race; prompt, stern, and unyielding, his orders are such as ensure swift obedience; cautious and slow in speech, but rapid and fiery in action; reserved in manner and dignified in aspect. Such are the men who, in the early and ruder stages of society, place themselves at the head of their people, and by their rugged virtues, and even by the peculiar character of their vices, help forward that onward movement of the human race, which, in spite of many checks and hinderances, of many temporary and partial backslidings, is yet real all the world over. To use Macaulay's noble image," the tide of civilization is advancing, though each single wave may retreat as it breaks upon the shore." But to return to Moselekatse. His costume is a simple girdle, made of leopards' tails, dangling before and behind; a few beads round his neck complete his toilet. Captain Harris presented the king with a duffel greatcoat, a coil of brass wire, a mirror, two pounds of "Irish blackguard" snuff, and fifty pounds weight of blood-red beads. "Hitherto the king had considered it beneath his dignity to evince the slightest symptom of astonishment. His manner had been particularly guarded and sedate, nor had it been possible to read in his countenance aught that was passing in his bosom; but the sight of so many fine things at once threw his

decorum off the balance, and caused him for a moment to forget what he owed to himself in the presence of so large an assembly. Putting his thumb between his teeth, and opening his eyes to their utmost limits, he grinned like a school-boy at the sight of gingerbread, and exclaimed repeatedly, Monante, monante, monante: tanta, tanta, tanta!' (Good, good, good; bravo, bravo, bra

vo !)

6

"He now rose abruptly, big with some great conception, and made signs to the parsee to approach and assist him on with the coat, habited in which he strutted several times up and down, viewing his grotesque figure in the glass with evident self-applause. He then desired Mohanycour to put it on and turn about, that he might see if it fitted behind: and this knotty point settled to his unqualified satisfaction, he suddenly cast off his leopards' tails, and commanded all hands to assist in the difficult task of shaking him into tartan trousers. It was indeed no easy work to perform; but once accomplished, his majesty cut a noble figure. The parsee wore a pair of red silk braces which he presently demanded, observing that they would supply the place of those which Mrs. Moffatt had forgotten to send. Shortly after this he directed an attendant, who was crouching at his feet, to take every

thing to his kraal, and resuming his solemnity and his seat, tea was brought in."

Thus far Captain Harris; and yet this man, at whose simplicity and ignorance our very children might laugh, has authority greater than that of any European despot. He alone in his kingdom is rich; his subjects are all equally poor; the whole wealth of the state centres in him; he has the power of life and death; and all that his people have to do is to submit to his decrees.

It is well for the sovereign, and well also for the subjects, when by a nation's advancement in civilization its rulers need no longer be exposed to the temptations and responsibilities of unlimited power-when the well-being of society depends less upon the character and energy of an individual ruler, than upon the general advancement of his people in virtue and knowledge.

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COMPARATIVE SIZE AND FORMATION OF ANIMALS.

FROM among the endless variety of species in the animal kingdom, this sketch selects a few of the most familiar, and groups them together in order to exhibit their comparative sizes; and of this comparison a clearer idea may be gained from this slight illustration, than from any verbal description, however elaborate. Let us, however, not limit ourselves to the mere comparison of size, but look a little further, and take notice of some other points of resemblance or of contrast in the specimens of animated nature here exhibited.

Of all these animals, differing as they do in size and shape, the internal structure is, in one respect, similar. They all have a spine, or back-bone, or rather a series of bones, fitting one upon another, and termed vertebræ, and thus all these are classed as vertebrated animals. This spine acts not only as a support, or fulcrum, for the whole animal frame, but also as a tube for the protection of the spinal cord from its origin at the base of the brain to its extremity.