of men. It is like the dew of Hermon," says the psalmist," and the dew that descended on the mountains of Zion, where the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore."

Blair.

SECTION VIII.

1.

Prosperity is redoubled to a good Man.

NONE but the temperate, the regular and the virtueus, know how to enjoy prosperity. They bring to its comforts the manly relish of a sound uncorrupted Mind.They stop at the proper point, before enjoyment generates into disgust, and pleasure is converted into pain.They are strangers to those complaints which flow from spleen, caprice, and all the fantastical distresses of a vitiated mind, While riotous indulgence enervates both the body and the mind, purity and virtue heighten all the powers of human fruition.

But pros

2. Feeble are all pleasures in which the heart has no share. The selfish gratifications of the bad, are both narrow in their circle, and short in their duration. perity is redoubled to a good man, by his generous use of it. It is reflected back upon him from every one whom he makes happy. In the intercourse of domestic affection, in the attachments of friends the gratitude of dependents, the esteem and good-will of all who know him, he sees blessings multiplied around him, on every side.

3. "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me; because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing with joy. I was eyes to the blind. and feet was I to the lame; I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not I searched out."

4. Thus while the righteous man flourishes like a tree planted by the rivers of water, he brings forth also his fruit in its season; and that fruit he brings forth, not for himself alone. He flourishes, not like a tree in some solnary desert, which scatters its blossoms to the wind, and communicates neither fruit nor shade to any living thing; but like a tree in the midst of an inhabited country, which

to some affords friendly shelter, to others fruit; which is not only admired by all for its beauty; but blessed by the traveller for the shade, and by the hungry for the sustenance, it hath given. Blair.

SECTION IX.

On the Beauties of the Psalms.

1. GREATNESS, confers no exemption from the cares and sorrows of life; its share of them frequently bears a melancholy proportion to its exaltation. This the mon

arch of isreal experienced. He sought in piety that peace which he could not find in empire; and alleviated the disquietudes of state, with the exercises of devotion. His invaluable Psalms convey those comforts to others, which they afforded to himself.

2. Composed upon particular occasions, yet designed for general use: delivered out as services for the Israelites under the Law, yet no less adapted to the choumstances of Christians under the Gospel; they present religion to us in the most engaging dress; communicating truths which philosophy could never investigate, in a style which poetry can never equal; while history is made the vehicle of prophecy, and creation lends all its charms to paint the glories of redemption.

3. Calculated alike to profit and to please, they inform the understanding, elevate the affections, and entertain the imagination. Indited under the influence of HIM, to whom all hearts are known, and all events foreknown, they suit mankind in all situations; grateful as the manna which descended from above, and conformed itself to every palate.

4. The fairest productions of human wit, after a few perusals, like gathered flowers, wither in our hands, and lose their fragrancy: but these unfading plants of paradise become, as we are accustomed to them, still more and more beautiful: their bloom appears to be daily heightened; fresh odours are emitted, and new sweets extracted from them. He who has once tasted their excellencies, will desire to taste them again; and he who tastes them oftenest will relish them best.

5. And now, could the author flatter himself, that any ene would take half the pleasure in reading his work, which he has taken in writing it, he would not tear the loss of his labour. The employment detached him from the bustle and hurry of life, the din of politics, and the noise of folly. Vanity and vexation flew away for a season; care and disquietude came not near his dwelling.He arose, fresh as the morning, to his task; the silence of the night invited him to pursue it; and he can truly say, that food and rest were not preferred before it.

6. Every psalm improved infinitely upon his acquaint. ance with it, and no one gave him uneasiness but the last; for then he grieved that his work was done. Happier hours than those which had been spent in these méditations on the songs of Zion, he never expects to see in this world. Very pleasantly did they pass; they moved smoothly and swiftly along; for when thus engaged, he counted no time, They are gone, but they have left a relish and a fragranceupon the mind; and the remembrance of them is sweet. Horne.

SECTION X.

Character of Alfrel, King of England.

