zupted joy-they were not overwhelmed by misery in every torturing shape like the wretched Job-piety in them had found a rich reward-whence then the uncommon weight of woe that had befallen him! Surely, they concluded, his religion was but a vain pretence, and the hypocrite is now exposed by the just judgment of a righteous Ruler. When therefore, the sufferer at length broke out into a passionate lamentation, even execrating the day he first beheld the light-they advised him to confess his secret sins, and thus conciliate an offended God! Conscious of the integrity of a well-spent life he firmly pleads his innocence. This they refused to admit, his unsullied reputation notwithstanding. A dialogue then ensues, in which the comforters contend, that the wicked only, are punished, whilst the upright are protected and crowned with temporal blessings. "Remember," they say, "who ever perished being innocent, or where were the righteous cut off? They that plough iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same." They even cruelly intimate, that his children had sinned, and were cut off for their transgressions. They magnify the divine attributes, they contend that God is just. "Happy is the man," says Eliphaz," whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty." He accuses Job, whose wisdom and benevolence had heretofore supported others, of weakness in sinking under his own calamity." Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees; but now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest." So hard is it to judge of that which experience has not made us feel! But the sufferer answers-" To him that is afflicted, pity should be shown from his friends"-he desires only death-even that it would please God to destroy him-to be hidden in the grave, where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest. Where the prisoners rest together, and hear not the voice of the oppressor." He confesses his own unworthiness and the absolute power of Jehovah, but inasmuch as he is nothing in His hands, he expostulates with him on his exceseive rigour-and complains that vice and virtue are not distinguished in his administration.

Zophar reproves him harshly for attempting to know the mind of the Omnipotent, and for vindicating himself: again accuses him of unknown crimes, and beseeches him to repent. Exasperated, at length, by the unfeeling acrimony of his accusers, while yet they lay no specific sin to his charge, Job ridicules their affected wisdom, as if he were ignorant who had been their teacher!"Miserable comforters," cried he, "are ye all!" He pathetically laments his altered state, and entreats their compassion. "Have pity upon me-have pity upon me, O ye my friends! for the hand of God hath touched me!" But in vain he asks their pity, and in vain he contrasts his fallen state with the days when the light of God shined on his tabernacle. "When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me-when the ear heard me then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me it gave

witness to me. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him—the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy: the cause which I knew not I searched out." In vain he calls upon them to attest the active usefulness and integrity of his whole life, recounting, eloquently, his deeds of justice and of charity. In vain he contends, that the wicked are often prosperous all their days;" that "they are reserved to the day of destruction ;" and confidently invokes the wrath of his Omniscient Judge, if he had gloried in his wealth, or had perverted his power or his possessions to the purposes of pride or oppression-or if he had been betrayed into idolatry, when he "beheld the sun when it it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;" and ardently desires that the Almighty would appear, and permit him to plead his cause in His presence!

Argument and asseveration were alike lost on his hard-hearted accusers. Uumoved by the pathetic appeal of their suffering friend, and still persuaded that he had enjoyed an unmerited reputation, yet unable to name the turpitude they suspected, and disgusted that they could not drive him to a voluntary confession of his guilt, they are at length silent. Elihu, then, who seems to have joined the company while they were engaged in conversation, and who had not yet spoken, now arose; and, after apologizing for his interference, because he "was young and they were very old,” he declares that he had listened attentively to the debate, and had discovered that "great men are not always wise, neither do the aged judge correctly," evidently reproving the pretended triends for the severity with which they had irritated the virtuous patriarch. He then turns to Job, and tells him that he had erred in justifying himself rather than God; that by affirming himself to be altogether perfect, he had arraigned the wisdom and the justice of the Sovereign; that virtue could not entitle a creature to exemption from calamity, because it could not profit the self-sufficient Creator; that the counsels of God are not to be developed by finite man; but his chastisements are to be received with humility; that the righteous and the prosperous are afflicted to remind them of their dependence on the Great Supreme. "If they obey and serve him," he adds, "they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasure." He speaks in glowing terms of the magnificence of the Creator's works, and admonishes Job to reverence the Deity.

From the phraseology of Elihu, he would seem to be the author of the whole narrative. In the introduction to his speech, he says -“ When I had waited," (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more,)" I said I will answer my part, I will also show mine opinion," thus speaking in the first person, whereas the other speakers are always quoted in the third.

When Elihu had ceased speaking, then comes the most majestic part of the poem, a conclusion that cannot be surpassed in gran

This is

deur. "The Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind." mysterious language to us, nor do we pretend to know how the Invisible Spirit spoke to man. A voice, probably, was heard in the whirlwind, and words were pronounced becoming a Deity to utter. Job is reproved for presuming to scan the moral government of God, the meanest of whose works he cannot understand. He is called upon to contemplate the works of creation, and see if he is able to imitate the least of them. Where wast thou (it asked) when the foundations of the ponderous earth were laid: " when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy when the bars and the doors of the unfathomable deep were set." and the raging floods were restrained by the high commnand "Hitherto shalt thou come but no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." He asks, if man can control the paths of light or darkness: can be direct the stars in their annual round, or set limits to their dominion? Thunders, and lightnings, and clouds, and rain, and hail, and ice, and snow, are all arrayed in grand succession, to show the astonished auditors their comparative impotence. Descending from the firmament the august speaker continues to display his transcendant attributes in a few specimens, though but very few indeed, of animated matter-the eagle who mounts on high at His command-the peacock who proudly spreads his glittering plumes, and the young raven "who cries to God for food"-the wild goat that leaps fearlessly from the craggy rock, and the lion who prowls the forest for his prey-the warlike horse," whose neck is clothed with thunder," and the stupendous whale," before whom the mighty are afraid :”—All, all, are the work of His hands :-" who, then," He asks, "is able to stand before me?”

