before the great luminaries were called into being; and it may be presumed, though of a nature such as human eyes would term dark, to certain animals it was a clear medium of vision,-a light which "God saw was good."The Deity afterwards, being pleased to increase this light, added the heavenly bodies, and placed them in that which had an anterior existence-the firmament. Light, therefore, our author concludes is not a mass of particles in motion, as maintained by the philosophers. It was the result of the motion of God's spirit over the whole spheric waters, which, at his fiat, penetrated the profundity of the deep. Though to us it was relative darkness, it was to many animals relative light, and adapted to the construction of their optics. The author here draws a pious comparison between the darkness visible to us, and that outer darkness, beyond the spheric creation, with which the Redeemer menaces the wicked.

(To be continued.)

POETRY.

LINES

ADDRESSED TO THE BISHOP OF NORWICH.

HUSH'D be the sullen hoarse fanatic roar!
Let Discord's raven voice be heard no more!
Extinguish'd be the torch of bigot Rage,
Arm'd with the fury of some darker age.
Let now Britannia from Religion's fane,
Efface of prejudice the gloomy stain;
For Toleration, lo! with aspect bland,
Calls willing champions from her mitred band.
First in the cause the Norwich Prelate see,-
No furious persecuting zealot he.
The warm emotions of his generous soul
Of base expediency disdain controul!
No fetters he to aid Religion craves,

Nor seeks to prop her throne by making slaves!
Sublime he soars 'bove each coercing plan,
And shines at once the Christian and the man.

Hail, worthy Bishop, honour to the age!
Of halcyon days of peace the bright presage !

May brother dignitaries seek, like you,

To reign in meekness, and by love subdue.

Norwich.

H. O.

THE COMPLAINT,

OH! where is the heart, that was wont to beguile
The tear from my eye- from my bosom the smile ?
O'er the wave and the mountain, far, far, have you fled→
Το conquer the foe or unite with the dead!

Oh! while you were present, how short was the day!
The even of winter pass'd lightly away-

The pang and the pleasure, that EMMA had known,
Were pour'd in your bosom-and shar'd with your own!
When early the sun-beams had gilded the hill,
How softly I tripp'd by the murmuring rill-
How gently the wild waving meadow I press'd-
And pluck'd thee a nosegay-to die on thy breast!
But since you have left me-how lonely the bow'r!
Nor the morning so sweet, nor so lovely the flow'r-
And weary and long is the dark winter's night;
For with thee have fled all its hours of delight!
Then haste thee, the gloom of my cottage to cheer-
From the blue eye, so languid, to kiss the cold tear.
The lingering moons, in their circuits, delay-
And the seasons, without thee, pass slowly away!

Yet, oh! if thy fate doom thee ne'er to return,
A trophy of fame shall repose on thy urn-
While ERIN and EMMA shall mingle their sighs,

AND BLESS THE brave heart to defend them that dies!!
Aylesbury-street.

EVENING HYMN TO THE VIRGIN.

HOLY Virgin, pow'r divine,

Thine be praise and glory thine;

From thy glitt'ring throne on high,
Hear, oh hear, the sailor's cry.

For the great redemption won,
By thy dear and only Son,
Thro' the perils of the night,
Guide, oh guide, our course aright.

W. G.

If with thee, as legends tell,
Peace and mercy love to dwell,
Bid the breezes gently blow,
Smooth, oh smooth, the waves below.

Lo! we humbly bow to thee,
Children of the stormy sea;
Grant, oh grant, our vows success;
Join the power and wish to bless.

THE DAILY PRAYER.

FROM the spring of dawning light
Till ev'ning shadows sink in night,
Let
my will by thine be done,

Almighty Father, Three in One;
Conduct me from each subtle snare :-
Hear, O Jesus, hear my pray'r.

O holy Spirit, Gentle Dove,
Impress my soul with faith and love.-
Faith to trust for life in thee,
Love to erring man like me.

The bliss I ask let others share-
Hear, O Spirit, hear my pray❜r.

Holy Virgin, kindly spread

Thy peaceful slumbers round my head;
Through night protect me-guide my way
'Till I wake in endless day.

To heav'n lead me-meet me there-
Hear, O Virgin, hear my pray❜r.

Argyle-street.

