public will give me a bond to employ me when I am ready to serve them. Till such a bond is signed, sealed, and delivered, I shall set my hours to the tune of "Jack's alive." To-day's the ship I sail in, and that will carry the flag, in spite of the combined powers of yesterdays and to-morrows.

How. Well, Lester, you can take your choice. I shall set my hours to a more serious tune. I ask no bond of the public. If my mind is well furnished with knowledge, and that same generous public, which has so uniformly called to her service the discerning, should refuse my services, still I shall possess a treasure, which, after a few years of dissipation, you would give the world to purchase, THE RECOLLECTION OF TIME WELL SPENT.

CHRIST'S CRUCIFIXION.

OW darkness fell

On all the region round; the shrouded
From the impen'tent earth withdrew his light:
I thirst, the Saviour cry'd; and lifting up
His eyes in agony, My God, my God!
Ah! why hast thou forsaken me? exclaim'd.
Yet deem him not forsaken of his God!
Beware that error. Twas the mortal part
Of his compounded nature, breathing forth
Its last sad agony, that so complain'd:
Doubt not that vail of sorrow was withdrawn,
And heav'nly comfort to his soul vouchsaf'd,
Ere thus he cry'd, Father! into thy hands
My spirit I commend. Then bow'd his head
And died. Now Gabriel and his heavenly choir
Of minist'ring angels hov'ring o'er the cross
Receiv'd his spirit, at length from mortal pangs
And fleshly pris'n set free, and bore it thence
Upon their wings rejoicing. Then behold

sun

A prodigy,

A prodigy, that to the world announc'd
A new religion and dissolv'd the old :
The temple's sacred vail was rent in twain
From top to bottom, 'midst th' attesting shocks
Of earthquake and the rending up of graves.
Now those mysterious symbols, heretofore
Curtain'd from vulgar eyes, and holiest deem'd
Of holies, were display'd to public view:
The mercy-seat, with its cherubic wings
O'ershadow'd, and the golden ark beneath
Cov'ring the testimony, now through the rent
Of that dissever'd vail first saw the light;
A world redeem'd had now no farther need
Of types and emblems, dimly shadowing forth
An angry Deity withdrawn from sight

And canopied in clouds. Him, face to face,
Now in full light reveal'd, the dying breath
Of his dear Son appeas'd, and purchas'd peace
And reconcilement for offending man.

Thus the partition wall, by Moses built,
By Christ was levell'd, and the Gentile world
Enter'd the breach, by their great Captain led
Up to the throne of grace, opening himself
Through his own flesh a new and living way.
Then were the oracles of God made known
To all the nations, sprinkled by the blood
Of Jesus, and baptiz'd into his death;
So was the birthright of the elder born,
Heirs of the promise, forfeited; whilst they,
Whom sin had erst in bondage held, made free
From sin, and servants of the living God,
Now gain'd the gift of God, eternal life.

Soon as those signs and prodigies were seen Of those who watch'd the cross, conviction smote Their fear-struck hearts. The sun, at noon day dark: The earth convulsive underneath their feet, And the firm rocks, in shiver'd fragments rent, Rous'd them at once to tremble and believe. Then was our Lord by heathen lips confess'd,

When

When the centurion cry'd, In very truth
This righteous person was the Son of God;
The rest, in heart assenting, stood abash'd,
Watching in silence the tremendous scene.
The recollection of his gracious acts,

His dying pray'rs and their own impious taunts
Now rose in sad review; too late they wish'd
The deed undone, and sighing, smote their breasts.
Straight from God's presence went that angel forth,
Whose trumpet shall call up the sleeping dead
At the last day, and bade the saints arise
And come on earth to hail this promis'd hour,
The day-spring of salvation. Forth they came
From their dark tenements, their shadowy forms
Made visible as in their fleshly state,

And through the holy city here and there
Frequent they gleam'd, by night, by day with fear
And wonder seen of many : holy seers,
Prophets and martyrs from the grave set free,
And the first fruits of the redeemed dead.

