Such are the varied movements and transformations which are incessantly going on in the rivers, the ocean, and the atmosphere, in order to preserve the balance of nature, and to supply the necessities of the animal and the vegetable tribes; all under the agency and direction of Him who "formed the sea and the dry land,” and who has arranged all things in number, weight, and measure, to subserve the purposes of his will.

Rivers serve many important purposes in the economy of our globe. They carry off the redundant waters which fall in rains, or which ooze from the springs, which might otherwise settle into stagnant pools; they supply to the seas the loss of waters occasioned by their daily evaporation; they cool the air, and give it a gentle circulation; they fertilize the countries through which they flow; their waters afford a wholesome drink, and the fishes they contain a delicious food for the nourishment of man; they facilitate commerce, by conveying the productions of nature and art from the inland countries to the sea; they form mechanical powers for driving machinery of different kinds; they enliven and diversify the scenery of the countries through which they pass; and the cataracts which they frequently form among the mountains, present us with scenes the most picturesque and sublime; so that every part of the constitution of nature is rendered subservient both to utility and to pleasure.

EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY.

FRATERNAL LOVE.

WHAT inexpressible delight, when brothers and sisters of one family live together in all the harmony of friendship and good esteem, mutually delighted and charmed with each other's presence and society! Peace dwells in their bosom, and transport beats at their heart. They know how to alleviate each others' troubles and difficulties; they know how to impart and double each others' felicity and pleasure. And if perchance their aged parents live, who have formed them VOL. I

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thus to love, whose early care provided for them this high feast of the most delicate sensations, what increas ing raptures do they feel from blessing those parents with this fruit of their care! O, ye happy parents! if I could envy any beings upon earth, it were you, who see your youth renewed in good and worthy children flourishing around you; who see those children amply crowning your days and nights of past solicitude, not only with the most reverential respect to yourselves, but with what you wish still more, if possible, with the firmest and most respectful love to each other; who see those children, with all the kindness of that love you sought to inspire, like olive branches, verdant around you, blessed in you, blessed in each other, blessed in themselves; the providence of God smiling upon them; success and honour attending their steps.

EXAMPLES.

THE Scriptural examples of Joseph and his brethren we think it necessary to point out in Genesis, chap. 43, 44, 45, 46, and 47, and to remark, that this history is not exceeded in interesting passages by any other, sacred or profane.

CATO, when but a boy, being asked whom he loved best, answered " My brother Capas ;" and so often as the same question was asked, the same reply was given. In proof of his affection, when he grew to manhood, he never went to supper (says Plutarch) nor out of his house to the market-place, nor into the fields, without him and when Capas died, Cato mourned exceedingly, and erected a tomb of Thracian marble to his memory, which cost him eight talents.

SCYLURUS, the Scythian, having fourscore sons desired nothing so much as to bring them up in the love of each other: and, to show them how invincible such a concord would render them, as he lay on his death-bed he called them around him, and giving to each of them a bundle of javelins, bade them try if they could break the bundles. The young men having attempted, and declaring it impracticable, Scylurus untied the bundles

in their presence, broke the javelins one by one with the greatest ease, and from thence took occasion thus to address his children: "Behold, my sons, your strength while linked together in the bands of amity: on the contrary, how weak, and what an easy prey you must be, when separated in your interests by discord and se

dition !"

THE father of that eminent lawyer Mr. Sergeant Glanville, had a good estate, which he intended to settle on his eldest son; but he proving a vicious young man, and there being no hopes of his recovery, he devolved it upon the Sergeant, who was his second son. Upon the father's death, the eldest, finding that what he had before considered as the mere threatenings of an angry old man, were now but too certain, became melancholy, which by degrees wrought in him so great a change, that what his father could not prevail in while he lived, was now effected by the severity of his last will. His brother, observing this, invited him, together with many of his friends, to a feast; where, after other dishes had been served up, he ordered one, which was covered, to be set before his brother, and desired him to uncover it; upon his doing which, the company, no less than himself, were surprised to find it full of writings: and still more, when the Sergeant told them, "that he was now doing what he was sure his father would have done had he lived to see the happy change which they now all saw in his brother; and therefore he freely restored to him the whole estate."

