very strong, but the city received at those times no injury; now, the convent of St. Antonio, Mary's College, and various private houses felt its effects.

The warm waters, as well those of the baths as those from the neighbouring wells, which proceed from the same subterranean source in the mountains along the coast of Termini, increased in quantity and warmth, and became turbid; consequences that always succeed convulsions of she earth, by which their internal streams are disordered. The clay tinged the fluid with its own colour, and equal volumes of the water yielded a greater quantity of the clay than before, when the colour was deeper. Most of the houses in the little new town of Sarcari, two miles from the shore, and consisting of less than a hundred houses, were rendered uninhabitable; the walls were thrown down, and the more lofty buildings were all damaged. The effects of the earthquake are found to be greater in proportion to its advance eastward.

Forty-eight miles from Palermo, at Cefalu, a large city on the shore of a promontory, the effects were various and injurious. Without the walls, two convents, a storehouse, and some country houses, were injured,, but no lives were lost. The sea made a violent and sudden rush to the shore, carrying with it a large ship laden with oil; and when the wave retired, she was left quite dry; but a second wave returned with such immense force, that the ship was dashed in pieces, and the oil lost. Boats, which were approaching the shore, were borne rapidly forward to the land, but at the return of the water, they were carried as rapidly back, far beyond their first situation. The same motion of the sea, but less violent, was observed all along the shore, as far even as Palermo. Pollina, a town with nine hundred inhabitants, occupying an elevated position at a little distance from the sea, was injured in almost every building; particularly in the church of St. Peter and Nunciata, in the castle, the tower, and in other places. Nor did Finale, a little nearer the shore, suffer less; five of its houses fell in consequence, on the eleveth of March.

Beyond the towns which have been mentioned, towards the interior of the island, the shock was vigorous to a certain extent; but kept decreasing as it proceeded, throughout the whole surface. At Ciminna, south of Termini, a statue was shaken from its place on the top of a belfrey in front of the great church, and a part of the clock tower, falling, killed one person and badly wounded another. In Cerda, the shock affected the great church, some houses, and half of one of the three forts, placed near the city to support the earth on the side of a great declivity.

Succeeding Shocks.

After the shock of the 5th, the black clouds which covered the heavens on the north and west formed a dark band, measuring from the zenith towards the horizon 60° and extending from north to south. It was terminated at base by a circular line, passing from north to south, through the west, and elevated at the southern part about 30° above the horizon. The sky itself was very clear, and its extreme brightnes was increased by the contrast with the dark bank above, and by the sun just on the point of setting. A little below the band were two other lines parallel and perfecly regular. This mysterious appearance inspired with fear the minds of the people, who are always seeking in the heavens for signs of future events. But it prepared a tempestuous night which followed, with torrents of rain, with thunder, snow, hail, and wind.

On the night of the 6th, at forty five minutes past one, in St. Lucia de Millazzo, six miles from the shore which looks towards Volcano and Stromboli, a severe shock was felt, and afterwards, at various intervals, horrible noises were heard, four distinct times, rumbling fearfully beneath them; and finally, at half past three o'clock, the shock was repeated. Both were felt at Messina, but without any subterranean noises. Nothing of it was felt at Palermo, or in any places in the west. At fifty-six minutes past ten, in the night of the 7th, another shock was felt at Palermo, sufficiently strong to put in motion the per

dulum of a small clock, which I had stopped that I might regulate it in the Morning. Its vibration from N. E. to S. W. showed me with certainty the direction of the shock. Light ones were felt on the 26th. On the 31st, at two and fifty-two minutes, P. M. one was felt at Messina, moderately severe, of five or six seconds duration, and undulating. Two others on the first of April, and one at Costelbuono on the 28th. I should add that they mention a slight one there on the 16th of February, but they are more certain of those of the 5th of March, one at 1 P. M. the other at three. These were they, which induced the inhabitants of Naso to leave their habitations and flee into the country, where they were when their city was laid waste. Here the professor mentione many other places, in which small shocks were felt, in July and August; but upon which no important remarke are made.

