their sins, shall depart to misery, while all who bid farewell to time in a state of intimacy with God, shall POETRY. MONODY immediately enter into untold happi- On the Death of the Rev. WALTER GRIFFITH, a venerable Christian Minister. Beati sunt, qui in Domino moriantur! ness; not in any of the distant or The following texts may be considered as a specimen of what this heaven-inspired volume says on this interesting subject, to preserve all rational persons from unprofitable speculations in a matter of such vast moment. I do not deem it necessary to fill your pages with the words, the reference being judged sufficient for that part of the public, that will be likely to peruse this paper. It is presumed (and joy arises from the presumption) that all who read the instructive pages of the "Imperial Magazine," not only possess these unfailing records which the grace of God has furnished, and frequently read them, but that they will feel it no toil to turn to the places mentioned, and read them carefully, with their preceding and succeeding contents. With this hope, I mention the following texts :2 Kings ii. 11. Luke xvi. 22, 23, 24, 28. Chap. xxiii. 43. John xvii. 24. Acts vii. 59. Romans v. 2. 2 Cor. v. 8. Phil. i. 23. and Heb. xi. 14, 16. On the whole, it is infinitely important that we seek with all our souls that full salvation for which Christ died, which is freely offered in the word, and without which none can enter into eternal joy. All beyond this is unprofitable speculation, and the most plausible theory can afford no ground of certainty.-I am yours, &c. Inverness, 1825. R. TABRAHAM. Down from the vast and illumin'd skies eye, A solemn stillness reigneth around, But there are some, who, startled from sleep, And wan grief hath clouded their brow. To thee, O Griffith, in death it was given, And swelled with freeing agonies, Thou art not forgotten, O sacred dust! Shall bring from its cells an embalmed sigh; Till their moveless dust reclines on its bier; Q.Q.Q. THE SMUGGLERS. THE winds loud blow, the waves high beat, Yet still the moon at times will peep, And lucid paint the foaming waves; The night birds join their horrid shriek, And winds disturb the watery graves; But see the solitary bark, That stems the tempest drear and dark, And dashes through the rising waves. She reaches now her much-wish'd port, Unlades her treasures on the strand, No look-out there, nor threatening fort, To interrupt the hardy band; Again the vet'rans put to sea, While comrades with the booty flee, And all is done as it was plann'd. THE RUINED ABBEY. (By W. M. HIGGINS.) Now risen, mistress of the night, Dimly you shine, yet sweet delight You throw upon the scenery fair; The circling hills would seem to pierce The low'ring clouds that thicken there, And aim a tempest wild and fierce. The winds now rise, now whistle by, And shake the elms that flourish nigh, While now and then the moon will peep, And lighten round the ivy'd wall, Herself withdraws, in silence deep, Yet louder still the tempests blow, The thunder rolls with awful sound, The tempest o'er the pale wan moon Again unmantled, shining high, Clouds now disperse, and wanton fly, The moonbeams on the abbey fall. "TIS now the midnight hour, thick darkness spreads Her sable mantle over half the world, And silence reigns,-save when the watch dog's yell Breaks on the still of night, or shrieking owl Is heard continuous,-yet, lo! e'en now The sounds of footsteps fall upon mine ear, And there's a moving light that shines afar, Which gives the gloom around a darker hue! Nearer it comes-and by its glimmering rays, I mark the funeral pall of one who fell By the grim tyrant at the bud of morn! (In youth he fell, and left a hapless oneA widow'd wife-whose tears e'en now bedew Her husband's image in one infaut son.) With hurried steps the "bearers' along, move As though half fearful, lest the air around Should be infected with the dire contagion. Quick to the grave they bear their burden straight, Whose hungry jaws close on its victim soon,While sounds no solemn knell,-nor is there Proclaims aloud, that mortals are but dust! Yet we shall rise again on that dread morn Now known to none,-when at th' Eternal's word Myriads shall start to life,-and yon vile dust, Disrobed of earth, and brightly clothed in glory; Shall join the angelic hosts-whose chant shall be, "O death, where is thy sting? Grave, where thy victory?" Highworth, April 12, 1825. BIRTH-DAY LINES, March 1st, 1825. AGAIN the circling months bring round the day We see them pass, but have I them improv'd Alas! my love and knowledge, small the sum, The num'rous sins with added years have come; Feeble my best resolves, my purpose weak, But there's a nobler day of glorious birth, When the glad soul shall quit the cumbrous earth, Transporting day, and ever blissful sound! Till then, the signal's given, thou God of love, In ways of wisdom make me swiftly move; Nor yield to Satan's snares, nor nature's sway, Which leads the careless soul so oft astray. But blest with guidance, bright from heaven's high' throne, I'll trust thy faithfulness, and journey on, H. THE CONVICT. (Written after witnessing the Execution of Fergusson.) "His bark's at anchor,-its sails are furl'd, In the haven of peace is riding." HE stept to meet his final foe, Yet he look'd as calm as ever; His God was there to support him; And he knew that soon to the blissful bow'r Ethereal forms would escort him. Yet, who can say what his soul endur'd, While he heard his own death-knell; And saw the light which on him pour'd, As he came from the chilling cell! Perhaps he once had enjoy'd the dream Of his childhood's hours, and mus'd beside The bending branch, o'er the noisy stream, As the colours of ev'ning died; And had felt that ecstasy which flows From the seeing eye and the feeling heart; As he gaz'd on the beauteous tint that glows, When the rays of the sun depart. But now all was nought, his view was where And his lips they mov'd in prayer; Yes, he fell from this earth to heav'n: How his mother's heart is riven. The dam from her offspring parted: EPITAPH on the Monument erected to the BORN to command, to conquer, and to spare, name. In vain this frail memorial friendship rears; THE NETTLE.