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Morality. l ' REFLECTIONS UPON C fc * N . XLlll. 36. " AH these things are against me | Wc are perfectly incapable to . judge cither of persons or things in the dark. Gloomy apprehen- , sions are not uncommon in the ex perience of true Christianity, and wheifthey prevail in any considera ble degree we make but slow and uncomfortable advances towards the kingdom. Faith in the promises and hope of fruition, these only can brighten up the prospect. Rela tions die j friends change ? trade slackens ? losses orcur ? sickness prevail ? slanders arise ? alas ! 4C all these things/' sa*h the believer, u arc against me:" We commonly judge from sight and sense, but the Lord acts from infinite wisdom and perfect rectitude. Now, for a man to refuse the enjoyment of seme comforts because others are rcmov ' cd, is ingratitude to God and in jurious to himself. Poor Rachel refused to be comforted because her children "were not." Let us ever remember that the Lord's assurance is tar better than our con jecture ; he declares that <c all things do work together for good to them who love God, and are then -called according to his purpose. A :want of penetration, and ft el ement mistakes in judging about the dispensations of Providence, - occasion no small degree of anxiety and uneasiness in the experience of true Christians. The venerable patriarch Joseph (whose pathetic and bitter exclamation I have se lected as a motto for this brief es Say) was a man tried in a great var iery of ways, as appears from his history ; and at times he was led Jo Vrrite bitter things again1 1 him elt ; but sure he was not wise in so doing. As for .Job, it is well knfcwh that the history of his life is a mass of woe. (See chap, iii.) The distresses of David were com plicated indeed, and sometijTxes led .-him to draw dark conclusions against himsfclf. {See psal. lxxiii.) Now, our want of penetration and discernment arc owing to ? two things : ? U ??? ignorance of God and his peculiar methods of working. , He put Joseph in prison, in order to bring him to honor. He bro't Moses into Pbaroab*s house to keep j him alive. He brought Israel into straights in order to work their de liverance. And, to the confusion ofhiftrian pride, he called fishermen tOpropogate his gospel, and to found the first Christian churches in the world. ts The wisdom of God is foolishness with men, his paths are in the great deep, and his footsteps are not known." 2. Our self-will and natural de sire to prescribe. We are too con fident incur apprehensions of what we think will do best. 44 This self conceit blinds the understanding." The praver of a certain woman agrees to this. " Gr^nt that these my two sons may sic, one at thy right hand and one at thy left in thy kingdom." Jesus reproved her folly by saying to her and hcr associates in the petition, " Ye know not what ye ask." ? Peter, , on the mount of transfiguration, proposed to erect three tabernacles, but alas ! tc He knew not what he I s%id." ? Now, a special firm per suasion that all our concerns are wider the management of the di- : vine Providence, and that all is . therefore right, will support us in j every afliction and trial. I con-" ceive it was This, as a prevailing sentiment and * well grounded principal in the mind of yob which enabled him to say, " Though he slav me, vet will I trust him. He * ? knowerhthe way which I take, and when he hath tried fric I shall come forth as gold." It was this which j enabled Habakkuk to make that triumphant boa^t whicfi occurs~in the third chapter of his book. <(A1 though the fig tree shall not blos som, neither shall fruit b? in the vines : the labor of the olive shall 1 fail, and the fields shall yield no I meat, yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salva tion. f> On the blessing of genuine j faith ; Be it observed, that which I makes against the body and our temporal interests often, by the grace of God's family .are afflicted, what will become of rebels ? <c If the righteous scarcely be saved,'? what will become of the ungodly ? The gtsfel of Christ is designed to relieve our fears and exalt obr hopes. Then, O my soul> read, mark learn, and inwardly digest its sacred con tents. Immortal Glory . ? Let a man study and labour to cultivate and improve his abilities in the eyes of | his Maker , and with the prospect of ?;j approbation, let him atten tively reflect