although the priests of idolatry did all they could to check its progress, and occasionally those who had been baptized were persecuted at their instigations. Still the religion spread fast, and many thousands worshipped the true God. "After a time, the Dutch formed a settlement at Japan, and, finding that the Japanese Christians, who surrounded the factories, would not deal with them, but only with the Portuguese, in whom they had confidence, they were at variance with us; and the man of whom we have spoken, and who was, at that period, the head of the Dutch Factory, determined, in his lust for gold, to make the Christian religion a source of suspicion to the emperor of the country, and thus to ruin the Portuguese and their adherents. Such, my son, was the conduct of one who professes to have embraced the reformed religion as being of greater purity than our own. “There was a Japanese lord of great wealth and influence who lived near us, and who, with two of his sons, had embraced our religion and had been baptized. He had two other sons who lived at the emperor's Court. This lord had made us a present of a house for a college and school of instruction, but, on his death, his two sons at Court, who still remained in idolatory, insisted upon our quitting the property. This, being refused, gave an opportunity for the Dutch principal to inflame their young noblemen against us, and by that means he persuaded the Japanese emperor that the Portuguese and Christians had formed a conspiracy against his life and throne,-for, be it observed, that when a Dutchman was asked if he was a Christian, he would reply, No; I am a Hollander.' "The emperor, believing that such a conspiracy had been formed, gave an immediate order for the extirpation of the Portuguese and all the Japanese who had embraced the Christian faith. He raised an army to exterminate them, and gave the command of this army to the young noblemen I have mentioned, the sons of the lord who had given us the college. The Christians, aware that resistance was their only chance, flew to arms, and gave the command of the forces to the other two sons of the Japanese lord, who had, with their father, embraced Christianity. Thus were the two armies commanded by two of the brothers on the one side and two on the other. "The Christian army amounted to more than 40,000 men, but of this the emperor was not aware, and sent a force of about 25,000 to conquer and exterminate them. They met, and after an obstinate combat, for the Japanese are very brave, the victory was on the part of the Christians, and, with the exception of a few who saved themselves in the boats, the army of the emperor was cut to pieces. "This victory was the occasion of making more converts, and the army was soon increased to upwards of 50,000 men. On the other hand, the emperor, perceiving that his army had been destroyed, ordered new levies, and raised a force of 150,000 men, giving directions to his generals to give no quarter to the Christians, with the exception of the two young lords who commanded them, whom he wished to secure alive that he might put them to death by slow torture. All offers of accommodation were refused, and the emperor took the field in person. The armies met, and, on the first day's battle, the victory was on the part of the Christians; still they had to lament the loss of one of their generals, who was wounded and taken prisoner, and, no quarter having been given, their loss had been severe. "The second day's combat was fatal to the Christians. Their general was killed, they were overpowered by numbers, and fell to a man. The emperor then attacked the camp in the rear, and put to the sword every old man, woman, and child. On the field of battle, in the camp, and by subsequent torture, more than 60,000 Christians perished. But this was not all; there was ordered a rigorous search for Christians throughout the islands for many years; and they, being still very numerous, were, when found, put to death by the most cruel torture. It was not until fifteen years ago that Christianity was entirely rooted out of the Japanese empire; and, from the first period to the last, a period of more than sixteen years of persecution, it is supposed that upwards of 400,000 Christians were destroyed, and all this slaughter, my son, was occasioned by the falsehood and avarice of that man who met his just punishment but a few days ago. The Dutch Company, pleased with his conduct, which had procured for them such advantages, have continued him for many years since as the president of their factory at Japan. He was a young man when he first went there, but his hair was grey when he thought of returning to his own country. He had amassed immense wealth,immense, indeed, must it have been to have satisfied avarice such as his! All has now perished with him, and he has been summoned to his account. Reflect a little, my son. Is it not better to follow up our path of duty, to eschew the riches and pleasures of this world, and, at our summons hence, to feel that we have hopes of bliss hereafter ?" "Most true, holy father," replied Philip, musing. "I have but a few years to live," continued the old man, knows I shall quit this world without reluctance.' "And so could I," replied Philip. "and God "You, my son !—no. You are young, and should be full of hopes. You have still to do your duty in that station to which it shall please God to call you." "I know that I have a duty to perform," replied Philip. "Father, the night air is too keen for one so aged as you. Retire to your bed, and leave me to my watch and my own thoughts." "I will, my son; may Heaven guard you, and blessing,-good night." take an old man's "Shall I confess "Good night," replied Philip, glad to be alone. all to him ?" thought Philip. "I feel I could confess to him.-But no. I would not to Father Seysen,-why to him? I should put myself in his power, and he might order me -No, no! my secret is my own. I need no advisers." And Philip pulled out the relic from his bosom, and put it reverently to his lips. The Batavia waited a few days at St. Helena, and then continued her voyage. In six weeks, Philip again found himself at anchor in the Zuyder Zee, and, having the captain's permission, he immediately set off for his own home, taking with him the old Portuguese priest Mathias, with whom he had formed a great intimacy, and to whom he had offered his protection so long as he might wish to remain in the Low Country. (To be continued.) I WOULD NOT BE A CHILD AGAIN. FULL oft have poets tried, and long, Full many the sorrows, tears, and cares, Like dew before the face of day; And he, whose soul was only ours, May shun the spot where Fortune low'rs, Upon the once-loved, happy scene. Has any felt the bitter throes, Nor deem'd his manhood fraught with woes? I would not be a child again! Full many the tales which life might tell, That 'gainst our better hopes rebel, Of heart's affections torn and sear, Too long to tell, too sad to hear,— How plighted vows, and love's best token, Have been, in times of trial, broken,— Has sunk into obscurity, How all we strove to cheer and bless Has melted into nothingness!