ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be bro- | severe study pointed out to us its beauties and its truth. ken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel In early life, as we have seen, Solomon was exembroken at the cistern: Then shall the dust return to the plary in piety and great in wisdom; but as he grew earth as it was, &c. By the silver cord is meant the old he was guilty of great defection from the strictnerves, which proceeding from the brain, are collected ness of religion. So strange indeed were his proin the medulla oblongata in the rear part of the head, pensities, that in after life he married seven hundred and distributed downwards throughout the system, women, besides taking three hundred concubines, or carrying the vital principle through every part. A wives of the second rank. So great was his conblow received in the back part of the head, or any con- plaisance and love for them, that he built altars and tusion of these delicate silver nerves, is extremely dan- temples to all their deities; for many of these wogerous; a severe contusion or a rupture produces in- men were idolators. So great was his corruption stant death. These nerves resemble silver tubes. that the Lord declared by the prophet Abijah, that he The "golden bowl" is the scull. The "pitcher at the would divide the kingdom after his death, and give fountain," is the great Aorta, which exactly resembles ten tribes to Jeroboam; which accordingly took place. a pitcher, with the handle affixed; this organ empties Towards the close of his reign, as a punishment for the blood into the heart, which is the "fountain." his effeminacy and idolatry, the Lord stirred up cerThe "wheel at the cistern," is the passage through tain adversaries against him; and, though the princiwhich the blood is sent from the heart to the lungs,' evil threatened against Israel was not to occur "the cistern," where it is purified and sent back to the fountain. The whole blood is sent round from the "fountain" to the "cistern" in this wheel-like manner every seven or eight minutes. How much wisdom did Solomon exhibit in that single verse! what a beautiful text for one of the subliniest sermons! Yet, is there one clergyman in fifty ever knew the meaning of that verse? We confess we never knew how to interpret it, until a learned friend, a physician, after ter a reign of forty years.

during his day, yet he had the mortification of knowing that it would be inflicted under the administration of his son; and that his own conduct would be the procuring cause. It is believed by most historians that he repented of his dereliction from duty before he died, though nothing is said on this point in the Bible. This man of extraordinary wisdom and wealth died 975 years B. c. aged fifty-eight years, and af

This magnificent edifice was built upon Mount Mo- | after David's death, the 480th after the exodus, and riah at Jerusalem. The foundations were laid in the 1011 B. C. David had made great preparations for fourth year of Solomon's reign which was the second building the temple, and had collected a vast quan

tity of gold, silver and other metals and materials be- innermost or new court containing the temple, an fore his death. On Solomon's accession to the throne the outer one the priests' court, containing in its centre he immediately made contracts with foreign princes the altar of burnt-offerings. A gate opened from to furnish materials to carry on the stupendous work; this last court directly in front of the grand porch of he caused a census to be taken of all the Canaanitish the temple. This porch, which was in front of the temand other slaves in Israel, that he might arrange his ple, it is said was magnificent. It was thirty-six feet labours, and send abroad for the most skilful artificers long and eighteen wide. On either side of the entrance and the richest materials. He found 153,600 slaves; was a beautiful brass pillar, splendidly worked, par70,000 of whom he appointed to carry burdens, 80,- ticularly the capitals. The precise height of these pil000 to hew timber and stone in the mountains, and lars it is difficult to determine: but they were six the remaining 3,600 as overseers. He also levied feet in diameter. The pillar upon the right was call30,000 men out of Israel, and directed them to worked Jachin, which signifies he shall establish, and the in Lebanon one month in every three, 10,000 every other on the left, Boaz, or strength is in him. On month, under the inspection of Adoniram. These either side of the porch winding stairs ascended it seems were mere rough hewers of stone and tim-leading into the chambers of the temple. Directly ber; for afterwards the materials passed through the in front of the entrance to the porch was the door hands of the Tyrian artificers, and were conveyed to which led into the main room or sanctuary. This Joppa on floats, whence Solomon had them convey-door was made of olive wood, beautifully and heavily ed to Jerusalem. Every piece was finished before carved, and overlaid with gold. The mouldings of it was taken to Jerusalem. The temple was com- the door, according to Josephus, were of brass and pleted in seven years. silver. The sanctuary was a most magnificent room; Although the value of the materials, and the ad-on whichever side the eyes were turned, no wood mirable perfection of the workmanship, rank it among the most celebrated structures of antiquity, yet we cannot give credence to the statements of some historians and Jewish rabbins who describe this sacred fabrick with all the exaggerations which the most luxuriant fancy can suggest, as a temple as unequalled in extent as it was in grandeur and richness. It was not large, being about one hundred and seven feet in length, thirty-six in breadth, and fifty-four in height. 1 Kings 6: 2. Indeed, Solomon's house was larger than the temple, for that was one hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet broad, and fortyfive feet in height. 1 Kings 7: 2. But the temple was exquisitely proportioned, and, together with a grand porch, was most splendidly ornamented.

The al

nor stone work was to be seen, it was all pure and shining gold. The floor and the ceiling and much of the walls were of cedar, carved with "knops and flowers," but all overlaid with pure gold. The chambers, of which there were three tiers of thirty each, were built in the wall of the temple all around both the sanctuary and the oracle. At the extremity of the sanctuary was made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle. It is supposed this partition, which is called the "veil of the temple," was a strong wall with a door in the centre, before which was hung a curtain upon a chain of gold. This opened into the oracle or most holy place, where was depos ited the ark of God. This room was thirty feet in length, breadth and height. The work of the walls The temple faced the east. On the rear or west and floor was similar to that of the sanctuary, though side was the lower part of the city, and on the south probably more costly and highly finished. was a valley and the principal peak of Mount Sion. tar was made of cedar, and covered with gold. There was a gate on each side, together with an ad- There were also erected in this room two cherubim ditional one on the W. southwest side, that led to the of olive wood, fifteen feet each in height, and their king's house or palace, which stood across the val- wings measuring from tip to tip each fifteen feet. ley, and communicated with the temple by a terrace These beautiful and sacred ornaments, whose wings walk. At each of the gates was a guard-house; at together reached across the temple, were also overthe south gate were two additional houses called laid with pure gold. The main walks of the temple Asuppim, where the wardens of the court probably were marble; the roof, of board, and beams of cedar ; assembled and stored their utensils and arms, &c., the temple was lighted by "windows with narrow and there were similar houses in cach of the four lights." At the dedication, Solomon had a brazen corners of the court. In the centre of this court was scaffold built, upon which he stood and addressed the priests' court, which was an oblong square of one the congregation and prayed. This was before the hundred and fifty feet in length and seventy-five feet brazen altar of the priests' court. It seems that, afterin width. There were three doors to this court open-wards he built an ivory throne, and overlaid it with ing from the north, east, and south. This court gold; but whether this throne was situated there or was divided by a partition wall through the centre, in the temple, we are at loss to determine. If the which made two inner courts of equal extent-the" pillar" and the throne are one, it was undoubtedly

tion, about thirty years, unequalled in prosperity, in fame, in wisdom, wealth, and magnificence. But as his glory left him in his latter years, so his gorgeous edifice soon after ceased to exist. It was pillaged by Sesac, king of Egypt, and afterwards greatly mutilated on the invasion of the Syrians, and was final

before the alter in the court. This throne doubt- immense cost of this temple, as beautiful in its workless had a covering like the thrones and presiden-manship as it was rich in materials, we have never tial seats, now-a-days, and this is what is probably seen estimated. Solomon reigned after its complemeant by the "covert of the sabbath." A monstrous brazen basin or "molten sea," was built in the court, which was fifteen feet from brim to brim, seven feet deep, and forty-five feet in circumference. This was placed on twelve brazen oxen, and was used by the priests to wash in. There were also ten lavers to wash the burnt-offerings in. Ten can-ly burned in ruins. dlesticks, ten tables, and a hundred basins, all of gold were arranged in the temple. There were also thousands of other instruments, vessels and ornaments all of them of the purest gold and the finest workmanship, adoring this magnificent structure. The

The temple was surrounded by an immense wall, which was built with great strength upon the most uneven surface, and according to many writers, was about seven hundred feet square. This furnished a court in which the people were allowed to assemble.

These noble animals are the watch-dogs of the table- | Turner, who thus introduces them in his Account of land of the Himalaya mountains about Thibet. Their an Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in masters, the Bhoteas, to whom they are most strongly Thibet, published in 1800:-"The mansion of the attached, are a singular race, of a ruddy copper-col- Rajah of Bootan stood upon the right; on the left lour, indicating the bracing air which they breathe, was a row of wooden cages, containing a number of rather short, but of an excellent disposition. Their large dogs, tremendously fierce, strong, and noisy. clothing is adapted to the coid climate which they They were natives of Thibet; and whether savage iuhabit, and consists of fur and woollen cloth. The by nature, or soured by confinement, they were so men till the ground and keep sheep, and at certain impetuously furious, that it was unsafe, unless the seasons come down to trade, bringing borax, tincal keepers were near, even to approach their dens." and musk for sale. They sometimes penetrate as far as Calcutta. On these occasions the women remain at home with the dogs, and the encampment is watched by the latter, which have an almost irreconcilable aversion to Europeans, and in general fly ferociously at a white face. A warmer climate relaxes all their energies, and they dwindle even in the valley of Nipal.

