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CEREMONY OF THE PAPAL BENEDICTION.

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balcony over the grand portals of St. Peter's from which his Holiness was to appear, arranged themselves in order.

At this instant a bell tolled; and throughout the whole of that vast multitude such a silence prevailed, as one would have thought it impossible to produce without a miracle. Every tongue was still, and every eye directed towards the balcony. Suddenly the majestic and venerable figure of the Pope, standing erect upon a lofty and self-moving throne, appeared through clouds of incense burning around him. As he advanced, his form became more and more distinct. All behind was darkness and mystery. The most costly robes decorated his body; a gorgeous tiara glittered on his brow; while enormous plumes were seen waving on all sides of the throne. As he approached the light, with elevated front and uplifted hands, he called aloud on the Almighty. Instantly the bare-headed multitude fell prostrate. Thousands and

tens of thousands knelt before him. The military, with a crash, grounded their arms; and every soldier was seen with his face to the earth. A voice, which penetrated the remotest corner of the area, then pronounced the benediction. Extending his arms, and waving them over the people, he implored a blessing upon all the nations of the earth. Immediately the cannons roared-trumpets screamed-music played-all the bells in Rome sounded. The from St. Angelo poured forth their thunder; guns more distant artillery repeated the signal; and the intelligence became conveyed from fortress to fortress throughout the remotest provinces of the empire.

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In my life I never witnessed a ceremony more awfully sublime. The figure of a virtuous and venerable man, publicly appealing to Divine Providence for a blessing upon the whole human race, is surely an object of the highest reverence. Add to this, the spectacle afforded by assembled myriads silently and fervently assenting to the supplication; and I think few among mankind, whatever systems of religious persuasion may be acknowledged, would hesitate to join in the solemnity.

1. In what city are the church of St. Peter's and the castle of Angelo situated?

2. What Royal Duke is meant by the words His Royal Highness Augustus Frederic?

3. Describe the appearance of the pope.

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VICTORY OF THE NILE.

LESSON CCXIII.

AUGUST THE FIRST.

Victory of the Nile.

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On this day, in 1798, a most important victory was obtained by Sir Horatio Nelson over a French fleet at the mouth of the Nile. The enemy's fleet consisted of thirteen ships of the line, one a first-rate, and four frigates; that of the English was thirteen 74-gun ships and one of 50 guns.

The English admiral, though the day was far spent, made the signal for immediately engaging; and the ships ran into the bay, each anchoring opposite an antagonist. In this operation Captain Trowbridge had the misfortune to run aground, so that his ship could take no part in the action. A tremendous firing commenced, in which the British superiority soon became manifest. The darkness which ensued made the scene more terrible; and the horror was heightened by the destruction of the French admiral's ship, L'Orient, of 112 guns, which took fire, and blew up with a prodigious explosion.

In the morning the result of the great action appeared, in the capture of nine of the French ships of the line and the destruction of two with two frigates. Two ships of the line and two frigates cut their cables and escaped. Admiral Nelson received a severe wound in the head; and the total loss on board the English fleet amounted to 895 killed and wounded.

A more completely successful engagement is not upon record in the British annals; and it placed the brave commander at once in the list of the greatest of his country's naval heroes. Its effects all over Europe, in enhancing the idea of British valour, and giving strength to the antigallican cause, were extraordinary. At home it was received with boundless transport, and honours of every kind were heaped upon the victorious admiral.

The thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and elevation to the peerage, by the appropriate title of Baron Nelson of the Nile, and a pension of two thousand pounds, were among the substantial proofs of his sovereign's and the nation's gratitude. He received also a superb plume of triumph or diamond aigrette, with a rich pelisse, from the Grand Seignior; a portrait set in diamonds and a splendid gold box, with an epistle in his own hand, from the Russian Emperor Paul, and several presents from the kings of Naples and Sardinia.

1. What victory was obtained on this day in 1798? 2. How many ships did the enemy's fleet consist of? 3. What did that of the English consist of?

4. What was the result of this gallant action?

LESSON CCXIV.-AUGUST THE SECOND.
Criticism.

'Tis hard to say if greater want of skill
Appear in writing or in judging ill;
But, of the two, less dangerous is the offence
To tire our patience, than mislead our sense.
Some few in that, but numbers err in this,
Ten censure wrong for one who writes amiss;
A fool might once himself alone expose,
Now one in verse makes many more in prose.
"Tis with our judgments as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.
In poets as true genius is but rare,
True taste as seldom is the critics' share;
Both must alike from heaven derive their light,
These born to judge, as well as those to write.
Let such teach others who themselves excel,
And censure freely who have written well.
Authors are partial to their wit, 'tis true,
But are not critics to their judgment too?

Yet, if we look more closely, we shall find
Most have the seeds of judgment in their mind:
Nature affords at least a glimm'ring light;
The lines, tho' touch'd but faintly, are drawn right.
But as the slightest sketch, if justly traced
Is by ill colouring but the more disgraced,
So by false learning is good sense defaced:
Some are bewilder'd in the maze of schools,
And some made coxcombs Nature meant but fools.
In search of wit these lose their common sense,
And then turn critics in their own defence:
Each burns alike, who can, or cannot write,
Or with a rival's or an eunuch's spite.
All fools have still an itching to deride,
And fain would be upon the laughing side.
If Mævius scribble in Apollo's spite,

There are who judge still worse than he can write. Some have at first for wits, then poets past, Turn'd critics next, and proved plain fools at last.

THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES.

Some neither can for wits nor critics pass,
As heavy mules are neither horse nor ass.
Those half-learn'd witlings, numerous in our isle,
As half-form'd insects on the banks of Nile ;
Unfinish'd things, one knows not what to call,
Their generation's so equivocal:

To tell 'em, would a hundred tongues require,
Or one vain wit's, that might a hundred tire.

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LESSON CCXV. - AUGUST THE THIRD.

The Authority of the Scriptures.

THE great bulk of Christians (observes Dr. Chalmers) have no access to the Bible in its original languages; but they have access to the common translation, and they may be satisfied, by the concurrent testimony of the learned among the different sectaries of this country, that the translation is a good one. We do not confine the principle to critics and translators; we press it upon all. We call upon them not to form their divinity by independent thinking, but to receive it by obedient reading, to take the words as they stand, and submit to the plain English of the Scriptures which lie before them.

It is the office of a translator to give a faithful translation of the original. Now that this faithful representation has been given, it is our part to peruse it with care, and to take a fair and a faithful impression of it. It is our part to purify our understanding of all its previous conceptions. We must bring a free and unoccupied mind to the exercise. It must not be the pride or the obstinacy of self-formed opinions, or the haughty independence of him who thinks he has reached the manhood of his understanding. We must bring with us the docility of a child, if we want to win the kingdom of Heaven. It must not be a partial, but an entire and unexcepted obedience. There must be no garbling of that which is entire, no darkening of that which is luminous, no softening down of that which is authoritative or severe.

The Bible will allow of no compromise. It professes to be the directory of our faith, and claims a total ascendancy over the souls and the understandings of men. It will enter into no composition with us or our principles. It challenges the whole mind as its due, and it appeals to the truth of heaven for the high authority of its sanctions.

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