xviii. 10), which leads to the belief that the number of angels has

increased since the sixty-eighth Psalm was written, when there were only 20,000, and perhaps a few more.*

* The words of the christian father, Tertullian, upon this subject are so very apposite to our subject of angels, that I am tempted to quote them--Clark's edition, vol. i. p. 487- 8.

Speaking to the heathens, he says--"And you are not content to assert the divinity of such as were once known to you, whom you heard and handled, and whose portraits have been painted, and actions recounted, and memory retained amongst you; but men insist upon consecrating with a heavenly life, i.e.t they insist on deifying, I know not what incorporeal inanimate shadows and the names of things, dividing man's entire existence amongst separate powers, even from his conception in the womb, so that there is a god (read _angel_) Consevius, to preside over concubital generation, and Fluviona to preserve the infant in the womb; after these come Vitumnus and Sentinus through whom the babe begins to have life and its earliest sensation; then Diespiter, by whose office the child accomplishes its birth. But when women begin their parturition Candelifera also comes in aid, since child-bearing requires the light of the candle; and other goddesses there are (such as Lucina, Partula, Nona, Décima, and Alemona) who get their names from the parts they bear in the stages of travail There were two Carmentas likewise, according to the general view. To one of them, called Postverta, belonged the function of assisting the birth of the malpresented child; whilst the other, Prosa or Prorso, executed the like office for the rightly born. The god Farinus was so called from his inspiring the first utterance, whilst others believed in Locutius from his gift of speech. Cunina is present as the protector of the child's deep slumber, and supplies to it refreshing rest. To lift them when fallen there is Levana, and along with her Rumina (from the old word _ruma_, a teat). It is a wonderful oversight that no gods were appointed for clearing up the filth of children. Then to preside over their first pap and earliest drink you have Potina and Edula; to teach the child to stand erect is the work of Statina (or Statilinus), whilst Adeona helps him to come to dear mamma-, and Abeona to toddle back again. Then there is Domiduca, to bring home the bride, and the goddess Mens, to influence the mind to either good or evil. They have likewise Volumnus and Voleta, to control the will; Paventina, the goddess of fear; Venilia, of hope; Volnpia, of pleasure; Praastitia, of beauty. Then, again, they give his name to Peragenor, from his teaching men to go through their work; to Consus, from his suggesting to them counsel. Juventa is their guide on assuming the manly gown, and 'bearded Fortune,' when they come to full manhood. If I must touch on their nuptial duties, there is Afferenda, whose appointed function is to see to the offering of the dower. But fie on you--you have your Mutunus, and Tutunus, and Pertunda, and Subigus, and the goddess Prema, and likewise Perfica. O spare yourselves, ye impudent gods."

19. Some angels are evil, but are much the same as the good (Ps. lxxviii 49), in their power of doing mischief.

20. Every heir of salvation has an angel to minister to him in some way or other (Heb. i. 14); so have Roman babies--see note.

21. The angels are only a trifle superior to men (Ps. viii. 5), and in the invisible world will be inferior to them if the latter be saints (1 Cor. vi. 3; Heb. ii. 5).

22. They can speak all sorts of languages (1 Cor. xiii. 1); that which Michael and the devil used (Jude 9) has not been revealed to us.

23. They use a trumpet, probably as immaterial as themselves, and make a great noise thereby (Matt xxiv. 31); and horses (Zech. i. and Rev. vi).

24. They have wings and can fly (Rev. viii. 13; xiv. 6), although they are chariots.

25. When on earth they are clothed with a long white garment, have a face like lightning, and one can appear to be two, or not appear at all to some, though very distinctly seen by others (see Matt xxviii. 2, 3; Mark xvi. 5; Luke xxiv. 4; John xx. 12).

Of all the angels mentioned in the Apocalypse we need not write. One of the best accounts I have met with of the angelic mythology of the Hebrews is in Coheleth, or The Book of Ecclesiastes, by Rev. Dr. Ginsburg (Longman, London, 1861). It is written in explanation of Ch. v. 5, wherein is the expression, "Do not say before the angel that it was error" (page 340), and the following remarks are condensed therefrom:-- "The angels occupy different rank and offices--seven of them as the highest functionaries; princes or archangels surround the throne of God and form the cabinet--(1) Michael, the prime minister, the guardian of the Jewish nation, the opponent of Satan (Zech. iii. 1, 2), of the prince of Persia (Dan. x. 13, 20), the conservator of the corpse of Moses (Jude 9), and the dragon (Rev. xii); (2) Raphael, who presides over the sanitary affairs (Tobit iii. 17, xii. 15)--'When God would cure any sick person,' says St. Jerome, 'he sends the archangel Raphael, one of the seven spirits before his throne, to accomplish the cure.' There can be little doubt that this was the angel who went down at certain seasons to move the waters of the pool to cure the impotent people (John