dists and parlour poets, it is a fishy worm-like creature, living on the slime and filth of the ocean, perfectly ignorant of all the Argonautic expeditions to which it is said to have given rise, and perfectly contented with salt water, a muddy bed, and a slimy surface to feed in.

"ESTHER."

If the history of God's ancient people furnishes many examples of manly firmness and exalted piety, it also presents some beautiful instances of female fortitude and piety. Jochebed had strong faith in God, as well as a warm, deep, and strong love for her child, such as a mother's heart alone can feel, when, having made the ark, she placed in it the infant Moses, Israel's future deliverer, and put the casket containing so precious a jewel, amongst the bulrushes on the banks of the Nile.

Miriam acted well her part of the scheme, whose object was the preservation of her fair and beautiful infantbrother. Hannah, who dedicated her young Samuel to God, is a fine example of maternal affection, and of deep piety. And by Esther, as God's instrument, the Jews were saved from the plot of the cruel, proud, and bloody Haman. Let us for a little contemplate the history and character of Esther.

I. HER HISTORY.

Esther was a Jewess by birth.-She was a near relative of Mordecai, who belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, and descended from the house of Kish the father of Saul, the first king of Israel.

Esther was a captive in a strange land.-Her ancestors were carried captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, a few years after Daniel and the other royal princes. Although Esther was born during the captivity, and perhaps had not once visited the land of her fathers, Babylon would be to her a strange land. No country in the world can be compared with Palestine in the sub

limity of its associations. No wonder, then, that the love of their country is stronger in the Jews than in any other people. Esther dwelt in Babylon, but her home was the land of her fathers.

Esther was an orphan.-Her parents died when Esther was a child, she had to drink deeply out of sorrow's bitter cup, when she lost her two best as well as first earthly counsellors and guides. How lonely Esther must have felt. An orphan in a strange land, and amongst people who despised and hated her nation. Sometimes, perhaps often, Esther's thoughts would revert, now to the land of Israel, now to her parents' graves, and now to her own loneliness. But dark as it was for poor Esther, there was one little speck of brightness, and but one. God raised up for her a true and constant friend, in the wise, good, and generous Mordecai. Mordecai took Esther to his home, and loved her as if she had been his own child. God did in her case, what he has done in thousands besides, fulfil the word of His servant, "when my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." Time rolled on, and Esther grew to be a beautiful woman.

Esther was selected to appear before the king.—During a great feast made by Ahasuerus the king of Persia, he commanded his queen to come before him. wearing the royal crown. But Vashti refused, which so enraged the king, that he hearkened to his ministers and put her away. Afterwards his anger passed away, and he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. It seemed that he loved her still, and regretted the hasty step which deprived so fair a brow of so bright a crown. So it is with rash acts generally. They are followed by deep, but unavailing regret. It was so with Esau and Judas, and thousands besides. But it was now too late, Vashti could not be restored. Her crown might be given to another, but she could not wear it again. The ministers now advised, and the advice pleased the king, that the fairest virgins in all the kingdom should be brought before the king, that a successor to Vashti might be chosen. Josephus mentions the large

number of four hundred who went in before the king, and the king loved Esther more than all the virgins.

Esther was made queen.-Thus we see one who, a few :| years before, was the orphan child of parents belonging to a nation despised and in captivity, raised to the highest point of earthly dignity. Her throne was higher and her crown brighter than any on earth, save the king's only. Esther was more honoured, but perhaps not more happy, than when living with Mordecai. And if the question had been put, and Esther had consulted her own feelings, she would, perhaps, have preferred the house of her benefactor to the royal palace of Persia.

But it was the will of the king, yes, and of one greater than Ahasuerus-the will of God. Under other circumstances, it would have been hard for Esther to leave Mordecai. As it was, she could not help feeling, and weeping, perhaps, as she thought of the past, tried to realise the present, and gain a glimpse of the future. But with the benediction of Mordecai, and a heart trusting in the God of Israel, Esther became queen instead of Vashti.

