public will give me a bond to employ me when I am ready to ferve them. "Till fuch a bond is figned, sealed, and delivered, I fhall fet my hours to the tune of "Jack's alive." To-day's the fhip I fail in, and that will carry the flag, in fpite of the combined powers of yesterdays and to-morrows.

How. Well, Lefter, you can take your choice. I fhall fet my hours to a more serious tune. I ask no bond of the public. If my mind is well furnished with knowledge, and that fame generous public, which has fo uniformly called to her fervice the difcerning, fhould refufe my fervices, ftill I fhall poffefs a treasure, which, after a few years of diffipation, you would give the world to purchase, THE RECOLLECTION OF TIME WELL SPENT.

NOW

On all the region round; the fhrouded fun
From the impen'tent earth withdrew his light:
I thirft, the Saviour cry'd; and lifting up
His eyes in agony, My God, my God!
Ah! why haft thou forfaken me? exclaim'd,

Yet deem him not forfaken of his God!
Beware that error. "Twas the mortal part
Of his compounded nature, breathing forth
Its last fad agony, that so complain'd;
Doubt not that vail of forrow was withdrawn,
And heav'nly comfort to his foul vouchfaf'd,
Ere thus he cry'd, Father! into thy hands
My fpirit I commend. Then bow'd his head
And died. Now Gabriel and his heav'nly choir
Of minift'ring angels hov'ring o'er the cross
Receiv'd his fpirit, at length from mortal pangs
And fleshly pris'n fet free, and bore it thence
Upon their wings rejoicing. Then behold

A prodigy, that to the world announc'd
A new religion and diffolv'd the old :
The temple's facred vail was rent in twain
From top to bottom, 'midft th' attesting shocks
Of earthquake and the rending up of graves.
Now thofe myfterious fymbols, heretofore
Curtain'd from vulgar eyes, and holiest deem'd
Of holies, were display'd to public view:
The mercy-feat, with its cherubic wings
O'erfhadow'd, and the golden ark beneath
Cov'ring the teftimony, now through the rent
Of that diffever'd vail first saw the light;
A world redeem'd had now no farther need
Of types and emblems, dimly fhadowing forth
An angry deity withdrawn from fight

And canopy'd in clouds. Him, face to face,
Now in full light reveal'd, the dying breath
Of his dear Son appeas'd, and purchas'd peace
And reconcilement for offending man.

Thus the partition-wall, by Mofes built,
By Chrift was levell'd, and the Gentile world
Enter'd the breach, by their great Captain led
Up to the throne of grace, opening himself
Through his own flesh a new and living way.
Then were the oracles of God made known
To all the nations, sprinkled by the blood
Of Jefus, and baptis'd into his death;
So was the birthright of the elder born,
Heirs of the promife, forfeited; whilst they,
Whom fin had erft in bondage held, made free
From fin, and fervants of the living God,
Now gain'd the gift of God, eternal life.

Soon as thofe figns and prodigies were seen Of those who watch'd the crofs, conviction fmote Their fear-ftruck hearts. The fun, at noon day dark : The earth convulfive underneath their feet, And the firm rocks, in shiver'd fragments rent, Rous'd them at once to tremble and believe. Then was our Lord by heathen lips confefe'd,

When the centurion cry'd, In very truth
This righteous Perfon was the Son of God;
The reft, in heart affenting, ftood abafh'd,
Watching in filence the tremendous scene.
The recollection of his gracious acts,

His dying pray'rs and their own impious taunts
Now rofe in fad review; too late they wifh'd
The deed undone, and fighing fmote their breasts.
Straight from God's prefence went that angel forth,
Whofe trumpet fhall call up the fleeping dead
At the last day, and bade the faints arise
And come on earth to hail this promis'd hour,
The day-fpring of falvation. Forth they came
From their dark tenements, their shadowy forms
Made vifible as in their fleshly state,

And through the holy city here and there
Frequent they gleam'd, by night, by day, with fear
And wonder feen of many: holy feers,

Prophets and martyrs from the grave fet free,
And the first fruits of the redeemed dead.

