al.

Chap. 1.

by what right he infested the seas?"By the same right," replied he, "that Älexander enslaves the world. But I am called a robber, because I have only one small vessel; and he is styled a conqueror, We'too often because he commands great fleets and armies." judge of men by the splendour, and not by the merit of their actions.

Antoninus Pius, the Roman Emperor, was an amiable and good man. When any of his courtiers attempted to inflame him with a passion for military glory, he used to answer: "That he more desired the preservation of one subject, than the destruction of a thousand enemies.

Men are too often ingenious in making themselves miserable, by aggravating to their own fancy, beyond bounds, all the evils which they endure. They compare themselves with none but those whom they imagine to be more happy; and complain, that upon them alone has fallen the whole load of human sorrows. Would they look with a more impartial eye on the world, they would see themselves surrounded with sufferers; and find that they are only drinking out of that mixed cup, which Providence has prepared for all. "I will restore thy daughter again to life," said the eastern sage to a prince who grieved immoderately for the loss of a beloved child, "provided thou art able to engrave on her tomb the names of three persons who have never mourned." The prince made inquiry after such persons; but found the inquiry vain, and was silent."

SECTION VIII.

HE that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Pride goeth before destruction; and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be truly wise.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Open rebuke, is better than secret love.

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

He that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.

He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord; that which he hath given, will he pay him again.

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?

I have been young, and now I am old; yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

It is better to be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

I have seen the wicked in great power; and spreading himself

like a green bay-tree. Yet he passed away; I sought him, but he could not be found.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand, riches and honour. Her wa re ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell togethe 9 unity! It is like precious ointment: Like the dew of Hermon, and the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion.

The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; he shali herefore beg in harvest, and have nothing.

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding: and, lo! it was all grown over with thorns; nettles had covered its face, and the stone wall was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it, and received instruction.

Honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time; nor that which is measured by number of years: but wisdom is the gray hair to man, and an unspotted life is old age.

Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

SECTION IX.

THAT every day has its pains and sorrows, is universally experienced, and almost universally confessed. But let us not attend only to mournful truths: if we look impartially about us, we shall find, that every day has likewise its pleasures and its joys.

We should cherish sentiments of charity towards all men.The Author of all good, nourishes much piety and virtue in hearts that are unknown to us; and beholds repentance ready to spring up among many, whom we consider as reprobates.

No one ought to consider himself as insignificant in the sight of his Creator. In our several stations, we are all sent forth to be labourers in the vineyard of our heavenly Father. Every man has his work allotted, his talent committed to him; by the due improvement of which, he may, in one way or other, serve God, promote virtue, and be useful in the world.

The love of praise should be preserved under proper subordination to the principle of duty. In itself, it is a useful motive to action; but when allowed to extend its influence too far, it corrupts the whole character, and produces guilt, disgrace, and misery. To be entirely destitute of it, is a defect. To be governed by it, is depravity. The proper adjustment of the several principles of action in human nature, is a matter that deserves our highest attention. For when any one of them becomes either too weak or too strong, it endangers both our virtue and our happiness.

The desires and passions of a vicious man, having once obtained an unlimited sway, trample him under their feet. They make him feel that he is subject to various, contradictory, and imperious masters, who often pull him diferent ways. His soul is rendered the receptacle of many repugnant and jarring disposi tions, and resembles some barbarous country, cantoned out intå

While many are saying in secret to their hearts, "To-morrow shall be as this day, and more abundantly," we are obliged, in return to say to them: "Boast not yourselves of to-morrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth!”

CHAPTER II

NARRATIVE PIECES

SECTION I.

No rank or possessions can make the guilty mind happy.

1. DIONYSIUS, the tyrant of Sicily, was far from being happy, though he possessed great riches, and all the pleasures which wealth and power could procure. Damocles, one of his flatterers, deceived by these specious appearances of happiness, took occasion to compliment him on the extent of his power, his treasures, and royal magnificence; and declared that no monarch had ever been greater or happier than Dionysius.

2. "Hast thou a mind, Damocles," says the king, "to taste this happiness; and to know, by experience, what the enjoyments are, of which thou hast so high an idea?" Damocles, with joy, accepted the offer. The king ordered that a royal banquet should be prepared, and a gilded sofa, covered with rich embroidery, placed for his favourite. Side-boards, loaded with gold and silver plate of immense value, were arranged in the apartment.

3. Pages of extraordinary beauty, were ordered to attend his table, and to obey his commands with the utmost readiness, and the most profound submission. Fragrant ointments, chaplets of flowers, and rich perfumes, were added to the entertainment. The table was loaded with the most exquisite delicacies of every kind. Damocles, intoxicated with pleasure, fancied himself amongst superior beings.

4. But in the midst of all this happiness, as he lay indulging himself in state, he sees let down from the ceiling, exactly over his head, a glittering sword, hung by a single hair. The sight of impending destruction, put a speedy end to his joy and revelling.The pomp of his attendance, the glitter of the carved plate, and the delicacy of the viands, cease to afford him any pleasure.

5. He dreads to stretch forth his hand to the table. He throws off the garland of roses. He hastens to remove from his dangerous situation, and earnestly entreats the king to restore him to his for mer humble condition, having no desire to enjoy any longer a hap piness so terrible.

