!

19. Here is an argument of infinite weight for the cultiva tion of your intellectual and moral powers. If you who possess these powers were destined, after spending a few days on earth, to fall into non-existence; if there were nothing in you which death cannot destroy, nor the grave cover, there would indeed be but little inducement to cultivate your minds. "For who would take pains to trim a taper which shines but for a moment, and can never be lighted again?"

29. But if you have minds which are capable of endless progression in knowledge, of endless approximation® to the supreme intelligence; if in the midst of unremitting success, objects of new interest will be forever opening before you O what prospects are presented to your view! What strong inducements to cultivate your mind and heart, and to enter R upon that course of improvement here, which is to run on, brightening in glory and in bliss, ages without end.-Hawes.

CHAPTER VIII.

PROMISCUOUS PIECES.

SECTION 1.

*The incidents of a Voyage across the Atlantic.

1. To an American visiting Europe, the long voyage he has to make is an excellent preparative. From the moment you lose sight of the land you have left, all is vacancy until you step on the opposite shore, and are launched at once into the bustle and novelties of another world, .

2.. I have said that at sea all, is vacancy. I should correct the expression. To one given up to day-dreaming, and fond of losing himself in reveries, a sea voyage is full of subjects for meditation; but then they are the wonders of the deep, and of the air, and rather tend to abstract the mind from worldly themes. I delighted to loll over the quarter-railing, or climb to the main-top on a calm day, and muse for hours together on the tranquil bosom of a summer's sea; or to gaze upon the piles of golden clouds just peering above the horizon, fancy them some fairy realms, and people them with a creation of my own, or to watch the gentle undulating billows rolling their silver volumes, as if to die away on those happy shores.

3. There was a delicious sensation of mingled security and awe, with which I looked down from my giddy height on the Ap-prox-i-nation, a near approach. c Rev'-e-ries, loose thoughts.

In ci-dents, things that happen.

monsters of the deep at their uncouth gambols,—shoals of porpoises tumbling about the bow of the ship,-the grampus slowly heaving his huge form above the surface,-or the ra venous shark, darting like a specter through the blue wa ters. My imagination would conjure up all that I had heard or read of the watery world beneath me; of the finny herds that ream its fathomless valleys; of shapeless monsters that lurk among the very foundations of the earth; and those wild phantasms that swell the tales of fishermen and sailors. 4. Sometimes a distant sail, gliding along the edge of the ocean, would be another theme of idle speculation. How interesting this fragment of a world, hastening to rejoin the great mass of existence! What a glorious monument of human invention, that has thus triumphed over wind and wave; has brought the ends of the earth in communion; has established an interchange of blessings, pouring into the sterile regions of the north, all the luxuries of the south; diffused the light of knowledge and the charities u. ivated life; and has thus bound together those scattered pores of the hnman race, between which nature seems to have thrown an insurmountable barrier!"

5. We one day descried some shapeless object drifting at a distance. At sea, every thing that breaks the monotony⚫ of the surrounding expanse, attracts attention. It proved to be the mast of a ship that must have been completely wreck. ed; for there were the remains of handkerchiefs, by which some of the crew had fastened themselves to this spar, to prevent their being washed off by the waves. There was no trace by which the name of the ship could be ascertained. The wreck had evidently drifted about for many months: clusters of shell-fish had fastened about it, and long sea-weeds flaunted at its sides. But where, thought I, is the crew?Their struggle has long been over; they have gone down amidst the roar of the tempest; their bones lie whitening in the caverns of the deep. Silence-oblivion, like the waves, has closed over them, and no one can tell the story of their end.

6. What sighs have been wafted after that ship! what prayers offered up at the deserted fire-side of home! How often has the mistress, the wife, and the mother, poured over the daily news to catch some casual' intelligence of this rover of the deep! How has expectation darkened into anxietyanxiety into dread-and dread into despair! Alas! not one

mémento shall ever return for love to cherish. All that shall ever be known is, that she sailed from her port, “and was never heard of more."

