edge. What took Sherman from his shoemaker's bench, gave him a seat in Congress, and there made his voice heard among the wisest and best of his còmpeers? Knowledge. What raised Simpson from a weaver's loom to a place among the first of mathematicians; and Herschel, from being a poor fifer's boy in the army, to a station among the first astrònomers? Knowledge. But, considered simply as an intellectual production, who will compare the poems of Homer with the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments? Where in the Iliad shall we find simplicity and pathos which will vie with the narrative of Mòses, or maxims of conduct to equal in wisdom the Proverbs of Solomon, or sublimity which does not fade away before the conceptions of Job or David, of Isaiah or St. Jòhn? But I cannot pursue this comparison. If, notwithstanding, so great results have flowed from this one effort of a single mind, what may we not expect from the combined efforts of several, at least his equals in power over the human heart? If that one genius, though groping in the thick darkness of absurd idolatry, wrought so glorious a transformation in the character of his countrymen, what may we not look for from the universal dissemination of those writings, on whose authors was poured the full splendor of eternal truth? If unassisted human nature, spell-bound by a childish mythology, has done so much, what may we not hope for from the supernatural efforts of preeminent genius, which spake as it was moved by the Holy Ghost? Ask them, What insolent guard paraded before their gates, and invested their strong holds? They will answer, A Roman legionary. Demand of them, What greedy extortioner fattened by their poverty, and clothed himself by their nakedness? They will inform you, A Roman Quæstor. Inquire of them, What imperious stranger issued to them his mandates of imprisonment or confiscation, of banishment or death? They will reply to you, A Roman Consul. Question them, What haughty conqueror led through his city their nobles and kings in chains; and exhibited their countrymen, by thousands, in gladiators' shows, for the amusement of his fellow-citizens? They will tell you, A Roman General. Require of them, What tyrants imposed the heaviest yoke, enforced the most. rigorous exactions, inflicted the most savage punishments, and showed the greatest gust for blood and torture? They will exclaim to you, The Roman people. Are not my people happy? I look upon the past and the present, upon my nearer and remoter subjects, and ask, nor Whom have I wronged? What province fear the answer. have I oppressed? What city pillaged? What region drained with taxes? Whose life have I unjustly taken, or estates coveted or robbed? Whose honor have I wantonly assailed? Whose rights, though of the weakest and poorest, have I trenched upon? I dwell where I would ever dwell, in the hearts of my people. Exercise 9. To Illustrate Rule 9, page 34. That make outrageous war upon the ocean; If, when three days are expired, You have done that you should be sorry for. For certain sums of gold, which you denied me; I had rather coin my heart, And drop iny blo`d for drachmas, than to wring To you for gold to pay my lègions, Which you denied me: Was that done like Cassius? When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous, To lock such rascal counters from his friends, "T is done! dread winter spreads his latest gloom, And reigns tremendous o'er the conquered year. How dead the vegetable kingdom lies! How dùmb the tuneful! Horror wide extends His desolate domain. Behold, fond màn. See here thy pictured life; pass some few years, And pale concluding winter comes at last, Ah! whither now are fled Those dreams of greatness? those unsullied hopes Those restless càres? those busy bustling dàys? Those gay-spent, festive nights? those veering thoughts, Lost between good and ill, that shared thy life? All now are vànished! Virtue sole survives; Immòrtal, never-failing friend of màn, His guide to happiness on high. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, this do ye; lade your beasts, and go get you unto the land of Canaan. And take your father, and your households, and come unto me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. manded, this do ye: take your wagons Egypt for your father, and come. Now thou art comout of the land of little ones, and for your wives, and bring your Also, regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. Such, sir, was once the disposition of a people who now surround your throne with reproaches and complaints. Do justice to yourself. Banish from your mind those unworthy opinions, with which some interested persons have labored to possess you. Distrust the men who tell you that the English are naturally light and inconstant; that they complain withWithdraw your confidence equally from all parties; from ministers, favorites, and relations; and let there be one moment in your life in which you have consulted your own understanding. out a cause. Exercise 10.- To Illustrate Rule 10, page 34. A stately tree grew on the plain; its branches were covered with vèrdure; its boughs spread wide, and made a goodly shadow; the trunk was like a strong pillar; the roots were like crooked fangs. I returned; the verdure was nipped by the east wind; the branches were lopped away by the àx; the worm had made its way into the trùnk; the heart thereof was decayed; it moldered away, and fell to the ground. I have seen the insects sporting in the sunshine, and darting along the streams; their wings glittered with gold and purple; their bodies shone like the green èmerald; they were more numerous than I could coúnt; their motions were quicker than my eye could glance. I returned; they were brushed into the poòl; they were perishing with the evening breèze; the swallow had devoured them; the pike had seized them; there were none found of so great a mùltitude. I have seen a man in the pride of his strength; his cheeks glowed with beauty; his limbs were full of activity; he leaped, he walked, he ran; he rejoiced in that he was more excellent than those. I returned; he lay stiff and cold on the bare ground; his feet could no longer move, nor his hands stretch themselves out; his life was departed from him, and the breath out of his nostrils. Therefore do I weep because death is in the world; the spoiler is among the works of God; all that is made must be destroyed; all that is born must die. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, thus he said; O my son Ábsalom!—my són, my sòn Absalom!· God I had died for thee, O Ábsalom, my sòn, my sòn! would O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee! - how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said Here am I. Exercise 11.-To Illustrate Rule 12, page 36. They chose their magistrate; And such a one as he, who puts his shâll, Let any man resolve to do right now, leaving then to do as it can; and if he were to live to the age of Methuselah, he would never do wrong. But the common error is, to resolve to act right after breâkfast, or ǎfter dînner, or to-morrow môruing, or nêxt time. But now, just now, this once, we must go on the same as ever. The right honorable gentleman has suggested examples which I should have shunned, cxamples which I should have followed. I shall never follow his, and I have ever avoided it. Am I to renounce those habits now forever? And at the beck of whom?—I should rather say, of what? A 'prentice politician. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my na |