This appalling address produced the intended effect-Job is humbled, and confesses, "Behoid, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth." "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth theewherefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

As a testimony that his penitence was accepted, and that his sin had not been less offensive than that of his companions, he is now commanded to offer a sacrifice in their behalf, because " they had not spoken of the Lord the thing that was right," and is graciously assured that his prayers for them would be answered Job is afterwards restored to health, and his friends and his relations visit him with presents and gratulations. Sors and daughters again bless his dwelling-prosperity, even more affluent than he had enjoyed before his trial, is a gain bestowed upon him, and an hundred and forty years being added to his life, he lived to instruct four succeeding generations, by the wisdom and the piety which sad experience had superadded to his original endowments.

* Leviathan.

ART. IX. Donna Aminta de Buxheda: a Spanish Story.

In my way through Spain to Corunna, I had occasion to visit the city of Ordunna in Biscay. In the principal room of the inn, I found several people gathered round an elderly woman, who was speaking with great emphasis. I was attracted to listen, and heard the following tale; but I have to regret that I did not arrive in time to hear its commencement.

"Indeed, Senor Juan," said my lady to the music-master, as she turned over a book of Italian songs, "I do not like those airs just now let us play over the patrotic song that was sent me this morning from my cousin at Madrid.

"As it may please your Excellency," said Battista, taking away the book." Colonel Walstein my dear," said Don Antonio Perez, opening the door, and introducing an officer in the French uniform. At this sudden intrusion, my lady stepped back, and put on one of those looks, which when a girl she had learned from me, as being proper on such occasions. "This gentleman," said he, "commands the detachment of the French army which does Ordunna the honour of a visit on its return to France." "Madam," said the Colonel, addressing himself to my Lady, and at the same time looking very archly on me, "with the assistance of that lady, I hope soon to have the good fortune to be less disagreeable to you." "I beg you to be seated, Sir," said my lady, with becoming dignity. Without more ceremony, Monsieur le Colonel drew his chair close to the Lady Aminta, and took her by the hand with an excessive freedom, requesting her to sit down also. My Lady was perfectly well bred, having had me about her from her infancy, so that she acquiesced without the least embarrassment. Don Antonio cast a look on me, made an attempt to say something very courteous to the stranger, and withdrew.

"Sir," said Donna Aminta 'to the Colonel, looking steadily at him, notwithstanding his glances and impertinences, "we are very happy in seeing you at Ordunna, as you are so far on your return to France. We understand that they have not been very civil to you at Madrid, and that the ladies of Saragoza have been still less amiable." He replied with much gaiety, and, after a short pause, added with a smile of self-approbation, that neither Madrid nor Saragoza could boast a Donna Aminta de Buxheda. My Lady remarked, that she did not think her family name was known any

where but in Grenada. "Nay," said he, "by the eyes of beauty, your name is known throughout the universe. I asked this route from Burgos, solely that I might have the worshipping of the feet of Donna Aminta de Buxheda." He made this common-place attack on female vanity with much spirit, and throwing himself on one knee a little before he had done speaking, took my Lady by the hand, and looked in her face with an air of devotion.

"Duenna Brigida," said my sweet Lady to me, "I think it is time we should go to mass; rise, sir, you must excuse my leaving you." She then courtesied very low, and left the room. Monsieur le Colonel followed us to the door, and then putting a double pistole into my hand, said, "Pray for me, my good lady, &c." I did not like to receive a present from a strange cavalier, and more especially from one of France, as my confessor had assured me that all the present great people of that country are Atheists and Heretics, and that their emperor himself has drank lately of the blood of his Holiness the Pope. I, however, took the money, with the determination not to keep it myself; but as I did not know what else to do with it, I put it into my work-bag, and followed my Lady to her own room.

"I hate a Frenchman Brigida," said she, " and that Colonel more than any that I ever saw: and now get my Mantilla, that we may go to church; and my Basquina, for it is late."

On our way to mass, we passed through crowds of French soldiers, who had just entered the town from the Burgos road. The Square was quite full of them, and every street and door. At such a sight, I crossed myself and said an ave-maria, and I am sure my Lady did the same; for, Heaven help us, they looked at me for all the world like a troop of hungry wolves, which after having carried off the shepherd, are ready to fall upon the flock. We did not return home till it was quite noon, for my Lady chose to confess, to which resolution I had nothing to oppose. I believe, poor thing, she felt her hatred to the French so heavy on her heart, that she found it necessary to lighten it by repentance. To love our enemies is certainly a part of a Christian's duty, with which, if we cannot comply, we ought to confess, and do penance for our disobedience. As we entered our own house, the Colonel met us at the door. He approached my Lady with more gravity than I had believed him to possess, and requested the honour of handing her up stairs. She gave him her hand without