Year: 1859

In Schubert's Spiegel der Natur, mirror
of Nature, the author relates in his chap
ter on instinct the following facts as proofs
of certain divine impulse in men:


a gentleman, an acquaintance OF the
celebrated French authoress, Nine. Beau
mond, was about makinga pleasure trip on
the river with a party of friends. Every.
thing was ready, and he was just entering
the boat, when bis sister, deaf mute, came
suddenly and most an nxiously running along,
and seizing her brother arm and coat, tried
to keep him back; but finding this unavail-
able, she threw herself at his feet, and taking
hold of his knees expressed, by the most
imploring gestures, her wish that he should
desist from going on the water. Touched
by the painful, entreating expression in the
face and posture Of the deaf mute, several
persons joined in the prayer Of the poor un-
fortunate girl, and her brother finally yield
cd to her wishes. 1t was fortunate he did
so; for the boat had gone but short dis
tance on the river when q gust Of wind made
it capsize. Several of the company found a
watery grave, and he, who could not even
swim, would, no doubt, have met with the
same fate if his sister, by some divine pre-
sentiment had not prevented his going.


Once, on on evening, rich and benign
farmerifelt, by some secret impulse, impelled
to send at late hour some articles of food
to poor family in the neighborhood.-
"Wheref0re SO late: can not this be done as
we'll tomorrow 2" "No," replied he, /" it
must be done now" While insisting, the
worthy farmer did not know what bless
ing and benefit his benevolent action was
just then to the tenants of the poor hut for
there the father-he who had to nourish
and sustain the family-had fallen sick !;
the mother was infrm already, and the
children had been cry ing for bread for more
than two days-the youngest Of whom had
nearly died from hunger. Thus their most
pressing wants were at once removed, and
perhaps some lives saved.


Another gentleman, living near the coal
mines in Silesia, awoke one night from his
sleep, with an irresistible impulse to 90 into
his garden. He rose and went down; the
| same impulse led him out Of the back gate
| Of his garden into the fields, where he ar
rived just in time TO save the life Of a poor
miner, who, in climbing up ladder, missed
his footing, and fell down the shaft into q
coal tub, which his son was at that time
winding up, but by the increased weight
was 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 q very melancholy turn of
mind. Though extremely tired by the
cares and labor of the day, and though the
distance to his friends house was very great
he 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. The nightly visit and
friendly exhortations had such wholesome
effect on the depressed spirits of his friend
that he never again attempted to commit
suicide.


Prof Buchner, at Marburgh, being once
in very pleasant. company, felt strong de-
sire to go home and remove his bed from its
old place to another corner of his bedroom
He yielded to the impulse. Having done SC
he felt again at ease, and went back to his
friends. During the night large portion
of the ceiling in the room, just ut the spo


where his bed formerly stood, crumbled
down, and would, no doubt, have crushed
him to death had it not been removed from
there.