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Dim

Gladdening its hearth and race?

grows the semblance on man's heart impress'dCome near, and bear the beautiful to rest!

Ye weep, and it is well!

For tears befit earth's partings!-Yesterday,
Song was upon the lips of this pale clay,
And sunshine seem'd to dwell

Where'er he moved the welcome and the bless'd!
-Now gaze! and bear the silent unto rest!

Look yet on him, whose eye
Meets yours no more, in sadness or in mirth!
Was he not fair amidst the sons of earth,

The beings born to die?

-But not where death has power may love be bless'd— Come near! and bear ye the beloved to rest!

How may the mother's heart

Dwell on her son, and dare to hope again?
The spring's rich promise hath been given in vain,
The lovely must depart!

Is he not gone, our brightest and our best?
Come near! and bear the early-call'd to rest!

Look on him! is he laid

To slumber from the harvest or the chase?

-Too still and sad the smile upon

Yet that, ev'n that, must fade!

his face,

Death holds not long unchang'd his fairest guest,—
Come near! and bear the mortal to his rest!

His voice of mirth had ceased

Amidst the vineyards! there is left no place
For him whose dust receives your vain embrace,
At the gay bridal feast!

Earth must take earth to moulder on her breast;
Come near! weep o'er him! bear him to his rest!

Yet mourn ye not as they

Whose spirit's light is quenched!-for him the past
Is seal'd. He may not fall, he may not cast

His birthright's hope away!

All is not here of our beloved and bless'd-
-Leave ye the sleeper with his God to rest!

LESSON IX.

Charity.-POLLOCK.

Breathe all thy minstrelsy, immortal harp!
Breathe numbers warm with love! while I rehearse,-
Delightful theme! resembling most the songs
Which, day and night, are sung before the Lamb !--
Thy praise, O Charity! thy labours most
Divine; thy sympathy with sighs, and tears,
And groans; thy great, thy god-like wish, to heal
All misery, all fortune's wounds; and make
The soul of every living thing rejoice.

Let me record

as one

His praise, the man of great benevolence,
Who pressed thee closely to his glowing heart,
And to thy gentle bidding, made his feet
Swift ministers. Of all mankind, his soul
Was most in harmony with heaven
Sole family of brothers, sisters, friends;
One in their origin, one in their rights
To all the common gifts of providence,
And in their hopes, their joys, and sorrows one,
He viewed the universal human race.
He needed not a law of state, to force
Grudging submission to the law of God;
The law of love was in his heart alive :
What he possessed, he counted not his own,
But like a faithful steward, in a house
Of public alms, what freely he received,
He freely gave; distributing to all

The helpless, the last mite beyond his own
Temperate support, and reckoning still the gift
But justice, due to want; and so it was;
Although the world, with compliment not ill
Applied, adorned it with a fairer name.

Nor did he wait till to his door the voice
Of supplication came, but went abroad,
With foot as silent as the starry dews,
In search of misery that pined unseen,

And would not ask. And who can tell what sights
He saw! what groans he heard in that cold world
Below! where Sin in league with gloomy Death
Marched daily through the length and breadth of all
The land, wasting at will, and making earth,
Fair earth! a lazar-house, a dungeon dark;
Where Disappointment fed on ruined Hope;
Where Guilt, worn out, leaned on the triple edge
Of want, remorse, despair; where Cruelty
Reached forth a cup of wormwood to the lips
Of Sorrow, that to deeper Sorrow wailed;
Where Mockery, and Disease, and Poverty,
Met miserable Age, erewhile sore bent
With his own burden; where the arrowy winds
Of winter, pierced the naked orphan babe,
And chilled the mother's heart who had no home;
And where, alas! in mid-time of his day,
The honest man, robbed by some villain's hand,
Or with long sickness pale, and paler yet
With want and hunger, oft drank bitter draughts
Of his own tears, and had no bread to eat.
Oh! who can tell what sights he saw, what shapes
Of wretchedness! or who describe what smiles
Of gratitude illumed the face of wo,