SELECT SENTENCES OF COMPOSITION BY A PUPIL IN THE SAUGUS CLASSICAL SEMINARY.

THE importance of improving our time is a subject which ought to concern every reflecting mind.

Youth is the most important season for cultivating the mind, expanding the intellectual powers, and gaining useful information.

If the days of our youth are misimproved and trifled away we shall have no mental treasure in store to furnish sources of reflection.

Every misimproved moment will add another to that catalogue of pangs which conscience must one day feel.

(For the Monitor.)

CLOSE OF THE YEAR.

The harvest is passed; and the summer is ended:
No longer the fields are mantled in green,

The birds on the branches their songs have suspended;
No birds skilled in music, are now to be seen.

Soon the snow will come down, earth's bosom to cover;

And snow-drifts, like mountains, the traveller impede.
The poor widow, around her fire of brands, hover;
With children half naked, and half starved, indeed.
To us, God all gracious, has abundantly granted,
For every season, what is needful, and choice:
From earliest infancy, what have we wanted?
A heart in the goodness of God to rejoice.

The ass knows the crib, where his master has fed him ;
The ox knows his owner, who yokes him and drives;
More insensible man, knows not who has led him ;
Nor on whose bounty he constantly lives.
The Saviour of sinners, is the Son of the Highest,
His gospel we have, in a language we know;
But faith is the vision, which apprehends Christ,
Who guides us to heaven, and saves us from wo.
The year will soon close, and it closes forever:
Alarming the voice. This year thou shalt die!
The last enemy, Death, the ungodly will sever
From good, and the hope of good: Lord what am I?
Py.

INDUSTRY.

So much that is wonderful has been recorded of the beaver, that several intelligent writers have not scrupled to express a belief, that it possesses but little of that surprising sagacity and skill ascribed to it. One of the latest writers on the subject, however, Mr. Joseph Sansum, of New York, gives an account of the Canadian beaver, which confirms the general character given of their habits and physical economy. He tells us, that in the deep recesses of Canadian forests, where the beaver is undisturbed by man, he is a practical example of almost every virtue. The Indians were in the habit of prognosticating the mildness or severity of the ensuing winter, from the quantity of provisions laid in by the beavers for their winter's stock. The beaver is a pattern of conjugal fidelity and paternal care; laborious, thrifty, frugal, honest, watchful, and ingenious. He submits to government in the republican form, for the

benefits of association; but is never known, in the most powerful communities, to make depredations upon his weaker neighbours. Wherever a number of these animals come together, they immediately combine in society, to perform the common business of constructing their habitations, apparently acting under the most intelligent design. Though there is no appearance indicating the authority of a chief or leader, yet no contention or disagreement is ever observed among them. When a sufficient number of them are collected to form a town, the public business is first attended to; and as they are amphibious animals, provision is to be made. for spending their time, occasionally both in and out of water. In conformity to this law of their nature, they seek a situation which is adapted to both these purposes.

With this view a lake or pond, sometimes a running stream is pitched upon. If it be a lake or pond, the water in it is always deep enough to admit of their swimming under the ice. If it be a stream, it is always such a stream as will form a pond that shall be every way convenient for their purpose; and such is their forecast, that they never fix upon a situation that will not eventually answer their views. Their next business is to construct a dam. This is always placed in the ' most convenient part of the stream; the form of it is either strait, rounding, or angular, as the peculiarities of the situation require; and no human ingenuity could improve their labours in these respects. The materials they use are wood and earth. They choose a tree on the river side, which will readily fall across the stream; and some of them apply themselves with diligence to cut it through with their teeth. Others cut down smaller trees, which they divide into equal and convenient lengths. Some drag these pieces to the brink of the river, and others swim with them to the spot where the dam is forming.

As many as can find room, are engaged in sinking one end of these stakes; and as many more in raising, fixing and securing the other ends of them. Others are employed, at the same time, in carrying on the plastering