6. By this device, Dionysius intimated to Damocles, how miserable he was in the midst of all his treasures; and in possession of all the honours and enjoyments which royalty could bestow.

CICERO2

SECTION II.

Change of external condition is often adverse to Virtue. 1. IN the days of Joram, king of Israel, flourished the prophet Elisha. His character was so eminent, and his fame so widely spread, that Benhadad, the king of Syria, though an idolater, sent to consult him, concerning the issue of a distemper which threatened his life. The messenger employed on this occasion, was Hazael, who appears to have been one of the princes, or chief men of the Syrian court.

2. Charged with rich gifts from the king, he presents himself before the prophet, and accosts him in terms of the highest respect. During the conference which they held together, Elisha fixed his eyes steadfastly on the countenance of Hazael, and discerning, by a prophetic spirit, his future tyranny and cruelty, he could not contain himself from bursting into a flood of tears.

3. When Hazael, in surprise, inquired into the cause of this sudden emotion, the prophet plainly informed him of the crimes and barbarities which he foresaw that he would afterwards commit.The soul of Hazael abhorred, at this time, the thoughts of cruelty Uncorrupted, as yet, by ambition or greatness, his indignation rose at being thought capable of the savage actions which the prophet had mentioned; and, with much warmth, he replies: "But what? is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?"

4. Elisha makes no return, but to point out a remarkable change, which was to take place in his condition; "The Lord hath shown me, that thou shalt be king over Syria." In the course of time, all that had been predicted, came to pass. Hazael ascended the throne, and ambition took possession of his heart. "He smote the children of Israel in all their coasts. He oppressed them during all the days of king Jehoahaz:" and, from what is left on record of his actions, he plainly appears to have proved, what the prophet foresaw him to be, a man of violence, cruelty, and blood.

5. In this passage of history an object is presented, which deserves our serious attention. We behold a man who, in one state of life, could not look upon certain crimes without surprise and horror; who knew so little of himself, as to believe it impossible for him ever to be concerned in committing them; that same man, by a change of condition, and an unguarded state of mind, transformed in all his sentiments; and as he rose in greatness, rising also in guilt; till at last he completed that whole character of iniquity, which h BLAIR. once detested.

SECTION III.

Haman; or, the misery of Pride.

1. AHASUERUS, who is supposed to be the prince known among the Greek historians by the name of Artaxerxes, had advanced to the chief dignity in his kingdom, Haman, an Amalekite, who inherited all the ancient enmity of his race, to the Jewish nation. He appears, from what is recorded of him, to have been a very wicked minister. Raised to greatness without merit, he employed his power solely for the gratification of his passions.

2. As the honours which he possessed were next to royal, his pride was every day fed with that servile homage, which is peculiar to Asiatic courts; and all the servants of the king, prostrated themselves before him. In the midst of this general adulation, one person only stooped not to Haman.

3. This was Mordecai the Jew; who, knowing this Amalekite to be an enemy to the people of God, and, with virtuous indignation, despising that insolence of prosperity with which he saw him lifted up, "bowed not, nor did him reverence." On this appearance of disrespect from Mordecai, Haman" was full of wrath: but he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone."

4. Personal revenge was not sufficient to satisfy him. So violent and black were his passions, that he resolved to exterminate the whole nation to which Mordecai belonged. Abusing, for this cruel purpose, the favour of his credulous sovereign, he obtained a decree to be sent forth, that, against a certain day, all the Jews throughout the Persian dominions, should be put to the sword.

5. Meanwhile, confident of success, and blind to approaching ruin, he continued exulting in his prosperity. Invited by Ahasu erus to a royal banquet, which Esther the queen had prepared, "he went forth that day joyful, and with a glad heart." But behold how slight an incident, was sufficient to poison his joy! As he went forth, he saw Mordecai in the king's gate; and observed, that he still refused to do him homage. "He stood not up, nor was moved for him;" although he well knew the formidable designs, which Haman was preparing to execute.

6. One private man, who despised his greatness, and disdained submission, while a whole kingdom trembled before him; one spirit, which the utmost stretch of his power could neither subdue nor humble, blasted his triumphs. His whole soul was shaken with a storm of passion. Wrath, pride, and desire of revenge, rose into fury. 7. With difficulty he restrained himself in public; but as soon as he came to his own house, he was forced to disclose the agony of his mind. He gathered together his friends and family, with Zeresh his wife." He told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and of all the things wherein the king had promoted him; and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

8. He said, moreover, Yea, Esther the queen suffered no man to come in with the king, to the banquet that she had prepared, but myself; and to-morrow also am I invited to her with the king." After all this preamble, what is the conclusion? "Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

9. The sequel of Haman's history, I shall not now pursue. It might afford matter for much instruction, by the conspicuous justice of God in his fall and punishment. But contemplating only the singular situation, in which the expressions just quoted present him, and the violent agitation of his mind which they display, the following reflections naturally arise:

10. How miserable is vice, when one guilty passion creates su much torment! how unavailing is prosperity, when, in the height of it, a single disappointment can destroy the relish of all its plea