to liberty and wealth, and the permission to return and build their city and their temple; and they feasted, with instruments of music, and gladness, for seven days, after which, all the principal people prepared for their return, with their children and servants; and Darius sent with them a thousand horsemen, to guard them till they were safely arrived at Jerusalem; and the procession went with the greatest joy and gladness, and with instruments of music playing before them all the way.

In course of time the temple was finished, was dedicated to God, and the passover kept therein, according to the book of Moses; and all was completed by the commandment of God, and with the consent of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, Kings of Persia.

After this account of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the Books of Esdras contain but little which would be interesting to the juvenile reader, there being no further historical event, the remainder consisting of prophecies and visions, which occasion Esdras to admonish the Jews to repentance and sorrow for past offences, and to future hope of forgiveness and mercy through a Messiah; and of allegorical allusions to their present actions and conduct, much of which he severely reprobates. One of those beautiful poetical descriptions (of

which there are many), shall be here introduced, and that will conclude the extracts from the Books of Esdras.

Esdras having been commanded by God to repair to a field of flowers, where no house was built, and to abstain from eating any thing but those flowers for a certain period, to prepare him for a visitation of the spirit, did as he was ordered, and went away into a field named Ardath, and sat amongst the flowers, which he found satisfied his hunger, and meditated on the instructions which it might be the will of God there to give him, or what revelations he might be inspired with.

Whilst deeply engaged in such ruminations, and inwardly offering up his prayers to heaven, he happened to look back, and on the right hand from where he stood, saw a woman, who appeared to be in the greatest affliction, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, was much grieved in heart, her clothes were rent, and she had ashes upon her head.

Upon this sight, the prophet was roused from his reflexions, and turning to her, asked in a voice of soothing kindness, the cause of the grievous affliction she was in? But she answered that it was her wish to be alone, that she might with more freedom lament her misfortunes, and begged that

he would not add to her misfortunes by intrusion, for that her sorrows were very severe, and that in consequence she was brought low. The compassionate Esdras could not however be prevailed on to desist from an endeavour to comfort her, and again requested to be made acquainted with what had occurred to give her such great trouble, in the hope that he might be enabled to render her some assistance.

She then informed him that she had been married thirty years, without having had any family, and that she had never ceased praying all that time, that God would bless her with a son; at length her prayer was heard, she became the mother of a male child, and herself, her husband, and all her neighbours and friends rejoiced exceedingly, and returned God thanks for the blessing he had bestowed upon her. This son (which she had nursed with the tenderest care) she continued, grew up, and when of an age to marry, she had selected him a wife, and had made a great feast for the marriage entertainment, but that when her son retired into his wedding chamber, he suddenly fell down and died.

That on this dreadful calamity all the lights were overthrown, and all her neighbours came to comfort her under her affliction; and on the second night (which was the one on which she was

speaking), thinking to leave her to repose, her friends had withdrawn, when she had risen up softly and fled into this field, where it was her intention to remain, never intending again to return to her home, but continue there to fast and bewail her loss, till death should release her from her sufferings.

Esdras reproved her very severely for having taken such an improper resolution, telling her that sorrow and mourning was the lot of human nature, and that it was wrong to give way to such despair for the loss of one son. "For even ask the earth (he said), and she shall tell thee, that it is she that ought to mourn, for the fall of so many that grow upon her." "Who then should make more mourning than she who has lost so great a multitude, and not thou, which are sorry but for one?" It may be answered, Esdras continued, that the lamentation of the earth cannot be like that of a tender mother, for the loss of an only child; but the earth bringeth forth with labour, and hath given her fruit, namely, man, from the beginning unto him who made her." He therefore exhorted her to bear her sorrow with firmness and courage, to acknowledge the determination of God, to be just, that in time she could be again united to her beloved son, and here be commended amongst women; and further advised her to return immediately into the city to her husband.

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This however she positively refused to do, saying, she would die there, where she then was.

Esdras again expostulated with her, but it came to pass that whilst he was yet talking to her, he looked on her face, when suddenly it shone exceedingly bright, and her countenance glittered, so that he was afraid of her, and wondered what she might be. "And suddenly she made a great cry, very fearful, so that the earth shook at the noise of the woman." And looking again, the woman had vanished, but a large city stood on the spot where he had seen and conversed with her, complete from its foundations.

Terrified and astonished, Esdras prayed for the support of God, and for wisdom to comprehend the mystery which he had witnessed, which was thus expounded to him: he was visited by the angel Uriel, who was permitted by God to instruct him, and he informed him, that the form of the vision he had seen under the appearance of a woman mourning for her only son, was to represent the City of Sion; that for thirty years there had been no offerings made there, which explained her saying she had been that length of time contantly praying for a son; after that time Solomon built the city and offered offerings; that was the son she said was then born, and the account she gave of the untimely death of her son, was explained