soul in virtue, and come up to the perfection of his nature, before he is hurried off the stage. Would an infinitely wise Being make such glorious creatures for so mean a purpose? Can he delight in the production of such abortive k intelligences, such short-lived reasonable beings?-Would he give us talents that are not to be exerted? capacities that are never to be gratified? 48. How can we find that wisdom, which shines through all his works, in the formation of man, without looking on this world as only a nursery m for the next; and without believing that the several generations of rational creatures, which rise up and disappear in such quick successions, n are only to receive their first rudiments o of existence here, and afterwards to be transplanted into a more friendly climate, where they may spread and flourish to all eternity? 9. There is not, in my opinion, a more pleasing and triumphant consideration in religion, than this of the perpetual progress, which the soul makes towards the perfection of its nature, without ever arriving at a period in it. To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strength; to consider that she is to shine forever with new accessions P of glory, and brighten to all eternity; that she will be still adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowledge; carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition, which is natural to the mind of man. 10. Nay, it must be a prospect pleasing to God himself, to see his creation for ever beautifying q in his eyes; and drawing nearer to him, by greater degrees of resemblance. r Methinks this single consideration, of the progress of a finite s spirit to perfection, will be sufficient to extinguish all envy in inferiour natures, and all contempt in superiour. 11. That cherub, t which now appears as a god to a human soul, knows very well that the period will come about in eternity, when the human soul shall be as perfect as he himself now is nay, when she shall look down upon that degree of perfection as much as she now falls short of it. It is true, the higher nature still advances, and by that means preserves his distance and superiority in the scale of being; but he knows that, how high soever the station is, of which he stands possessed at present, the inferiour nature will, at length, mount up to it; and shine forth in the same degree of glory. 12. With what astonishment and veneration, may we look into our own souls, where there are such hidden stores of virtue and knowledge, such inexhausted sources u of perfection! We know not yet what we shall be; nor will it ever enter into the heart of man to conceive the glory that will be always in reserve for him. 13 The soul, considered with its Creator, is like one of those mathematical v lines that may draw nearer to another for all eternity, without a possibility of touching it and can there be a thought so transporting, was to consider ourselves in these perpetual approaches to HIM, who is the standard not only of perfection, but of happiness? CHAPTER V. DESCRIPTIVE PIECES. ADDISON. a Reg-u-lar-i-ty, reg-u-lárẻ-tẻ. Method, certain order e In-stance, in'-stanse. Importunity, motive, example f glow, glò. To be heated, to burn g Yield, yẻeld. To produce, resign, submit h Scene, séén. The stage part of a play ¿ Cot-tage, kỗt'-tåje. A hut, a mean habitation j Gran-a-ry, gran'-å-rẻ. A store-house for corn k Car-ni-val, kår'-ne-vál. A feast 7 Qui-e-tude, kwi'-e-tude. Rest, repose, quiet n A-dapt, å-dapt'. To fit, proportion o In-no-va-tion, in-no-và-shẳn. Introduction of novelty SECTION I.-THE SEASONS. 1. AMONG the great blessings and wonders of the creation, may be classed the regularities a of times and seasons. Immediately after the flood, the sacred promise was made to man, that seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and right, should continue to the very end of all things. Accordingly, in obedience b to that promise, the rotation is constantly presenting us with some useful and agreeable alteration; and all the pleasing novelty of life arises from these natural changes: nor are we less indebted to them for many of its solid comforts 2. It has been frequently the task of the moralist and poet, to mark, in polished pe iods, the particular charms and conveniences of every change; and, indeed. such discriminate c observations upon natural variety. cannot be undelightful; d since the blessing which every month brings along with it, is a fresh instance e of the wisdom and bounty of that Providence, which regulates the glories of the year We glowf as we contemplate; we feel a propensity to adore, whilst we enjoy. 3. In the time of seed-sowing, it is the season of confidence: the grain which the husbandman trusts to the bosom of the earth shall, haply, yield g its seven-fold rewards. Spring presents us with a scene h of lively expectation. That which was before sown, begins now to discover signs of successful vegetation. The labourer observes the change, and anticipates the harvest; he watches the progress of nature, and smiles at her influence; while the man of contemplation walks forth with the evening, amidst the fragrance of flowers, and promises of plenty; nor returns to his cottage i till darkness closes the scene upon his eye. It 4. Then cometh the harvest, when the large wish is satisfied, and the granaries j of nature are loaded with the means of life, even to a luxury of abundance. The powers of language are unequal to the description of this happy season. is the carnival k of nature: sun and shade, coolness and quietude, / cheerfulness and melody, love and gratitude, unite to render every scene of summer delightful. 5. The division of light and darkness is one of the kindest efforts of Omnipotent Wisdom. Day and night yield us contrary blessings; and at the same time, assist each other, by giving fresh lustre to the delights of both. Amidst the glare of day, and bustle of life, how could we sleep? Amidst the gloom of darkness, how could we labour? 