, and dipped my head in the water; then, you know, sleep was gone, and I had my senses about me. For a short time I required to be awakened at a certain hour, but it soon ceased to be necessary; I awoke of my own accord. The only thing required was to get my head into the water without entering into any debates. Any young person may, by this method

successfully cure himself of wanting to lie In Europe, manure is the ever-present idea of a-bed late. I am not sure that it would be ef- the farmer, and by gathering all offals, and makfectual for an old sluggard, but it is worth making manure in any conceivable way, he does not ing the trial." only by green manuring, such as ploughing clover under, but by stable, factory, street, and

FRIENDS' INTELLIGENCER. dwelling manure, take good care to return to

PHILADELPHIA FIRST MONTH 31, 1857.

WESTERN QUARTERLY MEETING.-By a letter from a friend we are informed, that in consequence of the unusual severity of the late snow storm, such was the impassable state of the public highways, that none of the reports (except one) from the Monthly Meetings composing it, were received. Those Friends who were in attendance united in adjourning the meeting to 3rd day the 10th of 2nd month next, at the usual hour, 10 o'clock, A. M.

We acknowledge the reception of a work entitled "A History of the Shawnee Indians, by Henry Harvey," who resided a number of years in the vicinity of this tribe, and from personal observation is enabled to give an interesting account of the privations and difficulties to which they have been subjected. He traces their history from the settlement of Wm. Penn in 1681, through many sufferings and wrongs to their present location in Kansas, and bears strong testimony to their honesty, patient endurance of suffering, and truthfulness when justly treated. The work is for sale by Henry Longstreth, price 75 cents.

DIED, In Frankford, 23d Ward on fifth day evening the 22d inst., after a lingering illness, SARAH M. MURPHY, wife of Mahlon Murphy, in the seventysecond year of her age.

EXHAUSTING THE SOIL.

mother earth the rental she requires, and to do it without grudging, and with compound interest. Soil is only there exhausted, where crops are raised which are entirely removed, and of which nothing is returned to the soil-for instance tobacco. This is very little the case in Europe. The fine wheat crops which smile upon the traveller, as he is rushed past them by railroad speed, would be an impossibility if the idea of exhaustion were true. The meadows, too, which are mown thrice every year, and each time give a good crop, and have been so mown for ages, contradict this exhaustion theory. No! the European farmer and his land are always on good terms with each other. The man yields good husbandry, and the lands yield good crops.CHARLES REEMELIN.-Ohio Farmer.

From the National Intelligencer.

T. H. BENTON AND THE WORD "LADY."

TREMONT HOUSE, Boston, Jan. 9, 1857. In my letter dated on Christmas day, and kindly inserted in your columns, I made some off-hand remarks for the purpose of recommending the use of the word "woman" instead of Shakspeare's maxim more fully applies, that "3 "lady." There is certainly nothing to which rose by any other name would smell as sweet;" but I confess to a strong preference of the now unfashionable term over the more elegant one so frequently substituted for it.

In stating my objections to the latter, I observed that it was not found in the Bible nor in any Greek or Roman book; and this remark has not only procured for me the honor of several private communications, but has been the subject of comment-jocose and serious-in many respectable journals. May I ask the accustomed courtesy of the Intelligencer for the insertion of a collective reply?

We read in America much of the "exhausted soil of Europe." I have seen none of it. So As I was writing a letter currente calamo, and far from being exhausted, I think the soil of Eu not delivering a philological lecture, I did not rope is now better than ever, and that it is made enter at length or with technical precision into to yield larger crops than ever. How can soil the subject; but what I meant to say and what be exhausted, which has, for centuries, received I did say was, that the word to which I objected plentifully of manures, and manures made upon was not found in any Greek or Roman book, nor the best possible system? I think a little re- in the Bible. It is sufficiently apparent, from flection, coupled with a proper observance of my connecting the Bible with Greek and Latin European agriculture, must lead to the convic-books, that I spoke of originals, not translations, tion that the soil of Europe is constantly receiving more back in manure, &c., than is taken away in products. Of all farm products, the atmosphere and rains furnish the larger quantity of its component parts, and whenever a proper system of manuring exists, the ground must become constantly enriched.

If, therefore, some diligent critic should find the
word "lady" in an English version of Cicero or
Plutarch, (which might easily be done,) it would
not conflict with my statement.
Nor is that
statement affected by the discovery made by
several of my correspondents and newspaper
censors, (by the help of a Concordance ?) that

the same word occurs in three books in the Old | I think I shall not trouble you again on this Testament and one of the New in our English subject.

version of the Scriptures.

