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Whose rugged sounds gave no delight to hear,
Uncouth, harsh, jangled, grating on the ear;
As o'er the chords his learned finger's fly,
Rough discord melts to truest harmony,
And all th' enchanting notes of dulcet melody.

When he was thus on acts of mercy bent, And each infirmity to heal intent:

A paralytic to be cur'd they brought,

But vainly still to introduce they sought,

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Line 40. Luke v. 19. The learned Dr. Shaw in his "Travels into several parts of Barbary and the Levant," explains in a very ingenious and satisfactory manner, the method by which the paralytic was let down in the midst before Jesus. See page 277 &c. Dr. Shaw says that the words in Luke which are translated " they let him down through the tiling" should be tranflated" they let him down over, along the side, or by the way of the roof."

He says that the houses in the east were made in the form of a quadrangle, with an area in the middle, over which area they sometimes draw a kind of awning to shelter from the inclemencies of the weather. He supposes that they rolled up this awning when they let the paralytic down. They did all this from the house-top, which was terraced

over,

For at the door a various multitude,

Prest eager to behold, and to intrude.

At length the sick man o'er the tiles they bore,
And plac'd him in the midst, his Lord before. 45
Who when their faith and firmness he perceiv'd,
His sins forgave: the Pharisees which griev'd,
Who said, what blasphemy is here made known!
Who can forgive our sins but God alone?
But he who knew their murm'ing jealousies,
Said loudly to the paralytic, Rise;

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over, and on which they sat or walked in the cool of the evening. It was made flat, and surrounded with a parapet wall. Zephaniah speaks of" them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops" i. 5. Solomon says "It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house." Prov. xxiv. 25. It is said in Matthew, "That preach ye upon the houfe-tops." x. 27. If we consider thefe circumstances, we shall find the objections of Mr. Woolston against the probability of this miracle of our Saviour to be very futile. There was no danger that the people below would have their heads broken by tiles, for no tiles whatever were removed. The good man of the house had no cause to appre hend any injury to his property, (which Mr. Woolston supposes) for nothing was done contrary to cus

tom.

Take up thy bed, and to thy house depart,
But doubt of nothing in thy grateful heart.
Straight to his breast a youthful vigor ran,
He looks, he moves, a firm effective man.
But they astonish'd and affrighted gave
Glory to God omnipotent to save.

And as he travell'd o'er the favour'd land,
Dispensing blessings with a lib'ral hand,
Behold two men who were depriv'd of sight,

Cried, give great son of David, give us light!
And when he sees their piteous state he saith,
Have ye a lively and a settled faith,

That I at once, can this relief afford?

Yea, this, they said, we firmly think, dear Lord!
Though dark without, depriv'd of nat'ral sight,
Yet on their minds had beam'd celestial light,
For him they knew whom not the eagle eye
Of worldly penetration could descry.
Straight at his high invincible command,
As on their eyes he put

his sacred hand,

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The darken'd orbs let in the beamy day,
And mercy soften'd its unusual ray.
O sight, fair blessing of indulgent heav'n!
Among the sweetest that to man is giv'n!
For we enjoy through thy propitious mean,

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The bliss that flows from many an earthly scene;
Of friendship, and of virtuous love the smile,
Which stern despair to comfort can beguile;
The chearing splendour of the glorious sun,
Rising, or when he near his course hath run;
The milder beauties of the sober night,
When the pale moon emits her silver light;
Or when the stars dispense a feeble day,
Scatter'd, or crowded in the milky way;
All that the seasons different disclose,
The vernal blossom and the summer rose;
The varied leaf of the autumnal grove,
And Winter's river which forgets to move;

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The dawn of morning, and the close of ev'n,

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With all the fair magnificence of heav'n.

To him that's blind, ah! what afflictions flow!
Ah! pleasure how incapable to know!

To him to wander o'er the vernal fields,
Nature no heart-felt satisfaction yields:

For at each slow and trembling step he takes,
A thousand horrid fears suspicion wakes,
Lest he should tumble headlong in a pit,
Or aught his poor unguarded head should hit.
Idle at home, unnumber'd woes await,
His child-like, helpless, melancholy state;
At home, as well as ev'ry where abroad,
Subject to ceaseless wrong, abuse, and fraud.
Ah! when thou see'st the beggar wanting eyes,
Let gen'rous pity in thy bosom rise,

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Line 105 &c. A society for the Relief of the Indigent Blind, has been lately instituted at Liverpool, which deserves, in many respects, to be imitated every where. Many blind poor of both sexes, have been engaged in different branches of manufactures, and earn weekly from three to six shillings each. They were employed in spinning linen yarn, and reeling it; in making shirts, sheets, whips, woollen mops, baskets, hampers, &c. It was proposed also to instruct them in the principles

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