'If you have been wise and virtuous, Live; for the future benefit of mankind :-and, lastly,
If you hope for immortality, Live; and prepare to enjoy it.'
Let the distressed read and ponder over these arguments, and thenlet them humbly use the prayer which Prior puts in the mouth of Solomon, and expect the same gracious answer :
"Father of Heav'n," I said, " and Judge of Earth!
Whose word called out the universe to birth,
By whose kind pow'r and influencing care
The various creatures move, and live, and are;
But, ceasing once that care, withdrawn that pow'r,
They move, alas! and live, and are no more;
Omniscient Master, omnipresent King,
To thee, to thee my last distress I bring,
Thou that canst still the raging of the seas,
Chain up the winds, and bid the tempests cease,
Redeem my shipwrecked soul from raging gusts
Of cruel passion and deceitful lusts;
From storms of rage and dang'rous rocks of pride,
Let thy strong hand this little vessel guide
(It was thy hand that made it), through the tide
Impetuous of this life; let thy command
Direct my course, and bring me safe to land.
If, while this wearied flesh draws fleeting breath,
Nor satisfy'd with life, afraid of death,
It haply be thy will that I should know
Glimpse of delight, or pause from anxious woe,
From now, from instant now, great Sire! dispel
The clouds that press my soul; from now reveal
A gracious beam of light; from now inspire
My tongue to sing, my hand to touch the lyre;
My opened thought to joyous prospects raise,
And for thy mercy let me sing thy praise:
Or, if thy will ordains I still shall wait
Some new hereafter and a future state,
Permit me strength my weight of woe to bear,
And raise my mind superior to my care.
Let me, howe'er unable to explain
The secret lab'rinths of thy ways to man,
With humble zeal confess thy awful pow'r,
Still, weeping, hope, and, wond'ring, still adore."
And, lo! what sees my ravished eye? what feels
My wond'ring soul? an op'ning cloud reveals
An heav'nly form embody'd and array'd
With robes of light. I heard; the angel said,
"Cease, man, of woman born, to hope relief From daily trouble and continued grief.
This is the series of perpetual woe
Which thou, alas! and thine, are born to know.
Illustrious wretch! repine not, nor reply;
View not what Heav'n ordains with Reason's eye;
Too bright the object is, the distance is too high.
The man who would resolve the work of fate
May limit number and make crooked straight :
Stop thy inquiry, then, and curb thy sense,
Nor let dust argue with Omnipotence.
'Tis God who must dispose, and man sustain-
Born to endure, forbidden to complain :
Thy sum of life must his decrees fulfil;
What derogates from his command is ill,
And that alone is good which centres in his will.
Yet, that thy lab'ring senses may not droop,
Lost to delight, and destitute of hope,
Remark what I, God's messenger, aver
From him who neither can deceive nor err.
Far from thy race distinguished, One shall spring
Greater in act than victor, more than king
In dignity and pow'r; sent down from Heav'n
To succour earth. To him, to him 'tis giv'n
Passion, and care, and anguish, to destroy;
Through him soft peace and plenitude of joy
Perpetual o'er the world redeemed shall flow:
No more may man inquire or angel know.
Now, Solomon, rememb'ring who thou art,
Act through thy remnant life a decent part:
Go forth; be strong; with patience and with care
Perform and suffer; to thyself severe,
Gracious to others, thy desires supprest,
Diffused thy virtues, first of men, be best.
Thy sum of duty let two words contain,
O may they graven in thy heart remain !—
Be humble and be just."-The angel said:
With upward speed his agile wings he spread,
Whilst on the holy ground I prostrate lay,
By various doubts impelled, or to obey
Or to object; at length (my mournful look
Heav'nward erect), determined, thus I spoke :
"Supreme, all-wise, eternal Potentate! Sole author, sole disposer, of our fate!
Enthroned in light and immortality,
Whom no one fully sees, and none cau sec! Original of beings! Power divine!
Since that I live and that I think is thine, Benign Creator! let thy plastic hand Dispose its own effect: let thy command Restore, great Father, thy instructed son, And in my act may thy great will be done!"
ANTIDOTE TO GAMBLING, AS THE OCCASION OF FORGERY AND SUICIDE, DUELLING AND MURDER.ADDRESSED TO THE YOUNG.
'Straight be thy course, nor tempt the maze that leads Where fell Remorse his shapeless strength conceals.' BEATTIE.
Adventurers and Gamblers described-Mischiefs of Gambling -The London Hells-The History of Thurtell, the Murderer of Weare-Vices practised on Board a Man of WarA Gamester's Honour and Honesty-Hardihood of a Murderer-Holberg's Cain, the Fratricide-Reverend Mr. Fletcher's Courage, in disarming a Gamester and a Murderer ~Various Ways of Suicide described by Jay-Family Pride, Avarice, and Parental Tyranny-Edwin and Emma -The sweet Maid of Richmond Hill-Duelling reprobated by Owen and by Rowland Hill.
IT is astonishing that the arm of the law cannot reach the number of adventurers who prey upon each other and the public; who support themselves on the ruin of the young, the thoughtless, and the inexperienced; and whose crimes hurry themselves, but especially the unfortunate subjects of their villainy, to robbery, murder, and suicide. The
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