before a sweet gale of atoning merit and redeeming love, till they make, with all the sails of an assured faith, the blessed port of eternal life. Then may the honored friend to whom I am writing, rich in good works, rich in heavenly tempers, but inexpressibly richer in her Saviour's righteousness.-Oh! may she enter the harbour, like a gallant stately vessel, returned successful and victorious from some grand expedition, with acclamations, honor and joy! while my little bark, attendant on the solemnity, and a partaker of the triumph, glides humbly after; and both rest together in the haven,- -the wishedfor blissful haven of perfect security, and everlasting re ON A FLOWER-GARDEN: IN A LETTER TO A LADY. MADAM, SOME time ago my meditations took a turn among the Tombs; they visited the awful and melancholy mansions of the dead;* and you was pleased to favor them with your attention. May I now beg the honor of your company in a more inviting and delightful excursion, in a beautiful Flower-Garden, where I lately walked, and at once regaled the sense and indulged the fancy? It was early in a summer morning, when the air was cool, the earth moist, the whole face of the creation fresh and gay. The noisy world was scarce awake. Business had not quite shook off his sound sleep; and Riot had but just reclined his giddy head. All was serene; all was still; every thing tended to inspire tranquillity of mind and invite serious thought. Only the wakeful lark had left her nest, and was mounting on high to salute the opening day. Elevated in the air, she seemed to call the laborious husbandman to his toil, and all her fellow songsters to their notes.- -Earliest of birds, said I, companion of the dawn, may I always rise at thy voice! rise to offer the matin-song, and adore that beneficent Being," who maketh the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice." • "Discourses on the vanity of the creature which represent. the barrenness of every thing in this world, and its incapacity of producing any solid or substantial happiness are useful. Those speculations also which shew the bright side of things, and lay forth those innocent entertainments, which are to be met with among the several objects that encompass us, are no less beneficial" Spect. vol. v. No. 393. Upon the plan of these observa. tions the preceding and following reflections are formed. How charming to rove abroad at this sweet hour of prime! to enjoy the calm of nature, to tread the dewy lawns, and taste the unrifled freshness of the air! Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds.*. What a pleasure do the sons of sloth lose! Little, ah, little is the sluggard sensible how delicious an entertainment he foregoes, for the poorest of all animal gratifications.+ The grayness of the dawn decays gradually. Abundance of ruddy streaks tinges the fleeces of the firmament; till at length the dappled aspect of the east is lost in one ardent and boundless blush.- Is it the surmise of imagination, or do the skies really redden with shame to see so many supinely stretched on their drowsy pillows?- -Shall man be lost in luxurious ease? Shall man waste these precious hours in idle slumbers, while the vigorous sun is up and going on his Maker's errand? while all the feathered choir are hymning the Creator, and paying their homage in harmony?-No. Let him heighten the melody of the tuneful tribes by adding the rational strains of devotion. Let him improve the fragrant oblations of nature, by mingling with the rising odours the more refined breath of praise. It is natural for man to look upward,‡ to throw his first glance upon the objects that are above him. Strait toward heav'n my wandering eyes I turn'd, * MILT. Par. Lost, Book iv. line 641. See! how revelation and reason, the scriptures, and the classics, unanimously exhort to this most beneficial practice. They both invite us to early rising, by the most engaging mo. tives and the most alluring representations. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth. Song vii. 11, 12. Luciferi primo cum sidere, frigida rura Carpamus, dum mané novum dum gramina canent, VIRG. Georg. III. Os homini sublime dedit, cœlumque tueri Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus.—OVID. Prodigious theatre! where lightnings dart their fire and thunders utter their voices; where tempests spend their rage, and worlds unnumbered roll at large!! the greatness of that mighty hand which meeteth out this amazing circumference with a span! Oh! the immensity of that wonderful Being, before whom this unmeasurable extent is no more than a point!-And, Oh! (thou pleasing thought!) the unsearchable riches of that mercy which is greater than the heavens!* is more enlarged and extensive, in its gracious exercise than these illimitable tracts of air, and sea, and firmament! which pardons erimes of the most enormous size, and the most horrid aggravations: pardons them in consideration of the Redeemer's atonement, with perfect freeness and the utmost readiness! more readily, if it were possible, than this allsurrounding expanse admits within its circuit a ridge of mountains, or even a grain of sand. Come hither, then, ye awakened trembling sinners. Come, weary and heavy laden with a sense of your iniquities. Condemn yourselves. Renounce all reliance on any thing of your own. Let your trust be in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever. *Psalm cviii. 4. The lines which follow are admirably descriptive of the spirit and practice hinted above. In them desire pants; prayer wrestles; and faith, as it were, grasps the prize. I take leave to transplant them into this place; and I could wish them a better, a more conspicuous situation than either their new or their native soil. Their native soil is no other than the lamentation of a sinner, written by Mr. Sternhold. Notwithstanding the unpromising genius of the performance, I think we may challenge the greatest masters to produce any thing more spirited and importunate; more full of nature, or more flushed with life. Mercy, good LORD, mercy I crave; For mercy, LORD, is all my suit; LORD, let thy mercy come. The short sentences:-Not a single copulative ;-The frequent repetition of the divine name;-The almost incessant reiteration of the blessing so passionately desired, and inexpressibly needed; This is the genuine language of ardour; these are beauties obvious to every eye; and cannot fail either to please the judicious taste, or to edify the gracious heart. |