the secret fears and anxieties of our souls, and, and church of the first-born, which are written He only can pour in the oil and wine of heavenly in heaven;" where all the multitude of his consolation, and afford such supplies of strength, redeemed, eternally ascribe their salvation to our in the needful time, as shall enable us to go God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the forth at his bidding, and, in the end, humbly to Lamb. Amen! acknowledge, "This is our victory, even faith." [To be continued.] HALLEY'S COMET. (Continued from page 806.) In the year 323, a comet appeared in the sign Virgo. Another, according to the historians of the Lower Empire, appeared in the year 399, seventy-six years after the last; this last interval being nearly the period of Halley's comet. Twelfth month 31st, First-day.-Since the last memorandum was made, I have been very ill, and suffered extreme pain. Restless nights and wearisome days seemed to be appointed me, and faith and patience at a very low ebb; but, through all, I humbly trust, the arm of divine support was not withdrawn, and a degree of ability, at times mercifully afforded, to lay hold on the anchor that is sure and steadfast; yet, at The next recorded appearance of a comet agreeother moments, the enemy was ready to pour in ing with the ascertained period, marks the taking a flood of doubt and discouragement, tempting of Rome by Totila in the year 550; an interval me to many unprofitable reasonings and fears. of one hundred and fifty-one years, or two periods Oh! for increased capacity to rebuke him, in the of seventy-five and a half years, having elapsed. renewed power of living, victorious faith,-in the One unrecorded term must, therefore, have taken spirit of the Lord Jesus, who has assured us, place in this interim. The next appearance of that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by a comet coinciding with the assigned period is every word of God." Then, whether it be a three hundred and eighty years afterward, viz., word of sorrow or of joy, of suffering or rejoicing in the year 930, five revolutions having been if it be converted, by this operative faith, into completed in the interval. The next appearance substantial food, surely it is enough, and cause is recorded in the year 1005, after an interval of for humble, reverent gratitude, for deep prostra-a single period of seventy-five years. Three revotion of soul before the footstool of Him, who is lutions would now seem to have passed unrecorded, rich in mercy to all that call upon Him; who when the comet again made its appearance in openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of 1230. In this, as well as in former appearances, every living thing. The desire of the living, is it is right to state once more, that the sole test of life-life eternal; and if this inward, invisible the identity of these comets with that of Halley, life, be but nourished and supplied, even though is the coincidence of the times of their appearit be by means incomprehensible to our natural ances, as nearly as historical records enable us to reason, and contrary to our natural will, are we ascertain, with the epochs at which the comet of not receiving the end of our faith? because faith Halley might have been expected to appear. covenants for that which is spiritual, and regards the sufferings of the present time, as "not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." In looking back, now at the close of the year, to the many and important events which have marked its progress,-to what has been done and felt, enjoyed and suffered, to the many merciful preservations and leading providences that have been vouchsafed to We now arrive at the first appearance at which me, a poor, weak, unworthy creature, surely I observations were taken, possessing sufficient acmay set up an Ebenezer, and say, "Hitherto curacy to enable subsequent investigators to dehath the Lord helped me.' And oh! in looking termine the path of the comet: and this is accordto a new and coming year, which, if life be per-ingly the first comet, the identity of which with mitted, seems likely to bring with it most the comet of Halley can be said to be conclusively important changes, may the prayer of my heart established. In the year 1456, a comet is stated be continually and fervently to the Lord, that to have appeared, of "unheard-of magnitude;" it He would keep us in all our goings out and was accompanied by a tail of extraordinary length, comings in, that He would be with us and bless which extended over sixty degrees (a third of the us, and permit us to take shelter under his heavens,) and continued to be seen during the almighty wing; that He would enable us to love, whole of the month of June. The influence which serve, and honour Him above all; make us will-was attributed to this appearance renders it proing, patiently to suffer for his sake; guard us on bable that in the record there exists more or less every hand, and keep us from evil, all the days of exaggeration. of our appointed time on earth, and bring us, finally, through the blood of the covenant, the blood of sprinkling, "to the general assembly In the year 1305, one of those in which the comet of Halley may have been expected, a comet is recorded of remarkable appearance. Another appearance is recorded in the year 1380, unaccompanied by any other circumstance than the mere date. This, however, is in strict accordance with the ascertained period of Halley's comet. The extraordinary length and brilliancy which was ascribed to the tail upon this occasion, have led astronomers to investigate the circum 820 stances under which its brightness and