and humane; kind to their friends, and amiable among all with whom they had intercourse! and yet, how often have we scen all those fair appearances unhappily blasted in the progress of life, merely through the influence of loose and corrupting pleasures, and those very persons who promised once to be blessings to the world, sunk down, in the end, to be the burden and nuisance of society!

The most common propensity of mankind, is, to store futurity with whatever is agreeable to them; especially in those periods of life, when imagination is lively, and hope is ardent. Looking forward to the year now beginning, they are ready to promise themselves much, from the foundations of prosperity which they have laid; from the friendships and connections which they have secured; and from the plans of conduct which they have formed. Alas! how deceitful do all these dreams of happiness often prove! While many are saying in secret to their hearts, " To morrow shall be as this day, and more abundantly," we are obliged in return to say to them; "Boast not yourselves of tomorrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth!"

LESSON XXXIII.

NARRATIVE PIECES.

SECTION I.

No rank or possessions can make the guilty mind happy.

DIONYSIUS,

IONYSIUS, the tyrant of Sicily, was far from be ing happy, though he possessed great riches, and all the pleasures which wealth and power could procure. Damocles, one of his flatterers, deceived by these specious appearances of happiness, took occasion to compliment him on the extent of his power, his treasures, and royal magnificence; and declared that no monarch had ever been greater or happier than Dionysius. "Hast thou a mind Damocles," says the king, "to taste this happiness; and to know, by experience, what the enjoyments are, of which thou hast so high an idea?" Damocles, with joy accepted the offer. The King ordered that a royal banquet should be prepared,

and

and a gilded sofa, covered with rich embroidery placed for his favorite. Side boards, loaded with gold and silver plate of immense value were arranged in the apartment. Pages of extraordinary beauty were ordered to attend his table, and to obey his commands with the utmost readiness, and the most profound submission. Fragrant ointments, chaplets of flowers, and rich perfumes, were added to the entertainment. The table was loaded with the most exquis site delicacies of every kind. Damocles, intoxicated with pleasure, fancied himself amongst superior beings. But in the midst of all this happiness, as he lay indulging himself in state, he sees let down from the ceiling, exactly over his head, a glittering sword hung by a single hair. The sight of impending destruction put a speedy end to his joy and revelling. The pomp of his attendance, the glitter of the carved plate, and the delicacy of the viands, cease to af ford him any pleasure. He dreads to stretch forth his hand to the table. He throws off the garland of roses. He hastens to remove from his dangerous situation; and earnestly entreats the king to restore him to his former humble con. dition, having no desire to enjoy any longer a happiness so terrible.

By this device Dionysius intimated to Damocles, how miserable he was in the midst of all his treasures; and in possession of all the honors and enjoyments which royalty could bestow.

SECTION II.

CICERO.

Change of external condition often adverse to virtue. » IN the days of Joram king of Israel, flourished the prophet Elisha. His character was so eminent, and his fame so widely spread, that Benhadad the king of Syria, though an idolator, sent to consult him, concerning the issue of a distemper which threatened his life. The messenger employed on this occasion was Hazael, who appears to have been one of the princes or chief men, of the Syrian court. Charged with rich gifts from the king, he presents himself before the prophet; and accosts him in terms of the highest respect. During the conference which they held to gether, Elisha fixed his eye steadfastly on the countenanceof Hazael; and discerning, by a prophetic spirit, his future tyranny and cruelty,he could not contain himself from bursting into a flood of tears. When Hazael, in surprise, in

quired.

quired into the cause of this sudden emotion, the propiet plainly informed him of the crimes and barbarities, which he foresaw that he would afterwards commit. The soul of Hazael abhorred, at this time, the thoughts of cruelty. Uncorrupted, as yet, by ambition or greatness, his indignation rose at being thought capable of such savage actions as the prophet had mentioned; and, with much warmth, he replies;. "But what? is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? Elisha makes no return, but to point cut a remarkable change, which was to take place in his condi-tion; "The Lord hath shown me, that thou shalt be king over Syria." In course of time all that had been predicted came to pass. Hazael ascended the throne, and ambition "He smote the children of

took possession of his heart. Israel in all their coasts. He oppressed them during all the days of king Jehoahaz :" and, from what is left on record of his actions, he plainly appears to have proved, what the prophet foresaw him to be, a man of violence, cruelty, and blood.

