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in virtue, and come to the perfection of his nature, before he is hurried off the stage. Would an infinitely wise Being make such glorious creatures for so mean a purpose? Can he delight in the production of such abortive intelligences, such short-lived reasonable beings? Would he give us talents that are not to be exerted? Capacities that are never to be gratified?

8. How can we find that wisdom which shines through all his works, in the formation of man, without looking on this world as only a nursery for the next; and without believing that the several generations of rational creatures, which rise up and disappear in such quick successions, are only to receive their first rudiments of existence here, and afterwards to be transplanted into a more friendly climate, where they may spread and flourish to all eternity?

9. There is not, in my opinion, a more pleasing and triumphant consideration in religion, than this of the perpetual progress which the soul makes towards the perfection of its nature, without ever arriving at a period in it. To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strength; to consider that she is to shine forever with new accessions of glory, and brighten to all eternity; that she will be still adding virtue to virtue and knowledge to knowledge; carries in it some thing wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man.

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10. Nay, it must be a prospect pleasing to God himself, tosee his creation for ever beautifying in his eyes; and drawing nearer to him, by greater degrees of resemblance. Methinks this consideration of the progress of a finite spirit to perfection, will be sufficient to extinguish all envy in inferior natures, and all contempt in superior.

11. That cherub, which now appears as a god to a human soul, knows very well that the period will come about in eternity, when the human soul shall be as perfect as he himself now is ; nay, when she shall look down upon that degree of perfection as much as she now falls short of it. It is rue, the higher nature still advances, and by that means preserves his distance and superiority in the scale of being; but he knows that, how high soever the station is of which he stands possessed at present, the inferior nature will, at length mount up to it; and shine forth in the same degree of glory.

12. With what astonishment and veneration, may we look into our own souls, where there are such hidden stores of virtue and knowledge, such inexhausted sources of perfec-

tion! We know not yet what we shall be; nor will it ever enter into the heart of man, to conceive the glory that will be always in reserve for him.

13. The soul, considered with its Creator, is like one of those mathematical lines, that may draw nearer to another for all eternity, without a possibility of touching it and can there be a thought so transporting, as to consider ourselves in these perpetual approaches to HIM, who is the standard not only of perfection, but of happiness!

ADDISON.

CHAPTER V.

DESCRIPTIVE PIECES.

AMON

SECTION I.

THE SEASONS.

1. MONG the great blessings and wonders of the creation, may be classed the regularities of times, and seasons. Immediately after the flood, the sacred promise was made to man, that seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, should continue to the very end of all things. Accordingly, in obedience to that promise, the rotation is constantly presenting us with some useful and agreeable alteration; and all the pleasing novelty of life arises from these natural changes; nor are we less indebted to them for many of its solid comforts.

2. It has been frequently the task of the moralist and poet, to mark, in polished periods, the particular charms and conveniences of every change; and, indeed, such discriminate observations upon natural variety, cannot be undelight ful; since the blessing which every month brings along with it, is a fresh instance of the wisdom and bounty of that Providence, which regulates the glories of the year. We glow as we contemplate; we feel a propensity to adore, whilst we enjoy.

3. In the time of seed-sowing, it is the season of confidence; the grain which the husbandman trusts to the bosom of the earth, shall, haply, yield its seven-fold rewards. Spring presents us with a scene of lively expectation. That which was before sown, begins now to discover signs of suc

cessful vegetation. The labourer observes the change, and anticipates the harvest; he watches the progress of nature, and smiles at her influence; while the man of contemplation walks forth with the evening, amidst the fragrance of flowers, and promises of plenty; nor returns to his cottage till darkness closes the scene upon his eye.

4. Then cometh the harvest, when the large wish is satisfied, and the granaries of nature are loaded with the means of life, even to a luxury of abundance. The powers of language are unequal to the description of this happy season. It is the carnival of nature: sun and shade, coolness and quietude, cheerfulness and melody, love and gratitude, unite to render every scene of summer delightful.

5. The division of light and darkness, is one of the kindest efforts of Omnipotent Wisdom. Day and night yield us contrary blessings; and, at the same time, assist each other, by giving fresh lustre to the delights of both. Amidst the glare of day, and bustle of life, how could we sleep? Amidst the gloom of darkness, how could we labour?

6. How wise, how benignant, then, is the proper division! The hours of light are adapted to activity; and those of darkness to rest. Ere the day is passed, exercise and nature prepare us for the pillow; and by the time that the morning. returns, we are again able to meet it with a smile. Thus, every season has a charm peculiar to itself; and every mament affords some interesting innovation.

SECTION II.

MELMOTH.

THE CATARACT OF NIAGARIA, IN NORTH AMERICA.