on the infinite value of that approbation, and the highest encomium men can bestow, will sink- into nothing at the compari son. When we live in this man ner, we find we live for a gr$at and glorious end. The following 'beautiful effusion on F i l i a l PiETYgis the produc ~tTonof Richard Briffsty Sheridan, Esq. y i li Filial Piety ! it is the prithal bond of society ! it is that instinc- ! tive principal, which, panting for i its proper good, soothes, unbidden, each sense and sensibility of man ! It mw quivers on every lip ? ? Ir now beams from every eye !? ?it is that debt of gratitude which sof tening under the sense of recollect ed good is eager to own the v-ast* the countless debt it ne'er aladfy can pay ? for so many long years of un ceasing solicitude, honorable- self denials, life-preserving cares ! ? it is that part of ovs practice where duty drop* it6 awe !? -where rever ence refines into love ; ? it asks no aid of memory ! ? it Heeds not the deductions of region ! ? pre-exist ing, paramount over all, whether law or human rule ? few arguments can increase, and none can dimin ish it ! ? it is the sacrament of our nature ? not only the duty, but the indulgence of man ? it is the first great privilege, it is amongst his last most 0 endearing delights ! ? when the bosom glows with the idea of reverberated love-^-when to requite on the visitations of na ture and returp the blessings that have been received ! ? when what was emotion fixed in^o vital princi pal ? what was instinct habituated into a master passion ? 6 ways all the sweet energies of man ? hangs over each vicissitude of ail that mu?t pass away ? aids the melan choly virtues in their last sad tasks of life ? to cheer the languors of decrepitude and age ? explore the thoughts? explain the aching eye* ???? Plutarch says, if a generous and noble nature be not formed by dis cipline, ir will shoot forth many ' bad qualities alon^with the wood ; as the richest soil, if not cultivated* produces the rankest weeds. Miscellany. In the present death of news i', ir.uy per- - haps be acceptable to our readers to pre sent them occasionally with * MUoi^e! of refined sentiment. We have a..-en none more so than the beautiful little production below, from thfe pen of GfcssNEK. It fills the heart with devr* ? tren-,- in con: en)). taring the ?~"hcuuiifC-*;~: scenery of Nature, and contains a lively j and interesting picture of the happiness that springs from the union of two con genial souls in wedlock. It is repute witn that flow of feeling that marks all the writings of its aulhor'. x " THE A V TUMMAL A 10 RAL\ <7 . Already hid the sun's rays gilded the summit of the mountains, and proclaimed the approach of the fairest of autumnal days, when Mi lon placed himself at his window. The sun then shone through the branches of the vine, whose ver dure, mix'd with purple and auro- , ra, formed over trie window a sha dy arbour, tfrat lightly waved to the morning's gentle gale. The sky was serene ; a sea of vapours covcr'd the valley. The highest hills, crown'd with smoking cotta ges, and, with the party colour'd garb of autumn, rose like islands, by the power of the sun's rays, QMt of the bosom of that sea. The trees, loaded with ripening fruits, | presented to the eye asttiking mix ture of a thousand shades of gold j and purple, with some remains of verdure. Milon, in sweet ecsta cy, suffer'd his sight to wander through, the vast extent. Soaie- ! times he heard far off, sometimes near, the joyous bleating of the sheep, the flutes of r':e shepherd*, and the warhlings of the. birds, that by turns pursued each-Othet on the floating gales, or died away in the J vapours of the valley*, Plunged in | a profound contemplation, for a long time he stood motionless ; then, fired with a sudden transport of di vine enthusiasm/-!