your brother. So far from touching the minutest hair of your heads with a finger of harm, I will nourish both you and your> little ones. Ye may expect, nay, ye may command every inftance of affection within/ my power. Behold our father, full of days and of honour, lies fleeping in the grave: think not-ah think not-Jofeph will difturb the facred afhes, by reviving our childish difagreements. Soft lie his venerable bones, and peaceable be his afhes in the protection of the God of Ifrael. See -my brother-fee the tear is in, my eye.. as I reflect upon thy fears: but I conjure ye to be comforted-to know me better-Let this embrace-in which my heart gives vigour to my arms-let this cordial embrace be the feal of eternal confidence, and the cement of a brother's fondest tendernefs to his brethren.

I do not think we have an image conceived in nature, or expreffed in language, more agreeable to the mind, than that, which is conveyed to us in the fubfequent

verse :

verfe: "And Jofeph faw Ephraim's chil"dren of the third generation; and the "children of Machir, the fon of Manaffeh, "were brought up upon Joseph's knees." We naturally wish happiness, health, and long life, to great and excellent characters. How pleafing and picturesque, therefore, is the scene here exhibited? He who had been so admirable a fon-a parent-a friend and a brother—at length, retiring from the bustles of active life, enjoys the private pleasures of retreat. He amuses himself with domeftic concerns, enters into all the relaxing and delicious cares of the cradle, and finds much to footh, and much to folace the decline of his days, amidst the prettiness, and the prattle of a nursery. Such was his fate, that he saw his childrens children profper beneath his eye. Often, no doubt, were the little ones, fed by his hand, and fostered in his bosom: and, as for the children of Machir, they were— gracious Heaven, what a melting idea!they were brought up upon his knees.

ESSAY

ESSA Y XIX.

The BIRTH and BRAVERY of MOSES.

PASSAGE.

AND THERE WENT A MAN OUT OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI,

AND TOOK TO WIFE A DAUGHTER OF LEVI.

AND THE WOMAN CONCEIVED, AND BARE A SON.

THERE are fome beautiful and remarkable circumftances concerning the birth of Mofes, and they are told (as ufual) with all imaginable accuracy and fimplicity. The contrivance of concealing him in an ark of bull-rufhes, is inconceiv ably maternal: nor is there lefs prettiness, in the defcription of his being found by Pharoah's daughter. This young woman came to bathe herself at the river, and her maidens walked along by the river's fide, and when fhe faw the little ark almoft float.

ing amongst the flags, fhe had the curiofity to direct her maid to fetch it. Upon her opening the rushy cradle, she saw the babe; and, behold it wept. Oh Heaven, what an incident this, for the heart of a woman! The tear upon its innocent face affailed the human feelings, and fubdued them: the virgin had compaffion on him: for, fhe fent him privately to be nurfed, defrayed the charge from her own coffer, and adopthim as her own. As his infancy was rendered peculiar by the policy of his mother, and the patronage of the daughter of the very man who had given orders for the deftruction of every new-born male; fo his youth was diftinguished with marks of honour by his own bravery. "And it came "to pass, in thofe days, when Mofes was grown, that he went out unto his bre

thren, and looked on their burthens, and "he efpied an Egyptian fmiting an He"brew, one of his brethren: and he look"ed this way, and that way, and when he "faw that there was no man, he flew the

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Egyptian and hid him in the fand."

This record of the lad's courage, fraternal love, and fenfe of equity, is very artfully introduced, and endears him to us, before he enters upon thofe important scenes in which Providence afterwards places him. To give additional luftre to his character, we next find him engaged in a fecond caufe of redrefs and juftice; for, finding two men engaged in a fight, he took the fide of the weaker party, and boldly reprehended the aggreffor. From the reply of this man, however, who alluded to his contest with the Egyptian, he had reason to fear the matter had, by fome means, reached the ear of Pharoah and this brings about another change of his juvenile fortunes. He fled from danger to Midian, and fat himself down by a well. Here, in a little time, his intrepid and honeft temper had a fresh opportunity to fhew itself, and the graces of his mind. again break forth. It happened that the feven daughters of the priest of Midian came to the well to water their father's flocks, and that the fhepherds came and drove

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