Year: 1859




In Schubert's Sp,fge/ der Notuy
Mirror of Nature) the author relates in
his chapter on instinct the following facts
as proof Of certain divine impulse in
men:


"A gentleman, all acquaintance of the
celebrated French authoress. Nine Beau
mond, was about making a pleasure trip
On the river with party Of friends. Ev-
erything was ready, and he was Just en-
tering the boat, when his sister, deaf
mute, came most suddenly and anxiously
running along, and seizing her brothers
arm and coat, tried to keep him back;
but finding this unavailable, she threw
herself at his feet, and taking hold of his
knees, expressed by the most imploring
GESTURES her wish that he should dcsist
from going on the water.


"Touched by the painful entrcating ex-
preston i'll the face and posture of the
deaf mute, several persons joined in the
prayers of the poor unfortunate girl, and
her brother finally yielded to her wishes.
1t was fortunate he did so, for the boat
had gone but short distance on the riv-
er, when sudden gust Of wind made it
capsize. Several Of the company found
watery grave, and he, who could not
even swim, would, no doubt, have met
with the same fate, if his sister, by some
divine presentiment, had not prevented
his going.


"Once. Oh an evening, a rich and be-
nigh farmer felt, by some sacred impulse,
impeled to send, at a late hour, some ar
ticles Of food to poor family in the
neighborhood. Wherefore so late; can
not this be done as well tomorrow said
those around him. No. replied he it
must be done now.' Whilst insisting, the
worthy farmer did not know what bless
ing his benevolent action was Just then to
the tenants Of the poor hut. for there the
father-he who had to nourish and sus-
tanned the family-had fallen sick the
mother was infrm already, and the chill
dren had been crying for bread for nearly
two days-the youngest was nearly dead
from hunger Thus their most pressing
wants were at once removed, and perhaps
some lives saved.


Another gentleman, living near some
coal mines in Silesia, awoke one night
from his sleep with an irresistible impulse
to 60 down in his garden. lie rose, went
down; the same Impulse led him out of
the back gate of his garden into the fields,
where he arrived just in time to save the
life Of miner, who, in climbing up lad
der, missed his footing and tell dowr the
shaft into coal tub, which his son was at
that time winding up, but by the increas-
ed weight vas unable to do so now alone


"A venerable clergyman in England
once felt, likewise, an unexpected desire
to pay, late at night, visit to friend of
his whom he knew to be of merry melan-
choly turn of mind. Though extremely
tired by the cares and labors of the day,
and though the distance to his friends
! house was very great, the venerable gen.
tleman could not resist his secret impulse.
| So he went, and, strange to say, arrived
there Just in time to prevent his friend
| from taking his own life. T, e nightly
visit and friendly exbortations had such
y wholesome effect on the depressed spir-
its Of his friend, that he never again at
tempted to commit suicide.


Professor Buchner, at Marburgh be-
ing once 10 very pleasant company, felt
q strong desire to go home and remove his
bed from its old place to another corner
of his bedroom. He yielded to the i'm
pulse. Having done SO, he felt again at