terrors, ftruck her at once: the fhed the tribute of a few more tears-facrificed a few more fighs, and went her way. Not fo the affectionate Ruth. How excellently marked, and that, by a fingle word, is the conduct of each. Orpah killed her mo"ther-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her." The fentence though thus compreffed, is emphatically copious in point of meaning: but, indeed, the multum in parvo, should be one characteristic of the facred writings. Orpah kiffed her mother-in-law," i. e. fhe gave her a farewel embrace, wept a woman's forrow, and left her mother to wan der over the world. "But Ruth clave "unto her." Struck to the heart at the profpect of feeing her friend and parent no more, and still calling to mind the thoufand endearments which had formerly made precious her fociety, and even feeling fome additional fympathy from being involved in a calamity, which arofe from the mifchances of one houfe, and one family, fhe endured not the idea of her departure: fo far otherwife, indeed, that the "clave un

"to her," i. e. clung round her neckkiffed her with an ardour, as if she defigned to leave the feal of her very foul impreffed on her lips for ever. In vain did the nobleminded Naomi exhibit to her the various miferies which were at hand, and againft which, there was no comfortable provision -In vain did the point to the example, the politic and prudent example of Orpah, her fifter-In fcorn of fuch conduct, and to close at once all future diffuafions, fhe thus declared, to the eternal honour of her fex, the glowing refolutions of her foul. "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return "from following after thee, for whither "thou goest, I will go; and where thou "lodgeft, I will lodge: thy people shall "be my people, and thy God my God." The whole beauty and force of this paffage is not seen at once it is a very fine climax, and there is amazing elegance in the gradations. The full fenfe implied, feems to branch out in this manner. She begins with defiring Naomi to urge the subject of feparation no longer, fince he has com

pletely

pletely made up her mind upon it. This is the first and flightest part. In the next place, the unfolds her firft defign to follow her fortunes in whatever part of the habitable globe the thinks proper to pursue them but not thinking this fufficiently expreffive of her affection, fhe refolves to take up her abode in the fame house with her-to lodge under the fame roof, however poor, and to fhare the fame bed, however inelegant.-After this, fhe refolves to know no other people, than such as are equally the common friends of both-to enter into no attachments, but those which are united by the fame tender ties to her dear Naomi ; and to form no connections whatever, that can, in the least, derogate from the love the bore her. But he is not contented with having delivered these affurances, for fhe goes on, declaring that her very religion fhall be the religion of her friend-that one faith, and one hope, fhall animate their devotion, and that the God of one, fhall be the God of the other. Even this does not fatisfy her: for, she

next determines not only to go with her the pilgrimage of life, but attend her beyond the gate of death-to die with her Naomi, fhould it be her Naomi's lot to fall first, and to be buried at laft in the fame grave and this fhe confirmed by an immediate oath of the utmost importance and fanctity amongst the daughters of Judah : "The Lord God do fo to me, and more alfo, if ought but death"-fhe might have faid-if death itself, part thee and

me.

"When Naomi faw that fhe was fteadfaftly minded to go, fhe left off perfuading her; fo they went until they came "to Beth-lehem; and when they arrived,

it came to pass, that all the city were "moved about them, and they faid, Is this. "Naomi ?" Here are fresh morals and fresh elegancies opened upon us: the difconfolate Naomi had no fooner fet her foot upon her own land, than all thofe little paffions which lie lurking in the bofoms of the illiberal and the inhofpitable, were instantly

inftantly awakened.

Curiofity furveyed

the tatters which he had not the foul to repair.-Ill-nature was, we may be sure, officious enough to throw in her bitter farcasm. Pride was ready with her infulting offer of pity-Avarice lamented his incapacity to anfwer the good wishes of his heart; and in fhort, every arrogant, every paltry propenfity was in arms against our defenceless travellers. But as Naomi originally lived in fome degree of comfort and credit in her own country, and was now reduced, she, of course, more particularly was the mark of their obloquy and conversation.

Upon entering the city, therefore, the mob flocked about her, to indulge the vulgar and villainous joy, of adding a fresh load to the heart which was already groaning under its burthen; for it is, but too generally the horrid maxim, to affift where affiftance is unneceffary, and to deny fuch affiftance where it may be the means of continuing life, or of promoting happiness.

And