What could

But here a new wonder occurs. Benton mean by saying that the English word "lady" was not found in any Latin, Greek or Hebrew book? Was he guilty of the monstrous platitude (as some of my sagacious commentators intimate) of asserting that the English language is not Latin, Greek, nor Hebrew; or did he mean something rational, coherent, and bearing on the subject?

I hope I shall not be again accused of "egotism" if I think the latter a little more probable. I mean to urge that it furnished a presumption against the necessity of using "lady" instead of "woman" in ordinary parlance, that no word corresponding to the former existed in the languages of the great nations from which we derive the records of our religion and so much of our intellectual culture. If the most civilized nations of antiquity on all occasions spoke of the female sex in words corresponding with "woman," it seemed to me at least probable that we had no need of any other.

Respectfully,

TоHMAS H. BENTON.

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BERLIN, Nov. 25, 1856.

I came to Berlin, not to visit its museums and galleries, its magnificent street of lindens, its operas and theatres, nor to mingle in the gay life of its streets and saloons, but for the sake of seeing and speaking with the world's greatest living man-Alexander von Humboldt.

At present, with his great age and his universal renown, regarded as a throned monarch in the world of science, his friends have been obliged, perforce, to protect him from the exhaustive homage of his thousands of subjects, and, for ways of access his own sake, to make difficult the to him. The friend and familiar companion of the King, he may be said, equally, to hold his own court, with the privilege, however, of at any time breaking through the formalities which And here the occurrence of the words "lady" only self-defence has rendered necessary. Some and "ladies" in three books of the Old Testa- of my works, I knew, had found their way into ment and one of the New, in the English trans- his hands: I was at the beginning of a journey lation of the Bible, (in all six times, while which would probably lead me through regions "woman" and "women" I find by the Concord- which his feet had traversed and his genius ilance, occur not far from two hundred and fiftylustrated, and it was not merely a natural curitimes,) confirms my view of the subject; for in every one of those five or six cases, as I learn from a friend acquainted with the originals, the Hebrew and Greek words really imply station, authority and power-sometimes sovereign power -and in no one of them simply "woman."

osity which attracted me toward him. I followed the advice of some German friends, and made use of no mediatory influence, but simply dispatched a note to him, stating my name and object, and asking for an interview.

to the minute, and reached his residence in the Oranienburger-strasse, as the ciock struck. While in Berlin, he lives with his servant Seifert, whose name only I found on the door. It was a plain two-story house, with a dull pink front, and inhabited, like most of the houses in German cities, by two or three families. The bell-wire over Seifert's name came from the second story. I pulled the heavy porte-cochére opened of itself, and I mounted the steps until I reached a second bell-pull, over a plate inscribed " Alexander von Humboldt.".

Three days afterward I received through the In fact, the word "lady" in English (whatever city post a reply in his own hand, stating that, its etymology, which is matter of dispute,) is cer- although he was suffering from a cold which had tainly the feminine of "lord." It originally followed his removal from Potsdam to the capiimplied-and when used in our admirable trans- tal, he would willingly receive me, and appointed lation of the Bible it unquestionably implies-1 o'clock to-day for the visit. I was punctual rank, diguity and station. As the mind willingly transfers to eminent moral worth the appellatives of eminent station, the term may still be properly applied to those admirable women in every rank of life who "derive their patent of nobility from Heaven." It also has its appropriate place in the metaphorical language of rhetoric, poetry, pleasantry, and satire, of which last I quoted two striking examples in my former communication to the Intelligencer. But I remain of the opinion that, for every purpose of civility, respect, or affection, in public address or private intercourse, "woman" is by far the simpler, kindlier, and A stout, square-faced man of about fifty, whom more expressive term; and, therefore, "young I at once recognized as Seifert, opened the door women" for the single and "matrons" for the for me. "Are you Herr Taylor?" he asked; married (mater, mothers) are my usual terms of and added, on receiving my reply; "His Exceladdress for those whom we cannot honor too lency is ready to receive you." He ushered me much-nor enough. into a room filled with stuffed birds and other And now, gentlemen, though "man that is objects of natural history; then into a large li born of woman is of few days and full of trouble," Ibrary, which apparently contained the gifts of

authors, artists, and men of science. I walked between two long tables heaped with sumptuous folios, to the further door, which opened into the study. Those who have seen the admirable colored lithograph of Hildebrand's picture, know precisely how the room looks. There was the plain table, the writing desk covered with letters and manuscripts, the little green sofa, and the same maps and pictures on the drab-colored walls. The picture had been so long hanging in my own room at home, that I at once recognized each particular object.