IN the year 1585, the Portuguese carracks sailed from Lisbon to Goa, a very rich and flourishing colony of that nation in the East Indies. On board of one of these vessels were no less than 1200 souls, mariners, passengers, priests, and friars. The beginning of the voyage was prosperous; but not many days after, through the perverseness of the pilot, the ship struck on a rock, and instant death began to stare them in the face. In this distress the captain ordered the pinnace to be launched; into which having tossed a small quantity of biscuit, and some boxes of marmalade, he

jumped in himself with nineteen others, who, with their swords, prevented the coming of any more, lest the boat should sink. Thus scantily equipped, they put off into the great Indian Ocean, without a compass to steer by, or any fresh water but what might happen to fall from the heavens, whose mercy alone could deliver them. At the end of four or five days the captain died with sickness; and they were obliged, to prevent confusion, to elect one of their company to command them. This person proposed to them to draw lots, and cast every fourth man over-board, their small stock of provisions being now so far spent as not to be sufficient, at very short allowance, to sustain life above three days longer. To this they agreed; so that there were four to die out of their unhappy number, the captain, a friar, and a carpenter, being exempted by general consent. The lots being cast, three of the first submitted to their fate, after they had confessed and received absolution. The fourth victim was a Portuguese gentleman that had a younger brother in the boat; who, seeing him about to be thrown over-board, most tenderly embraced him, and with tears besought him to let him die in his room; enforcing his arguments by telling him, "that he was a married man, and had a wife and children at Goa, besides the care of three sisters, who absolutely depended upon him for support; whereas himself was single, and his life of no great importance: "he there. fore conjured him to suffer him to supply his place, as. suring him that he had rather die for him than live without him. The other brother, astonished, and melting with his generosity, replied, "that since the Divine Providence had appointed him to suffer, it would be wicked and unjust to permit any other to die for him, but especially a brother to whom he was so infinitely obliged." The younger, however, persisting in his refusal, would take no denial, but, throwing himself on his knees, held his brother so fast that the company could not disengage him. Thus they disputed awhile; the elder bidding him be a father to his children, and recommending his wife and sisters to his protection;

but all he could say could not make the younger desist. This was a scene of tenderness that must fill every human breast with pity. At last the constancy of the elder brother yielded to the piety of the other, and suffered the gallant youth to supply his stead; who, being cast into the sea, and a good swimmer, soon got to the stern of the pinnace, and laid hold of the rudder with his right hand. This being perceived by one of the sailors, he cut off the hand with his sword.

The youth dropping into the sea, presently rose again, and regained his hold with his left hand, which received the same fate by a second blow. Thus dismembered of both hands, he made a shift, notwithstanding, to keep himself above water with his feet, and two stumps, which he held bleeding upwards. This moving spectacle so excited the pity of the whole company, that they cried out, "He is but one man; let us endeavor to save him!" Accordingly he was taken into the boat, where he had his hands bound up as well as the place and circumstances would admit. They then continued rowing all night; and the next morning, when the sun rose (as if Heaven would reward the gallantry and piety of this young man,) they descried land, which proved to be the mountains of Mozambique in Africa, not far from a Portuguese colony: thither they all safe arrived, where they remained until the next ship from Lisbon passed by, and carried them to Goa.

TITUS, the Roman Emperor, who was called, for his virtues, "the delight of mankind," bore such a brotherly affection towards Domitian, that though he knew he had spoken irreverently of him, and had solicited the army to rebellion, yet he never treated him with the less love or respect even on that account, nor would suffer others to do so; but called him his partner and successor in the empire; and sometimes, when they were alone together, he besought him not only with earnest entreaties, but with tears, that he would bear the same brotherly love towards him, as he always had and ever should find from him.

TIMOLEON, the Corinthian, is a noble pattern of fra