And they faid one to another-measuring no doubt the poor wretch from top to toe; and noteing with cruel criticism, every unfortunate particular" Is this Naomi ?" God of Heaven, as much as to fay-is this the woman-the wife of Elimelech, who lived in fuch plenty-this poor ragged wretch-this fhadow of herfelf" Is this Naomi?" Mercy upon us-who would have thought it? Having exhaufted all the unfeeling and hardened remarks, customary on fuch occafions, all their compaffion, and all their cruelty, ended exactly in the old way in leaving her the lofs of fome fighs and tears--poorer than they found her. She foon found, that to rely upon the kindness of old friends, was but a precarious mercy for it is not bearing too hard I fear upon human nature to fuppofe, that her very next-door neighbour, the very companion of all her girlish sports, would give with an ill grace, if fhe gave at all, that pillow, or that bread, of which, after fo wearyfome a journey fhe certainly stood much in need, Ill ufed by the world there

fore, fhe began to lofe the hope of fuch refources the benevolence of diftant relations, in whofe memory fhe might be able to revive the images of tenderness, was likewife a fond idea, that was born and buried almoft in the fame inftant. Nothing of comfort feemed to remain in referve, till the excellent Ruth, the faithful partner of her fufferings, fuggefted an expedient. And the faid unto her friend, I perceive, oh my dear Naomi, that our conveniencies muft depend upon ourselves, and that we muft owe our daily bread, to our daily labour as it is now the beginning of the harvest, behold the opportunity of exerting ourselves is at hand. Thou, indeed, art too much afflicted to toil: but for my part-much and tenderly as fympathize with thee, I am in the prime of my youth, and able to gather fomething from the field: "Let me now therefore go and glean "ears of corn after him in whose fight I may find grace."

"Now

"Now it was fo, that Naomi had a "kinfman of her husband's, a mighty man "of wealth, of the family of Elimelech,

and his name was Boaz :" and it hap

pened as Ruth was gleaning after the reapers, he was fituate on a part of the field belonging to Boaz. This circumstance occafioned a turn of fortune perfectly dramatic. For, Boaz, coming to take a view of his reapers, perceiving the ftranger, faid unto the fervant who was fet over the reapers, "Whofe damfel is this?" The fervant's answer is penned with the moft natural fimplicity. "It is the Moabitish damfel, that came back with Naomi, "out of the country of Moab: and she

faid, I pray you let me glean, and gather "after the reapers among the fheaves: fo "The came and hath continued amongst us "even from the morning until now, that "The tarried a little in the houfe." Something there was either in this account, or in the appearance of the object, which won much upon the favour of the landlord: for it is furely a fofter voice, even than I 2

the

the voice of hofpitality, that fpeaks in the fequel. "Heareft thou not my daughter?

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go not I charge you to glean in any other field, neither go from hence, but abide here faft by my maidens." I have given particular injunctions to "the young men "that they shall not touch thee. And when "thou art athirft, go to the veffels, and "drink of that which the young men have "drawn." Here, began the first fruits of her fidelity; and the partiality of Boaz made a very rapid progrefs, for in his fecond addrefs he was more benevolent than in the firft: He invited her to confider herfelf, as one of his own people, to "eat "of the bread, to dip her welcome morfel "in the vinegar" at meal times, and to fit chearfully befide the reapers. Nay more, with his own hand-furely the heart extended it-" he reached her parched corn, "and he did eat, and was fufficed and "left." Now it was that Boaz began to discover more evidently, that, the spring of this generous current lay very near the heart: When she was rifen up to glean after

her

her repast, he commanded the young men to fhew her all poffible marks of courtefy' and distinction. His ftrict orders were, not to fuffer her to gather the fcanty pittance, ear by ear, after the cautious rake had gone over the ground, but to let her glean unquestioned, even amongst the sheaves. Nay more, they were to let fome handfulls fall on purpose for her, and leave them for her particular gleaning: And indeed, such was the fuccefsful confequence of these indulgences, that after he had beat out what he had been permitted to glean in one fingle day," it was about an ephah "of barley." This, the kind creature carried with all the expedition of affection to her friend: and when Naomi faw it-when the foul of the forrowful widow fang for joy; then Ruth related to her the whole history of her good fortune, and concluding that the name of the hofpitable owner of the land was Boaz. This intelligence revived her fpirits like a cordial, and fhe exclaims with the moft animated transport: "the man is near a-kin to us," my beloved

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