Seifert went to an inner door, announced my name, and Humboldt immediately appeared. He came up to me with a heartiness and cordiality which made me feel that I was in the presence of a friend, gave me his hand, and inquired whether we should converse in English or German. "Your letter," said he, "was that of a German, and you must certainly speak the language familiarly; but I am also in the constant habit of using English." He insisted on my taking one end of the green sofa, observing that he rarely sat upon it himself, then drew up a plain cane-bottomed chair and seated himself beside it, asking me to speak a little louder than usual, as his hearing was not so acute as formerly.

As I looked at the majestic old man, the line of Tennyson, describing Wellington, came into my mind: "Oh, good gray head, which all men know." The first impression made by Humboldt's face is that of a broad and genial humanity. His massive brow, heavy with the gathered wisdom of nearly a century, bends forward and overhangs his breast, like a ripe ear of corn, but as you look below it, a pair of clear blue eyes, almost as bright and steady as a child's, meet your own. In those eyes you read that trust in man, that immortal youth of the heart, which make the snows of eighty-seven Winters lie so lightly upon his head. You trust him utterly at the first glance, and you feel that he will trust you, if you are worthy of it. I had approached him with a natural feeling of reverence, but in five minutes I found that I loved him, and could talk with him as freely as with a friend of my own age. His nose, mouth and chin have the heavy Teutonic character, whose genuine type always expresses an honest simplicity and direct

ness.

I was most surprised by the youthful character of his face. I knew that he had been frequently indisposed during the present year, and had been told that he was beginning to show the marks of his extreme age; but I should not have suspected him of being over seventy-five. His wrinkles are few and small, and his skin has a smoothness and delicacy rarely seen in old men. His hair, although snow-white, is still abundant, his step slow but firm, and his manner active almost to restlessness. He sleeps but four hours

out of the twenty-four, reads and replies to his daily rain of letters, and suffers no single occur. rence of the least interest in any part of the world to escape his attention. I could not perceive that his memory, the first mental faculty to show decay, is at all impaired. He talks rapidly, with the greatest apparent ease, never hesitating for a word, whether in English or German, and, in fact, seemed to be unconscious which language he was using, as he changed five or six times in the course of the conversation. He did not remain in his chair more than ten minutes at a time, frequently getting up and walking about the room, now and then pointing to a picture or opening a book to illustrate some remark.

He began by referring to my Winter journey into Lapland. "Why do you choose the Winter?" he asked: "Your experiences will be very interesting, it is true, but will you not suf fer from the severe cold?" "That remains to be seen," I answered. "I have tried all climates except the Arctic without the least injury. The last two years of my travels were spent in tropical countries, and now I wish to have the strong. est possible contrast." "That is quite natural,” he remarked, "and I can understand how your ob ject in travel must lead you to seek such contrasts; but you must possess a remarkably healthy organization." "You doubtless know, from your own experience," I said, "that nothing preserves a man's vitality like travel." "Very true," he answered, "if it does not kill at the outset. For my part, I keep my health everywhere, like yourself. During five years in South America and the West Indies, I passed through the midst of black vomit and yellow fever untouched."

I spoke of my projected visit to Russia, and my desire to traverse the Russian-Tartar provinces of Central Asia. The Kirghiz steppes he said, were very monotonous; fifty miles gave you the picture of a thousand; but the people were exceedingly interesting. If I desired to go there, I would have no difficulty in passing through them to the Chinese frontier; but the southern provinces of Siberia, he thought, would best repay me. The scenery among the Altai Mountains was very grand. From his window in one of the Siberian towns, he had counted eleven peaks covered with eternal snow. The Kirghizes, he added, were among the few races whose habits had remained unchanged for thousands of years, and they had the remarkable peculiarity of combining a monastic with a monadic life. They were partly Buddhist and partly Mussulman, and their monkish sects followed the different clans in their wanderings, carrying on their devotions in the encampments, inside of a sacred circle marked out by spears. He had seen their ceremonies, and was struck with their resemblance to those of the Catholic church.

Humboldt's recollections of the Altai Mountains naturally led him to speak of the Andes.

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