Father in His throne." It is enough! Clothed with the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, and strong in the strength of Jesus, let us "fight the good fight of faith," and "lay hold on eternal life." "Our Captain leads us on; He beckons from the skies, Be faithful unto death, Partake My victory; And thou shalt wear this glorious wreath, And thou shalt reign with Me.'" Y. HOW TO WRITE FOR THE PRESS. A TRANSATLANTIC journal (the "New-Orleans Christian Advocate ") offers the following counsels. They are here reproduced for the benefit of all whom they concern, and for the defence of the reading public. WHEN anyone sits down to write for publication, it should be with the conviction that nothing ought to be published which is not valuable. Nothing valueless should be made a matter of record. The immense amount of reading necessary to the attainment of what is called general information, is largely owing to the neglect of this rule. And the difficulty becomes greater with every age. But, apart from this general and comprehensive view of the interests of the world, and of future times, we should, when writing for publication, remember that it is a sin against mankind, and therefore against God, to make them eat a bushel of the chaff of unnecessary words in order to obtain a quart of the good wheat of valuable facts or thoughts. It is a waste of their time, and an injury to their minds. It is equally an injury and an injustice to the writer. Spreading the precious metal of his thought out into gold-leaf, it is valueless. Condensed into coin, it would pass current in the mental exchange. A wad of cotton has no force in its loose state; but we have seen boys chew it up so tightly, that, when shot out of a gun, it would pierce through an oak-board half an inch thick. This is a good illustration of the difference in power between a prolix, wordy writer, and one who condenses, and is terse in his language. A writer who is brief, pointed, and pithy is always read. A long-winded writer, who strings out his words into ponderous columns, is always voted a bore. In order to write well, we must do much hard thinking, and write with great painstaking. This is the only way to attain ease, elegance, and power. Some writer truly says that Shakspeare, we may fancy, wrote with rapidity; but not till he had thought with intensity. Long and sore had this man thought, as the seeing eye may discern, and had dealt and wrestled with dark pains and throes, though his great soul is silent about all that. It was for him to write rapidly at fit intervals, being ready to do it; and herein truly lies the secret of the matter. The hot furnace having long worked and simmered, let the pure gold flow out at one gush. It was Shakspeare's plan. No easy writer was he, or he had never been a Shakspeare. Dante sees himself growing grey over his "Divine Comedy," in stern, solitary death-wrestle with it, to conquer it if he may. Hence it is done and prevailed over, and the fiery life of it endures for evermore among men. NOTICES OF MADAGASCAR. THE following brief notices of the island of Madagascar, immortalized by its noble band of Christian martyrs, are gleaned from the pages of the Rev. William Ellis's new and beautiful book.* This is not the first time we have met with Mr. Ellis, a highly-honoured representative of the London Missionary Society. And here we must pay that Society the merited compliment of having latterly made most important contributions to the literature of Christian Missions. It is enough to refer to Dr. Livingstone's and Mr. Ellis's volumes, to justify this cordial tribute of respect. Our readers will find a brief but most favourable notice of Mr. Ellis's "History of Madagascar" in our annual volume for 1838. In that book he described the check given to Christianity, and the shedding of martyrs' blood; and we then expressed a hope that at some future time he might be able to speak of the dispersion of the cloud, whose gathering gave so painful an interest to his narrative. His recent volume embodies the observations of three visits to Madagascar during the years 1853, 1854, and 1856. We anticipate the reader's curiosity, by at once stating, in limine, that the cloud, which has so long hung over that Missionary field, is not yet dispersed. The profession of Christianity is not permitted by the Government of Madagascar. Mr. Ellis makes frequent and touching allusion to the persecutions of the native Christians, but veils for obvious reasons the more hopeful circumstances. These may be said to concentrate in the character of the young Prince, on whose heart Christianity seems to have made a favourable impression before Paganism had rendered it utterly obdurate. And here it is an act of justice to say that the Pagan spirit of persecution had been increased by the impolitic intervention of English and French vessels of war. To make this charge intelligible, we must state the antecedent circumstances. In 1817 the Governor of Mauritius had formed a treaty of friendship and alliance with Radama, whom the English chose to regard as the supreme ruler of the country. This treaty had respect mainly to the abolition of the slave-trade. Taking advantage of this * "Three Visits to Madagascar during the Years 1853, 1854, 1856: including a Journey to the Capital. With Notices of the Natural History of the Country, and of the present Civilization of the People." By the Rev. William Ellis, F.H.S., Author of "Polynesian Researches." John Murray. VOL. V.