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and damasked with Flowers of every Hue.The Sun, like a golden Lamp, is hung out in the ethereal Vault; and pours his Effulgence, all the Day, to lighten our Paths.-When Night approaches, the Moon takes up the friendly Office; and the Stars are kindled in twinkling Myriads, to chear the Darkness with their milder Luftre, not disturb our Repose by too intense a Glare. The Clouds, befides the rich Paintings they hang around the Heavens, act the Part of a fhifting Screen; and defend us, by their seasonable Interpofition, from the fcorching Beams of Summer. May we not also regard them, as the great Watering-pots of the Globe? Which, wafted on the Wings of the Wind, dispense their Moisture * evenly through

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*This Circumftance, amidst Abundance of other delicate and edifying Remarks upon the Wonders of Nature, is finely touched in the Philofophical Transactions recorded in the Book of Job, Chap. xxxviii. ver. 15.[my plg lfhthp tgnlh] Who hath divided a Water-courfe for the Overflowing of Waters ?-The Hebrew is fo pregnant and rich with Senfe, that no Tranflation can do it Juftice. The following Paraphrafe, perhaps may reprefent the principal Ideas comprehended in the expreffive Original. Who has branched out, and with admirable Judg. ment, difpofed a Variety of Aqueducts; for that immense Collection of Waters, which float in the Sky? Who diftributes thofe pendulous Floods through all the Borders of the Earth? Diftributes them, not in dreadful Cataracts, or promifcuous Gluts of Rain; but in kindy

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the univerfal Garden; and fructify, with their Showers, whatever our Hand Plants.-The Fields are our exhauftlefs Granary.-The Ocean is our vaft Refervoir.-The Animals fpend their Strength, to dispatch our Business; refign their Cloathing, to replenish our Wardrobe; and furrender their very Lives, to provide for our Tables.-In fhort, every Element is a Store-house of Conveniencies; every Seafon brings us the choiceft Productions; all Nature is our Caterer.-And, which is a moft endearing Recommendation of these Favours, they are all as lovely, as they are useful. You obferve nothing mean or inelegant. All is clad in Beauty's faireft Robe*, and regulated by Proportion's nicest Rule. The whole Scene, exhibits a Fund of Pleasures to the Imagination,

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Drops, and refreshing Showers; with as much Regularity and Oeconomy, as if they were conveyed by Pipes from a Conduit?-To WHOм fhall we afcribe that Nicenefs of Contrivance, which now emits, now restrains them fometimes derives their humid Train to one Place, fometimes to another: difpenfes them to this Soil in larger, to that in fmaller Communications: and, in a Word, fo manages the mighty Fluid, that every Spot is fupplied, in exact Proportion to its Wants; none deftroyed, by an undistinguishing Deluge?

* Perhaps, it was from fuch an Obfervation, that the Greeks, thofe critical and refined Judges of Things, expreffed the Mundane. Syftem by a Word, which fignifies Beauty-Kofmos.

at the fame Time, that it more than fupplies all our Wants *.

THEREFORE thou art inexcufable, O Man, whofoever thou art, that rebelleft against thy Maker. He furrounds thee, with unnumbered Benefits; and follows thee, with an Effufion of the richest, nobleft Gifts. He courts thy Affections; He folicits thy Gratitude; by Liberalities which are never intermitted, by a Bounty which knows no Limits.-Moft Bleffed LORD, let this thy Goodness, thy unwearied Goodness, lead us to Repentance. Win us to Thyfelf, Thou Fountain of Felicity, by these sweet Inducements. Draw us to our Duty, Thou GOD of our Salvation, by thefe "Cords of Love."

WHAT a living Picture is Here, of the beneficial Effects of Industry! By Industry and Cultivation, this neat Spot is an Image of Eden. Here, is all that can entertain the Eye, or† regale the Smell. Whereas, without Cultivation, this fweet Garden had been a defolate Wildernefs. Vile Thistles had made it loathsome, and tangling

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"Thofe feveral living Creatures, which are made "for our Service or Suftenance, at the fame Time either "fill the Woods with their Mufic, furnith us with Game, or raife pleafing Ideas in us by the Delight"fulness of their Appearance. Fountains, Lakes, and Rivers, are as refreshing to the Imagination, as to the "Soil through which they pafs.'

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+ Omnis copia narium.

Spect. Vol. V. No. 387.
HOR.

tangling Briers inacceffible. Without Cultivation, it might have been a Neft for Serpents, and the horrid Haunt of venomous Creatures. But, the Spade and Pruning-knife in the Hand of Industry, have improved it into a fort of Terreftrial Paradise.

How naturally does this lead our Contemplation, to the Advantages which flow from a virtuous Education; and the Miferies, which enfue from the * Neglect of it!--The Mind, without carly Inftruction, will, in all Probability, become like the "Vineyard of the Slug"gard." If left to the Propenfities of its own. depraved Will; what can we expect, but the moft luxuriant Growth of unruly Appetites; which, in Time, will break forth into all Manner of fcandalous Irregularities? What?-but that Anger, like a prickly Thorn, arm the Temper with an untractable Morofenefs: Peevishness, like a ftinging Nettle, render the Converfation irksome and forbidding: Avarice, like fome choaking Weed, teach the Fingers to gripe, and the Hands to opprefs: Revenge, like fome poisonous Plant, replete with baneful Juices, rankle in the Breaft, and meditate Mischief to its Neighbour: While unbridled Lusts, like Swarms of noisome Infects, taint each rifing Thought; and render "every Imagination of the Heart, only evil continually."-Such, are

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* Neglectis urenda filix innafcitur agris.

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the usual Products of favage Nature! Such, the Furniture of the uncultivated Soul!

WHEREAS, let the Mind be put under the "Nurture and Admonition of the LORD:" Let holy Discipline clear the Soil: Let facred Inftructions fow it with the beft Seed: Let Skill and Vigilance dress the rifing Shoots; direct the young Ideas, how to fpread; the wayward Paffions, how to move. Then, what a different State of the inner Man, will quickly take place! Charity will breathe her Sweets, and Hope expand her Bloffoms: The perfonal Virtues difplay their Graces, and the focial ones their Fruits *: The Sentiments become generous; the Carriage endearing; the Life honourable and usefult.

O! THAT Governors of Families, and Mafters of Schools, would watch, with a confcientious

This Transformation of the Heart, and Renewal of the Life, are reprefented in Scripture, by Similitudes very nearly allied to the Images ufed above.-GoD, by his Sanctifying Spirit, will make the Soul as a watered Garden. Under the Operation of this divine Principle, The Defert fhall rejoice, and bloffom as the Rofe. Where ever it exerts the refining and ennobling Energy, Inftead of the Thorn, Shall come up the Fir-tree; and, inflead of the Brier, the Myrtle tree, Jerem. xxxi. 12. Ifa. xxxv. I. lv. 13.

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A teneris affuefcere tanti eft! VIRG. It is obferved by Ariftotle, That the Principles we imbibe, and the Habits we contract, in our early

Years,

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