With thefe, the Sides of this floping Declivity are lined; and with these, the balmy Zephyrs perfume their Wings. Does Arabia, from all her fpicy Groves, breathe a more liberal, or a more charming Gale of Sweets? And what is a peculiar Recommendation of the rural Entertainments, presented in our happy Land, they are alloyed by no Apprehenfions of Danger. No poisonous Serpent, lurks under the Bloffom; nor any ravenous Beaft, lies ready to ftart from the Thicket.--But, I wander from a far more exalted Subject. My Thoughts, like my Affections, are too eafily diverted from the Heavens, and detained by inferior Objects. Away, my Attention, from thefe little Blandifhments of the Earth; fince all the Glories of the Sky invite thy Regard.

WE have taken a Turn among the Tombs, and viewed the folemn Memorials of the Dead: in order to learn the Vanity of mortal Things, and to break their foft Ínchantment.--We have furveyed the Ornaments of the Garden; not that the Heart might be planted in the Parterre, or take Root among the flowery Race: but that these Delicacies of a Day, might teach us to alpire after a better Paradife; where Beauty never fades, and Delight is ever in the Bloom. A Third Time we lighted the Candle of Meditation; and fought for Wisdom, not in the crouded City, or wrangling Schools, VOL. II.

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but

but in the filent and lonely Walks of antient Night*-Let us once more indulge the contemplative Vein, and raise our Speculations to thofe fublimer Works of the great Creator; which the Regions of the Sky contain, and this dufky Hour unveils t.

IF we have difcerned the Touches of his Pencil, glowing in the Colours of Spring; if we have feen a Sample of his Beneficence, exhibited in the Stores of Nature; and a Ray of his Brightnefs, beaming in the Blaze of Day; what an infinitely richer Field for the Display of his Perfections, are the Heavens! The Heavens, in the most emphatical Manner, declare the Glory of GoD. The Heavens are nobly eloquent of the Deity, and the most magnificent Heralds of their Maker's Praife. They speak to the whole Univerfe; for there is neither Speech fo barbarous, but their Language is underftood; nor Nation fo diftant, but their Voices are heard among them .--Let me then, in this folemn Seafon, formed for Thought, and a calm Intercourfe with Heaven; let me liften to their filent Lectures. Perhaps, I may

re

* Referring to the feveral Subjects of the Three preceding Effays.

+ Night opes the nobleft Scenes, and fheds an Awe, Which gives thofe venerable Scenes full Weight, And deep Reception in th' entender'd Heart.

Night-Thoughts, No. IX.

Plal. xix. 3.

receive fuch impreffive Manifeftations of "the "eternal Power and Godhead," as may fhed Religion on my Soul, while I walk the solitary Shades; and may be a tutelary Friend to my Virtue, when the Call of Bufinefs, and the Return of Light, expofe me again to the Inroads of Temptation.

THE Ifraelites, inftigated by Frenzy rather than Devotion, worshipped the Hoft of Heaven, And the Pretenders to judicial Aftrology talk of, I know not what, myfterious Efficacy; in the different Aspect of the Stars, or the various Conjunction and Oppofition of the Planets.Let those, who are unacquainted with the sure Word of Revelation, give car to these Sons of Delufion, and Dealers in Deceit. For my Part, it is a Queftion of Indifference to me, whether the Constellations fhone with Smiles, or loured in Frowns, on the Hour of my Nativity. Let CHRIST be my Guard; and, fecure in fuch a Protection, I would laugh at their impotent Menaces. Let CHRIST be my Guide; and I shall scorn to ask, as well as defpair of receiving, any predictory Information from fuch fenfelefs Maffes.What! fhall" the Living feek "to the Dead*?" Can these Bodies advertise me of future Events, which are unconscious of their own Existence? Shall I have Recourse to dull unintelligent Matter, when I may apply

to that all-wife Being; who, with one comprehenfive Glance, diftinctly views whatever is lodged in the Bofom of Immenfity, or forming in the Womb of Futurity?-Never, never will I fearch for any Intimations of my Fate; but often trace my Creator's Footsteps, in yonder ftarry Plains. In the former Cafe, they would be Teachers of Lyes; in the latter, they are Oracles of Truth. In this therefore, this Sense only, I profefs myself the Pupil of the Stars.

THE Vulgar, are apprehenfive of nothing more, than a Multitude of bright Spangles, dropt over the æthereal Blue. They have

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"It is most becoming (fays a great Author) fuch imperfect Creatures as we are, to contemplate the Works of God, with this Defign, that we may difcern "the Manifeftations of Wisdom in them; and thereby "excite in ourselves thofe devout Affections, and that

fuperlative Refpect, which is the very Effence of Praife, 66 as it is a reasonable and moral Service." ABERNETHY on the Attributes.—And, indeed, if we are fincerely dif pofed to employ ourselves in this excellent, this delightful Duty of praifing the infinite Creator; the Means, and the Motives, are both at hand. His Works, in a wonderful and inftructive Variety, prefent themselves; with pregnant Manifestations of the moft tranfcendent Excellencies of their Maker. They pour their Evidence from all Quarters, and into all the Avenues of the Mind. They invite us, efpecially in the magnificent Syftem of the Univerfe, to contemplate-Counfel, confummately wife; and Execution, inimitably perfect;-Power, to which nothing is impoffible; and Goodness, which extendeth to All, which endureth for ever.-To give, not a full Difplay, but only fome flight Strictures, of thefe glorious Truths, is the principal Scope of the following Remarks.

no higher Notion of thefe fine Appearances, than that they are fo many golden Studs, with which the Empyrean Arch is decorated.— But ftudious Minds, that carry a more accurate and ftrict Inquiry among the celeftial Bodies, bring back Advices of a most astonishing Import, Let me juft recollect the most material of those Stupendous Difcoveries; in order to furnish out proper Subjects for Contemplation. And let the Unlearned remember, That the Scene I am going to display, is the Workmanfhip of that incomprehenfible God, who is "perfect in Knowledge, and mighty in Power." Whofe Name, whofe Nature, and all whofe Operations, are great and marvellous." Who fummons into Being, with equal Ease, a fingle Grain, or ten thoufand Worlds. To this if we continually advert, the Affertions, though they will certainly excite our Admiration, need not tranfcend our Belief.

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THE Earth is, in Fact, a round Body; however it may feem, in fome Parts, to be funk into Vales, and raifed into Hills; in other Parts,

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* A learned Writer, I think, Dr. Derham, has fomewhere an Obfervation to this Purpofe-That the loftieft Summits of Hills, and the moft enormous Ridges of Mountains, are no real Objection to the globular or round Form of the Earth. Becaufe, however they may render it, to our limited Sight, vafily uneven and protuberant ; yet, they bear no more Proportion to the intire Surface of the terraqueous Ball, than a Particle of Duft, ca

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