became the worst scourge that ever afflicted the Jewish nation, and were a terror to the surrounding countries. This sect was diffused everywhere in cities and towns, where they instituted mock

lious provinces and then besiege Jerusalem, but when on the eve of marching for the Holy City, he received intelligence of the death of Nero, and the accession of Galba. In quick succession followed the news of the murder of Galba, the ele-judicial tribunals, before which the greatest and vation of Otho, his murder, and the investment of Vitellius with the imperial dignity, by the German legions. This last act filled Vespasian and his soldiers with indignation, and the latter at once invested their own general with the purple.

best were dragged and hurried to the slaughter, on mere suspicion of a willingness to submit to the Romans.

Finally these parties of Zealots became concentrated at Jerusalem, and overawed the inhabitants. The news of this act of the army in Palestine At length, the people, stimulated by Ananus and was received with joy at Rome, and in a popular other chief priests, took up arms against the pubcommotion, Vitellius was assassinated, and Vespa-lic robbers, and for sometime almost daily battles sian quietly seated himself upon the throne of the Cesars. This event made a pause in the military movement in the east, which was fatal to the Jews on account of the opportunity it afforded for the growth of factions, while the Roman soldiers were invigorated by the respite from service.

were fought with equal success, within the city. The Zealots finally called the Idumeans to their aid, Ananus and others were slain, great numbers of the people were massacred, many distinguished citizens were thrown into prison by day and murdered at night, and the ruffians became complete masters of the city.

During this pause party spirit was more violent in Judea than at any previous time, and to use This majority soon became divided, and Jerusathe strong language of Josephus, "Jerusalem be-lem was convulsed by the conflicts of three discame the nest of all uncleanness, a horrid den of tinct and bloody factions. The first was the robbers, and a hateful cave of murderers." Every evil passion had uncontrolled scope, and under the cloak of zeal for the cause of God, bands of robbers roamed over the whole country, their paths marked with violence and blood. On account of their pious pretensions, they were called Zealots. It was not long before they

original Zealots, who had at their head John of Gischala, a brave but unprincipled man. Hoping to be relieved from his tyranny, the people admitted into the city Simon of Gerasa, a young man still more daring, who, with about thirty thousand men entered the city and shut up John with six thousand followers, within the outer temple. In

without molestation. On Sunday the assault began in three different places with moveable towers bearing rams. The terriffic noise which these engines made, struck terror to the inhabitants within the walls; but after recovering from the first shock, Simon rallied his men, and placed some of the military engines which he had taken from Cestius, upon the walls. But they were of little avail, and the ramparts were soon cleared by missiles thrown from the Roman towers. The Jews also made several desperate sallies, and with battering rams attacked the towers of the enemy. But in this they were unsuccessful and many of them were taken by the Romans and crucified.

stead of relief, the people found they had in-fence; and hence the Romans were allowed, on creased the number of their oppressors, and Simon that day, to erect engines, or undermine walls, became more odious than John. The third party consisted of about twenty-four hundred, at the head of whom was Eleazar the son of Simon. They occupied the inner temple, by far the strongest point which this portion of the city afforded. But they were hemmed in by two powerful enemics and were obliged to wage war against both. The temple of the Most High was incarnadined with human blood, and many priests were slain at the very altar. The torch was frequently applied, and nearly all the houses in the vicinity of the temple soon became a mass of ruins. These conflicts these burnings and robberies, alternately practised by the contending parties, tended greatly to increase the miseries of the people, who were the common prey of all, and served to prepare them for the terrible catastrophe that awaited them. Provisions that might have lasted the people for several years, were consumed by fire, and in this condition-rent by internal conflicts, all avenues for escape from the city closed, and the means of subsistence limited-did the Roman army find the Jews, when it appeared before the walls of their city.

Early in the spring of 70, Titus, with sixty thousand men, arrived at Jerusalem. He separated his army into three divisions; the first was encamped at Scopas, about a league from the city, the second a little behind it, and the third upon the mount of Olives. At the time of his arrival the city was filled with immense numbers of the Jews from all parts, collected there to celebrate the feast of the Passover. This, Titus well knew, and looked more for his success in the seige from the operation of famine consequent upon such numbers in the city, than upon the strength of his arms.