6. How wise, how benignant, m then, is the proper division! The hours of light are adapted n to activity and those of darkness, to rest. Ere the day is passed, exercise and nature prepare us for the pillow; and by the time that the morning returns, we are again able to meet it with a smile. Thus, every season has a charm peculiar to itself; and every moment affords some interesting innovation, o a Dis-charge, dis-tshårje'. Vent, release, explosion MELMOTH. b Per-pen-dic-u-lar, per-pen-dic-a-lar. Crossing at right angles Rap-id, rip'-Id. Quick, swift, violent d Ledge, lêdje. A ridge rising above the rest e Cat-a-ract, kåt'-i-råkt. A fall of water f Ob-sta-cle, ob'-stå-kl. Hindrance, bar, let g Tre-men-dous, trẻ-men'-dås. Dreadful, horrible ¿ U-nite, yu-nite'. To join, to concur SECTION II. --THE CATARACT OF NIAGARA, IN CANADA, NORTH AMERICA. 1. Tuis amazing fall of water, is made by the river St. Lawrence in its passage from lake Erie into the lake Ontario. The St. Lawrence is one of the largest rivers in the world; and yet the whole of its waters is discharged a in this place, by a fail of a hundred and fifty feet perpendicular. It is not easy to bring the imagination to correspond to the greatness of the scene. 2. A river extremely deep and rapid, c and that serves to drain the waters of almost all North America into the Atlantick Ocean, is here poured precipitately down a ledge d of rocks, that rises, like a wall, across the whole bed of its stream. The river, a little above is near three quarters of a mile broad; and the rocks, where it grows narrower, are four hundred yards over. 3. Their direction is not straight across, but hollowing inwards like a horse-shoe: so that the cataract, e which bends to the shape of the obstacle, f rounding inwards, presents a kind of theatre the most tremendous g in nature. Just in the middle of this circular wall of water, a little island, that has braved the fury h of the current, presents one of its points, and divides the stream at top into two parts; but they unite i again long before they reach the bottom. 4. The noise of the fall is heard at the distance of several leagues; and the fury of the waters, at the termination of their fall is inconceivable. The dashing produces a mist that rises to the very clouds; and which forms a most beautiful rainbow, when the sun shines. It will be readily supposed, that such a cataract entirely destroys the navigation of the stream; and yet some Indians in their canoes, it is said, have ventured down it with safety. GOLDSMITH a Sub-ter-ra-ne-ous, såb-tér-rà'-ne-ds. Lying under the earth e In-crus-ta-tion, In-krås-tà'-shån. The act of incrusting e Mag-ni, mag'-ni. f Gi-gan-tick, ji-gån'-tik. Bulky, enormous g Con-sul, kon'-sal. An officer commissioned to settle disputes h Yawn, yawn. To gape, open wide 2 Re-press, re-prés'. To crush, subdue j Ig-no-rant, ig'-no-ránt. Uninstructed, rude k Con-cre-tion, kôn-kré'-shån. Coalition, a union of particles In-cite, In-site'. To stir up, animate m Spar, spår. A small beam, bar n Pet-ri-fy, pet'-tre-fi. To change to stone o Re-cede, ré-séêd'. To retreat, desist P Per-spec-tive, per-spektiv. A scene, a view [store Res-er-voir, réz-ér-vwor'. A place where any thing is kept in r Quash, kwosh. To crush, make void Flam-beau, flåm'-bò. A lighted torch ← Ap-er-ture, ap'-dr-tshåre. A passage into u Anx-ious-ly, ank'-shas-lé. Solicitously, unquietly w Ex-pe-dite, éks'-pe-dite. To hasten, quicken SECTION III-THE GROTTO OF ANTIPAROS. 1. Of all the subterraneous a caverns now known, the grotto b of Antiparos is the most remarkable, as well for its extent, as for the beauty of its sparry incrustations. c This celebrated d cavern was first explored by one Magni, e an Italian traveller. about one hundred years ago, at Antiparos, an inconsiderable island of the Archipelago. 66 2. Having been informed," says he, "by the natives of Paros, that, in the little island of Antiparos, which lies about two miles from the former, a gigantick f statue was to be seen at the mouth of a cavern in that place, it was resolved, that we (the French consul g and himself) should pay it a visit. In pursuance of this resolution, after we had landed on the island, and walked about four miles through the midst of beautiful plains, and sloping woodlands, we at length came to a little hill, on the side of which yawned h a most horrid cavern, that, by its gloom, at first struck us with terror, and almost repressed i curiosity. We 3. "Recovering the first surprise, however, we entered boldly; and had not proceeded above twenty paces, when the supposed statue of the giant presented itself to our view. quickly perceived, that what the ignorant ý natives had been terrified at as a giant, was nothing more than a sparry concretion. k formed by the water dropping from the roof of the cave, and by degrees hardening into a figure, which, their fears had formed into a monster. 4 "Incited by this extraordinary appearance, we were induced to proceed still further, in quest of new adventures, in this subterranean abode. As we proceeded, new wonders offered themselves; the spars, m formed into trees and shrubs, presented a kind of petrifiedn grove; some white, some green and all receding o in due perspective. p They struck us with the more amazement as we knew them to be mere produc tions of nature, who, hitherto, in solitude, had, in her play ful moments, dressed the scene, as it for her own amusement 5. We had as yet seen but a few of the wonders of the place; and we were introduced only into the portico of thi amazing temple. In one corner of this half illuminated re cess, there appeared an opening of about three feet wide which seemed to lead to a place totally dark and which on of the natives assured us contained nothing more than a rese voir q of water. Upon this information, we made an exper |