* seized his lyre, that hung against the wall, and thus he sung : ? ? " Grant, O grant me, Gods ! the power to express my transports and my gratitude, in hymns worthy of you I FulU blown nature now shines forth jn all her charms ; her riches she profusely pours around ; mirth -andriestivity reigns throughout the plains. The prosperous year smiles in our vines and orchards. How beautiful appears this vast cam paign ! How delightful the variega ? ted dress of autumn ! <f Happy the man whose heart feels no remorse : who with his lot j contented, frequently enjoys the de light of doing good. The serenity or the morning invites him to new ' joy : hii days arc full of happiness ; and nigftt finds him in the arms of the sweetest slymbers ; his mind is forever open to the impressions of pleasure ! The various beauties of the seasons enchant' him j and he alone enjoys all the bounties of na ture* c< But doubly bless'd is he who shares his happinest with * compa nion forced by virtue and the graces : with one like thee, my be lov'd Daphne. Since Hymin has united our destinies, tlwc is no felicity that is so delightful ?to me. Yes since Hymen has united our destinies, they are like the concord of two flutes, whose pure and sweet accents repeat the &ame air. Who ever hears them is penetrated with joy. Did my eyes e\?? express a desire that thou dtst not accomplish ? Have <1 ever tasted any iippiness that thou didst not augment ? Did any care ever pursue me to thy arms, that thou didst not dispel, as tue ver l>al 'S'JTl di>prV* t',?c frgs ? 4fcV vnoihtj the c.' cSiai I condveecu thee to my cotuge, I s.iw u?i ilic jovi of lite attend u?y tfain, and ;.oin them-vlves to our hoi*v./ho!fl' I there kt ev*:*co 'tn tic order and elegance, !<*: ide a: d % joy, preside over all oi:r labot.-*" , and the god s v o u r h . - t t o b le is ? ' v undertaking. <c Since liiou hut been tiie iiLur ty of my heart, since thou hast been, mine, O Daphne i all thai surrounds me is become more pleasing co niv sight ; prosperity has rested on my cottage, and dwells among my flocks, my plantations, and m /'har vests. Each day's labour is a new pleasure, and when I retur^fatigued,' to this peaceful roof, how delight ful am I solaced by thy tender assi duity ! Spring now appears more joyous, summer and autumn more rich ; and, when winter covers our habitation with its hoary frost, then before the glowing fire, seated by thy side, I enjoy, in the midst of the most tender cares and pleasing con verse, the delicious pleasures of do- , mestic tranquility. Let the north wind raaje and let storms of snow1 hide the face of all the country from my view ? shut up with thee, my Daphne ! I feel, I more sensibly feel, that thou art all to me : and you, my lovely infant* ! crown'my feltcitv ; adorned with ill the grace* ot your mother* you are to us an earnest of heaverVs unbounded fa- ? vours. The first word* that Daph ne caught you to ltsgt* was? -that you loved me : health and gaiety smile in your features, and sweet compla cency shines already in voujj eves : you are chejoy of our \ourh, and your prosperity wrll be the com fort of oui latter-days* When ve ? turning from the labours of the field, ofMrom guarding my flocks, you m?et me at Che cottage-door with cries of joy } when, hanging on my knees, you receive, with the tran sports of innocent:^, fhe trifling prcr 4 sents of fruit that 1 have gathered, or the little instruments that I have . made, while tending -my flocks, to form your hands, as yet too freWc? to culture the garden pr tho^field. , Qods ! how dotfS the sweet simpli-\ city of your joys delight roe !-*<-Iri transport, O Daphne,- 1 rusk to thy arms, that are open to embrace me > then, with wliat an enchanting grace you kiss away the tears of joy that' flows from my,eyes 1" While he thus sung, Daphne en-, tered, holdirig in each arm an infant, more beautiful than lov* himself. The morning, bathed in resplendent ? dew, is not so charming as was, Daphne, while te&rj of joy ran down her cheek,? O, my love ! she sigh ing said, how happy am 1 1 We arc come ? O we are corhe, to thank thec for thy tender love, ^.t these words, he cla^-'d the lovely infants and their mother in his arms : lost in delight, they could not speak.? Ah, he who at that instant had seen them, must sure hive felt, at wim bottom of his heart, that the virtu ous man alone is happy." . . * . Wit upon the j calamity of the French in, Pari, #? " In France* every thing is seen' through the tri-colored medium. - A mem i?as ftome time ago pausing the Thuillet ies with * white stockings and a red waistcoat. There was nothing wrong so far, but as it happened to bf in winter, the end of his nose was blue, this proved decisive. He was arrested, interrogated and commited. The Minister of Police decided he if as not to be at liberty til! the Spring, to teach him the nature of his offence in having a- blue nose in winter*" 4l; Aristotle being ft iked what it wras to hsvf a sincere friend / he replied, To ipve one ?' and the same soul in two bodies* ..