Jerusalem at that time was strongly fortified, with three walls and many castles. The outer wall was forty-five feet high, and forty thick, with sixty towers. The others were of similar strength, the second having fourteen towers, and the third eighty. To enter the city through such

barriers was a work of no small magnitude.

On Sunday the sixth of May, the Romans made a breach in the outer wall, and rushing in, threw open the gates, took possession of the New city, drove the Jews within the second wall, and pitched their camp in the immediate vicinity of the temple. Five days after this, the second wall was entered, but the Jews drove back the Romans, and for three days kept possession of the breach. They were finally repulsed, and Titus, now having possession of the new and lower cities, turned his arms against the tower of Antonia. This fortress was bravely defended by John, the leader of the Zealots, who dug a mine to the banks of the Romans, and destroyed their engines. Simon also set fire to the banks (composed of trees,) and the Romans were obliged to retreat to their camp in the New city, pursued by the Jews.

Titus, overpowered by the superior number of the Jews, resolved to let famine do its work, and to accomplish this, he cut off all supplies from the country, by building a wall of circumvallation around the city. This wall, six miles in extent, soldiers, completed in three days from its comwas, by the concentrated efforts of the Roman

mencement.

This done, Titus again commenced

operations against the tower of Antonia. The garrison, weakened by famine, soon surrendered, and the fortress was demolished that its site might be made a place for operations against the temple, The Romans levelled the ground between which now became an object of intense interest Scopas and the city, and used the timber and to both parties. Titus was anxious to preserve rocks to construct embankments for their military that magnificent fabric entire, and after making engines. Having completed these preliminaries, all preparation, for storming it, he sent Josephus Titus sent overtures for peace, but the Jews re- to John, offering him peace and pardon if he would jected them with scorn. Saturday, April twenty-submit; or permission to draw his army out in second, active operations commenced in preparing battle array without the city, so that the city and for an attack on the following day. It was a temple might be spared. But John replied with principle of the Jews never to engage in hostile bitter invective, declared Jerusalem to be the city measures on the sabbath unless in personal de- of God, and that he would not suffer it to be taken.

Josephus pointed out its pollutions, and the wick- | into the temple near the sanctuary. The flames edness of those who ruled it, and finally, finding immediately burst forth-the Jews raised a cry all expostulations to be vain, he exclaimed, "It is God-it is God himself who is bringing on this fire to purge the city and the temple by the Romans; and who is about to pluck up this city which you have filled with your pollutions."

At this time, (July the twelfth) the daily sacrifice in the temple had ceased, for there were none to officiate at the altar. Yet it was filled with soldiery, prepared to defend it till the last. The superior officers of Titus were for its destruction, urging as a reason that the Jews might make it a strong hold in future rebellions; the soldiers desired it, for they were ripe for plunder; but Titus was determined to save it if possible. To enter the outer court it was necessary to construct banks on which to plant their military engines. This labor was great, for the trees for twenty miles around Jerusalem were all cut down. The work was at last accomplished, and on the third of August, the Romans effected an entrance. On the fourth, a council of war was held, to decide upon the fate of the temple, and Titus, yielding to his officers, determined to storm it, with all his army on the fifth. But on the night of the fourth, the Jews made two or three sallies, and in the last, they were pursued by the Romans within the inner court. A soldier seized this opportunity, and snatching up a fire-brand, he mounted upon the shoulders of a comrade, and threw it

of despair and endeavored to extinguish themthe Romans applied firebrands in other places and slew every Jew they met, and in a little time that magnificent fabric-that great Temple so long dedicated to the service of the Most High, was entirely wrapped in flames, and its holiest places flowed with the blood of recent worshippers. Titus entreated, threatened-but his authority was for a time annulled. With his officers he entered the holy apartments and brought forth the golden candlestick, table of shew-bread, altar of incense and other sacred things, which were afterward carried in triumph to Rome.

