HAVING thus endeavoured to illustrate the progress of Human life, by enumerating the leading traits which attach to INFANCY, CHILDHOOD, YOUTH, MANHOOD, and OLD AGE, I take leave of my Young Reader, by introducing to his notice a circumstance, the mention of which may form no inappropriate conclusion. I have in my possession a beautiful engraving entitled, SHAKSPEARE CORRECTED BY REVELATION. It exhibits the Bard at full length, with a Scroll depending from his left hand, on which are seen these his own well-known expressions: The cloud-capp'd Towers, the gorgeous Palaces, Yea, ALL which it inherit, shall dissolve, And like the baseless fabric of a vision, whilst his right hand holds an OPENED BIBLE, on the expansive pages of which are inscribed as with a pen of adamant NEVERTHELESS, WE, ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE, (2 Peter, iii. 13.) LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, WHEREIN DWELLETH RIGHTEOUSNESS. FINIS. “With reverence we contemplate he hand of THE ALMIGHTY in the signal dispensations of Providence among men, deciding the fate of battles, raising up or overthrowing empires, casting down the proud, and lifting the low from the dust! But what are such occurrences to the power and wis. dom which he displays in the higher revolutions of the universe; by his word forming or dissolving worlds; at his pleasure transplanting his creatures from one world to another, that he may carry on new plans of wisdom and goodness, and fill all space with the wonders of creation ? Successive generations of Men have arisen to possess the earth. By turns they have passed away, and gone into regions unknown! Us he hath raised up to occupy their room. We too shall shortly disappear. But human existence never perishes. LIFE only changes its form and is renewed. Creation is ever filling, but never full! When the whole intended course of the generations of MEN shall be finished, then as a shepherd leads his flock from one pasture to another, so THE GREAT CREATOR leads forth the souls which he has made, into new and prepared abodes of life! They go from this earth to a NEW EARTH and NEW HEAVENS, and still they remove only from one province of the Divine dominion to another. Amidst all those changes of nature, THE GREAT RULER himself remains without variableness or shadow of turning. To Him these successive revolutions of being are Alas! the little day of LIFE Is shorter than a span, To miserable man ! Gay is thy morning-flattering Hope, Thy sprightly step attends, And the dark night descends! Before its splendid hour, the cloud Comes o'er the beam of light; A pilgrim in a weary land, Man tarries but a night! Behold! sad emblem of thy state, The flowers that paint the field, Or trees that crown the mountain's brow, And boughs and blossoms yield ! When chill the blast of winter blows, Away the summer flies; And all their beauty dies ! Nipt by the year the forest fades, And, shaking to the wind, The wilderness behind ! The WINTER past, reviving flowers Anew shall paint the plain ; The woods shall hear the voice of spring, And flourish green again! But Man departs this earthly scene, Ah! never to return; The ashes of the urn! The inexorable doors of DEATH What hand can e'er unfold ? Can raise the human mould ? The mighty flood that rolls along Its torrents to the main, From that abyss again! The days, the years, the ages dark, Descending down to night, Can never, never be redeem'd Back to the gates of light! So Man departs the living scene, To night's perpetual gloom, The slumbers of the tomb ! In sacred books enroll'd? Gone to the resting place of MAN, The everlasting home; Where future ages come! Thus NATURE pour'd the wail of woe, And urged her earnest cry; Her voice, in agony extreme, Ascended to the sky! |