-FIFTH SERIES. D friendly alliance between the two countries, "Missionaries from the London Society reached the coast of Madagascar in 1818; and, after the treaty with the British Government had been finally ratified in 1820, they proceeded to the capital, and were cordially welcomed by the King, who appeared still more delighted when they were followed by a number of intelligent men sent out by the same Society to instruct the people in the practice of many of the most useful arts. The strange and somewhat complex language of the people was acquired by the Missionaries, who introduced an alphabet into the language, arranged its grammar, prepared elementary books, and translated the holy Scriptures into the native tongue. In the space of ten years after the settlement of the Teachers at the capital, not fewer than ten thousand or fifteen thousand of the natives had learned to read, many of them also to write, and a few had made some slight progress in English; at the same time that a number professed themselves Christians. Within the same period, amongst the thousand or fifteen hundred youths who had been placed as apprentices under the Missionary artisans, some had been taught to work in iron, which abounds in the country; others had been trained to be carpenters, builders, tanners, curriers, shoemakers, &c. These were some of the most satisfactory results of the King's alliance with the English, and the settlement of English Missionaries in his country; and, although the advantage of so sudden and large an increase of fire-arms amongst a people very partially civilized may have been questionable, the substituting of legitimate and honourable commerce for the degrading traffic in slaves, the opening of a way for frequent and friendly intercourse with foreigners, the teaching of useful arts, the introduction of letters, with the knowledge of Christianity by which this was followed, will ever cause the treaty between Sir Robert Farquhar and the King Radama to be regarded as one of the most important events in the modern history of Madagascar. To his own people Radama's reign was one of unprecedented prosperity, though of comparatively short duration. He was a ruler greatly in advance of his time and his people. He died in the year 1828, at the early age of thirty-six ; and the enlightening and humanizing influences, which were so full of promise for the nation, appear in a great measure to have terminated with his life. The amiable and intelligent Prince Rakatobe, eldest son of Radama's eldest sister, was nominated by the King successor to his throne; but on the death of Radama he was assassinated, and the present ruler was raised to the supreme authority. For a time the schools and the religious teaching of the Missionaries were allowed; but it soon became evident that the policy of the Government was changed. The influence of the idol-keepers, and of the supporters of divination and other superstitions of the country, was soon restored to its former supremacy. In 1835 the profession of the Christian religion by any of the Malagasy was prohibited. It was also required, that all Christian books should be given up to the Government; and, in 1836, the Missionaries and their excellent coadjutors, the Christian artisans, departed from the island." (Pp. 2-4.) The departure of the Missionaries, as might have been expected, was followed by other outrages on real or suspected native Christians. Thus many of them were required to prove their innocence by drinking the "Tangena," or poison-water, which proved fatal to not a few. Fine, Imprisonment, or unredeemable slavery was the sad fate of others accused of reading religious books, or uniting in Christian worship. One devoted Christian woman, Rasalama, was put to death. Subsequently, in 1838, Rafaralahy, a young man who had accompanied the first Malagasy martyr to the place of execution, shared her fate. In the same year Rafaravavy, and four others, who afterwards visited England, saved themselves by flight. Others, of whom their country was not worthy, "wandered in deserts and in mountains," or concealed themselves "in dens and caves of the earth." Sixteen of these, betrayed by their guides, were taken back to the capital, where nine of them were cruelly put to death. This occurred in 1842. But persecution failed of its object, and the steadfastness of these Christian martyrs gave an impetus to the cause for which they died so nobly. Amongst other converts to Christianity, alike from the study of its evidences and the observation of its effects on human character, was the Queen's own son, who, after much conference with some of the Christians, renounced the superstitions of his country. His example and