1. THE merit of this prince, both in private and public life, may, with advantage, be set in opposition to that of any monarch or citizen, which the annals of any age, or any nation, can present to us. He seems, indeed, to be the complete model of that perfect character, which under the denomination of a sage or wise man, the philosophers have been fond of delineating, rather as a fiction of their imagination, than in hopes of ever seeing it reduced to prac-. tice; so happily were all his virtues tempered together; justly were they blended; and so powerfully did each prevent the other from exceeding its proper bounds.

2. He knew how to conciliate the most enterprising spirit with the coolest moderation: the most obstinate perseverance, with the easiest flexibility; the most severe justice with the greatest lenity; the greatest rigour in command, with the greatest affability of deportment; the highest capacity and inclination for science, with the most shiding talents for action.

3. Nature also, as if desirous that so bright a production of her skill should be set in the fairest light, had bestowed on him all bodily accomplishments; vigour of limbs, dignity of shape and air, and a pleasant, engaging, and open countenance. By living in that barbarous age, he was deprived of historians worthy to transmit his fame to posterity; and we wish to see him delineated in more lively colours, and with more particular strokes, that we might at least perceive some of those small specs and blemishes, from which, as a man, it is impossible he could be entirely exempted. Hume

SECTION IX.

Character of Queen Elizabeth.

1. THERE are few personages in history, who have been more exposed to the calumuy of enemies, and the adulation of friends, than queen Elizabeth; and yet there scarcely is any, whose reputation has been more certainly determined by the unanimous consent of posterity. The unusual length of her administration, and the strong features of her character, were able to overcome all prejudices, and oblige her detractors to abate much of their invectives, and her admirers somewhat of their panegyrics, have, at last, in spite of political faction, and what is more, of religious animosity, produced a uniform judgment with regard to her conduct.

2. Her vigour, ber constancy, her magnanimity, her penetration, vigilance and address, are allowed to merit the highest praises; and appear not to have been surpassed by any person who ever filled a throne: A conduci less rigorous, less imperious, more sincere, more indulgent to her people, would have been requisite to form a perfect character. By the force of her mind she controlled all her more active and stronger qualities; and prevented them from running to excess.

She

3. Her heroism was exempted from all temerity; her frugality from avarice; her friendship from partiality; her enterprize from turbulency and a vain ambition. guarded not herself, with equal care, or equal success, from less infirmities; the rivalship of beauty, the desire

of admiration, the jealousy of love, and the sallies of anger.

4. Her singular talents for government, were founded equally on her temper and on her capacity. Endowed with a great command over herself, she soon obtained an uncontrolled ascendency over the people. Few sove. reigns of England succeeded to the throne in more diffi celt circumstances; and none ever conducted the govern ment with so uniform success and felicity.

5. Though unacquainted with the practice of toleration, the true secret of managing religious factions, she preserved her people by her superior prudence, from those confusions in which theological controversy had involved all the neighbouring nations; and though her enemies were the most powerful princes of Europe, the most active, the most enterprising, the least scrupulous, she was able, by her vigour, to make deep impressions on their state; her own greatness, meanwhile, remaining untouched and unimpaired.

6. The wise ministers and brave men who flourished during her reign, share the praise of her success; but, instead of lessening the applause due to her, they make. great addition to it. They owed all of them, their advancement to her choice; they were supported by her constancy; and, with all their abilities they were never able to acquire an undue ascendency over her.

7. In her family, in the court, in her kingdom, she remained equally mistress. The force of the tender passions was great over her; but the force of her mind was still superior; and the combat which her victory visibly cost her, serves only to display the firmness of her reso lution, and the loftiness of her ambitious sentiments.

8. The tame of this princess, though it has surmounted the prejudices both of faction and bigotry, yet lies still exposed to another prejudice, which is more durable, because more natural; and which, according to the different views in which we survey her, is capable either of exalt ing beyond measure, or diminishing the lustre of her character. This prejudice is founded on the consideration of

her sex.

9. When we contemplate her as a woman, we are apt to be struck with the highest admiration of her qualities and extensive capacity; but we are also apt to require