with the expectant of royal favours, as they did in the sad reckoning of the sentenced criminal, who dreaded the arrival of the appointed hour! It came, however. It was the birth-day of Pharaoh, and the last of the poor baker's existence; for on that day he was hanged, while, in strict consonance also with the prediction, the cup-bearer was reinstated; but the enlightened messenger, the virtuous, yet reviled servant of Potiphar, was forgotten!

Charles. Oh barbarous! could the butler be so very ungrateful?

Mother. He was unkind, and even unjust, rather than ungrateful. The prophet was in no wise the author, or even the instrument, of his deliverance, He had indeed relieved him from oppressive apprehensions; for in a despotic government like that of Egypt, where the will of the monarch was the only rule, no man can estimate the measure of his punishment, however light his offence. But he had seen the wisdom and virtue of Joseph in the prison, and knowing that he was the victim of injustice, it was his duty to advocate his cause, when he was himself restored to favour.

Two years afterwards the monarch himself was thrown into great consternation by a singular dream, and his magicians and soothsayers were summoned in vain to declare the mystery. No plausible conjecture ocurred to their minds, all was doubt and anxiety, and now the careless butler remembered Joseph, and reproached himself. He hastened to his master, and informed him that he might find in the royal prison a young Hebrew, a servant to the captain, who could interpret dreams, and confessing his own guilty negligence, he related the occurrences that had displayed the inspiration of Joseph. These were joyful tidings to the humbled king, and Joseph was brought out as quickly as he could change his garments, and fit himself to appear in the royal presence. "I have dreamed a dream," said Pharaoh," and I have heard that thou canst interpret it." With the same humility with which he had answered his fellow prisoners on a similar occasion, assuming nothing to himself, Joseph replied, "God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

"In my dream," resumed the king, "I saw seven fat

cattle come up out of the river, and feed in a meadow, and seven others, so poor, so ill-favoured, as I never saw in all the land of Egypt, came after them, and devoured the fat cattle. And again; I saw seven ears of corn come up on one stalk, full and good; and other seven, withered, thin, and blasted by the east wind, sprung up after them, and devoured the seven good ears—and the magicians are not able to declare the meaning."

Fanny. If dreams were once so full of meaning, why do we wholly disregard them now?

Mother. Because we have now an ample revelation containing all that it is necessary for us to know of the future, and all that we require to direct us for the present. Before that was written, various means were used to instruct mankind. Amongst these were dreams; which, though superstitiously observed by the orientalists, who were much addicted to emblems and signs, were often made subservient to the decrees of Providence. Pharaoh, on this occasion, was happily submissive to the divine suggestion; and listened attentively whilst Joseph expounded the mysterious vision.

“GOD,” said he, "hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great plenty shall bless the whole land of Egypt; and afterwards seven years of famine shall so consume it, that the abundance shall be forgotten. And because these things shall surely come to pass, let the king avail himself of this gracious communication, and appoint a suitable person to lay up corn in the plentiful years, to keep the people alive during the famine that shall follow."

"Can we find," exclaimed the delighted king, "such an one as this, in whom is the spirit of God? He to whom such high knowledge is imparted, is the most wise, and most proper to be set over the kingdom." Then taking a ring from his own hand, and putting it on that of Joseph (B. C. 1715)—" Thou," continued he, "art ruler of all my people-only in the throne will I be greater than thou." Then turning to his servants, he commanded them to array Joseph in sumptuous apparel, to seat him in the second chariot in the kingdom-and proclaim before him, "Bow the knee!" Still further to promote his honour and happi

ness, he gave him in marriage an Egyptian lady-Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On.

Fanny. Then these people worshipped idols, though they acknowledged the God of Joseph!

Mother. Believing in a plurality, they thought them not incompatible. Here, you see, they admitted the power and knowledge of one Supreme-yet we know that they were addicted to the basest idolatries.

Elevated now to the second dignity in the empire, and invested with powers to execute his benevolent purposes, Joseph went throughout the provinces of the empire, preparing storehouses, to lay up the surplus food of the plenteous years. They came, according to his foresight, and the earth produced her fruits in immeasurable abundance, and in every city the corn of its district was carefully stored.