magnitude would be the greatest possible; and, upon tracing back the motion of the comet to the year 1456, it has been found that it was then actually under the circumstances of position with respect to the earth and sun most favourable to magnitude and splendour. So far, therefore, the results of astronomical calculation corroborate the records of history. of precision to afford any hope of identifying them with those of other comets. Subsequently to the year 1300, however, Halley found twenty-four comets on which observations had been made and recorded, with a degree of precision sufficient to enable him to calculate the actual paths which these bodies followed while they were visible. He examined with the most elaborate care the determined all the circumstances which were courses of each of these twenty-four bodies; he necessary to enable him to lay down, with sufficient precision, the path which these comets must have followed while they continued to be visible. The next return took place in 1607, when the comet was observed by the celebrated Kepler. This astronomer, first saw it on the evening of the 26th of September; it had the appearance of a star of the first magnitude, and, to his vision, was without a tail; but the friends who accompanied him, having better sight distinguished the tail. Before three o'clock the following morning, the tail had become clearly visible, and had ac-pearances of the same comet, it would follow that quired great magnitude. On comparing their paths, Halley found that same path as one which had appeared in 1532. one which appeared in 1661, followed nearly the Supposing, then, these to be two successive ap The next appearance, and that which was ob- years; and Halley accordingly conjectured that its period would be one hundred and twenty-nine served by Halley himself, took place in 1682, a its next appearance might be expected after the little before the publication of the Principia. A lapse of one-hundred and twenty-nine years, comet of frightful magnitude had appeared in reckoning from 1661. Had this conjecture been 1680, and had so terrified all Europe, that the well founded, the comet must have appeared about subject of our present inquiry, though of such the year 1790. No comet, however, appeared at immense astronomical importance, excited com- or near that time following a similar path. paratively little popular notice. In the interval, however, between 1607 and 1682, practical astronomy had made great advances; instruments of observation had been brought to a state of comparative perfection; numerous observatories had been established, and the management of them had been confided to the most eminent astronomers of Europe. In 1682, the scientific world was, therefore, prepared to examine this visitor of our system with a degree of care and accuracy before unknown. tunate, as indeed might be expected, since it was In his second conjecture, Halley was more forformed on more conclusive grounds. He found that the paths of the comets which had appeared in 1531 and 1606, were very nearly identical, and that they were in fact the same as the path followed by the comet observed by himself in 1682. He suspected, therefore that the these three epochs were produced by three successive returns of the same comet, and that conappearances at seventy-five and a half years. sequently its period in its orbit must be about prepared for such an announcement, that Halley So little was the scientific world at this time himself only ventured at first to express his opin In 1686, about four years afterwards, Newton published his Principia, in which he applied to the comet of 1680 the general principles of physical investigation first promulgated in that work. He explained the means of determining, by geo-ion in the form of conjecture; but after some metrical construction, the visible portion of the further investigation of the circumstances of the path of a body of this kind, and invited astronomers recorded comets, he found three others which at to apply these principles to the various recorded least in point of time agreed with the period ascomets to discover whether some among them signed to the comet of 1682, viz., those of 1305, might not have appeared at different epochs, the 1380, and 1456.* Collecting confidence from future returns of which might consequently be these circumstances, he announced his discovery predicted. Such was the effect of the force of as the result of combined observation and calculaanalogy upon the mind of Newton, that without tion, and entitled to as much confidence as any waiting the discovery of a periodic comet, he other consequence of an established physical boldly assumed these bodies to be analogous to planets in their revolution round the sun. Halley undertook the labour of examining the circumstances attending all the comets previously recorded, with a view to discover whether any, and which of them, appeared to follow the same path. Antecedently to the year 1700, four hundred and twenty-five of these bodies had been recorded in history; but those which had appeared before the fourteenth century had not been submitted to any observations by which their paths could be ascertained—at least not with a sufficient degree law. which to the fastidious skeptic might be supposed There were nevertheless two circumstances, to offer some difficulty. These, were first, that the intervals between the supposed successive returns to the perihelion were not precisely equal; and, secondly, that the inclination of the comet's path to the plane of the earth's orbit was not exactly the same in each case. Halley, however, identified with that of 1682. with a degree of