influence led to the conversion of another Prince of the highest rank, Ramonja, the son of the Queen's sister. These hopeful events occurred in 1846. The first effect of these conversions was, however, anything but salutary. The Queen attributed them to witchcraft, and her prejudices were probably fostered by the political rivals of the young Prince. Hence a violent persecution arose in 1849, which involved more than two thousand persons in more or less severe punishments, while eighteen individuals, some of high rank and station, became martyrs. It is difficult, also, to deny some connexion between this wholesale persecution and another event, resulting from the conflict which had arisen between European residents in Madagascar and its Government. The Queen's order, it appears, prohibited the removal of natives from the island; and its evasion very greatly irritated the Malagasy Government. As a means of maintaining its authority, native laws were enforced on Europeans. On the latter appealing to the English Governor at Mauritius, and to the French Governor at Bourbon, one English and two French vessels of war were sent to Tamatave, to endeavour to adjust the dispute. Unhappily, failing to effect an amicable settlement, they had recourse to extreme measures, burning the town, and destroying many of the natives. Ultimately they were compelled to retire to their ships, leaving thirteen of their number in the hands of the natives," whose skulls, according to the Malagasy practice, were afterwards fixed on poles in front of the fortification which they had assailed." This deplorable affair, though wholly unconnected with the Christian Mission, was yet consummated by the authorities of two professedly Christian nations, and left a sore and resentful feeling in the minds of Pagans already opposed to the spread of Christianity. All this occurred in 1845, little more than twelve years ago. 66 Although since the year 1845," says Mr. Ellis, "there had been but little communication with Madagascar, yet, whenever opportunity offered, intercourse had been maintained between the natives in the island and their fellow-sufferers in exile at Mauritius. In 1852 accounts were received from parties residing in Madagascar, that political and other favourable changes were in progress. The London Missionary Society, by whom these accounts were received, justly deeming them too important to be disregarded, judged it most expedient, in the first instance, to seek further information by specific inquiries on the spot. This ultimately led to the visits since paid to that country, as well as to South Africa; some of the chief incidents of which are narrated in " Mr. Ellis's "pages." (P. 7.) It was a bold adventure on the part of Mr. Ellis, knowing as he did the prevalence of this irritation in the Malagasy Government, to undertake a voyage of personal inquiry, and actually seek an audience of the Queen, in order, if possible, to calm her resentment, assure her of England's friendly feelings toward her, and repair the breach more especially between the Governor of Mauritius and the Queen of Madagascar. Yet all this, and much more, by God's blessing, he was permitted to assist in accomplishing; as his most interesting narrative reveals to us. The Malagasy he found to be haunted by a dread of invasion on the part of the English with thirty vessels of war. His success in disabusing the minds of the Queen and her advisers in regard to absurd reports of the hostile intentions of England, was a great point gained, and led to many important advantages; not the least of which, under certain stipulations, were the allowance of the export of native produce, and the revival of the trade in rice and cattle, so vitally important to Mauritius and the Isle of Bourbon. For the great tact evinced by Mr. Ellis in successive interviews with the different authorities, from his first landing at Tamatave to his ultimate introduction to the Queen, we must refer to the volume itself, which is rich in incidents of the most pleasing kind. And here let it be clearly understood, that we wish to keep steadily in view the just claims of the author, no less than the gratification of our readers. In presenting the latter with a bouquet of a few choice flowers, our object is to send them to the garden, from which we gathered them, in quest of others singularly rare and beautiful. The above statement of facts, illustrated by the accompanying quotations, will enable the reader to accompany Mr. Ellis in his three successive tours to Madagascar, with an intelligent comprehension of the main objects of his Mission. We shall now, therefore, make it our business to record some of the most remarkable incidents, observations, and discoveries which enrich his narrative. His first visit to Madagascar was in 1853. Having reached Table Bay, he landed in South Africa; and, after a brief sojourn there, set sail with his friend Mr. Cameron for Mauritius. On his arrival there, he gleaned some news of Madagascar among the Christian refugees from that island. It much encouraged him to learn that the young Prince |