of Moses, and long after it, all the eastern nations spoke a language which was very nearly Hebrew; and many other learned authors concur in the opinion.

Certainly, there is no argument to be drawn for this confusion of languages at Babel, from the differences found among them at the present day. The Chaldee of Daniel's time had not degenerated from the original Hebrew so much as the modern Italian had from its parent Latin in eight hundred years. Half the oriental words of the present day are less different from the old Hebrew stock, whence they were derived, some thousands of years ago, than is the modern French from the original Latin,—than larme is from lachryma, evêque from episcopus, and oil from oculus.

I leave these facts to the consideration of my readers.

X. Q.

CHRIST, a King and Priest, shares this honour and glory with all Christians. The Christian is a king, and consequently possesses all things; he is a priest, and consequently possesses God. And it is faith, not works, which brings him all this honour. A Christian is free from all things, above all things, faith giving him richly of all things.- Luther.

FRENCH PROTESTANTS.

No. V.

THE DAYS OF THE DRAGONADES.

AMONG the cruel persecutions of the French Protestants during the time which followed the revocation of the edict of Nantes, emphatically called the days of the Dragonâdes, none seems to have marked more strongly the exterminating hatred with which this unhappy race was pursued, than the law which prevented their emigration, and denied them at any price the privilege of serving God according to their own conscience. That it was evaded, the thousands which poured forth into all the neighbouring countries sufficiently attest; but their secret flight was in many instances accompanied by circumstances of heart-rending misery. The exiles sometimes hovered for months in the vicinity of the sea-port towns, for they dared not be seen in them. They crept about from village to village seeking a shelter which money could not purchase, and even long-tried friendship dared hardly grant. The miserable vehicles which took them from place to place, the wretched vessels which conveyed them away, were bribed at an exorbitant rate; they had to creep along precipices and paths untrodden by any other human beings, to esJULY, 1840.

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cape observation: the darkness of the night was necessarily chosen as the hour of embarkation, and often in the danger, confusion, and horror of that moment, the dearest relatives were parted, some hurried on board without knowing what had become of the others, and some remaining to languish out the remainder of their lives in a French prison, ignorant of the future fate of the objects of their tenderest affection.

The following is the description of a scene of this kind, given by the father of a family who, with his six children, had long been eagerly watching for an opportunity of leaving France. For upwards of a year and a half, he had been seeking to put his plan of flight into execution: no entreaties could prevail upon the aged grandmother of the family to leave her native land; but he, struck with remorse for having apostatized from his faith, and restless under the bitter upbraidings of his conscience, resolved at all hazards to quit the country. Having joined a number of others who were resolved upon incurring the same danger, the place of meeting was fixed upon about a league from Rochelle, where a boat was hired to convey them on board of the vessel which lay at a little distance. 'Where are we going to, papa?' said one of the little ones, as he was being carried over marshy meadows and swampy places, in a dark, cold, miserable night. To our house at Moullé,' the father wrongly replied, in order to satisfy the child. When morning dawned, the little creature finding himself on the beach surrounded by sea and rocks, exclaimed, 'Our house has tumbled down, papa.' At last, after many perils and much delay, they reached the small house where the remainder of

the party were assembled. The arrival of the boat was announced, and all rushed to the beach, but this unfortunate gentleman and his six children lost their way in the darkness of the night, and found themselves in a vineyard, from which they could not extricate themselves, and where they expected to pass the night. They happened however to have with them a woman whose husband had long been familiar with that part of the coast, and who as soon as be missed his wife, went in search of her, until he found her in the vineyard. With his assistance they found their way again to the beach, but they were too late, for the boat was just putting off: the sailors however promised to return for them, and forty other persons, who, like themselves, were waiting on the shore. They therefore patiently sat down upon the rock to wait. When the boat returned, it put into a creek, about a hundred and fifty yards from the rock on which they were: as soon as the cry of the sailors was heard, all again flew to the spot, those encumbered with children were, of course, longer in reaching it, and this unfortunate family had once more the pain of seeing it quit the shore, leaving themselves and about ten more of the party. They had now no other resource but to await its promised return for the third time; but as they counted the weary hours the day began to dawn, and returning light enabled them to discern two of the guard boats, which since the revocation of the Edict of Nantes had been constantly stationed off Rochelle, to prevent the emigration of the Protestants. The delay of only half an hour in the former arrival of the boat would have probably caused the perpetual imprisonment of every one on board, and the trial for a capital crime of all

connected with their escape. The little party left on shore had, of course, no part left, but flight. But how was it to be accomplished? They could not hope to reach a place of concealment, except by passing under the walls of Rochelle, and to fall into the hands of its severe governor was deeply dreaded. In addition to his six children the gentleman from whose narrative this account is taken, had also charge of a young lady, Mademoiselle de Choisy, who during that fearful night had got separated from her mother, and was consequently agonized with grief and terror.

At a village called La Bugandiere lived an old gentleman who had formerly shewed some kindness to these unfortunate people, and in his chateau they now resolved to seek a place of refuge. Three of the children were incapable of walking; but happily the horse which had brought them there, though the poor animal had remained all night upon the shingles apparently without sense or motion, yet possessed sufficient strength to take them a little further. On it they were accordingly mounted, and the rest of the party dispersing themselves began, tremblingly and with much caution, to take their way towards the chateau. Poor Mademoiselle de Choisy had lost her shoes, and was scarcely able to walk. The heart of the father reposed during these trying hours upon one promise in the scriptures, in meditating upon which, during his anxious journey, he describes himself as calmed and strengthened in his agitation and distress, and rendered willing to endure what further afflictions it might please his heavenly Father to appoint: it was from Psalm xxxiv.-" The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear