Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

"Swift as a shadow; short as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth;
And, ere a man hath power to say, ' Behold!'
The jaws of darkness do devour it up."

Those persons will not contemplate this subject in vain who look through the uncertainty of terrestrial to the durability of celestial things, and while they learn from their reflections, that "all on earth is shadow" are led to the far more important consideration, that "all beyond is substance."

THE GOSPEL ECHO.

The following Verses were found in a pew in the church of Kirkbean, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Of the author we know nothing: but judging from the hand-writing, we should suppose them to be the production of some female whose ear is not only tuned to song, but whose heart is also warmed by the best feelings that belong to a christian.

True faith, producing love to God and man—
Say, echo, is not this the gospel plan?
Echo-The gospel plan.

Must I my faith in Jesus constant shew,
By doing good to all, both friend and foe?
Echo-Both friend and foe.

When men combine to hate and treat me ill,
Must I return them good, and love them still?
Echo-Love them still.

If they my failings causelessly reveal,
Must I their faults as carefully conceal?
Echo As carefully conceal.

But if my name and character they tear,
And cruel malice too, too plain appear;

And when I sorrow and affliction know,
They love to add unto my cup of woe;
Say, echo, say, in such peculiar case,
Must I continue still to love and bless ?

Echo Still to love and bless.

Why, echo! how is this? Thou'rt sure a dove,
Thy voice will leave me nothing else but love.
Echo-Nothing else but love.

Amen-with all my heart then-be it so-
And now to practice I'll directly go-
Echo Directly go.

This path be mine! and let who will reject,
My gracious God me surely will protect.
Echo-Surely will protect,

Henceforth on HIM I'll cast my every care,
And friends and foes embrace them all in prayer.
Echo Embrace them all in prayer.

THE GREAT STORM.

(From a Contemporary.)

By the late tempest we are reminded of that tremendous hurricane in 1703, which when spoken of, is emphatically called the Great Storm. Both storms are alike remarkable for having occurred in the month of November. The great storm of 1703 was at its height on the 27th, the late one on the 29th of the month. In each the wind blew from the same quarter.

The fearful tempest of 1703 was preceded by a strong west wind, which set in about the middle of the month; and every day, and almost every hour, increased in force until the 24th, when it blew furiously, occasioned much

alarm, and some damage was sustained. On the 25th, and through the night following, it continued with unusual violence. On the morning of Friday, the 26th, it raged so fearfully, that only few people had courage to venture abroad. Towards evening it rose still higher; the night setting in with excessive darkness, added general horror to the scene, and prevented any from seeking security abroad from their homes, had that been possible. The extraordinary power of the wind created a noise, hoarse and dreadful, like thunder, which carried terror to every ear, and appalled every heart. There were also appearances in the heavens that resembled lightning. "The air," says a writer at the time, "was full of meteors and fiery vapours;" yet, he adds, "I am of opinion, that there was really no lightning, in the common acceptation of the term; for the clouds, that flew with such violence through the air, were not to my observation such as are usually freighted with thunder and lightning; the hurries nature was then in do not consist with the system of thunder." Some imagined the tempest was accompanied with an earthquake. "Horror and confusion seized upon all, whether on shore or at sea; no pen can describe it, no tongue can express it, no thought can conceive it, unless theirs who were in the extremity of it; and who, being touched with a due sense of the sparing mercy of their Maker, retain the deep impressions of his goodness upon their minds, though the danger be past. To venture abroad was to rush into instant death, and to stay within afforded no other prospect than that of being buried under the ruins of a falling habitation. Some in their distraction did the former, and met death in the streets; others the latter, and in their own houses received their final doom." 123 persons were killed by the falling of dwellings; amongst these were the bishop of Bath and Wells (Dr. Richard Kidder) and his lady, by the fall of part of the episcopal palace of Wells; and lady Penelope Nicholas, sister to the bishop of London, at Horsley, in Sussex. Those who perished in the waters, in the floods of the Se

vern and the Thames, on the coast of Holland, and in ships blown away and never heard of afterwards, are computed to have amounted to 8,000.

66

All ranks and degrees were affected by this amazing tempest, for every family that had anything to lose lost something; land, houses, churches, corn, trees, rivers, all were disturbed or damaged by its fury; small buildings were for the most part wholly swept away, as chaff before the wind." Above 800 dwelling-houses were laid in ruins. Few of those that resisted escaped from being unroofed, which is clear from the prodigious increase in the price of tiles, which rose from 21s. to 67. the thousand. About 2000 stacks of chimneys were blown down in and about London. When the day broke, the houses were mostly stripped, and appeared like so many skeletons. The con

sternation was so great that trade and business were suspended, for the first occupation of the mind was so to repair the houses that families might be preserved from the inclemency of the weather in the rigorous season. The streets were covered with brickbats, broken tiles, signs, bulks, and penthouses.

The lead which covered 100 churches, and many public buildings, was rolled up, and hurled in prodigious quantities to distances almost incredible; spires and turrets of many others were thrown down. Innumerable stacks of corn and hay were blown away, or so torn and scattered as to receive great damage.

Multitudes of cattle were lost. In one level in Gloucestershire, on the banks of the Severn, 15,000 sheep were drowned. Innumerable trees were torn up by the roots; one writer says that he himself numbered 17,000 in part of the county of Kent alone, and that, tired with counting, he left off reckoning.

The damage in the city of London only, was computed at near 2,000,000/. At Bristol it was 200,0002. In the whole, it was supposed that the loss was greater than that produced by the great fire of London, 1666, which was estimated at 4,000,000l.

The greater part of the navy was at sea, and if the storm had not been at its height at full flood, and in a spring tide, the loss might have been nearly fatal to the nation. It was so considerable that 15 or 16 men-of-war were cast away, and more than 2000 seamen perished. Few merchantmen were lost; for most of those that were driven to sea were safe. Rear-admiral Beaumont, with a squadron then lying in the Downs, perished with his own and several other ships on the Goodwin Sands.

The ships lost by the storm were estimated at 300. In the river Thames only 4 ships remained between London bridge and Limehouse, the rest being driven below, and lying there miserably beating against one another. 500 wherries, 300 ship-boats, and 100 lighters and barges, were entirely lost; and a much greater number received considerable damage. The wind blew from the western seas, which preventing many ships from putting to sea, and driving others into harbour, occasioned great numbers to escape destruction.

The Eddystone lighthouse, near Plymouth, was precipi tated in the surrounding ocean, and with it Mr. Winstanley, the architect by whom it was contrived, and the people who were with him.-"Having been frequently told that the edifice was too slight to withstand the fury of the winds and waves, he was accustomed to reply contemptuously, that he only wished to be in it when a storm should happen. Unfortunately his desire was gratified. Signals of distress were made, but in so tremendous a sea no vessel could live, or venture to put off for their relief."

The amazing strength and rapidity of the wind are evidenced by the following well authenticated circumstances. Near Shaftesbury a stone of nearly 400lbs. weight, which had lain for some years fixed in the ground, fenced by a bank with a low stone wall upon it, was lifted up by the wind, and carried into a hollow way, distant at least seven yards from the place. This is mentioned in a sermon preached by Dr. Samuel Stennett, in 1788. Dr. Andrew Gifford, in a sermon preached at Little Wylde-street, on

« AnteriorContinuar »