The Goodness of God in the Seasons. 29. Present State of Jericho. An'ciently; as formerly existing. Con'sequence; importance. Wealth; riches. Magnificence; splendour. Surround'ed; encompassed. Ves'tiges; traces, remains. Mis'erable; wretched. Em'anating; proceeding from. Pestif'erous; destructive. Des'tined; appointed. Extirpate; root out. En'ergies; active powers. Denounced'; threatened. Deplo'rable; sad, sorry. Rel'ics; remains. Employed'; used. Lev'elled; prostrated. Reared; raised. Endu ́reth; lasts, continues. THE city of Jericho, anciently considered, was only inferior in point of consequence, wealth, and magnificence, to that of Jerusalem, and surrounded by walls. No vestiges, however, of its former grandeur, or the splendid palace of Herod are to be traced, but on the contrary, it stands at this moment a miserable village formed of a few rude and contemptible clay cottages, each not exceeding ten or twelve feet in height. It appears, indeed, either as if some principle, fatal to population, were still emanating from the pestiferous vicinity of the Dead Sea, destined to extirpate the very energies of life, or that the judgments anciently denounced against it by the Almighty were still in full force. In short, Jericho at present is sunk into a mere name, for the few deplorable hovels that now constitute the place can never be considered even the relics of that ancient and noble city, which was then a fortress of such vast strength, that a miracle was employed to assist Joshua in his operations towards its reduction, it being the first city in Canaan which yielded to his force. But it is thus that cities and nations, which once reared their proud heads, are now levelled with the dust. These endure little longer than the reign of their founders; while, on the other hand, the truth of holiness" endureth for ever." The very name also of the objects of idolatry on the part of the heathen, with their worshippers, is now unknown in these sanctuaries; and the strong holds that superstition had erected in this and other celebrated cities, are demolished, leaving not a wreck behind. I left Jericho, contemplating the history which has been transmitted of the crowd (" and as they departed from Jericho a great multitude followed him,") that surrounded Jesus at his departure from it, when he opened the eyes of the blind, who then followed him, and I proceeded to Jerusalem with the escort which accompanied me from thence, and by the same track taken from the city, where I arrived in safety.-Rae Wilson's Travels. Fallen State of Jerusalem. Reft of thy sons, amid thy foes forlorn, While suns unblest their angry lustre fling, No martial myriads muster in thy gate; But lawless force and meagre want are there, 30. The Albatross. Crook'ed; bent, curved. Gen'erally; commonly. Pursues'; follows. Relates'; says, tells. Remote'; distant. Repo'sing; resting. Beat'ing; striking. Enjoy'; possess with pleasure. Support'ed; borne up, sustained. Accel'erated; increased. Exerts'; strives. Alter'nately; in turn. Ascends'; mounts. Descends'; comes down. Equilibrium; balance. Prey; booty. Mariners; sailors. Vora'cious, greedy. THE albatross is one of the largest and most fierce birds of prey of Africa and America, prin cipally found near large capes and headlands, as at the Cape of Good Hope, in Africa, and Cape Horn, in South America. It is larger than the pelican, and measures from the tip of one wing to the other ten feet; its bill is crooked, and upwards of six inches long. The top of the head is of a bright brown, the back a dusky spotted brown, the belly white, and the toes of a flesh colour, and webbed. This bird not only preys on fish, but on all small water fowl, which it can take. It generally takes its prey on the wing, like all the gull tribe; and pursues all the flying fish, which are driven from the ocean by the dolphin. Wicquefort relates, that "the albatross, except when it breeds, lives entirely remote from land; so it is often seen, as it should seem, reposing in the air. At night, when it is pressed by slumber, it rises into the clouds as high as it can, where, putting its head under one wing, and beating the air with the other, it seems to enjoy its ease. After some time, however, the weight of its body, only thus half supported, brings it down, and it is then seen descending, with a pretty accelerated motion, towards the surface of the deep, on which it again exerts itself to rise; and thus alternately ascends and descends at its ease; but during these uncommon slumbering flights, it frequently loses its equilibrium, and falling on the deck of some ship, becomes an easy prey to the mariners." The albatross, however, though so voracious a bird, lives in perfect amity with the penguin. They build their nests contiguous to each other, and generally on the descending shores of some island. On those bleak situations, the Falkland Islands, where they were in no apprehension of being disturbed by mankind, their nests were formed with a singular degree of strength, and with that uniformity and regularity that seem to resemble a plantation. The nest of the albatross, which was formed with heath, sticks, and long grass, and raised about two feet from the ground, was in the middle, round which were found the nests of the penguins, which were formed of holes in the earth, eight of which surrounded the nest of one albatross; but since these islands have been frequented by mankind, the albatross, as well as penguin, have sought some more obscure retreat.-Dict. of Nat. Hist. Seed Time and Harvest. The rising morn, the closing day, Earth's wide-extended, varying scenes, |