The seven years' famine also arrived, and the perishing multitudes cried to Pharaoh for bread. To Joseph every thing was committed, and he opened his stores and supplied them according to his discretion, and the treasury of Pharaoh was filled with gold.

But the famine was not confined to Egypt; the adjacent countries were equally afflicted, and when they heard that the Egyptians had provided against the general scarcity, they crowded thither for food.

(B. C. 1717.) Amongst those that presented themselves on this momentous occasion, came ten of the sons of Jacob, and prostrated themselves to the ground before the governor of Egypt - little imagining that he whom they now reverenced was their banished brother!

Catherine. How could they possibly have forgotten him? One would think that remorse alone would have kept him alive in their memories.

Mother. They had not forgotten him—their cruelty to him had penetrated their minds, as we shall presently see: but now they were occupied with more immediate cares. -Besides, his person was altered with the progress of his years. To the bloom of his beauty was added the maturity of manhood; nor had they thought of looking for him amidst the splendour of a court, and invested with the power of a sovereign. But he recollected them, and now

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saw the accomplishment of his prophetic dreams. Thrown thus into his power, and petitioning for bread for themselves and their families, his gentle nature forbade retribution. He thought of his aged father he thought of Benjamin, his younger brother-and, to conceal the yearnings of his heart, he charged them abruptly with coming to see the poverty of the country! They disclaimed the ignoble purpose! They were," they said, "twelve brethren, the sons of one man-that the youngest remained at home with his father, and another was not ;* and to buy corn for their families alone were they come.' "" He affected to question their integrity, and, threatening to punish them as spies, he threw them into prison. Coming to them after a few days, he proposed that they should prove the truth of their statement by bringing their youngest brother into Egypt; but he would keep one of their number, in the prison, an hostage for their return.

Overpowered by these painful circumstances, appealing to their awakened consciences, they broke out into lamentations, and bitterly reproached themselves, even in the presence of Joseph, whom they did not imagine understood them, for he had hitherto employed an interpreter. "Verily, we are guilty concerning our brother; for we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us!"

"Did I not say to you," cried Reuben, "Do not sin against the child, and ye would not hear? therefore, now, his blood is required!"

These mutual upbraidings shook the fortitude of Joseph; his heart relented, and he turned from them to conceal his

tears.

But still forcing his gentle nature to keep up the suspicion he had assumed, he continued to treat them as spies. "Prove yourselves true men," said he, as soon as he could command his voice to speak, "by bringing your youngest brother to me"-then singling out Simeon, and binding him before their eyes, he dismissed the remaining nine,

*This form of expression was probably used to avoid the direct assertion of Joseph's death, which they could not certainly affirm,

STORY OF JOSEPH.

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directing his servants to provide them amply with every thing necessary for their journey.

Leaving Simeon, therefore, to reflect on the retributive justice of providence which had thus imprisoned him in the very country to which he had sent his pleading captive brother-they were obliged to return home. Greatly distressed, however, by the apparent cruelty of the governor, and dreading to meet their abused parent, they were still more perplexed, when, on the evening of the first day's journey, one of them, on opening his sack to get provender for their asses discovered the same bundle of money which he had given to the steward of Egypt for corn! Fearful that divine vengeance had now indeed overtaken them, they said one to another," What is this that God has done to us?" But how aggravated were their terrors, when, arriving at home, and in the presence of their father, they emptied their sacks, each man found his parcel of money secretly returned! Compelled to account for the absence of Simeon, they were obliged to relate all that had befallen them; and to add the cruel injunction of the viceroy, that Benjamin should come to verify their story and deliver Simeon. "Me," cried the afflicted parent, ye have bereaved of my children. Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; all these things are against me." Slay my two sons," replied Reuben, confident of the probity of the Egyptian prince, notwithstanding the problematical detention of Simeon, "if I bring him not to thee; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again." But entreaty was vain-Benjamin, the only remaining child of his lamented Rachel, he would not hazard on so long a journey. "My son," said he, "shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befal him by the way, then shall ye bring down my. gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."

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Catherine. Poor old man! I never read his pathetic lamentation without tears. Still, I cannot help blaming him for refusing to send Benjamin to release Simeon, who ought to have been equally dear to him.

Mother. I am no apologist for parents who make unreasonable discriminations amongst their children; indeed