T. P.

THE DIAL,

Go, DIAL! measure of our years,
Measure of earthly hopes and fears;
And, in thy friendly purpose bold,
Thy plain and artless tail unfold.
In thee no subtlety we see;
Clear is the truth that speaks for thee;
Truth, such as may at once impart
Conviction to the guiltless heart.
To each, thy various office lend:
REMEMB'RER, MONITOR, AND FRriend.

Let past experience serve to guide
The present moments as they glide;
And point them to that future goal,
Where Heav'n may take the passing soul.
Though plain and simple be thy guise,
Let none thy simpleness despise ;
But bid them know, if us'd aright,
That simpleness is match'd with might.
For thine the pow'r to redeem

Time vanish'd as the vanish'd dream;

Thine is the blessed pow'r, when life's deceit
Too far hath urged her fatal cheat,

To snatch from ruin on the brink,
And teach a thoughtless world to think.

CATHOLIC INTELLIGENCE.

THE respectable part of the Irish nation, true to the principles which affect their national rights and religion, are every where condensing themselves to effect the great cause of Emancipation. Requisitions have been called in the counties of Antrim, Tyrone, Armagh, &c. and others are in agitation. Their general object is to petition Parliament early in the next Session; and, if the English Members are as equally decided and patriotic as the general returns of the Sister Kingdom, there can be little doubt of the ultimate termination of the Catholic question. At the Armagh Meeting, thanks were voted to the Author of the " Statement of the Penal Laws," for his able and luminous exposition of the Catholic grievancess-a work from which the most beneficial results may be anticipated.

We are happy at all times to record acts which cement religious cordiality between Catholics and Protestants. Such is the bright prospect which at present manifests itself in Bressington, near Dublin, and its vicinity, where persons of different religious persuasions, following the splendid example of the illustrious Proprietor of the soil, are cheerfully contributing towards building a Roman Catholic parochial house for the resident clergymen and their successors; in testimony of which, the Rev. Mr. Donnellan, P. P., in the name of his parishioners, returns his most sincere thanks to Robert La Touche, Esq. for his recent donation of Twenty Pounds sterling, for the above laudable purpose.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES.-Number in England of the Churches and Chapels of the Establishment, in every parish containing 1000

inhabitants and upwards; also the number of Places of Worship not of the Establishment-taken from the returns of the Archbishops and Bishops:

Dioceses. Of the Estab.-Not of the

Bath and Wells

Estab,

....

Dioceses. Of the Estab.-Not of the
Estab.

Lichfield and Coventry..100..... 288

Bangor.

..........

Bristol

.187......265

71

84......113
49...... 39

Norwich..
Oxford...
Peterborough
Rochester..
St. Asaph

..........

70......114

50...... 39

......

20.... 36 36...... 44 49......

Hereford....

..... 51.

Lincoln....

21....
.......165..............269

95

135......

148

..193.
66.

.... 164

60

We shall be obliged to any Correspondent who can inform us what proportion the Catholic Places of Worship bear to the Nonestablished.

YORKSHIRE ELECTION.-Lord Milton, in a speech replete with. sentiments of loyalty, patriotism, and independence, speaks thus of honour, toleration, and the absurdity of imputing to the Catho lics that which in its nature cannot be true." Honour is a sacred thing; it consists not in titles, nor in wealth; it consists not in distinguished rank, nor does it even always belong to Kings. No, it consists in none of these, nor in all of them; but it consists in fidelity, in directness of conduct, in an adherence to one's word, in never swerving from our obligation for any object of ambition. It consists in loyalty, not that loyalty which spends itself in dinners and in toasts, but that which, while it manifests a proper respect for the King, dares to speak the truth before him; this, gentlemen, is true loyalty, and true loyalty is one of the ingredients of true honour.-True honour consists in those circumstances to which I have adverted, and the objects of an honourable ambition can only be obtained through the approbation of our country. This, indeed, is a proud distinction; it is one which we ought

ever to maintain.

“I shall now for a few moments call your attention to some topics of a public nature. It is good for us to be here, and being here, that we should consult and deliberate among ourselves, on one of the most important topics-Religious Toleration. On this subject I have already explained myself. It is a question, as I ob served on a former occasion, not between man and man, but between man and God. Religion is to be settled only between God and a man's own conscience. I know that on this subject there is not so much difference of opinion in the general principles