A USEFUL LIFE PLEASING TO GOD.

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life; but thou hast as yet only done it in part; thou art still every day busied in the search of food; thy mind is not wholly at rest; neither is thy trust in Providence complete. What art thou taught by this vision? If thou hast seen an eagle commissioned by Heaven to feed a fox that is lame, shall not the hand of Heaven also supply thee with food, when that which prevents thee from procuring it for thyself, is not necessity, but devotion?

6. "I was now so confident of a miraculous' supply, that I neglected to walk out for my repast, which, after the first day, I expected with an impatience that left me little power of attending to any other object. This impatience, however, I labored to suppress, and persisted in my resolution; but my eyes at length began to fail me, and my knees smote each other; I threw myself backward, and hoped my weakness would soon increase to insensibility. But I was suddenly roused by the voice of an invisible being, who pronounced these words:

7. “‘Cosrou, I am the angel, who, by the command of the Almighty, have registered the thoughts of thy heart, which I am now commissioned to reprove. While thou wast attempting to become wise above that which is revealed, thy folly has perverted the instruction which was vouchsafed thee. Art thou disabled as the fox? hast thou not rather the powers of the eagle? Arise, let the eagle be the object of thy emulation. To pain and sickness, be thou again the messenger of ease and health. Virtue is not rest, but action. If thou dost good to man as an evidence of thy love to God, thy virtue will be exalted from moral to divine; and that happiness which is the pledge of paradise, will be thy reward upon earth.'

8. "At these words, I was not less astonished than if a mountain had been overturned at my feet. I humbled myself in the dust; I returned to the city; I dug up my treasure; I was liberal, yet I became rich. My skill in restoring health to the body, gave me frequent opportunities of curing the diseases of the soul. I grew eminent beyond my merit; and it was the pleasure of the king that I should stand before him. Now,

1 Mi råc' u lous, supernatural; wonderful..--• Em u là' tion, effort to equal or surpass desire of superiority.

therefore, be not offended; I boast of no knowledge that I have not received.

9. "As the sands of the desert drink up the drops of rain, or the dew of the morning, so do I also, who am but dust, imbibe the instructions of the Prophet. Believe then that it is he who tells thee, all knowledge is profane which terminates in hyself; and by a life wasted in speculation, little even of this can be gained. When the gates of paradise are thrown open before thee, thy mind shall be irradiated' in a moment. Here thou canst do little more than pile error upon error: there, thou shalt build truth upon truth. Wait, therefore, for the glorious vision; and in the mean time emulate the eagle.

10. "Much is in thy power; and, therefore, much is expected of thee. Though the Almighty only can give virtue, yet, as a prince, thou mayst stimulate those to beneficence, who act from no higher motive than immediate interest; thou canst not produce the principle, but mayst enforce the practice. Let thy virtue be thus diffused; and if thou believest with reverence, thou shalt be accepted above. Farewell! May the smile of Him who resides in the heaven of heavens be upon thee; and against thy name, in the volume of His will, may happiness be written."

11. The king, whose doubts, like those of Mirza, were now removed, looked up with a smile that communicated the joy of his mind. He dismissed the prince to his government; and commanded these events to be recorded, to the end that posterity may know, "that no life is pleasing to God, but that which is useful to mankind."

HAWKESWORTH.

117. ADDRESS TO THE DEITY.

1. OD of my life, and Author of my days,
GOD
U Permit my feeble voice to lisp thy praise,
And, trembling, take upon a mortal tongue

That hǎllow'd name, to harps of seraphs3 sung:

'Ir rå' di åt ed, made splendid; enlightened intellectually.—2 Be nef'i cence, the practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity. Ser 'aphs, highest rank of angels.

ADDRESS TO THE DEITY.

Yet here the brightest seraphs could no more
Than vail their faces, tremble, and adore.
Worms, angels, men, in every different sphere,'
Are equal all; for all are nothing here.

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2. All nature faints beneath the mighty name,
Which nature's works through all their parts proclaim.
I feel that name my inmost thoughts control,
And breathe an awful stillness through my soul:
As by a charm, the waves of grief subside;2
Impetuous3 passion stops her headlong tide.
At thy felt presence all emotions1 cease,
And my hush'd spirit finds a sudden peace;
Till every worldly thought within me dies,
And earth's gay pageants vanish from my eyes;
Till all my sense is lost in infinite,

6

And one vast object fills my aching sight.