Esther became the deliverer of her people.-It was a happy day for the great Ahasuerus, when he fixed his choice upon Esther. Esther being queen, Mordecai sat in the king's gate, aud discovered a plot laid against the king's life by two of his chamberlains. The life of the king was preserved, and the conspirators were put to death.

The day when Esther became queen, was equally auspicious for the Jews. Haman, the king's first minister, was as cruel as he was proud. Pride and cruelty-fit companions-joined in the man, whose aim was to destroy the Jewish nation. Because Mordecai refused to bow to him, Haman sought to obtain a decree that all the Jews in the kingdom should be put to death. Haman represented to the king that the Jews totally disregarded his laws. And, to be sure, he offered to pay the king ten thousand talents of silver. O Haman! how terrible was thy guilt. Falsehood first, and bribery second-the means generally had recourse to, by tyrants and persecutors. The king believed the lying man, granted the decree, and gave

him the ring to seal the letters, that their authority might not be doubted.

Things were tending to a fearful crisis: the king did not know that he owed the preservation of his life to a Jew, nor that his queen was a Jewess. If he had, he would not have been so easily led by the vile Haman. Mordecai sent a copy of the decree to the queen, who was ignorant of its existence, and charged her, as the last earthly hope of her people, to plead with the king on their behalf. It was a hazardous undertaking at such a time, but it was the last slender thread on which her nation's hope hung. Esther resolved! she entered the king's presence. The sceptre was held out. She touched it. The danger was past, her prayer was heard, and a nation spared to tell her noble deed.

Esther requited the enemy of her people, for the evil he sought to bring on them.-Haman's sun having reached its meridian, became suddenly eclipsed. Esther made known to the king that she belonged to the Jewish nation, whom Haman was seeking to destroy. The king was alarmed, at the danger of his queen. His anger waxed hot against Haman. Haman, terrified at the disclosure of his fearful guilt, and dreading an equally fearful doom, pleaded for his life to the queen, but in vain. The sentence of death was passed, and Haman was hanged upon the gallows which he had caused to be erected for Mordecai.

Haman's decree was counteracted by another, which allowed the Jews to defend themselves. Esther being queen, and Mordecai his prime minister, they were helped by the king's officers, and therefore did what they would with their enemies. Terrible was the massacre which followed. The deliverance of the Jews, and the overthrow of their enemies, was celebrated by a great feast, which is still continued among the Jews-the feast of PURIM.

II. NOW LET US CONTEMPLATE THE CHARACTER OF
ESTHER.

Esther possessed great personal beauty.-Vashti the former queen was distinguished for her beauty. And

when another was sought to take her place, it was right to spare no pains in order to find one, who, in personal loveliness as well as in other respects, should be worthy to succeed the fair but banished Vashti. It is not too much to suppose that, in a kingdom stretching from Ethiopia to India, embracing a hundred and twentyseven provinces, there were many princesses of great beauty. Many were brought to Shushan, and Esther was one of them. Hegai the king's officer who had charge of the virgins, was pleased with Esther, treated her kindly, and preferred her and her maids to the best place in the house of the women (the place appointed for the virgins previous to their going in before the king). It would seem as if Hegai thought that Esther, from her great personal loveliness and other qualities, was destined to be the future queen, therefore he gave her the place in the house, which he thought she ought to have, and which she would have in the kingdom. The chamberlain was right. For when Esther came before his master, he loved her more than all the virgins, and put the crown upon her head, and made her his queen.

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Esther's mind as well as person rendered her fit to sit upon a throne.-It seems that her family was distinction. Mordecai was great among his people. He must have possessed great mental as well as moral qualities, or he could not have filled, with so much satisfaction to the king, benefit to the kingdom, advantage to his people, and honour to himself, for so long a time the office of first minister of state. He knew the value of education. And as he acted a father's part in all other respects, he would not fail in so important a matter as this. He had the means, and his love for Esther, was so pure, tender, and strong, that he would give her the advantage of everything, calculated to fit her for the highest station in life. But there are other reasons, for supposing that Esther's mind was as refined, as her person was beautiful.

It was not known even to the king, for a considerable time after Esther became queen, that she belonged to the Jewish nation. Now, if she had not had a highly polished