7. The sight of the wreck, as usual, gave rise to many dismal anecdotes. This was particularly the case in the evening, when the weather, which had hitherto been fair, began to look wild and threatening, and gave indications of one of those sudden storms that will sometimes break in upon the serenity of a summer voyage. As we sat round the dull light of a lamp, in the cabin, that made the gloom more għastly, every one had his tale of shipwreck and disaster. I was particularly struck with a short one related by the captain.

8. "As I was once sailing," said he, "in a fine stout ship across the banks of Newfoundland, one of the heavy fogs that prevail in those parts rendered it impossible for me to see far a-head, even in the day time; but at night the weather was so thick that we could not distinguish any object at twice the length of our ship. I kept lights at the mast-head, and a constant watch forward to look out for fishing-smacks, which are accustomed to lie at anchor on the banks. The wind was blowing a smacking breeze, and we were going a a great rate through the water.

9. "Suddenly the watch gave the alarm of 'a sail a-head!' but it was scarcely uttered till we were upon her. She was a small schooner at anchor, with her broadside toward us.The crew were all asleep, and had neglected to hoist a light. We struck her just a-mid-ships. The force, the size, and the weight of our vessel, bore her down below the waves; we passed over her, and were hurried on our course.

10. "As the crashing wreck was sinking beneath us, I had a glimpse of two or three half-naked wretches, rushing from hcr cabin: they had just started from their beds to be swallowed shrieking by the waves. I heard their drowning cry mingling with the wind. The blast that bore it to our ears, swept us out of all further hearing. I shall never forget that rry! It was some time before we could put the ship about, she was under such headway. We returned, as nearly as we could judge, to the place where the smack was anchored.We cruised about for several hours in the dense fog. We fired several guns, and listened if we might hear the halloo of any survivors; but all was silent-we never heard nor saw any thing of them more!"

11. It was a fine sunny morning when the thrilling cry of "land!" was given from the mast-head. I question whether

An'ec-dotes, short stories.

iren-, calmnose, clearness

Dense, close, thick

sound of his voice her eve darted on his features, it read:nt once a whole volume of sorrow: she clasped her hands, uttered a faint shrick and stood wringing them in silent agony

16. All now was hurry and bustle---the meeting of acquainTances-the greetings of friends--the consultation of men of business. I alone was solitary and idle. I had no friend to meet, no Cheering to receive. I stepped upon the land of my forefathers but felt that I was a stranger in the land. W. Irving

SECTION II.

escription of a Thunder Storm on the Highlands of the Ild

son?

1. It was the latter part of a calm, sultry day, that we doated gently with the tide, between those stern mountains, the highlands of the Hudson. There was that perfect quiet which prevails over nature in the languor of summer leat the turning of a plank, or the accidental falling of an oar on deck, was echoed from the mountain side, and reverberated along the shores; and if by chance the captain gave a shout of command, there were airy tongues that mocked it from every cliff.

2. I gazed about me in mute delight and wonder, at these scenes of nature's magnificence. To the left the Dunderberg reared its woody precipices, height over height, forest over forest, away into the deep summer sky... To the right strutted forth the bold promontory of Antony's Nose, with a solitary eagle wheeling about it, while beyond, mountain succeeded to mountain, until they seemed to lock their arms together, and confine this mighty river in their embraces.-There was a feeling of quiet luxury in gazing at the broad, Eréen bosoms, here and there scooped out among the precipicos; or at woodlands high in air, nodding over the edge of some bectling bluff, and their foliage all transparent, in the yellow sunshine.

3. In the midst of my admiration, remarked a pic of obright snowy, clouds peering above the western heights. It was succeeded by another, and another cach seemingly pushing onward its predecessor, and towering, with dazzling brilliancy in the deep, blue atmosphere, and now, muttering peals of thunder were faintly heard, rolling behind the

"¿Lat" nude, went bred Insitute.

4 Re-ver-bra-ted, resounded.

}* c] m'-on-tô ryja headland, a cape.

d Pred'-e-ces-sor, one who prece !cs an other.