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Soles occidere et redire possunt,

Nobis, cum semel occi dit brevis lux,

Nox est perpetua una dormiendo.

Hæc discunt omnes ante Alpha et Beta puellæ.

The girls all learn this lesson before their A. B. C.; and as to the opinion of the poet, it shews how sadly the Augustan age, with all its learning, and polite advantages, was corrupted: and as Virgil makes a jest of his own fine description of a paradise or the Elysian fields; as is evident from his dismissing his hero out of the ivory gate; which shews he was of the school of Epicurus; it is from these things manifest, that we can never be thankful enough for the principles and dictates of revealed religion: we can never sufficiently adore the goodness of the most glorious Eternal for the gospel of Jesus Christ; which opens the unbounded regions of eternal day to the virtuous and charitable, and promises them a rest from labour, and ever blooming joys; while it condemns the wicked to the regions of horror and solid darkness; that dreadful region, from whence the cries of misery for ever ascend, but can never reach the throne of mercy. O heavenly religion! designed to make men good, and for ever happy; that preserves the dignity of human nature, guards and increases vir

tue, and brings us to the realms of perfect reason and excellent glory.

"But," continued this fine old gentleman, "Tibullus has ever pleased me in the description of his mistress :

'Illam quicquid agit, quoquo vestigia flectit.
Componit furtim subsequiturque decor;
Seu solvit crines, fusis decet esse capillis;
Seu compsit comptis est veneranda comis.
Urit seu Tyria voluit procedere pulla;
Urit seu nivea candida veste venit.
Talis in æterno felix Vertumnus Olympo
Mille habet ornatus, mille decenter habet.'

"These elegant lines contain an inimitably beautiful description of outward grace, and its charming effects upon all who see it. Such a grace, without thinking of it, every one should strive to have, whatever they are doing. They should make it habitual to them. Quintilian seems to have had these fine lines in view, in his description of outward behaviour: Neque enim gestum componi ad similitudinem saltationis volo, sed subesse aliquid, in hac exercitatione puerili, unde nos non id agentes, furtim decor ille discentibus traditus subsequatur.' Cap. 10. I am not for having the mein of a gentleman the same with that of a dancing-master but that a boy while young should enter upon this

exercise, that it may communicate a secret gracefulness to his manner ever after."

In this manner did the old gentleman and I pass the time, till the clock struck five, when Miss NOEL came into the parlour again, and her father said he must retire, to take his evening nap, and would see me at supper; for with him I must stay that night. "HARRIOT, make tea for the gentleman. I am your servant, sir," and he withdrew. To HARRIOT, then, my life and my bliss, I turned; and, over a pot of tea, was as happy, I am sure, as ever with his Statira sat the Conqueror of the World. I began to relate once more the story of a passion, that was to form one day, I hoped, my sole felicity in this world. and with vows and protestations affirmed that I loved from my soul. "Charming angel," I said, "the beauties of your mind have inspired me with a passion that must increase every time I behold the harmony of your face; and by the powers divine, I swear to love you as long as Heaven shall permit me to breathe the vital air. Bid me then either live or die, and while I do live, be assured that my life will be devoted to you only." But in vain was all this warmth. Miss NOEL sat as unmoved as Erycina on a monument, and only answered, with a smile," Since your days, sir, are in my disposal, I desire you will change to some other subject, and

some article that is rational and useful; otherwise I must leave the room."

"To leave me," I replied, "would be insupportable; and, therefore, at once I have done. If you please then, madam, we will consider the Miracle at Babel, and enquire into the language of the world at that time. Allowing, as you have proved in our late conversation, that the language after the flood was quite another thing from that used in Paradise, and of consequence, that Moses did not write in that tongue which Adam and Eve conversed in: nor is Hebrew of that primævity which some great men affirm; yet, if there was a confusion of tongues at Babel, and many languages were spoken in the earth in the days of Abraham, how did he and his sons converse so easily with the various nations they passed through, and had occasional connexions with? For my part, I think with Hutchinson, that the divine interposition at Babel was for quite another end, to wit, to confound their confession, and cast out of their minds the name or object of it, that a man might not listen to the lip or confession of his neighbour. They were made to lose their own lip, and to differ about the words of their atheistical confession."

"As to a confusion of confessions," replied Miss NOEL," it appears to me to be a notion without any

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foundation to rest on. The argument of Hutchinson that the word' shephah,' the name for a lip, when used for the voice or speech, is never once in the Bible used in any other sense than for confession, is not good; because, though shephah' is often generally used for religious discourse or confession, yet the phrases, other lips' and 'other tongues,' are also used for other languages, utterances, pronunciations, dialects.' St. Paul, 1. Corinthians, ch. 14. v. 21. 22. applies shephah to language or dialect, in his quotation from the prophet Isaiah, ch. 28. v. 11, 12. He says, in the law it is written, With men of* other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people, and yet for all that they will not hear me.' And the words of the prophet are, speaking of Christ promised; with stammering lips, and another tongue will he speak to this people.' It is evident from this, that the Hebrew word shephah here signifies tongues or languages, and not confessions or discourse. So the apostle applies it, and explains the prophet: and by stammering lips,' Isaiah means the uncouth pronunciations of barbarous dialects,' or languages of the nations, which must produce in strangers to them ridiculous lips or mouths; and in this he refers undoubtedly to the

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The words men of are not in the Greek.

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