agitated their minds, thus making their own ignorance a standard of judgment."

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In thinking about the noble work carried on by William Quarrier in Glasgow, and at the Orphan Homes at the Bridge-of-Weir, I could not help being struck by his methods, which may be shortly put down in three heads: First-His entire dependence on Providence for the supply of funds. Second-Destitution being the only title of admission, and Third-The preserving of the individuality of the orphans-or trying to do so-by bringing them up in separate Homes under the charge of a step-father and stepmother. Every one who is in any degree of a devotional or religious tendeney, must acknowledge that God's hand is in the work, and that Mr. Quarrier is a fit and worthy disciple of the MASTER.

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We hope, with the help of our subscribers, before the end of this year to get a fund established wherewith to erect, at the Bridgeof-Weir, a "Caledonia Home." "Fear not little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

There is a bright little magazine, written, printed and published by my friend Mr. Peter Davidson of Loudsville, White Co. Ga., U.S. America, which he has well named "The Morning Star." It is now in the 10th Number of the third volume. It only costs five cents a number, and can be got from the Agent for Scotland, Bernard Goodwin, 24 Crawford Street, Partick. This Magazine is always choke full of original articles of great erudition, strength and beauty, and the reader can see that the author is a man very deeply read "In Nature's infinite book of mystery."

There is an article in the January number entitled "Strange Freaks in Nature-What is Electricity," in which we are told that savants have at last captured the passage of this strange fluidElectricity and fixed its image by means of photography. learned Russian gentleman, M. de Narkiewicz-Iodko, member of the Imperial Institute of Medicine at St. Petersburg, lately left his home to bring to his learned confreres at Paris a series of photographs doubly interesting through the profound connection which they show between Electricity and the human organism.

"The French savants who have lately assembled with him are specially occupied in these studies; they have with interest examined the very curious photographs that M. de Naskiewicz has made of magnetic sparks obtained by him from the surface of the human body. These proofs take the form of a luminous ball, presenting more or less brilliancy, taking on delicate forms of Arborescence, such as trees, plants, etc., according as to whether the subject may be Anomic, Nervous, Sanguine, or exceptionally vigorous. In the latter case the image upon the plate appears as a veritable explosion of electric molecules. A new science is born, the realms of real magic are opening up, and at least one of the transformations of the Akasa, the Astral Virgin, or Anima Mundi are herein encroached upon."

"It is only a few years back since the late Professor Tyndal ushered us into a new world, peopled with the most gorgeous airy shapes, phenomena of the most ravishing beauty. The vapours of certain volatile Liquids, Nitrates, Iodides and Acids are subjected to the action of concentrated sun-light, or to the concentrated beam of the electric light, in an experimental tube lying horizontally, in such a manner that the axis of the tube and that of the paralled beams of light are coincident. The vapours form clouds of gorgeous tints, arranging themselves into the shapes of cones, shells, tulips, roses, sunflowers. In one case,' he tells us, 'the cloud-bud grew rapidly into a serpent's head, a mouth was formed, and from the cloud a cord of cloud resembling a tongue was discharged.' Finally to crown all the marvels 'once it positively assumed the form of a fish, with eyes, gills, and feelers.' The twoness of the animal form was displayed throughout, and no disk, coil, or speck, existed on the one side that did not exist on the other."

Mr. Davidson, in concluding his interesting article, asks the question, "Why is it that those sparks took on arborescent forms, why do the soundwaves describe such beautiful figures, how account for the fish, the serpent's head, the flowers of diffierent varieties, the shells? How is it that in the above experiment such weird and significant images appear. Occultism alone solves the difficulty. Those who have given little or no attention to the subject will be surprised to find how much was known in former days of that

all-pervading subtle principle, which has recently been baptised The Universal Ether. The ancient Sages or Magi of all schools and countries produced their wonders, because they were perfectly familiar with the imponderable—in their effects-but otherwise perfectly tangible waves of the Astral Light."

He died, I am

Can any of my antiquarian friends favor me with a short Sketch of the life of a once celebrated Jacobite Ballad Singer, a native of Aberdeenshire, named Charles Leslie. told, in the year 1782, in the 105th year of his age. print, said to be a Portrait of this worthy, and sketch of his history, I would give both a place in the pages of "Caledonia."

I have a curious if I could get a

I cannot but feel gratified and not a little proud at the brilliant reception that has been accorded-I may say by nearly all the Scottish newspaper press-to our humble efforts to produce a really National Scottish Magazine. I have to assure these kind friends-one and all-that as we proceed with our work a still greater degree of interest will be imported into our columns.

Arrangements are pending with some talented writers for papers on the following literary, historical, and biographical subjects, viz. : (1) "Scotland's Sweet Singers," from James the I. of Scotland to William Thom of Inverurie (with portraits); (2) "The Honours of Scotland," being a history of our Regalia, which is a very strange and curious one, with illustrations; and (3) "Biographical Sketches of Remarkable Scotsmen," with portraits. This series will include such historical characters as:-The Admirable Crichton; John o' Groat; Lord Lovat; Patie Birnie, the Fiddler of Kinghorn; John Law, the Author of the Mississippi Scheme; William Brodie, City Councillor and Housebreaker; William Douglas; Duke of Queensferry, and many others.

The byeways of Scottish History have hitherto somehow been, to a great extent, unexplored, and it shall be the mission of "Caledonia" to try and remedy this, by putting on record many matters pertaining to the "Land of brown heath and shaggy wood," which might otherwise have slipped into the limbo of oblivion.

ALEXANDER LOWSON.