sagacity which, considering the state of knowledge at the time, cannot fail to excite unqualified admiration, observed that it was natural to suppose that the same causes which disturbed the planetary motions must likewise act upon comets; and that their influence would be so much the more sensible upon these bodies because of their great distances from the sun. Thus, as the attraction of Jupiter upon Saturn was known to effect the velocity of the latter planet, sometimes retarding and sometimes accelerating it, according to their relative position, so as to effect its period to the extent of thirteen days, it might well be supposed that the comet might suffer by a similar attraction, an effect sufficiently great to account for the inequality observed in the interval between its successive returns; and also for the variation to which the direction of its path upon the plane of the ecliptic was found to be subject. He observed, in fine, that as in the interval between 1607 and 1682 the comet passed so near Jupiter that its velocity must have been augmented, and consequently its period shortened by the action of that planet, this period, therefore, having been only seventy-five years, he inferred that the following period would probably be seventy-six years or upward; and consequently that the comet ought not to be expected to appear until the end of 1758, or the beginning of 1759. The theory of gravitation, which was in its cradle at the time of Halley's investigations, had grown to comparative maturity before the period at which his prediction could be fulfilled. The exigencies of that theory gave birth to new and more powerful instruments of mathematical inquiry: the differential and integral calculus was its first and greatest offspring. This branch of science was cultivated with an ardour and success by which it was enabled to answer all the demands of physics, and consequently mechanical science advanced, pari passu. Newton's discoveries having obtained reception throughout the scientific world, his inquiries and his theories were followed up; and the consequences of the great ་ principle of universal gravitation were rapidly developed. Clairaut undertook the difficult application of this theory to the comet of 1682, with a view to calculate the effects which would be produced upon it by the attraction of the different planets of the system; and by such means to convert the conjecture of Halley into a distinct astronomical prediction, attended with all the circumstances of time and place. The exact verification of the prediction would, it was obvious, furnish the most complete demonstration of the principle of universal gravitation; which, though generally received, was not yet considered so completely demonstrated as to be independent of so remarkable a body of evidence as the fulfilment of such a calculation would afford. [To be continued.] WILLIAM AND ALICE ELLIS. A duodecimo volume of nearly three hundred pages, entitled "The life and Correspondence of William and Alice Ellis, of Airton, by James Backhouse," printed at London, has within a few days been received. Although this biography has just issued from the press, the subjects of it were nearly cotemporary with the first generation of Friends; William Ellis being born in 1658, and of course thirty-four years younger than George Fox. Both William and his wife were acceptable ministers in our religious society; and the former travelled extensively in the service of the gospel, both in his native land and on the American continent. His parents do not appear to have belonged to the Society of Friends, and we do not find that he had much acquaintance with their doctrines until about his eighteenth year, when attending a meeting appointed by Roger Haydock, he was convinced of the truth of the doctrines which were preached there. From that time his course of life was very different from what it had been. From a state of carelessness and vanity, he was led to pursue an humble, peaceable and self-denying life, being very circumspect both in his words and actions, and a good example to the young people in the family where he lived. Soon after attaining the age of twenty-one years he fixed his abode at Airton, one of a group of villages in the West Riding of Yorkshire, where he continued to reside during the remainder of his life. The business to which he was brought up, and in which he was engaged during the active period of his life, was that of a linen weaver. He appears to have begun in a very humble way, but by industry and economy, his circumstances were gradually improved, until he became a master weaver, employing a considerable number of men. He was liberal, according to his circumstances, when his means were small, and his liberality increased with the increase of his means. The following is a testimony, slightly abridged, which Friends of Settle Monthly Meeting, of which he was a member, issued soon after his decease. ED. Soon after his removal he was livingly opened in a public testimony to and for the Truth he was made partaker of; and in due time he became an able minister thereof; approving himself yet more and more a good example therein to others. And it is worth our observation, that | believed, and which had also been his strong although he had little or nothing from his father, tower and rock of defence, in the depth of many he being but of low circumstances in the world, yet he soon began to be helpful in the Church, by distributing towards the relief of the poor, out of what he got by hard labour and great diligence and industry in his calling, and part of which also he freely spent upon Truth's account in other ways. He freely gave