The abounding spread out the populous city, already teeming with life and activity. The busy morning hum rises on the still air, and reaches the watching place of the solitary astronomer. thousands below him, unconscious of his intense anxiety, buoyant with life, joyously pursue their rounds of business, their cycleser les of amusement. No one can witness an eclipse of the sun, even at the present day, with rigorous exactitud most minute phenomena E are predicted without an involuntary feeling of dismay. What, then, must have been the effect upon the human mind in those ages of the world, when the cause was unknown, and the terrific exhibition unlooked for? 10. The sun slowly climbs the heaven, round and bright and full-orbed. The lone tenant of the mountain top almost begins to waver in the sternness of his faith as the morning hours roll away. But the time of his triumph, long delayed, at length begins to dawn; a pale and sickly hue creeps over the face of nature. The sun has reached his highest point, but his splendor is dimmed, his light is feeble. At last it comes! Blackness is eating away his round disc; onward with slow but steady pace the dark veil moves, blacker than a thousand nights; the gloom deepens; the ghastly hue of death covers the universe; the last ray is gone, and horror reigns! ΕΙ 11. A wail of terror fills the murky air, the clangor of brazen trumpets resounds, an agony of despair dashes the stricken millions to the ground; while that lone man, erect on his rocky summit, with arms outstretched to heaven, pours forth the grateful gushings of his heart to God, who had crowned his efforts with triumphant victory. Search the rec'ords of our race, and point me, if you can, to a scene more grand, more beautiful. It is to me the proudest victory that genius ever won. It was the conquering of nature, of ignorance, of superstition, of terror, all at a single blow, and that blow struck by a single arm. 12. And now do you demand the name of this wonderful man? Alas! what a lesson of the instability of earthly fame are we taught in this simple recital! He who had raised himself immeasurably above his race, who must have been regarded by his fellows as little less than a god, who had inscribed his fame on the very heavens, and had written it in the sun, with a “ pen of iron, and the point of a diamond," even this one has perishekk from the earth; name, But his proud chief met country are all swept into oblivion. sta The monument reared to his honor stands, and although the touch of time has effaced the lettering of his name, it is powerless, and cannot destroy the fruits of his victory. 0. M. MITCHELL. FATHER of light and life! thou Good Supreme! From every low pursuit, and feed my soul With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure,— The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate: The primal duties shine aloft, like stars; Kind wishes, and good actions, and pure thoughts, — For high and not for low, for proudly-graced 4. KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM.-Cowper. Knowledge and Wisdom, far from being one, Stern Lavgiver! yet thou dost wear Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong; And the most ancient heavens, through thee, are fresh and strong 6. DEATH OF THE YOUNG AND FAIR. - Anonymous. She died in beauty, like a rose162 blown from its parent stem; 7. CONSCIENTIOUS DISCHARGE OF DUTY. — Bryant. Yět nerve thy spirit to the proof, The timid good may stand aloof, The sage may frown-yet faint thou not, Nor heed the shaft too surely cast, The foul and hissing bolt of scorn; For with thy side shall dwell, at last, Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again: 8. HOPE AMID GLOOM. Whittier. The night is mother of the day, the winter of the spring, And ever upon old decay the greenest mosses cling. Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, thro' showers the sunbeams fall For God, who lovet i all his works, has left his hope with all 9. NIGHT.-Southey. How beautiful is night! A dewy freshness fills the silent air; No mist obscures, nor cloud, nor speck, nor stain In full-orbed glory yonder moon divine The desert-circle spreads Like the round ocean, girdled with the sky. 10. LOVE DUE TO THE CREATOR. G. Griffin. And ask ye why He claims our love? That watch in yonder darkening heaven; As when His angels first arrayed thee, Why man should love the Mind that made thee. There's not a flower that decks the vale, There's not a beam that lights the mountain, There's not a shrub that scents the gale, There's not a wind that stirs the fountain. There's not a hue that paints the rose, But in its use or beauty shows 1. GOD băde the Sun with golden step sublime He whispered in the listening ear of Time, He bade the guiding Spirit of the stars, Advance! Sun, Stars, and Time obey the voice, and all 2. The river at its bubbling fountain cries, Advance! The clouds proclaim, like heralds, through the skies, Throughout the world, the mighty Master's laws The earth is full of life, the swelling seeds And summer hours, like flowery harnessed steeds, 3. To man's most wondrous hand the same voice cried, Go, clear the woods, and o'er the bounding tide Go, draw the marble from its secret bed, The world, O man! is thine. But, wouldst thou share,- 4. Unto the soul of man the same voice spoke, Advance! From out the chaos thunder-like it broke, Go, track the cometer in its wheeling race, For love and hope, borne by the coming years, 5. All heard, and some obeyed the great command, Advance! It passed along from listening land to land, Advance! The strong grew stronger, and the weak grew strong, Awake, ye nations, know your powers and rights, Advance! Through Hope and Work, to Freedom's new delights 6. Knowledge came down, and waved her steady torch, Sages proclaimed, 'neath many a marble porch, As rapid lightning leaps from peak to peak, Advance! And earth grew young, and carolled as a bird, Advance! D. F. M'CARTHY. |