~(A FABLE.) Look but abroad! there's not a blade Mark yonder unsuspecting child, Yes, doubtless! when by sin betray'd, He loves the wrong, and spurns the right; See, see! Religion's heavenly form Ah no! he treads her paths awhile, And hopes to share her constant smile; But when she talks of self subdued, Of passions quell'd and pride withstood, Of daily crosses, anxious cares, Continual watchings, constant pray'rs, Of Satan's wiles, and Satan's pow'r, Of dark temptation's trying hour, Denials frequent, inward strife, And all the Christian warrior's life; And when she says, contempt and scorn With patient meekness must be borne, Content from ev'ry thing to part That's near and dear unto his heart; Ev'n life itself he must resign, (If God require,) and not repine. He shrinks ;the prices he dares not pay, But deeply sighs, and turns away! The terms he marks as too severe, And deems the heavenly maid austere: And soon in pleasure's giddy round Her warning voice once more is drown'd. Fool! had he firmly onward press'd, Success his efforts would have bless'd; For those who seek with honest mind, And faith sincere, will surely find; And ev'ry trial, borne aright, Will strengthen for each future fight. Subdued desires content had giv'n, Whate'er the lot assign'd by Heav'n! His passions quell'd, and humbled pride, (Oh rich exchange!) had peace supplied; And all his crosses, all his cares, All bis temptations, watchings, prayers, Permitted by his God to prove How strong his faith, how great his love! These would but exercise the soul, And bring it nearer to its goal! Oh, then the present hour embrace! Begin that arduous, glorious race! For know, a crown, the winner's prize, Awaits thee far above the skies; And He who for thy ransom bled Shall place that crown upon thy head! THE MISSIONARY'S DEPARTURE. (Lines addressed to G. BENNETT, Esq. of the London Missionary Deputation, on his Visit to the South Seas.) By J. MONTGOMERY, Esq. And where his Spirit bids thee dwell, Forsake thy father-land, Kindred, and friends, and pleasant home; Launch boldly on the surge; Thy path through flood and tempest urge, Then tread, like him, a new world's shore, Leave our Jerusalem, Jehovah's temple and his rest: Go, where no Sabbath brake on them Whom Pagan gloom oppress'd, Till bright, though late, around their isles The Gospel-dawn awoke in smiles : Amidst that dawn from far, Be thine expected presence shown, And tell them, when they hail the sight, Tell them, His hovering rays Ere long o'er heaven and earth to blaze; The Sun of Righteousness, who brings Nor thou disdain to teach To savage bordes, celestial truth- Till warriors fling their arms aside, Train them, by patient toil, To rule the waves, subdue the ground, Thus then in peace depart, And angels guide thy footsteps!-No: Though the wide world between Yet one in soul-and one In faith, and hopes, and purpose yet- Those from whose eyes his orb retires, When tropic gloom returns, While these enchant thine eye, Those hours, those walks are past! Farewell! we surely meet again In life or death --Farewell, till then! WE are pleased with the conviction, that Mr. Dick, in the volume before us, has conferred a benefit on mankind. To the rising generation it will prove essentially advantageous, by compressing a fund of information within a narrow compass; and multitudes who have reached the years of maturity, by perusing this work, will have an opportunity of augmenting their store of knowledge. It is not to be understood, that the author of this publication lays claim to an exclusive originality of thought, or pretends to explore regions over which no predecessor has ever travelled. On the contrary, he has availed himself of long established truths, bas enriched his pages by the researches of others, and placed before his readers the result of laborious experiments, and tedious calculations, without puzzling them with the perplexity of either process. Many truths and scientific facts, which are here preIsented to our view, the author has collected from the voluminous writings of his contemporaries and precursors; and a considerable portion of his merit consists in the care of selection, the order of arrangement, and that condensation of expression, which assists comprehension, without infringing on perspicuity. Many striking observations are, however, purely original both in thought and language, so that they at once communicate new ideas, and impart lustre to others with which the understanding has been somewhat familiar. The work itself is the production of a mind extensively illuminated with science, and seriously impressed with the truths of revelation, through which it has been taught "To look through nature up to nature's God." The author's primary design appears to be, that of connecting the result of scientific research with the pure principles of the sacred writings, so that while the mind is irradiated with the beams of the former, it should be led to consider it as subordinate to the latter, both aiming at the same *The constellation called Crux, or the Crosiers. point, and mutually co-operating to |