up a great deal of his time to attend meetings, not only such as were for public worship, but also meetings for business and the affairs of the church: he was a diligent attender of these while but young; and though he was not forward to speak in such meetings, having a reverent esteem for, and regard to, them that were in Christ before him, and kept their places, yet he was in those times serviceable, being in a deep and weighty travail for the honour and prosperity of truth, and that the wisdom of God might open in Friends, that therein, all things relating to the church's affairs, might be managed. But it was not long ere that divine and living spring of life, that often opened plentifully in him to the filling of his heart, gave him boldness to speak forth what was upon his mind, in meetings for business, in which he was well received, being always careful to speak in fear, and in a sense and savour of life, demonstrating thereby a Christian spirit, in which he was a good pattern and lively example to others, always demeaning himself in great humility, so that he became very serviceable, both in the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings to which he belonged, and in other meetings for the same service, in other places where his lot was cast, he being zealously concerned to promote and establish good order and sound discipline in the Church of Christ. exercises. It may be truly said, he was abundantly more industriously concerned on account of the truth, than on the account of his outward and temporal affairs; and as, after the time of his convincement, he was all along careful to behave himself so as that he might not be a burden, or cause of exercise to his faithful brethren, nor bring trouble in any case upon the church, but on the contrary, be serviceable and helpful to the same according to his measure, so was he also careful to walk among his neighbors and those he conversed with, as that he might demonstrate unto all, that the whole aim and drift of his mind was chiefly to promote Truth and righteousness in his day and age. And this undoubtedly he did, with all his might and strength, for which we believe his reward is sure with the Lord for evermore; an earnest of which we are fully satisfied he had many times plentifully given him, whilst in this earthly tabernacle. This was so sweet unto him, as he often used to say, that for the sake thereof, he did not spare devoutly to offer up his whole strength, and the prime of his years, even for the promotion of the blessed Truth, by which he had been so eminently visited, and whereby he was made instrumental for the good of many. Under these qualifications he was made serviceable divers ways, so that many have cause to lament the loss of him, and more particularly we, his friends and brethren, amongst whom, for the most part, he resided, who also had the most immediate and particular benefit of his service and company. The loss of him would undoubtedly sadden many hearts, were they not fully satisfied that his departure was in peace; And although, as before observed, his begin- and though his body be gone to the dust, yet the ning was but small, having little or nothing save remembrance of him is sweet and precious, in what he laboured for, yet it pleased God to bless which the faithful enjoy him in spirit, under a his endeavours with success, so that his outward lively hope, that the mighty Lord of the harvest, substance increased; and as that was enlarged, so who raised him from a low degree, and by his his heart opened, and he gladly made use of op- almighty power, made him a blessed and serviceportunities in which he might lay out a great part able instrument in his hand, is also able to raise thereof in the service of Truth. He often ex-up others in his room, for the carrying on of his horted Friends to keep out of worldly mindedness, and to labour to keep themselves from being leavened into a strait, niggardly and narrow spirit, that would not suffer them to serve truth freely, as they ought to do; this in all likelihood he had good authority to do, being himself a good example in this respect; for although he was industriously careful and not negligent, nor slothful about his outward concerns, whereby his substance in the world did considerably increase, yet would he not impute the same to his own doings, neither was his mind much taken up therewith; he looked upon it only as the favour of the Almighty to him, and therefore thought himself under the greater obligation to lay out the same to the utmost of his strength and ability, in order to promote the interest of Truth, and the honor of that worthy and precious name, in which he had own work, to his own praise, who over all is worthy of praise, adoration and worship, might, majesty and dominion, now and forever. Thus having given some account of his convincement, and conduct of his life, relating to his conversation in the world; what remains is to give some further account of his ministry, and labours and travels therein. It was not long, as hath been before observed, after he was convinced, before his mouth was opened in a public testimony for the Truth, in which he sensibly witnessed a growth, being careful diligently to wait for the springings of life, which is the root and supply of all sound and right ministry; for he laboured more to grow in that, than in words without it, although also very careful to keep to that soundness of speech that cannot be condemned. Not very long after he was concerned in a pub FRIENDS' REVIEW. borne up over his infirmity as though he were in no kind so afflicted. Thus this faithful and upright-hearted man, being now unfit for long