ther transitory praise, nor temporary reward. Agreeably to my plan, I can be useful only to one description of men, and those are the unhappy poor; the characters particularized above, will view my arguments with the side-glance of contemptuous disregard, while the poor afflicted man will prize them above all price; therefore, I will endeavour to simplify my phraseology, and adapt it to his capacity.

Had I a throat of brass, and adamantine lungs, I would call all my fellow-worms, from the centre to the circumference of the earth, and while the social and sympathetic tear stole from my own eye, I would wipe the tears of despair from theirs; I would remove their doubts, by answering their doubtful interrogations; and, with the most anxious solicitude, I would entreat them, to "look through nature up to nature's God," for unadulterated truth, and to take their eyes and hearts from the world of mankind, where truth is discard

cd, and interest is the order of the day, both among politicians and ecclesiastics; where almost every sect endeavour to appropriate the promises and presence of God to their individual churches, to the exclusion of the rest of mankind. Little do they think, that the temple of Jehovah is the universe, his lamp the sun, his sounding-board the firmament, his organ the melodious voices of his saints, who love him, his altar the most humble heart, and the high priest the everlasting Father and Prince of Peace, who does not offer the blood of bulls and goats, as an atonement for the sins of the people, as the Jewish high priest did, but he offers his own blood, the richest that ever flowed, as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of his beloved saints ! Unless the truth shall make us free, we never “ shall be free indeed.” We were placed upon this earth to know, to love, and to obey the truth, to be grateful to God, and affectionate to man ; for it is a fundamental law of nature, (hear it ye

cruel, unfeeling rich men, and tremble at your approaching doom!) that the cruelty of man to his fellow-man, shall recoil upon himself; that no individual villain, or government of them, shall ever find their happiness in the misery of others. This one simple truth, undermines the false hopes of millions of the great, the rich, the mighty and honourable of mankind. This senti. ment will be grating to the feelings of ma. ny who will no doubt hate me, because I tell them the truth; I am most earnestly desirous to do good to mankind. I must therefore calculate upon calumny and abuse from them, but abuse or applause are synonimous terms with me, who writes so as to merit the approbation, not of man, but God.

I know a man not far from where I now sit, who has enriched himself from the substance of the poor ; but is he happy ? No: happiness is as far from him as the east is from the west. Examine those rich men who appear most happy, and you will find, that they have purchased their ideal felicity at a very dear rate; they have sacrificed public respectability, domestic felicity, peace of conscience, tranquillity of mind, and all for what? for the sake of accumulating superfluous wealth : Yet at the close of life, they see nothing but false friends and relations around them, longing for their death, that they may inherit their ill-gotten gain.

Ah! if from the lonesome garret where I am now writing, at midnight! for the relief of the miserable, I could make my voice to be heard, and could communicate to them my thoughts, I would imprint upon their hearts this consolatory truth, That time is but the prelude to eternity ; that this life is only a state of probation. I would therefore entreat them to support themselves in this state of probation, that they may participate the happiness of vir

I would calm their sorrows, by elevating their minds towards infinity, that they might support the miseries of a mo

ment; for God never did, never will, and never can, abandon innocence and virtue. None of the ills that terrify and torment mankind, can ever destroy the peace of those who love and fear God; they are all eye to admire his garden of nature, all ear to listen to his still small voice, which is always calling them to their own happiness; all gratitude to acknowledge the benedictions of a kind Providence. In order to induce them to receive afflictions from the hand of God as blessings in disguise, and to love him beneath his frown, as well as beneath his smile, seeing it is all intended for their good. I would give them a sketch of my simple experience, as facts are always more convincing than speculative reasonings. Calamity has, therefore, been a great blessing to me, because by it I have been stimulated to look from false man, to the true God; to be instructed in the truth. I have learned by my own miseries, always to pity and relieve the miserable, and to

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