To the foregoing account we can only append a few additional details derived from the relations of those travellers by whom these dogs have been more particularly noticed. The first of these is Captain

A few pages further on, our author exhibits them in a much more favourable point of view, as the watchful guardians of the fold. But the most characteristick anecdote respecting them furnished by Capt. Turner is thus related Entering a Thibet village, and "being," he says, "indolently disposed, and prompted by mere curiosity, I strolled alone among the houses and seeing every thing still and quiet, I turned into one of the stone enclosures, which serve as folds for cattle. The instant I entered the gate, to my astonishment, up started a huge dog, big enough, if his courage had been equal to his size, to

the

fight a lion. He kept me at bay with a most clam-tablished rules, to remove the animal before us from orous bark, and I was a good deal startled at first, its most obvious affinities, to arrange it among but recollecting their cowardly disposition, I stood latter; placing it, however, at the commencement of still; for having once had one in my possession I that division and nearly in contact with the viverrine knew that they were fierce only when they perceived groups, to which it is so intimately allied as to have themselves feared. If I had attempted to run, he been actually confounded by Buffon, with the comprobably would have flown upon me, and torn me in mon Genette; a mistake which was first clearly pieces, before any one could have come to my pointed out by M. F. Cuvier, but which has obtained rescue. Some person came out of the house, and so generally among naturalists, that the Paradoxurus he was soon silenced." is still commonly exhibited under that erroneous name. From the Genettes and Civets it differs little in its general form and habits; its teeth are nearly similar; and its toes and nails closely correspond in number and in their degree of retractility. But it is entirely destitute of the secretory pouch; and, in addition to its plantigrade walk, it exhibits a very peculiar structure in the tail. This organ is as long as the body, and flattened above and below; when extended, the further half is turned over so as to place its lower side uppermost, and the animal has it in its power to roll it up into a spire, commencing from above, downwards to the very base.

The colour of the species varies in different lights; in general it may be described as grayish black, with a tinge of yellow. On this ground it is marked with one broad dorsal, and on each side two or three nar rower, indistinct black lines. The under jaw, the legs, and the greater part of the tail are entirely black; and there is a whitish spot above and under each of its eyes.

Similar accounts of the large size of these dogs, as well as of their ferocity and antipathy to strangers which seem to be regarded as their uniform characteristicks, are given by other writers. Capt. Raper, in his Narrative of a Survey for discovering the Sources of the Ganges, speaking of the trade carried on by the natives of Bootan, says, "Dogs are also brought down by these people. One of them was a remarkably fine animal, as large as a good-sized Newfoundland dog, with very long hair and a head resembling a mastiff's. His tail was of an amazing length, like the brush of a fox, and curled halfway over his back. He was however so fierce, that he would allow no stranger to approach him; and the same fault was observable in the rest of this species." Mr. Moorcroft also, in his journey to Lake Manasarovara, says, "The Uniyas had dogs with their flocks, which were fierce and much disposed to attack strangers." There can be little doubt that the dogs thus spoken of were all of the true Thibetan race; but we can hardly help suspecting that Mr. Fraser, in his Tour through India and the larger Asiatick Islands appear to be part of the Himalaya mountains, has confounded its native country; but nothing certain is known of them with other breeds. He frequently mentions the its habits in a state of nature; in captivity it is sullen dogs of Bischur, of whose strength and activity won- and irascible, and evinces no affection for its keeper, derful tales were told, but always with an air of in-appearing in fact totally insensible to the attentions credulity both as to their size and powers. This cir- which it receives. cumstance would lead us to suspect that he had never seen the genuine breed, and our suspicions are strongly confirmed by those passages in his work in which he incidentally touches upon their distinctive characters; for it is clear that a dog "not bigger than a pointer," although "rough-haired and very fierce," could never have been mistaken for a Thibet dog by one who was acquainted with the legitimate race.