1. This amazing fall of water is made by the river St. Lawrence, in its passage from lake Erie into the lake Ontario. The St. Lawrence is one of the largest rivers in the world and yet the whole of its waters is discharged in this place by a fall of a hundred and fifty feet perpendicular. It is not easy to bring the imagination to correspond to the greatness of the scene.

2. A river, extremely deep and rapid, and that serves to drain the waters of almost all North America into the Atlantic Ocean, is here poured precipitately down a ledge of rocks that rises like a wall, across the whole bed of the stream. The river, a little above, is near three quarters of a mile broad; and the rocks, where it grows narrower, are four hundred yards over.

S. Their direction is not straight across, but hollowing inwards like a horse-shoe; so that the cataract, which bends

to the shape of the obstacle, rounding inwards, presents a kind of theatre the most tremendous in nature. Just in the middle of this circular wall of waters, a little island, that has braved the funy of the current, presents one of its points, and divides the stream at the top into two parts; but they unite again long before they reach the bottom.

4. The noise of the fall is heard at the distance of several leagues; and the fury of the waters, at the termination of their fall is inconceivable. The dashing produces a mist, that rises to the very clouds; and which forms a most beautiful rainbow, when the sun shines. It will be readily supposed, that such a cataract entirely destroys the navigation of the stream; and yet some Indians in their canoes, as it is said, have ventured down it with safety. GOLDSMITH. SECTION III.

THE GROTTO OF ANTIPAROS.

1.Or all the subterraneous caverns now known, the grotto of Antiparos is the most remarkable, as well for its extent as for the beauty of its sparry incrustations. This celebrat ed cavern was first explored by one Magni, an Italian travel ler, about one hundred years ago, at Antiparos, an inconsi derable island of the Archipelago.

2. "Having been informed," says he, "by the natives of Paros, that, in the little island of Antiparos which lies abou two miles from the former, a gigantic statue was to be seen at the mouth of a cavern in that place, it was resolved that w (the French consul and himself) should pay it a visit. I pursuance of this resolution after we had landed on th island, and walked about four miles through the midst o beautiful plains, and sloping woodlands, we at length came t a little hill, on the side of which yawned a most horrid ca vern, that by its gloom, at first struck as with terror, an almost repressed curiosity.

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3. Recovering the first surprise,. however, we entere boldly; and had not proceeded above twenty paces, whe the supposed statue of the giant presented itself to our view We quickly perceived, that what the ignorant natives ha been terrified at as a giant, was nothing more than a spar concretion, formed by the water dropping from the roof the cave, and by degrees hardening into a figure, whi their fears had formed into a monster.

4. Incited by this extraordinary appearance, we we induced to proceed still further, in quest of new adventur in this subterranean abode. As we proceeded, new wonde

offered themselves; the spars, formed into trees and shrubs, presented a kind of petrified grove some white; some green; and all receding in due perspective. They struck us with the more amazement, as we knew them to be mere productions of nature, who, hitherto in solitude, had, in her playful moments, dressed the scene, as if for her own amuse

ment.

5. "We had as yet seen but few of the wonders of the place; and we were introduced only into the portico of this amazing temple. In one corner of this half illuminated recess, there appeared an opening of about three feet wide, which seemed to lead to a place totally dark, and which one of the natives assured us contained nothing more than a reservoir of water. Upon this information, we made an experiment, by throwing down some stones, which, rumbling along the sides of the descent for some time, the sound seemed at last quashed in a bed of water.

6. "In order, however, to be more certain, we sent in a Levantine mariner, who, by the promise of a good reward, ventured, with a flambeau in his hand, into this new aperture. After continuing within it for about a quarter of an bour, he returned, bearing in his hand some beautiful pieces of white spar, which art could neither equal nor initate. Upon being informed by him that the place was full of these beautiful incrustations, I ventured in once more with him, about fifty paces, anxiously and cautiously descending, by a steep and dangerous way.

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7. Finding, however, that we came to a precipice which led into a spacious amphitheatre, (if I may so call it,) still deeper than any other part, we returned, and being provided with a ladder, flambeau, and other things to expedite our descent, our whole company, man by man, ventured into the same opening; and descending one after another, we at last saw ourselves all together in the most magnificent part of the cavern."

SECTION IV.

THE GROTTO OF ANTIPAROS, CONTINUED.

1. "Our candles being now all lighted up, and the whole place completely illuminated, never could the eye be presented with a more glittering, or a more magnificent scene. The whole roof hung with solid icicles, transparent as glass, yet solid as marble. The eye could scarcely reach the lofty and noble ceiling; the sides were regularly formed with spars; and the whole presented the idea of a magnificent theatre illuminated with an immense profusion of lights.

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