While the temple burned, the Roman soldiers carried on the work of slaughter, and blood flowed in streams down to the lower court. The gold plate upon the gates and timber work furnished rich spoil, and it is averred by historians that gold became for a time so plentiful in Syria, that it fell to one half its former value. When the work of destruction was complete, the Roman standards were placed around the smoking ruins of the temple, sacrifices were offered up to the gods of Rome, and Titus was saluted as Imperator.

On Sunday, September second, the Upper city, on Mount Zion, whither the Zealots had forced their way, was taken; and the Jews, finding their temple burnt and their city laid waste, gave up in despair, and hid themselves in cellars, vaults and

sewers, from whence they were dragged and piness-what downward marches of the otherwise butchered. Some attempted to fly into the open worthy, toward the gloomy and solitary abodes of country, but were cut off, while the most vigor-poverty-what anxious solicitude that fills the ous and beautiful who were taken alive, were breast of the dependent wife-what arduous reserved to grace the triumphal procession of wrestlings with the demon of despair-what social the conqueror. The city was set on fire, but wretchedness—what national evils are all depictuntil the slaughter ceased at night, the conflagra- ed in the spirit of that expression! It is the tion was kept under by the blood of the slain.* language only of the self-made wretched-the deJohn and Simon, the principal leaders of the termination of the weak and imbecile. It is the rebellion, at last came out from their hiding voice of the moral coward, who, standing upon places. John came out first, and begging for life, the shore of some desolate island in the stormy had his request granted. Simon held out till ocean of life, and looking out upon the billows October, having his retreat pretty well stored strewn with the wrecks of earthly grandeur and with provisions. His first appearance was upon human happiness, is so blinded by fear that he the ruins of the temple clad in a white robe and cannot see the gleam of hope that flickers amid purple mantle. At first the Romans were alarm- the surrounding gloom. It is the articulated feeled at the apparition, but he was soon recognized ings of the traveller of the desert, who, having and sent in chains to Titus, who, with the majority gained an eminence, sees nothing but a barren of his army had retired to Cesarea. John and plain before him, thirst parching his tongue and Simon were taken in triumph to Rome: the weariness subduing his strength. But shall he former was condemned to perpetual imprison- lie down without hope? Nay, let him press forment; the latter, after being dragged through the ward, make but one more effort, and a green oasis streets of the imperial city, was scourged and put will meet his anxious vision-a cool stream will to death. bubble up from some unseen fountain, and he will reach his journey's end crowned with the rich reward of perseverance.

When the Romans found no more Jews to slay, they commenced razing the city to the earth, and in a short time nothing was left of all its splendid How often do we hear "I can't do it" drop walls, fortresses, palaces and towers, but a portion from the lips of a man possessed of bodily vigor of the western wall which served as a rampart for and perfect health, when he sees uplifted before the tenth legion, and the towers of Hippicos, Phasel and Mariamne, preserved as monuments of the strength of the city, now lying in ruins. To use the impressive language of the historian, (and we may add, in reference to the predictions of our Lord,) "All was accomplished!"

"I CAN'T DO IT."

him a towering mountain of sudden misfortune. Let him reverse the expression, arm himself with the sword and buckler of firm resolve, and with the eye of encouragement look beyond the mighty mass, and he will see it begin to sink, and ere he believes his task begun he will find that he has bestridden the monster, leapt over the looming barrier, and the incident forms but a brief paragraph in the history of his life.

When the Boston printer (Franklin) entered Philadelphia, carrying all his worldly possessions WHAT a volume of human misery is unfolded upon his loaf under his arm, and a penny person, in that short sentence! What mighty efforts of had he sat down upon the cold pavement, and undeveloped genius are chained by this conclu- shrinking from the task which the finger of sion of despondency when a barrier chances to in- genius pointed out for him to perform, exclaimed, terpose the onward progress of the will and some- "I can't do it," a bright star would now be absent times of mere volition! What domestic unhap-from the constellation of American renown, and

By a careful estimate made from the accounts given by

Josephus, it appears that the whole number of Jews who perish ed during the war, in the city and provinces, was one million three hundred and forty-seven thousand, four hundred and ninety. Of these, one million, one hundred thousand, fell at This is an almost incredible number, but we must recollect that the city was filled with thousands of strangers, who had congregated there to celebrate the feast of the Passover. For an account of the horrors of famine within the city, during the seige,

