Traveller, in the stranger's land, Warrior, that from battle won, Heaven's first star alike ye see- MRS. HEMANS. XLII. THE WORTH OF HOURS. "A MAN that is young in years may be old in hours if he have lost no time; but that happeneth rarely.-Bacon. "Let any man pass an evening in vacant idleness, or even in reading some silly tale, and compare the state of his mind when he goes to sleep, or gets up next morning with its state some other day when he has spent a few hours in going through the proofs, by facts and reasoning, of some of the great doctrines in natural science, learning truths wholly new to him, and satisfying himself by careful examination of the grounds on which known truths rest, so as to be not only acquainted with the doctrines of themselves, but able to show why he believes them, and to prove before others that they are true; he will find as great a difference as can exist in the same being,-the difference between looking back upon time unprofitably wasted, and time spent in self improvement: he will feel himself in one case listless and dissatisfied, in the other comfortable and happy: in the one case if he did not appear to himself humbled, at least he will not have earned any claim to his own respect; in the other case, he will enjoy a proud consciousness of having, by his own exertions, become a wiser and therefore a more exalted creature."-Brougham. BELIEVE not that your inner eye1 For every man's weak self, alas! ADVERSITY. But if in earnest care you would Those surely are not fairly spent, And more, though free from seeming harm, Or slow retire from pleasure's charm If then a painful sense comes on, Of something from your being's chain Upon your heart this truth may rise,— So should we live, that every hour That every thought and every deed Esteeming sorrow, whose employ 369 R. M. MILNES. 1. What is meant by the inner eye? 2. Read Eccles. vii. 2—6. XLIII. ADVERSITY. "THE virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New, which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God's favour. Yet, even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured more in describing the afflictions of Job than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without fears and distastes; and ad versity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needle-works and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have lively work upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work upon a lightsome ground; judge, therefore, of the pleasure of the heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly, virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant where they are incensed, or crushed; for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue."-Bacon. Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile, Hath not old custom made this life more sweet Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, SHAKESPEARE. XLIV. THE FIELD OF THE WORLD. "TRUTH, considered in itself, and in the effects natural to it, may be conceived as a gentle spring or water-source, warm from the genial earth, and breathing up into the snow-drift that is piled over and around its outlet. It turns the obstacle into its own form and character, and, as it makes its way, increases its stream. And should it be arrested in its course by a chilling season, it suffers delay, not loss, and awaits only for a change in the wind to awaken and again roll onwards."-Coleridge. Sow in the morn thy seed, At eve hold not thy hand! To doubt and fear give thou no heed, Beside all waters sow; The highway furrows stock; Drop it where thorns and thistles grow; HYMN TO ADVERSITY. The good, the fruitful ground, O'er hill and dale, by plots, 'tis found; Thou know'st not which may thrive, Grace keeps the precious germs alive, And duly shall appear, In verdure, beauty, strength, Thou canst not toil in vain : Cold, heat, and moist, and dry, Thence, when the glorious end, The angel-reapers shall descend, 371 JAMES MONTGOMERY. XLV. HYMN TO ADVERSITY. "THE difficulties of our state are among its best blessings. The distance at which good objects are placed, and the obstacles which intervene, are the means by which Providence rouses, quickens, invigorates, expands, all our powers. These form the school in which our minds and hearts are trained. Difficulty and hardship bind us more closely to objects. We love more ardently what we have suffered to attain, and enjoy nothing so exquisitely as what we have pursued through calamity and danger. It is in such pursuits, when we endure and labour for ends which conscience and religion enjoin, that our whole nature is called forth and perfected."- Channing. 372 RELIGIOUS AND MORAL POEMS. DAUGHTER of Jove, relentless power, With pangs unfelt before, unpitied, and alone. When first thy sire to send on earth What sorrow was, thou bad'st her know, And from her own she learned to melt at others' woe. Scared at thy frown terrific fly Self-pleasing Felly's idle brood, Wild Laughter, Noise, and thoughtless Joy, Light they disperse, and with them go The summer friend, the flattering foe; By vain prosperity received, To her they vow their truth, and are again believed. Wisdom, in sable garb arrayed, Immersed in rapturous thought profound, And Melancholy, silent maid, With leaden eye, that loves the ground, Still on thy solemn steps attend: Warm Charity, the general friend, With Justice, to herself severe, And Pity, dropping soft the sadly-pleasing tear. Oh, gently on thy suppliant's head, Dread goddess, lay thy chastening hand! Not in thy gorgon terrors clad, Nor circled with the vengeful band (As by the impious thou art seen), With thundering voice, and threatening mien, Despair, and fell Disease, and ghastly Poverty. |