whose least excellency it is to rival the delicacy of the purest snows; among a thousand charms of its own, thinks it possible to adopt another from the damask rose-bud.-Yet, even this universal favorite must fail. Its native balm cannot preserve it from putrefaction. Soon, soon must it resign all those endearing qualities; and hang neglected on its stem, or drop, despised, to the ground.

One could wish, methinks, these most amiable of the inanimate race a longer existence: but in vain. They fade, almost as soon as they flourish. Within less than a month, their glories are extinct. Let the sun take a few more journies through the sky; then visit this enchanting walk; and you will find nothing but a wretched wilder ness of ragged or naked stalks-But (my soul exults in the thought) the garment of celestial glory, which shall ere long array the re-animated body, will never wax old. The illustrious robes of a Saviour's consummate righteousness, which even now adorn the justified spirit, are incorruptible and immortal. No moth can corrode their texture, no number of ages sully their brightness. The light of day may be quenched, and all the stars sink in obscurity; but the honours of "just "men made perfect" are subject to no diminution; inextinguishable and unfading is the lustre of their crown.

Yes, ge flowery nations, ye must all decay!-Winter, like some enraged and irresistible conqueror, that carries fire and sword wherever he advances; that demolishes towns, depopulates countries, spreads slaughter and devastation on every side-So, just so, will winter, with his savage and unrelenting blasts, invade this beautiful prospect. The storms are gathering, and the tempests mustering their rage to fall upon the vegetable kingdoms. They will ravage through the dominions of nature, and lunder her riches, and lay waste her charms.

Then, ye trees, must ye stand stript of your ver dant apparel, and ye fields, be spoiled of your waving treasures. Then the earth, disrobed of all her gay attire, must sit in sables, like a disconsolate widow. The sun too, who now rides in triumph round the world, and scatters gaiety from his radiant eye, will then look faintly from the windows of the south, and, casting a short glance on our dejected world, will leave us to the uncomfortable gloom of tedious night.Then these pretty choristers of the air will chant no more to the gentle gales. The lark, the linnet, and all the feathered songsters, abandon their notes and indulge their woes. The harmony of the woods is at an end; and silence (unless it be interrupted by howling winds), a sullen silence, sits brooding upon the boughs, which are now made vocal by a thousand warbling throats.

But sweet recollection! ravishing expectation!) the songs of saints in light never admit a pause for sadness. All Heaven will resound with the melody of their gratitude, and all eternity echo to their triumphant acclamations. The hallelujahs of that world, and the harmonious joy of its inhabitants will be as lasting as the divine perfections they celebrate.-Come then, holy love, and tune my heart; descend, celestial fire, and touch my tongue; that I may stand ready to strike up, and bear my part in that great hosanna, that everlasting hymn.

Yes, yes, ye flowery nations, ye must all decay! And, indeed, could you add the strength of an oak or the stability of a pyramid to all the de

I know not any performance in which the transitory nature of those most durable monuments of haman gran dear is hinted with such a modest air of instruction, or their hideous ruin described in such a pomp of pleasing horror, as in a small, but solemu, picturesque, and ma jestic poem, entitled, The Ruins of Rome, written by the Rev. Mr. Dyer: whom the reader (if he has the pleasure of perusing that beautiful piece) will easily perceive to have taken his draughts from the originals themselves; as

licacy of your texture; yet short, exceeding short, even then would your duration be: for I see that all things come to an end. The pillars of nature are tottering; the foundations of the round world are falling away; "the heavens themselves wax "old like a garment."-But, amidst these views of general ruin, here is our refuge; this is our consolation: We know that our Redeemer liveth. Thy years, blessed Jesus! shall not fail. From ever-lasting to everlasting thou art still the same: the same most excellent and adorable person; the same omnipotent and faithful friend; the same all-sufficient and inestimable portion. O! may we but partake of thy merits, be sanctified by thy grace, and received into thy glory!-Then perish, if ye will, all inferior delights. Let all that is 'splendid in the skies expire, and all that is amiable in nature be expunged; let the whole extent of creation be turned again into one undistinguishable void, one universal blank:-yet, if God be ours, we shall have enough: if God be ours, we shall have all and abound: all that our circumstances can want, or our wishes crave, to make us inconceivably blessed and happy, not only through this little interval of time, but through the unmeasurable revolutions of eter nity.