3. But soon, alas! this holy calm is broke;

My soul submits to wear her wonted' yoke;
With shackled pinions strives to soar in vain,
And mingles with the dross of earth again.
But He, our gracious Master, kind as just,
Knowing our frame, remembers man is dust.
His spirit, ever brooding o'er our mind,
Sees the first wish to better hopes inclined;
Marks the young dawn of every virtuous aim,
And fans the smoking flax into a flame.
4. His ears are open to the softest cry,
His grace descends to meet the lifted eye;
He reads the language of a silent tear,
And sighs are incense from a heart sincere.
Such are the vows, the sacrifice I give;
Accept the vow, and bid the suppliant live;

4

1 Sphère, world; station or rank in life.-2 Sub side', settle down.Im påt' u ous, hasty; forcible. — E mo' tions, feelings. — Pageants (på' jents), splendid shows -- Infinite (in' fe nit), that which is without bounds. Wonted (wůnt' ed), accustomed; usual. In' cense, the odors of spices and gums burned in religious rites; acceptable prayers and praises. Sůp' pli ant, one who asks a favor.

Still every

From each terrestrial' bondage set me free;
wish that centers not in thee;
Bid my fond hopes, my vain disquiets cease,
And point my path to everlasting peace.
5. If the soft hand of winning Pleasure leads
By living waters, and through flowery meads,
When all is smiling, tranquil, and serene,
And vernal beauty paints the flattering scene,-
Oh! teach me to elude2 each latent3 snare,
And whisper to my sliding heart, "Beware!"
With caution let me hear the Siren's voice,
And, doubtful, with a trembling heart rejoice.
6. If, friendless, in a vale of tears I stray,

Where briers wound, and thorns perplex my way,-
Still let my steady soul thy goodness see,
And with strong confidence lay hold on thee;
With equal eye, my various lot receive,
Resign'd to die, or resolute to live;
Prepared to kiss the scepter or the rod,
While God is seen in all, and all in God.
7. I read his awful name, emblazon'd' high,
With golden letters, on the illumined sky;
Nor less the mystic characters I see
Wrought in each flower, inscribed on every tree:
In every leaf, that trembles to the breeze,
I hear the voice of God among the trees.
8. With thee in shady solitudes I walk,
With thee in busy, crowded cities talk;
In every creature own thy forming power,
In each event thy providence adore :
Thy hopes shall animate my drooping soul,
Thy precepts guide me, and thy fear control.
Thus shall I rest unmoved by all alarms,

'Ter rẻs' tri al, belonging to the earth.-'E lùde', escape.- La' tent, hidden; concealed.—* Si' ren, a fabled goddess of the ancients who en ticed men by singing, and devoured them; hence, an enticing woman.— Em bla' zoned, painted in bright colors." Mys' tic, not easily under stood; used as a sign.

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THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER.

Secure wit in the temple of thinc arms,

From anxious cares, from gloomy terrors free,
And feel myself omnipotent' in thee.

9. Then, when the last, the closing hour draws nigh,
And earth recedes before my swimming eye;
When, trembling, on the doubtful edge of fate
I stand, and stretch my view to either state;-
Teach me to quit this transitory3 scene
With decent triumph, and a look serene;
Teach me to fix my ardent hopes on high,
And, having lived to thee, in thee to die.

MRS. BARBAULD

1.

118. THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER.

FATHER of all! in every age,

every clime adored,

By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!

2. Thou great First Cause, least understood,
Who all my sense confined

To know but this, that thou art good,
And that myself am blind;

3. Yět

gave me, in this dark estate, To see the good from ill;

And, binding nature fast in fate,

Left free the human will.

4. What conscience' dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,

This teach me more than hell to shun,

That, more than heaven pursue.

2

1 Om nip' o tent, all-powerful. - Re cèdes', departs; goes back.— 'Trån' si to ry, passing away soon.- Conscience (kon' shens), the fac ulty within us which judges of our conduct with regard to some standard of right or wrong. When this or that are thus used, this means the latter thing spoken of, and that, the former. In this stanza, this means "What conscience warns me not to do;" that, what "Conscience dictates to be done."