journeys, and service in remote places, such as he spared not to undertake when he found it his concern in his younger years, laboured much in the service of Truth, on one account or other in his own country, till toward the latter end of the summer, in the year 1708, at which time his old distemper seized violently upon him, insomuch that he was thereby brought very weak, which weakness he continued under for several months, not being able to stir much from his own house. lic testimony, he was drawn forth to visit Friends' meetings not far distant from the place of his abode, as also in divers places more remote, in which he had good service, and was well received among Friends, to his and their mutual joy and comfort in the Lord. And in the year 169, he had a concern upon his mind to visit the meetings of Friends in Ireland, where he was likewise kindly received; his visit being acceptable to Under this faithful Friends in that country. concern he was enabled through the goodness of God unto him, to perform what was required of him in that respect, returning home again in In this time his inward man was strong and much satisfaction and peace, as a reward for such, his labour. After this he continued in his wonted his understanding clear; so that Friends who service, both at home and abroad, many times went to visit him in the time of his sickness, were visiting Friends in divers parts of this nation, till often comfortably refreshed in beholding and at length, it pleased the Lord to concern him to feeling his spirit in the power and dominion of But notvisit the people of God, in foreign countries, to the life of Jesus Christ, which may truly be said, which he gave up; and way being made for him was his support over all his exercises. for such a service, and having the concurrence of withstanding his former weakness, about the his Friends and brethren along with him therein, latter end of the Twelfth month or beginning of at length he set forward on his journey and the First month following, he began to recover voyage for America, leaving his wife and family, somewhat, and gathered strength so far as to get in the Ninth month, 1697. He took shipping at to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings to which Deal, in Kent, in the Tenth month after. He he belonged. In these he had as formerly, good had a prosperous voyage, arriving on the four-service, after which he was likewise enabled to go teenth day of the First month following, in to the Yearly Meeting for worship, held in LanMaryland, where he visited Friends and had much service, as well as in other provinces, as Virginia, Carolina, Pennsylvania, East and West Jersey, New England, Long Island and Rhode Island, &c. In these countries he had many large and precious meetings, esteeming it, as he would often say after his return, as a merciful favour to him from the hand of God, that he was enabled to go through what was required of him in that respect, adding, "Oh! it was well for me, that I gave up to that service in those days, whilst health and strength of body were afforded me, for now, I feel my natural strength is abated, whereby I am the more incapable of performing such service." Notwithstanding this, he would often be looking back with joy, and rejoicing at those times, praising God for the many mercies vouchsafed to him inwardly, and whose divine arm of power was likewise near to protect him on his return; he arriving again in England, the twenty-third of the Fourth month, 1699. He was absent from his native land in the aforesaid service, upwards of one year and six months. After this he travelled not very much, excepting in the county where he lived, and some adjacent counties, as Bishoprick, Westmoreland, and Lancashire, &c., and several times to the Yearly Meeting at London. He was for several years before he died, attended with various infirmities, which much impaired his health; nevertheless he mostly frequented the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings to which he belonged, though many times with much difficulty, because of the infirmities of his body; but at divers times when the life and power of Truth were upon him, he was cashire, in the Second month, 1709. In this meeting, powerful was that Hand and Arm, which guided and supported him, under the conduct whereof, eminent were the gospel truths, which in that meeting were through him delivered, to the gladdening of many hearts; the service whereof, we believe, will not easily be forgotten by a remnant, and in which his faith was strong, that Truth and the glory of it should yet more and more prevail and spread over nations, even from sea to sea, unto the uttermost parts of the earth. Thus having been supported by the Lord in his service, after that meeting ended, he returned homewards, after which he weakened by degrees till the time of his departure, which was not long. Many sweet and edifying expressions dropped from him in his illness, by which it appeared he was ready to embrace death with cheerfulness of mind, whenever it should please the Lord so to order it. A few days before his departure, being visited by a Friend, he began to speak to him of the day of his convincement, saying, "It was a glorious day for me;" and further added, that he had large tokens that the day of his death would be so likewise, which we have good cause to believe was so to him. He continued sensible, under his weakness of body, until the time he drew his last breath, which was on the 4th day of the Fourth month, in the year 1709, and in the fifty-first year of his age. To which the Quarterly Meeting at York added the following: He was a faithful labourer in the harvest of |