The sun is now come forth in his strength, and

nothing but the sight of those magnificent remains could have inspired his fines with such vivacity-As a specimen of the work, and a confirmation of the remark suggested above, I take leave to transcribe the following passage:

The pilgrim oft,

At dead of night, 'mid his oraison hears
Aghast the voice of time-disparting towers,
Tumbling all precipitate down dash'd,
Rattling around, loud thund'ring to the moon,

His hand the good man fastens on the skies,
And bids earth roll, nor feels the idle whirl.
Night Thoughts, No. IV.

I H.2.

beats fiercely upon my throbbing pulse.-Let me retire to yonder inviting arbour. There the woodbines retain the lucid drop; there the jessamines, which line the verdant alcove, are still impearled and deliciously wet with dews.-Welcome, ye refreshing shades! I feel, I feel your cheering influence. My languid spirits revive, the slackened sinews are new strung, and life bounds brisker through all her crimson channels.

Reclined on this mossy couch, and surrounded by this fragrant coldness, let me renew my aspirations to the ever-present Deity. Here let me remember and imitate the pious Augustine and his mother Monica; who, being engaged in dis course on the beauties of the visible creation, rose by these ladders to the glories of the invisible state; till they were inspired with the most affecting sense of their super-eminent excellency, and actuated with the most ardent breathings after their full enjoyment: insomuch that they were almost wrapt up into the bliss they contemplated, and scarce "knew whether they were "in the body or out of the body."

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When tempests toss the ocean; when plaintive signals of distress are heard from the bellowing deep, and melancholy tokens of shipwreck come floating on the foaming surge; then, how delightful to stand safe on shore and hug one's self in conscious security!-When a glut of waters bursts from some mighty torrent, rushes headlong over all the neighbouring plains, sweeps away the helpless cattle, and drives the affrighted shepherd from his hut: then, from the top of a

As Lucretius gave the hint for these observations, so he assigns the reason of the pleasure specified. It arises, not from the consideration of another's misery; this would argue the rankest malevolence; but from the agreeable contemplation of our own personal safety; which, while we view circumstances that are pernicious to others, but harmless to ourselves, is not a little heightened by the contrast, Suave mari magno, &c.

distant eminence, to descry the danger we need not fear, how pleasing!-such, methinks, is my present situation: for now the sun blazes from on high; the air glows with his fire; the fields are rent with chinks; the roads are scorched to dust; the woods seem to contract a sickly aspect, and a russet hue: the traveller, broiled as he rides, hastens to his inu and intermits his journey; the labourer, bathed in sweat, drops the scythe and desists from his work; the cattle flee to some shady covert, or else pant and toss under the burning noon: even the stubborn rock, smit with the piercing beams, is ready to cleave: all things languish beneath the dazzling delugeWhile I shall enjoy a cool hour and calm reflection, amidst the gloom of this bowery recess, which scarce admits one speck of sunshine.

Thus may both the flock and their shepherd dwell beneath the defence of the Most High, and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Then, though the + pestilence walketh in darkness, and the sickness destroyeth at noon day; though thou sands fall beside us, and ten thousands at our right-hand, we need fear no evil. Either the destroying angel shall pass over our houses, or else he shall dispense the corrections of a friend, not the scourges of an enemy; which, instead of hurting us, shall work for our good.-Then, though profaneness and infidelity, far more malignant evils, breathe deadly contagion, and taint the morals of multitudes around us; yet if the great Father of spirits "hide us in the hollow of "his hand," we shall hold fast our integrity, and be faithful unto death.

Let then, dearest Lord! O! let thy servant, and

Psalm xci. 1.

This was written when a very infectious and mortal distemper raged in the neighbourhood,