CONDITIONAL FRAYER. King Clovis, of France, hitherto a pagan but almost persuaded to be a christian, like another Agrippa, by his wife Clotildis, who was no idolater, on being invaded by the Ottomans, and seeing his army put into disorder at the onset put up this prayer. "O God of Clotildis, if you will "now interpose and grant me this victory, 1 will renounce idolatry for ever, and be a christian." We will not say his prayer was heard, because it will not be decorous to make conditions with our Creator, depending upon the particle if: but Clovis did gain a victory, and remembering his vow was baptized. SHORT EPITAPHS. Anthony Codrus Urceus had the following laconic epitaph on a monument, which had been prepared by himself. Codrus Eram, i. e. I was Codrus. We have likewise heard of a short epitaph running thus: Here lies the body of a sinner, Who died for want of warmth within her. PRELATES EXTRAORDINARY. Dr. Balguy refused a bishopric; bishops Hard and South refused the primacy, and so might some few others. When the good bishop Berkeley of Cloyne, was offered the translation from that see to Clogher, and told by Lord Chesterfield that he might certainly raise one hundred thousand pounds by fines, he consulted Mrs. Berkeley and then refused it. On that occasion the bishop said to Mrs. B. "I desire to "add one more to the list of churchmen, who are evidently dead to ambition and avarice." 66 DOCTOR STILLING FLEET. It is the fashion in church service to read sermons and not to preach extempore. Charles the second asked Dr. Stillingfleet, why he read his sermons before him, and preached out of. book elsewhere. The doctor said preaching before so great an audience, made him distrust his own abilities. But in return, how is it that your Majesty reads you speeches in Parliament, having no such reason? "Why (said the king) "the truth is I have asked my subjects so often "for so much money, that I am really ashamed "to look them in the face." KING JOHN AND POPE INNOCENT. When Cardinal Langton was made archbishop of Canterbury, by the intrigues of the Pope, whose creature he was, in despight of King John, to appease the latter, his holiness presented him with four gold rings, set with precious stones: and enhanced the value of the gift, (mark that, Jewellers!) by informing him of the many mysteries implied in it. He begged of him (John) to consider seriously the form of the rings, their number, their matter, and their colour. Their form he said, being round, shadowed out eternity, which had neither beginning nor end; and he ought thence to learn the duty of aspiring from earthly objects to heavenly, from things temporal to things eternal. The numbers four, being a square, denoted steadiness of mind, not to be subverted either by prosperity or adversity; fixed for ever in the basis of the four cardinal virtues. Gold which is the matter, being the most precious of metals, signified wisdom, which is the most precious of all accomplishments, and justly preferred, by Solomon to riches, power and all exterior attainments. The blue colour of the Sapphire represented faith; the verdure of the emerald hope: the richness of the ruby charity; and the splendour of the topaz, good works. ANDREW CANT. In the Church yard of Aberdeen, lies one Andrew Cant, minister of Aberdeen, from whom the Spectator derives the word to Cant: but, in all probability, Andrew canted no more than the rest of his brethren, for he lived in a cantiug age, Charles the first's time. Still Andrew did not cant a little, for it appears, that when Diemoter castle was beseiged by the Marquis of Montrose, it was defended by the earl-marechal, by the persuasion of Andrew Cant. The Marquis, according to the barbarous custom of the time, set fire to the country around, which, when Andrew saw, he told the noble owner, that the flames of his houses were a sweet-smelling savour in the sight of the Lord; supposing that his Lordship suffered for righteousness sake. ZEAL FOR THE CHURCH. Charlemagne allowed himself to be persuaded that he could never mould the Saxons to his yoke, but by forcing them to embrace christianity. He declared, as we find in the Capitularies, that every Saxon who would not get himself baptized, and who from that time should eat meat in Lent, should suffer death. There was the God of Peace announced, sword in hand, like unto the Mexicans and Peruvians by the Spaniards, and the subdued were compelled to receive baptism, in places that were still reeking with their countrymen's blood. PIOUS ENIGMAS. The classical author of the Pursuits of Literature immersed himself in the depth of speculation on the Apocalypsa, proving that the French Revolution and its atrocities might be calculated from Scripture. The seals of Miss Joanna Southcot were to extend to 144,000, according to the seventh chapter of the Revelations, though only 8,000 were issued. The amiable but enthusiastic Whiston was continually harping upon these enigmas, and twice made him selt publicly ridiculous. EPITAPH OF BARNES, Joshua Barnes, the learned editor of Euripides, had a Greek epitaph upon him, with this sense. Kind Barnes, adorned by every Muse, No orator was ever greater, No poet ever chaunted sweeter; |