They, who with Christ transfigur'd on the mount
Were seen of his disciples in a cloud

Of dazzling glory, now, in form distinct,
Mingling amidst the public haunts of men,
Struck terror to all hearts: Ezekiel there,
The captive seer, to whom on Chebar's banks
The heavens were open'd and the fatal roll
Held forth, with dire denunciations fill'd
Of lamentation, mourning and of woe,
Now falling fast on Israel's wretched race:
He too was there, Hilkiah's holy son,

With loins close girt, and glowing lips of fire
By God's own finger touch'd: there might be seen
The youthful prophet, Belteshazzar nam'd
Of the Chaldees, interpreter of dreams,
Knowledge of God bestow'd, in visions skill'd,
And fair, and learn'd, and wise: the Baptist here,
Girt in his hairy mantle, frowning stalk'd,
And pointing to his ghastly wound, exclaim'd,

Ye

Ye vipers! whom my warning could not move
Timely to flee from the impending wrath

Now fallen on your head; whom I indeed
With water, Christ hath now with fire baptiz'd :
Barren ye were of fruits, which I prescrib'd
Meet for repentance, and behold! the axe
Is laid to the unprofitable root

Of every sapless tree, hewn down, condemn'd
And cast into the fire. Lo! these are they,
These shadowy forms now floating in your sight,
These are the harbingers of ancient days,
Who witness'd the Messias, and announc'd
His coming upon earth.

Mark with what scorn

Silent they pass you by: them had ye heard,
Them had ye noted with a patient mind,
Ye had not crucified the Lord of Life:

He of these stones to Abraham shall raise up
Children, than you more worthy of his stock;
And now his winnowing fan is in his hand,
With which he'll purge his floor, and having stor❜d
The precious grain in garners, will consume
With fire unquenchable the refuse chaff.

THE WONDERS OF NATURE.

How

OW mighty how majestic! and how mysterious are nature's works! When the air is calm, where sleep the stormy winds? In what chambers are they reposed, or in what dungeons confined? But when He, "who holds them in his fist," is pleased to awaken their rage, and throw open their prison doors, then, with irresistible impetuosity, they rush forth, scattering dread, and menacing destruction.

The atmosphere is hurled into the most tumultuous confusion. The aerial torrent bursts its way over mountains, seas, and continents. All things feel the dreadful shock. All things tremble before the furious blast. The forest, vexed and torn, groans under the scourge.

G 2

Her

Her sturdy sons are strained to the very root, and almost sweep the soil they were wont to shade. The stubborn oak, that disdains to bend, is dashed headlong to the ground; and with shattered arms, with prostrate trunk, blocks up the road. While the flexile reed, that springs up in the marsh, yielding to the gust, (as the meek and pliant temper, to injuries, or the resigned and patient spirit, to misfortunes) eludes the force of the storm, and survives amidst the wide-spread havoc.

For a moment, the turbulent and outrageous sky seems to be assuaged; but it intermits its warmth, only to increase its strength. Soon the sounding squadrons of the air return to the attack, and renew their ravages with redoubled fury. The stately dome rocks amidst the wheeling clouds. The impregnable tower totters on its basis, and threatens to overwhelm whom it was intended to protect. The ragged rocks are rent in pieces; and even the hills, the perpetual hills, on their deep foundations are scarcely secure. Where now is

the place of safety? when the city reels, and houses become heaps! Sleep affrighted flies. Diversion is turned into horror. All is uproar in the elements; all is consternation among mortals; and nothing but one wide scene of rueful devastation through the land.

The ocean swells with tremendous commotions. The ponderous waves are heaved from their capacious bed, and almost lay bare the unfathomable deep. Flung into the most rapid agitation, they sweep over the rocks; they lash the lofty cliffs, and toss themselves into the clouds. Navies are rent from their anchors; and, with all their enormous load, are whirled swift as the arrow, wild as the winds, along the vast abyss. Now they climb the rolling mountain; they plough the frightful ridge; and seem to skim the skies. Anon they plunge into the opening gulf; they lose the sight of day; and are lost themselves to every eye.

How vain is the pilot's art; how impotent the mariner's strength!"They reel to and fro, and stagger