до Jois

Larger in size and more robust in stature than the Coatis, and approximating still more closely in their physical characters to the bears, which may be considered as the typical group of the plantigrade Carnivora, the rackoons naturally occupy an intermediate station between the playful, timid, and harmless Although the division of the true Carnivora into little creatures just noticed, and the powerful, clumdigitigrade and plantigrade is in many respects objec-sy, and dangerous tribe of bears. Like both tionable, we feel compelled in conformity with es- bears and coatis they have in each jaw six sharp

THE PARADOXURUS.
Paradoxurus Typus. F. Cuv.

incisors, two strong canines, and twelve cheek teeth, | facility. In captivity they are easily tamed, and even

six on each side. But these latter differ from those appear susceptible of some degree of attachment; of the Bears, inasmuch as the whole six form a reg- but they never entirely lose their sentiment of indeular series, the three anterior ones of which are pendence, and are consequently incapable of comsmall and pointed, and the three posterior broad and plete domestication. When placed under a certain surmounted by prominent and blunted tubercles; degree of restraint they appear contented and happy, while in the Bear the three anterior appear rather to are fond of play, and take pleasure in the caresses form a supplemental appendage, being placed irregu- of their friends, and even of strangers; but however larly and at unequal distances, and not unfrequently long this kind of domestication may have continued, falling out altogether as the animal advances in age: and how much soever they may seem reconciled to the tubercles on the crowns of the posterior ones their confinement, the moment the restraint is withare also much less strongly marked. The Coatis drawn and they feel themselves again at liberty, the exhibit nearly the same mode of dentition as the love of freedom prevails over every other consideraRackoons; but striking marks of distinction between tion, and they become as wild as if they had never them are afforded by the comparative length of the been reclaimed. In eating, they commonly support tail, which in the latter is scarcely half as long as themselves on their hind legs, and carry their food the body; and by that of the snout, which, instead to the mouth between their fore paws, having first of being prolonged into an extensible muzzle, capable plunged it in water, if the liquid element, of which of being moved about in all directions, as in the Coa- they are remarkably fond, is within reach. This sin tis, is scarcely produced beyond the lower lip, and gular peculiarity, the object of which is not very obhas very little motion. The strongly marked differ-vious, but from which the animal derives his specifick ence in physiognomy arising from this circumstance name, does not, however, appear to be constant and is increased by the width of the head posteriorly, uniform, being frequently entirely neglected. The which is so great as to give to the general outline of same may be said of their fondness for shellfish and the face of the Rackoons the form of a nearly equilat-mollusca, for which they are generally stated to have eral triangle. Their ears are of moderate length, up- a great partiality; some of them, displaying the greatright and rounded at the tip; their legs strikingly est address and dexterity in opening the shell of an contrast in their slender and graceful form with the oyster, and extracting its contents, while others abstrong and muscular limbs of the Bears; and their solutely refuse to touch it. nails, five in number on each of the feet, are long, pointed, and of considerable strength. The whole body is clothed with long, thick, and soft hair; and its general shape, notwithstanding its intimate connexion with the Bears, and its short and thickset proportions, is not without a certain degree of elegance and lightness.

The Rackoons are natives of America, and the species which has been most frequently observed by naturalists, and which we are now to describe is most frequent in the northern division of this continent. Indeed it may admit of doubt whether it ever advances further south than the Isthmus of Darien, the animal described by M. d'Azara as identical with it being evidently a distinct species. Its fur is usually of a deep grayish black, resulting from the intermixture of those two colours in successive rings on each individual hair. The shades of colour vary on different parts of the body, and are as usual much lighter below and on the inside of the legs. The face, which is nearly white, is surrounded by a black band of unequal breadth, passing across the forehead, encircling the eyes, and descending obliquely on each side towards the angle of the jaw. The whiskers are of moderate length; and the hair of the face generally, as well as of the legs, is short and smooth. The tail, which is thick at the base, tapering gradually to the tip, and covered with long hairs, has five or six brownish rings, alternating with an equal number of the lighter colours, which is prevalent on the lower parts of the body.

All that we know of their habits in a state of nature may be comprised in the single fact, that, in addition to the vegetable substances, and more particularly fruits, which form the principal part of their subsistence, they feed on the eggs of birds, and even on the birds themselves, their agility and the structure of their claws affording them the means of reaching the tops of the tallest trees with quickness and VOL. III.-2

The Rackoons are found in every state in the Union, and every where make great depredations during the night in fields of young green corn. They are caught in traps; but most frequently when corn is in its milk, hunters pursue them from the fields with dogs; they make for some large and thick tree, whereupon the hunters kindle a fire around its base, and shoot them by its light, or wait till the break of day when their prey is visible and easily taken. Their skins are sold to the hatters for from twenty-five to thirty cents.

THE STRIPED HYENA.
Hyena vulgaris. Desm.

Like both the cats and the dogs, the Hyenas are completely digitigrade; that is to say, they walk only on the extremities of their toes: but these toes are four in number on each of their feet, and are armed