and now lies on the bottom of the bay
where the battle of Aboukir was fought. It was destroyed by the British
fleet under Nelson in that memorable action, and forms an example of
poetic justice with which one cannot but heartily sympathize. When
Bonaparte left Malta he impressed the native regiment which formed the
guard of the Grand Master into the service of France, promising to pay a
certain sum regularly to the families whom they left upon the island; a
promise which was never fulfilled by Bonaparte, and was never intended
to be. The French were liberal in promises and agreements duly drawn up
and signed--then totally ignored.

Sometimes Providence chooses to employ peculiar agents whereby to
accomplish its purposes. Thus the French, who were birds of ill-omen
wherever they appeared in those days, were the means of bringing about
one great and much-needed reform during their sovereignty here in 1798,
for which they deserve much credit. They promptly banished from the
island that hateful and bloody agent of the Romish church, the
Inquisition, which had taken deep root in Malta, and which was reveling
in its bigotry, cruelty, and despotism, defying the authority of all
recognized and regularly constituted laws. The spacious stone edifice
formerly devoted to the use of these inquisitors, situated in the Strada
Porta Maggiore, is now occupied as barracks for an English regiment. So
it is with those priestly harems of Mexico, the late convents and
nunneries, which, having been forbidden by the national government to be
used for such purposes, are now improved for district schools,
hospitals, libraries, and sundry other useful and respectable purposes,
much to the improvement of the morals of the community.

An impressive personal experience in the church of St. John occurs to us
as we write.

The soft light from the wax candles did not banish the sombre hues
inside the ancient place, though it was midday on one occasion as we
stood examining the rich old tapestry near the high altar. It was very
still, and we were quite alone. No services were going on. Suddenly a
strong ray of sunlight penetrated some opening from above and rested
upon the illumined hangings. It brought out the dim colors and figures
as though they had been touched by the wand of an enchanter. The eye
involuntarily followed this shaft of light to its source, the rays being
made up, apparently, of buoyant and infinitesimal sands of gold. The
transluce