be able to wipe away all tears from all eyes. what insignificant sordid wretches are they, however chance may have loaded them with wealth, who go to their graves, to their magnificent mausoleums, with hardly the consciousness of having made one poor honest heart happy! Still there are two great pillars that bear us up amid the wreck of misfortune and misery. The ONE is composed of the different modifications of a certain noble stubborn something in man, known by the names of courage, fortitude, magnanimity. The OTHER is made up of these feelings and sentiments which, however the sceptic may deny them, or the enthusiast disfigure them, are yet, I am convinced, original and component parts of the human soul, those senses of the mind, if I may be allowed the expression, which connect us with, and link us to those awful obscure realities, an allpowerful and equally beneficent God, and a world to come beyond death and the grave! The first gives the nerve of combat while a ray of hope beams on the field-the last pours the balm of comfort into the wounds which time can never cure. I do not remember, my dear Cunningham, that you and I ever talked on the subject of religion at all. I know some who laugh at it, as the trick of the crafty FEW to lead the undiscerning MANY; or, at most, as an uncertain obscurity, which mankind can never know any thing of, and with which they are fools if they give themselves much to do. Nor would I quarrel with a man for his irreligion any more than I would for his want of a musical ear. I would regret that he was shut out from what, to me and others, were such superlative sources of enjoyment. It is, in this point of view, and for this reason, that I will deeply imbue the mind of every child of mine with religion. If my son should happen to be a man of feeling, sentiment and taste, I shall thus add largely to his enjoyments. Let me flatter myself that this sweet little fellow, who is just now running about my desk, will be a man of a melting, ardent, glowing heart, and an imagination delighted with the painter, and rapt with the poet. Let me figure him wandering out in a sweet evening, to inhale the balmy gales and enjoy the growing luxuriance of the spring, himself the while in the blooming youth of life. He looks abroad on all nature, and through nature up to nature's God! His soul by swift delighting degrees is wrapt above this sublunary sphere, until he can be silent no longer, and burst out into the glorious enthusiasm of Thom. son "Theзe, as they change, Almighty Father, these Are but the varied God. The rolling year Is full of thee!" And so on in all the spirit and ardour of that charming hymn. These are no ideal pleasuresthey are real delights-and I ask, what of the delights among the sons of men are superior, not to say equal, to them? And they have this precious vast advantage, that conscious virtue stamps them for heaven, and lays hold on them to bring herself into the presence of a witnessing, judging, and approving God! There had much need be many pleasures annexed to the estates of husband and father, for, God knows, they have many peculiar cares. I cannot describe to you the anxious sleepless hours these ties frequently give me. I see a train of helpless little folks-me and my exertions all their stay: and on what a brittle thread does the life of man hang! If I am wipt off at the command of fateeven in all vigour of manhood, as I am-such things happen every day-gracious God! what would become of my little flock! 'Tis here that I envy your people of fortune. A father on his deathbed, taking an everlasting farewell of his children, has, indeed, woe enough, but the man of competent fortune leaves his sons and daughters independency and friends—while I—but I shall run distracted if I think any longer on the subject. (His salary, as exciseman, was only 70l. a year). ....... I have nothing to say to any one as to which sect he belongs to, or what creed he believes, but I look on the man who is firmly persuaded of infinite wisdom and goodness superintending and directing every circumstance that can happen in his lot-I felicitate such a man, as having a solid foundation for his mental enjoyment, a firm prop and sure stay in the hour of difficulty, trouble and distress, and a never failing anchor of hope when he looks beyond the grave! MADAM, TO MRS. DUNLOP. Brow, on the Solway Frith, 12th July, 1796. I have written you so often, without receiving any answer, that I would not trouble you again but for the circumstances in which I am. An illness, which has long hung about me, in all probability will speedily send me beyond that bourne whence no traveller returns. Your friendship, with which for many years you have honoured me, was a friendship dearest to my soul. Your conversa tion, and especially your correspondence, were at once highly entertaining and instructive. With what pleasure did I use to break up the seal! The remembrance yet adds one pulse more to my poor palpitating heart. Farewell!!! R. B. N. B. The above letter was supposed to be his last production-he died on the 21st, nine days afterwards. Peace be to his memory! For the Monthly Visitor. JUVENILE RECREATIONS. THE following curious transposition was sent us by a juvenile correspondent; it is produced by transposing the name of our brave commander, HORATIO NELSON, HONOR EST A NILO: which rendered into English, reads thus Honour is from the Nile, IN the celestial realms of light, Where unbounded pleasures dwell; I once was known, tho' short my story, From thence into this world was sent, Who heaven's sacred laws defy. With fury I've been known to rage, How many cities been destroy'd, The widow's shrieks, and orphans cries, 'Tis ambition's pride, and interest dear, That causes me to be pursu'd, In social life I'm sometimes found, Take but a view of Europe round, But time shall come, when I shall vex But peace and joy, and love shall reign, |