— Yet, with its pleasure and its pain, I would not be a child again! What though its little sorrows pass Quick though they move, and lightly press, The gentle moth, that round the light, When forms of coarser, hardier frame, Would scarce have felt or own'd the flame : What are its pleasures? Are they those Aug.-VOL. L. NO. CC. 2 L Owns all that childhood's life endears- When Reason burns with kindled beam, R. M. S. RECOLLECTIONS OF LA MAILLERAIE, BY CAPTAIN HERBERT BYNG HALL. CIRCUMSTANCES, to which it would be useless here to refer, induced me, in the month of September, 18-, to visit the banks of that loveliest of French rivers, the Seine. It was at three o'clock in the afternoon of a beautiful day, that I embarked on board the Apollo steamer, a vessel offering to the traveller the recommendations of speed, comfort, and cleanliness, together with all needful attention on the part of those functionaries whose good offices the majority of persons frequenting such packets so urgently require. On the occasion of which I speak, however, their labour was but slight; for after a short and delightful passage we found ourselves next morning alongside the pier at Havre. On landing, I proceeded immediately to the Hotel de l'Admireauté, and had barely time to demolish my breakfast of some cafe au lait and a coutlet before the bugle sounded for the departure of La Seine, the French steam packet for Rouen. Hastening to the quay, I once more embarked, but had not long been afloat ere I perceived, with no pleasurable sensations, the absence, in this my new abode of aquatic machinery, of all that comfort and cleanliness so conspicuous in the Apollo; but as entire resignation, nay, apathy, is a virtue indispensable to a tourist, I consoled myself with the reflection that " use lessens marvel," while the scene around was in itself sufficiently lovely, even without the hope of speedy release which I possessed, to banish the recollection of present inconvenience. The day was brilliant, and the banks of the river grew at each moment more romantic as we advanced, the channel of the stream becoming gradually more confined, and the adjacent country more thickly and beautifully wooded. Havre and its opposite neighbour, Honfleur, were soon left in the background; while the château of Tancarville, on its majestic and forest-clad heights, presented itself to our admiring gaze, as we quickly glided through the tranquil waters: the villages of Caudebec, Quillebœuf, and Graville, next arose in rapid succession before us, and having at length reached the extensive and ancient château of La Mailleraie on our right, and the equally beautiful but more modern domain of Cantlieu on the left, we were at length deposited on the bustling quay de Boildieu at Rouen. It is not my intention to give a detailed account of all my wanderings, more particularly since that part of Normandy, of which I now speak, has, of late years, been overrun by Englishmen, to the great profit and increased extortion of innkeepers, conductors, and the like persons: otherwise the fine old city of Rouen, with its unequalled cathedral, might justly claim a large portion of my notice; but to which of my readers is it not familiar, either by personal inspection or in the writings of others? I shall proceed, therefore, to lay before my friends a story somewhat of a martial nature, the relation of which has been my chief inducement to take up my pen. Previously, however, to commencing my narrative, it will be necessary to inform my readers in what way I became acquainted with the persons concerned in the events recorded by the narrative. The desire to inspect some of the abodes of ancient greatness, to which I have before alluded, as visible in our passage up the river, having influenced me in the choice of Normandy as the scene of my present travel, I lost no time in executing the plans I had previously formed; and having engaged a fiacre, speedily found myself mounting the steep but beautiful road leading back to Havre, with the intention of paying a visit to the château of Mons. Le Febre at Cantlieu, to whom I had received letters of introduction. That gentleman was fortunately at home; and having delivered my credentials, I was received with the polish and peculiarity of manner to be found in the French noblesse of the French school alone. My host, being a man of considerable taste, had furnished the interior of his old patrimonial abode, which, externally, was far from prepossessing in appearance, with much elegance, added to a large share of those comforts which, so necessary to English existence, are but rarely to be found in the country residence of a French propriétaire, how abundant soever may be the more gaudy and attractive meublement of a Parisian drawing-room. Here and there some beautiful specimens, by the hands of Murillo and Vandyke, graced the walls of the withdrawing-room, while the ancient wainscoting of the salon à mange was adorned with some exquisite clusters of fruit and flowers in fresco; but that part of the château most attractive in my eyes was the extensive and judiciously-selected library, which, in addition to its well-filled shelves, possessed some most comfortable lounging chairs of London make, and a richly-carpetted floor. "This room," said Mons. Le Febre, "I have fitted up à l'Anglais; and as I pass a considerable portion of every winter at Cantlieu, I find it what your countrymen denominate ve-ery comfortable!" The highest gratification, however, was yet to come on opening the lofty window of the apartment, we found ourselves on a kind of terrace, or parterre, arranged with the utmost care and neatness, the view from which baffles all description. A broad and level gravelled walk, extending the whole length of the mansion, and at about a hundred paces from it, was protected by a stone parapet, decorated with vases containing orange-trees and other choice exotics. From this wall a precipitous and thickly-wooded bank descended to the brink |