unbounded extent of the material creation; and, at another, with the endless subordination of animal life; -and, what is of yet more importance, might supply the decays of nature, and succour old age with subsidiary sight. Thus was the first artificer in glass employed, though without his own knowledge or expectation. He was facilitating and prolonging the enjoyment of sight, enlarging the avenues of science, and conferring the highest and most lasting pleasures; he was enabling the student to contemplate nature, and the beauty to behold herself. Johnson. DISSOLUTION OF THE EARTH. LET us reflect, upon this occasion, on the vanity and transient glory of this habitable world: how, by the force of one element breaking loose upon the rest, all the varieties of nature, all the works of art, all the labours of men are reduced to nothing! All that we admired and adored before, as great and magnificent, is obliterated or vanished: and another form and face of things, plain, simple, and every where the same, overspreads the whole earth. Where are now the great empires of the world, and their great imperial cities? their pillars, trophies, and monuments of glory? Show me where they stood; read the inscription; tell me the victor's name. What remains, what impressions, what difference or distinction do you see in this mass of fire? Rome itself, eternal Rome, the great city, the empress of the world, whose domination makes a great part of the history of this earth,-what is become of her now? She laid her foundations deep, and her palaces were strong and sumptuous. "She glorified herself, and lived deliciously, and said in her heart, I sit a queen, and shall see no sorrow." But her hour is come. She is wiped away from the face of the earth, and buried in everlasting oblivion.-But it is not cities only, and works of men's hands, but the everlasting hills, the mountains and rocks of the earth, are melted as wax before the sun, and "their place is nowhere found." Here stood the Alps, the load of the earth, that covered many countries, and reached their arms from the ocean to the Black Sea. This huge mass of stone is softened and dissolved as a tender cloud into rain. Here stood the African mountains, and Atlas with his top above the clouds: there was frozen Caucasus, and Taurus, and Imaus, and the mountains of Asia; and yonder, towards the north, stood the Riphæan hills, clothed in ice All these are vanished,-dropt away as the their heads. "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Hallelujah!" and snow. snow upon Burnet's Theory of the Earth. SECTION VI. POETRY. I. BLANK VERSE. THE BIBLE. Most wondrous Book! bright candle of the Lord! By which the bark of man could navigate Of Heaven's own light, and, to the hills of God,— And, by the Holy Ghost, anointed, set Apart and consecrated, to declare On earth the counsels of the Eternal One, This Book-this holiest, this sublimest Book Was sent. Heaven's will, Heaven's code of laws entire To man, this Book contained; defined the bounds And what was shadow,-what was substance,-taught. GOD. How shall I then attempt to sing of Him, Thy works themselves would raise a general voice; By human foot untrod, proclaim thy power; Thomson. MAN. THERE wanted yet the master-work, the end His stature, and upright, with front serene, And worship God Supreme, who made him chief Milton. EVENING IN PARADISE. Now came still Evening on, and Twilight gray Apparent queen unveil'd her peerless light, And of their doings God takes no account." Milton. ADAM'S REFLECTIONS ON HIMSELF. As new waked from soundest sleep, Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid, And liquid lapse of murmuring streams; by these, Creatures that lived and moved, and walk'd or flew ; Birds on the branches warbling. All things smiled With fragrance; and with joy my heart o'erflow'd. Myself I then perused, and limb by limb Survey'd, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran But who I was, or where, or from what cause, Milton. BLESSINGS OF SOCIETY. WITH thee conversing, I forget all time, Milton. |