In this passage of history, an object is presented, which deserves our serious attention. We behold a man who, inone state of life, could not look upon certain crimes with out surprise and horror; who knew so little of himself, as to believe it impossible for him ever to be concerned in com mitting them; that same man by a change of condition, and an ungu quarded state of mind, transformed in all his sen. timents; and as he rose in greatness, rising also in guilt; till at last he completed that whole character of iniquity, which he once detested.

SECTION III.

Ortogrul; or, the vanity of riches.

BLAIR.

As Ortogrul of Basa, was one day wandering along the streets of Bagdat, musing on the varieties of merchandise which the shops offered to his view; and observing the different occupations which busied the multitudes on every side, he was awakened from the tranquility of meditation, by a crowd that obstructed his passage. He raised his eyes, and saw the chief vizier, who, having returned from the divan, was entering his palace.

Ortogrul mingled with the attendants; and being sup posed to have some petition for the vizier, was permitted to enter. He surveyed the spaciousness of the apartments,

admired

admired the walls hung with golden tapestry, and the floors covered with silken carpets; and despised the simple neat. ness of his own little habitation.

"Surely," said he to himself," this palace is the seat of happiness; where pleasure succeeds to pleasure, and discontent and sorrow can have no admission. Whatever nature has provided for the delight of sense, is here spread forth to be enjoyed. What can mortals hope or imagine, which the master of this palace has not obtained? The dishes of luxury cover his table; the voice of harmony lulls him in his bowers; he breathes the fragrance of the groves of Java, and sleeps upon the down of the cygacts of Ganges. He speaks and his mandate is obeyed; he wishes, and his wish is gratified; all whom he sees obey him, and all whom he hears flatter him. How different Ortogrul, is thy condition, who art doomed to the per petual torments of unsatisfied desire; and who hast no amusement in thy power, that can withhold thee from thy own reflections! They tell thee that thou art wise; but what does wisdom avail with poverty? None will flatter the poor; and the wise have very little power of flattering themselves. That man is surely the most wretched of the sons of wretchedness, who lives with his own faults and follies always before him; and who has none to reconcile him to himself by praise and veneration. I have long-sought content, and have not found it; I will from this moment endeavor to be rich."

Full of his new resolution, he shut himself in his cham ber for six months, to deliberate how he should grow rich. He sometimes purposed to offer himself as a counsellor to one of the kings in India; and sometimes resolved to dig for diamonds in the mines of Golconda. One day, after some hours passed in violent fluctuation of opinion, sleep insensibly seized him in his chair. He dreamed that he was ranging a desert country, in search of some one that might teach him to grow rich; and as he stood on the top of a hill, shaded with cypress, in doubt whither to direct his steps, his father appeared on a sudden standing before him." Ortogrul," said the old man, "I know thy perplexity; listen to thy father; turn thine eye on the opposite mountain." Ortogrul locked, and saw a torrent. tumbling down the rocks, roaring with the noise of thun der, and scattering its foam on the impending, woods.

N-2

"Now,"

He who is accustomed to turn aside from the world, and commune with himself in retirement, will, sometimes at least, hear the truths which the multitude do not tell him. A more sound instructor will lift his voice, and awaken within the heart those latent suggestions, which the world had overpowered and suppressed.

Nothing can be more amiable than a constant desire to please; and an unwillingness to offend or hurt.

He that waits for an opportunity to do much at once, may breathe out his life in idle wishes; and regret, in the last bour, his useless intentions and barren zeal.

The spirit of true religion breathes mildness and affabili. ty. It gives a native, unaffected ease to the behavior. It is social, kind, and cheerful: far removed from that gloomy and illiberal superstition, which clouds the brow, sharpens the temper, dejects the spirit, and teaches men to fit themselves for another world, by neglecting the concerns of this.

Reveal none of the secrets of thy friend. Be faithful to his interests. Forsake him not in danger. Abhor the thought of acquiring any advantage by his prejudice.

Man, always prosperous, would be giddy and insolent; always afflicted, would be sullen or despondent. Hopes and fears, joy and sorrow, are, therefore, so blended in his life, as both to give room for worldly pursuits, and to recal from time to time, the admonitions of conscience.

LESSON XXX.

SECTION IV.

TIME once past never returns: the moment which

is lost, is lost forever.

There is nothing on earth so stable, as to assure us of undisturbed rest; nor so powerful, as to afford us constant protection.

The house of feasting too often becomes an avenue to the house of mourning. Short, to the licentious is the interval between them.

It is of great importance to us, to form a proper esti mate of human life; without either loading it with imag inary evils, or expecting from it greater advantages than it 3able to yield.

Among