poses, partly developed, partly unknown, but yet worthy of the consideration of the wisest of beings, it becomes us not to act as if death were the end of our existence, pleasure the end of our being, and the manifold trifles which amuse the weak, vulgar mind, the only things worth our care and attention.

9. If we are rational beings, let us act reasonably; if moral beings, let us display it in our conduct; if responsible beings, let us act as becomes a position so grave and so full of deep reflection; if we believe we have immortal souls, let us shew that we are worthy of such high gifts; and in all things let us fulfil the manifest end of our creation. If we find men who have never once reflected on any one single object among those we have cursorily mentioned, let us lament their stupidity, but not imitate their example. Let our chief pursuits be of an elevating kind, cultivating the taste, ennobling the thoughts, and refining all our pleasures. Of all other pursuits, the pursuit of knowledge will most effectually bring about these results. If it fail, the fault is in ourselves; if it fail in making us love the good and the beautiful, the fault is still in ourselves; if it end in infidelity instead of true religion, the cause is in not drinking copiously enough from the crystal stream.

All things in heaven and earth are lighted up by the lamp of knowledge; by knowledge we honour God, as being better able to appreciate the excellency and perfection of all his works, and indirectly to become impressed with his boundless goodness.

And we may confidently say with Owen Felton, if we die to-morrow our life will be somewhat the sweeter today for knowledge.

ON EARLY RISING: A VISION OF DISEMBODIED SPIRITS; AND A RHAPSODY.

Symbol XI.-Gallum nutrito, nec sacrificato; lunæ enim et soli sacer est. Feed the cock, but sacrifice him not; for he is sacred to the sun,

and to the moon.

1. AMONG the very last words of Socrates were these:"Crito, we owe a cock to Esculapius: discharge this debt for me, and do not neglect it." A request which has baffled the curiosity of many an erudite antiquarian. Olimpiodorus says, that by such a sacrifice he shewed a desire to heal the diseases contracted in this mortal state, so as his soul might be fitted for immediate absorption in the universal spirit, and thereby avoid the pains and penalties of transmigration. And other philosophers have proposed other solutions equally fanciful and equally absurd.* The simple truth is, the cock was sacred to the god of medi

* If the curious reader will refer to Plutarch's Life of Pyrrhus, he shall find the following:-" It was believed of Pyrrhus, that he cured the swelling of the spleen by sacrificing a white cock, and with his right foot gently pressing the part affected, the patients lying on their backs for that purpose."

"It is also said that the great toe of that foot had a divine virtue in it; for, after his death, when the rest of his body was consumed, that toe was found entire and untouched by the flame."

H

cine, as well as to the sun and moon; because it was emblematic of health and long life, as it is still an emblem of industry and early rising; calling up indolent, luxurious man from his easy couch, and hailing, with a joyful spirit, the rising sun, which brings light and gladness to the world, and expels the damps, the obscurity, and may be, the spirits of night.

"And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger;

At whose approach, ghosts wandering here and there
Troop home to churchyards: damned spirits all,

That in crossways and floods have burial,

Already to their wormy beds are gone."

It has in all times been regarded as the herald of the morning; and from those habits peculiar to it, became sacred in the same way as the hawk of Egypt, dedicated to Horus, which flies towards the sun undazzled by the brightness of his beams. "The cock," says Dacier, "has always been the emblem of those that are vigilant for our good; that exert and awaken us to perform our duties." Its domestic and familiar habits also tended to increase the interest of man in its behalf. And perhaps, also, its cheerful note was regarded as a sort of morning hymn, or song of praise to God, who, day by day, sends the sun to enlighten the world, and inspire us with confidence in his unceasing care.

The lark, sweet songster of the morning, gifted with similar instincts, has afforded a fertile theme for the muse; and in those beautiful lines from Fletcher's Purple Island, it is described as rising towards heaven to chant its Maker's praise.

"The cheerful lark, mounting from early bed,
With sweet salutes awakes the drowsy light;
The earth she left, and up to heaven is fled;
There chants her Maker's praise out of sight."

And on the same interesting bird we find these verses in Chaucer's Knights' Tale,—

"The merry lark, messenger of the day,
Salewith in her song the morning grey;
And fiery Phoebus riseth up so bright,

That all the Orient laughteth at the sight."

It may be observed that all the notes of praise (if they may be so called) of those animals which seem to proclaim the goodness of God, are eminently cheerful. We make this remark, because we are convinced the effect of true religion on the soul is of a happy, cheerful, and hopeful, and not, as some lead us to believe, both in words and in practice, of a melancholy and desponding kind.

2. The habit of early rising is one that ought to be cultivated. It is the source of health as well as of wealth; and all who have resolution to practise it are full of its praises. There are beauties peculiar to the morning which one cannot imagine without seeing them; there is a hilarity and cheerfulness in all nature soothing to the spirit of man; while the happiness enjoyed by the lower animals cannot but have a sympathetic influence. Nature, in a manner, points out the course of life most conducive to our happiness and long life. The morning is emblematic of youth, cheerfulness, and health; the day of robust, active manhood; the evening or twilight of the decline or autumn of life; and night of death and the grave. And shame is it to man to be, as Milton says,

"Sleeping, or

Concocting, the surfeits of an irregular feast,"

when all nature is awake; the loveliness of the earth awaiting his admiration; the merry birds singing; and every thing conspiring to add to human happiness.

3. But although we advocate early rising, and are favourable to the practice as promoting health, and bringing in its train those many blessings health gives life to, we have not found it compatible with the peculiar state of mind necessary in the composition of these Essays. It is favourable to meditation of a certain kind, as on the goodness of the Creator displayed every where; on the beauty of his creation; and all the pleasurable and evanescent themes arising from the innumerable objects that meet the eye; but not to the study of philosophy. In truth, in early morning there is too much to attract the senses; the very buzz of life we find inimical to that perfect solitude and calm essential to our progress. It is only in the deep stillness of the night, when the world is hushed in sleep, that our mind can prepare itself, and assume the spirit which is required to accomplish the great task we have undertaken. In this task all our energies are concentrated for the time being, and we cannot bear any object to disturb the train of thought. The essence of deep thought consists in the mind concentrating its faculties to one point; and then by an internal action reviewing the idea as carefully as a naturalist examines, with his outward eye, any object of nature. To this abstracted state of being outward things are inimical, as may well be imagined. In truth, all external objects vanish from the eyes; the mind is unconscious of every thing around; even the progress of time is least noted in the train of thought; and the dawn of morning,

"The opening eyelids of the morn,"

has often taken us by surprise.

Let any one, in the silence of midnight, under the open canopy of heaven, gaze up into the starry firmament; and