They who with Christ transfigur'd on the mount
Were seen of his difciples in a cloud

Of dazzling glory, now in form distinct,
Mingling amidst the public haunts of men,
Struck terror to all hearts: Ezekiel there,
The captive feer, to whom on Chebar's banks
The heavens were open'd and the fatal roll
Held forth, with dire denunciations fill'd,
Of lamentation, mourning and of woe,
Now falling faft on Ifrael's wretched race:
He too was there, Hilkiah's holy fon,
With loins close girt, and glowing lips of fire
By God's own finger touch'd: there might be feen
The youthful prophet, Beltefhazzar nam'd
Of the Chaldees, interpreter of dreams,
Knowledge of God beftow'd, in vifions skill'd,
And fair, and learn'd, and wife: the Baptift here,
Girt in his hairy mantle frowning stalk'd,
And pointing to his ghaftly wound, exclaim'd,

1

Ye vipers! whom my warning could not move
Timely to flee from the impending wrath
Now fallen on your head; whom I indeed
With water, Chrift hath now with fire baptiz'd :
Barren ye were of fruits, which I prescrib'd
Meet for repentance, and behold! the axe
Is laid to the unprofitable root

Of every faplefs tree, hewn down, condemn'd
And caft into the fire. Lo! these are they,
Thefe fhadowy forms now floating in your fight,
These are the harbingers of ancient days,
Who witness'd the Meffias, and announc'd
His coming upon earth. Mark with what fcorn
Silent they pafs you by: them had ye heard,
Them had ye noted with a patient mind,
Ye had not crucified the Lord of Life:
He of these stones to Abraham fhall raife up
Children, than you more worthy of his stock;
And now his winnowing fan is in his hand,
With which he'll purge his floor, and having stor'd
The precious grain in garners, will confume
With fire unquenchable the refufe chaff.

HOW

THE WONDERS OF NATURE.

OW mighty! how majestic! and how myfterious are nature's works! When the air is calm, where fleep the stormy winds? In what chambers are they repofed, or in what dungeons confined? But.. when He, "who holds them in his fift," is pleafed to awaken their rage, and throw open their prifon doors, then, with irrefiftible impetuofity, they rufh forth, fcattering dread, and menacing deftruction,

The atmosphere is hurled into the most tumultuous confufion. The ærial torrent burfts its way over mountains, feas, and continents. All things feel the dreadful fhock. All things tremble before the furious blast. The foreft, vexed and torn, groans under the fcourge

Her sturdy fons are ftrained to the very root, and almoft fweep the foil they were wont to fhade. The ftubborn oak, that difdains to bend, is dafhed headlong to the ground; and with fhattered arms, with proftrate trunk, blocks up the road. While the flexile reed, that fprings up in the marfh, yielding to the guft, (as the meek and pliant temper, to injuries, or the refigned and patient fpirit, to misfortunes) eludes the force of the storm, and furvives amidft the wide-fpread havoc.

For a moment, the turbulent and outrageous sky feems to be affuaged; but it intermits its warmth, only to increase its strength. Soon the founding fquadrons of the air return to the attack, and renew their ravages with redoubled fury. The ftately dome rocks amidst the wheeling clouds. The impregnable tower totters on its bafis, and threatens to overwhelm whom it was intended to protect. The ragged rocks are rent in pieces; and even the hills, the perpetual hills, on their deep foundations are fcarcely fecure. Where now is the place of fafety? when the city reels, and houses become heaps! Sleep affrighted flies. Diverfion is turned into horror. All is uproar in the elements; all is confternation among mortals: and nothing but one wide scene of rueful devaftation through the land.

The ocean fwells with tremendous commotions. The ponderous waves are heaved from their capacious bed, and almoft lay bare the unfathomable deep. Flung into the most rapid agitation, they fweep over the rocks; they lafh the lofty cliffs, and tofs themfelves into the clouds. Navies are rent from their anchors; and, with all their enormous load, are whirled fwift as the arrow, wild as the winds, along the vaft abyfs. Now they climb the rolling mountain; they plough the frightful ridge; and feem to fkim the fkies. Anon they plunge into the opening gulf; they lofe the fight of day; and are loft themfelves to every eye.

How vain is the pilot's art! how impotent the mariner's ftrength "They reel to and fro, and stagger