Jerusalem during the seige, by the sword, pestilence and famine!

and other minute particulars of the awful event, we refer the reader to Josephus' "History of the Jewish War."

humanity might mourn the want of a shield, against the lightning's wrath. Had the young warrior of colonial America surrendered his sword to the enemies of freedom when patriot hearts were chilled upon the frozen shores of the Delaware or the snowy desert of Valley Forge, and with desponding heart cried out, "I can't do it," the vallies of the Ohio and Mississippi might yet have been howling wildernesses, ourselves humble petitioners at the feet of a potentate of a

far-off island, and this noble structure of civil liberty in the west-among the mysteries yet to be revealed. But such an expression was never written in their vocabularies-it is never written in in any man's vocabulary who achieves mighty things. Its spirit should be avoided by youth as a luring syren whose song will lead them from duty and teach them dalliance. They should avoid practising its precepts, for they enervate the vigorous and crush the already weak. On the other hand, let your motto be, "I will do it," and the mountain will become a mole-hill-the torrent will dwindle into a rill-the lions that beset your path will lose their fierceness and become metamorphosed into lambs-the vultures that prey upon your vitals will become dovesyour feet will find but few stumbling blocks, and the bright star of hope will never sink below the horizon.

STEAM-ENGINE INDICATOR.

WE are very happy in being able to present our readers with a description of the improved steam-gauge now in use on board the British Queen. It not only enables the engineer at all times to know the working condition of his engine, but at the same time supplies a written register, which may afterward be referred to.

and can compare the saving arising from the use of cold water, with the expense of procuring it. In fact by this instrument, he not only can find out the most economical way of working his engine, but he can measure the expenditure, and ulate the distribution of his power at all times."

reg

It exhibits the density of the steam in the cylinder and the quality of the vacuum at every part of the stroke. It is simple in its construction and easily understood and applied. By it, a steamengine proprietor can ascertain in one minute the working condition of his engine; he can detect neglect in his engineer; can demonstrate the quantity of power required to overcome the friction of the engine, to give motion to the shafts and mill-gearing, or to drive the machinery. He can tell the power expended to drive any part of his works; or, if power is let off, he can at any time prove what power his tenant consumes; he can ascertain the friction of the machinery, when using different oils; and can guide himself with Are you poor, remember, the temple of fortune certainty in the choice of that which is best. He is open as well to the child of poverty with his can ascertain the expenditure of steam, when inmantle and girdle, as to the pampered progeny ofjecting water at different degrees of temperature; wealth who wears upon his breast a golden star. Are you friendless, remember, moral rectitude, modest excellence, persevering industry are sure to gather around you a shining circle of kindred spirits who will accompany you with offices of kindness to the threshold of the grave, and will embalm your memory in their hearts. These are the rewards of perseverance-these are the comforts of the energetic child of misfortune. When his motto is, "I will do it," nothing is so extensive or mysterious in science that he cannot grasp and comprehend it, nothing so great or wise in jurisprudence that he cannot participate in its honors, nothing so holy in pious duty that he may not share the plaudit, "well done thou good and faithful servant," and nothing so noble in human nature that he may not possess it and claim the brightest "legion of honor." We would therefore say to youth, when you feel the impulse of genius urging you to the performance of some great task, at once obey its mandates; and although the timidity of your nature may curb your steps, obey but the voice of prudence, shut your ears against the evil councils of imbecility, and whatever may be the prize, whether in the forum, the camp or the pulpit, be assured that you may count it as your own if you listen not to the song of the idle sojourner, ever upon his lips, "I can't

do it."

B. J. L.

The cylinder of the indicator a is equal to of a square inch, the divisions on the scale of an inch, each division representing one pound of pressure on the square inch of the piston.-When the cock e is shut the index will stand at o or zero; when opened, the pressure of steam will be exhibited above o or zero, and the vacuum below. The cock e should be placed in the grease cock INGRATITUDE is a kind of mental weakness. I top of the cylinder of the engine, or a separate have never seen an able man who was ungrate-opening may be made for it; on opening the cock e, the small cylinder a becomes part of the engine

ful.

'

VOL. VII.-55