While from his hand he gave the bounty forth!
As when the sun, from Cancer wheeling back,
Returned to Capricorn, and shewed the north,
That long had lain in cold and cheerless night,
His beamy countenance; all nature then
Rejoiced together glad; the flower looked up
And smiled; the forest from his locks shook off
The hoary frosts, and clapped his hands; the birds
Awoke, and singing, rose to meet the day;
And from his hollow den, where many months
He slumbered sad in darkness, blithe and light
Of heart the savage sprung; and saw again
His mountains shine; and with new songs of love,
Allured the virgin's ear: so did the house,
The prison-house of guilt, and all the abodes

P

Of unprovided helplessness, revive,

As on them looked the sunny messenger
Of charity; by angels tended still,

That mark'd his deeds, and wrote them in the book
Of God's remembrance :-careless he to be
Observed of men; or have each mite bestowed,
Recorded punctually with name and place
In every bill of news: pleased to do good,

He gave and sought no more, nor questioned much,
Nor reasoned who deserved; for well he knew
The face of need. Ah me! who could mistake?
The shame to ask, the want that urged within,
Composed a look so perfectly distinct
From all else human, and withal so full
Of misery, that none could pass untouched
And be a Christian; or thereafter claim,
In any form, the name or rights of man;
Or, at the day of judgment, lift his eye :
While he, in name of Christ, who gave the poor
A cup of water, or a bit of bread,

Impatient for his advent, waiting stood,

Glowing in robes of love and holiness,

Heaven's fairest dress! and round him ranged in white,

A thousand witnesses appeared, prepared

To tell his gracious deeds before the Throne.

LESSON X.

Formation of Character.-Addressed to Young Men.HAWES.

Ir is ever to be kept in mind that a good name is in all cases the fruit of personal exertion. It is not inherited from parents; it is not created by external advantages; it is no necessary appendage of birth, or wealth, or talents, or station; but the result of one's own endeavours,the fruit and reward of good principles, manifested in a course of virtuous and honourable action. This is the more important to be remarked, because it shows that the attainment of a good name, whatever be your external circumstances, is entirely within your power.

No young man, however humble his birth, or obscure his condition, is excluded from the invaluable boon. He has only to fix his eye upon the prize, and press towards it, in a course of virtuous and useful conduct, and it is his. And it is interesting to notice how many of our worthiest and best citizens have risen to honour and usefulness by dint of their own persevering exertions. They are to be found, in great numbers, in each of the learned professions, and in every department of business; and they stand forth, bright and animating examples, of what can be accomplished by resolution and effort.

Indeed, my friends, in the formation of character, personal exertion is the first, the second and the third virtue. Nothing great or excellent can be acquired without it. A good name will not come without being sought. All the virtues of which it is composed are the result of untiring application and industry. Nothing can be more fatal to the attainment of a good character than a treacherous confidence in external advantages. These, if not seconded by your own endeavours, will "drop you mid way; or perhaps you will not have started, when the diligent traveller will have won the race."

Thousands of young men have been ruined by relying for a good name on their honourable parentage, or inherited wealth, or the patronage of friends. Flattered by these distinctions, they have felt as if they might live without plan and without effort,-merely for their own gratification and indulgence. No mistake is more fatal. It always issues in producing an inefficient and useless cha

racter.

In the formation of a good character, it is of great importance that the early part of life be improved and guarded with the utmost care and diligence. The most critical period of life is that which elapses from fourteen to twenty-one years of age. More is done during this period, to mould and settle the character of the future man, than in all the other years of life. If a young man passes this season with pure morals and a fair reputation, a good name is almost sure to crown his maturer years, and descend with him to the close of his days.

On the other hand, if a young man, in this spring season of life, neglects his mind and heart; if he indulges himself in vicious courses, and forms habits of inefficiency

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