And while he feasts his ravish'd eye On miracles of earth and sky, With holier fervour bends before the throne Of Him, who by a word alone, Bade all these wonders be, and claims them for his own. XII. Where Science lights upon the earth, The yellow harvests wave: Bids new-created rivers run Along the lands where stream was none, And cities rise, and myriads tread, Had sprung, where darkness and despair How various are the means by which her power Her mighty arm relieves his toiling hour, She wings his vacant hours with joy, With harmony his spirit sooths, When music lulls each stormy feeling, A seraph to his bosom stealing, To bid his sorrows cease, And passion sink to peace Changing his pain to bliss, a heaven on earth revealing. XIII. Where'er she walks, bright Truth appears; And Error flies from sight; And drops the veil, that she had spread, And shake his soul with fears: From Truth's undying torch of light Expands its powers, improves its force, Nor shone to chase one doubt, one fear But man seem'd doom'd to live-to die, With wild and visionary schemes, By Science freed, truth sprang to light, XIV. Upon Chaldea's plains of old, By patriarchal shepherds trod, Science alighted to unfold The wonders of Creation's God. She track'd the orbs that glow'd on high; In cloudless nights they glittered there, As they wheel their course afar. Ev'n the sun itself but seems, Nor winter crystallize the streams : View'd by the glass, the moon unveils Doom'd for some globe, perchance, a bolt of wrath, Remote, yet circling round the sun, Displaying to the astonished eye Innumerable suns that shine; Whose circling planets, at some distant day, Reveal'd by Science to our sight, May shine in regular and bright array ; Brought by the magic tube, through the long realms of night. Oh! wond'rous scene of matchless power! Where countless worlds and systems roll; In silent adoration melts the soul, Or fires it with a spark from realms above, Where reigns the God of power, and never-dying love. XV. These, Science! are thy glorious works, and more, A brighter light on earth thou yet shalt pour, His towering spirit, prouder yet shall rise, Through tracks of knowledge now unsought, unknown; Until with daring wing she sweep the skies, And, freed from earthly bonds, there plants her throne. Aud never from this Isle retreat, Retreat before a second Gothic night, But robe the world and man in rays divinely bright. J. B. ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. LANGUAGE may be defined-the mean of expressing our ideas by verbal signs, formed by various modulations of the voice, by the several organs of speech. "Language," says Blair, "is become a vehicle by which the most delicate and refined emotions of one mind can be transmitted, or, if we may so speak, transfused into another. Not only are names given to all objects around us, by which means an easy and speedy intercourse is carried on for providing the necessaries of life; but all the relations and differences among these objects are minutely marked, the invisible sentiments of the mind are described, the most abstract notions and conceptions are rendered intelligible, and all the ideas which science can discover, or imagination create, are known by their proper names. Nay, language has been carried so far, as to be made an instrument of the most refined luxury. Not resting in mere perspicuity, we require ornament also: not satisfied with having the conceptions of others made known to us, we make a further demand,-to have them so decked and adorned as to entertain our fancy; and this demand it is found very possible to gratify. In this state we now find language. In this state it has been found among many nations for some thousand years. The object is become familiar; and, like the expanse of the firmament, and other great objects, which we are accustomed to behold, we behold it without wonder,"-and, we may add, without the least curiosity concerning its nature, or gratitude to the Supreme Being for so glorious a gift; for it may, perhaps, be truly said, that the opinion that language is of human invention is less and less general. 66 Speech, the great engine of language, is, doubtless, the most ennobling of the corporeal powers of man. Inferior animals have the senses even in greater perfection, and they * In allusion to the Institution. enjoy also considerable intellect. There is not a faculty of the soul denied to them. It is not enough to say that the highest order of brutes equals in mental capacity the lowest order of men. They seem only to want this extraordinary power to surpass us in many respects. It may be often said of them that they look unutterable things. Such considerations alone, if we were more consistent, might rouse to an examination of the subject; and might induce a laudable resolution, in every thoughtful mind, industriously to improve this distinguishing blessing, instead of using it as a trivial boon,-instead of using it because we cannot help it: or, overlooking this consideration, a noble emulation—a spirit of virtuous rivalry-might be expected to impel us to a skilful use of that of which we have such constant need,-of that which contributes so much to our improvement, happiness, and usefulness. Indeed, the study of language has the happiest effect on the mind itself; and of this, some have been so sensible, that it has been a question with them, whether the study of language, or of mathematics, has the more beneficial effect on the intellectual powers, and the greater influence on the character? The able writer, already quoted, has justly said, that, "those who are learning to arrange their sentences with accuracy and order, are learning, at the same time, to think with accuracy and order:" the imagination becomes somewhat chastened, the judgment is employed and improved, and the memory exercised and strengthened; and, it is worthy of remark, that those who have not made language their early study, are those who most loudly complain, in mature years, of the want of memory. Moreover habits of intellectual labour are formed, and the mind thus better capacitated for the discovery, reception, and retention, of knowledge. That language contributes, in a very great degree, to the pleasures and uses of life, no one who has the least taste for science or literature, no one who has a soul capable of friendship, no one who has enjoyed the delights of conversation,—no one who has been captivated by the charms of eloquence, can deny. It is to language we are indebted for the first rudiments of knowledge, as they sweetly distilled from a mother's lips. It is to the same medium we are indebted for the teacher's important lessons, as he introduced us to the pleasant ways and peaceful paths of wisdom. It is to this exquisite means we are indebted for the mutual manifestation of that rapturous feeling which prompted us to select the partners of our lot, and for many of the subsequent and indescribable pleasures of domestic life. It is by this happy method the wants of the distressed are pleaded, and the rights of the injured maintained; the doubts of the enquirer are solved; and the balm of consolation administered to the afflicted bosom. It is |