Wherever views of interest, and prospects of return mingle with the feelings of affection sensibility acts an imperfect part, and entitles us to small share of commendation. Let not your expectations from the years that are to come, rise too high; and your disappointments will be fewer, and more easily supported. To live long ought not to be our favour. ite wish, so much as to live well. By con⚫ tinuing too long on earth, we might only live to witness a greater number of melancholy scenes, and to expose ourselves to a wider compass of human wo. How many pass away some of the most valuable years of their lives, tossed in a whirlpool of what cannot be called pleasure, so much as mere giddiness and folly. Look around you with an attentive eye, and weigh characters well, before you con. nect yourselves too closely with any, who court your society. The true honoar of man consists not in the multitude of riches, or the elevation of rank; for experience shows, that these may be possessed by the worthless, as well as by the deserving. Beauty of form has often betrayed its possessor. The flower is easily blasted. It is short lived at the best; and trifling at any rate, in comparison with the higher, and more lasting beauties of the mind. A contented temper opens a clear sky, and brightens every object around us. It is in the sullen and dark shade of discontent, that noxious passions, like venomous animals, breed, and prey upon the heart. Thousands, whom indolence has sunk in to contemptible obscurity, might have come forward to usefulness and honour, if idle ness had not frustrated the effect of all their powers. Sloth is like the slowly flowing, putrid stream, which stagnates in the marsh, breeds venomous animals, and poisonous plants; and infects, with pestilential vapours, the whole country around it. Disappointments derange and overcome vulgar minds. The patient and the wise, by a proper improvement, frequently make them contribute to their high advantage. Whatever fortune may rob us of, it cannot take away what is most valuable, the peace of a good conscience and the cheering prospect of a happy conclusion to all the trials of life, in a better world. Be not overcome by the injuries you meet with, so as to pursue revenge; by the disasters of life, so as to sink into despair; by the evil examples of the world, so as to follow them into sin. Overcome injuries by forgiveness; disasters, by fortitude; evil examples, by firmness of principle. Sobriety of mind is one of those virtues, which the present condition of human life strongly inculcates. The uncertainty of its enjoyments checks presumption; the multiplicity of its dangers demands perpetual caution. Moderation, vigilance, and selfgovernment are duties incumbent on all; but especially on such, as are beginning the journey of life. The charms and comforts of virtue are inexpressible; and can only be justly conceived by those, who possess her. The consciousness of Divine approbation and sapport, and the steady hope of future happiness communicate a peace and joy, to which all the delights of the world bear no resem blance. If we knew how much the pleasures of this life deceive and betray their unhappy votaries; and reflected on the disappointments in pursuit, the dissatisfaction in en joyment, or the uncertainty of possession, which every where attend them; we should cease to be enamoured with these brittle and transient joys ;-and should wisely fix our hearts on those virtuous attainments, which the world can neither give nor take away. Verse. Needful austerities our wills rstrain; As thorns fence in the tender plant from harm. On earth nought precious is obtain❜d, Our sabbaths are but few. Who noble ends by noble means obtains, Or, failing, smiles in exile or in chains; Like good Aurelius, let him reign, or bleed Like Socrates, that man is great indeed. Our hearts are fasten'd to this world, Oft pining cares in rich brocades are drest If nothing more than purpose in thy power, In faith and hope the world will disagree, But all mankind's concern is charity. To be resign'd when ills betide, Patient when favours are denied, Soon as the evening shades prevail, What tho' in solemn silence, all HAPPY the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound; Content to breath his native air In his own ground. VITAL spark of heavenly flame! Hark! they wisper; angels say, The world recedes; it disappears! Lend, lend your wings! I mount! Ifly? I AM monarch of all I survey, My right there is none to dispute ; From the centre all round to the sea, I am lord of the fowl and the brute. O solitude! where are the charms That sages have seen in thy face? Better dwell in the midst of alarms, Than reign in this horrible place. I am out of humanity's reach, Must finish my journey alone, Never hear the sweet music of speech, I start at the sound of my own. The beasts, that roam over the plain, My form with indifference see; They are so unacquainted with man, Their tameness is shocking to me. Society, friendship, and love, Divinely bestowed upon man, O, had I the wings of a dove, How soon would I taste you again ? My sorrows I then might assuage In the ways of religion and truth, WEAK and irresolute is man; Woven with pains into his plan, The bow well bent, and smart the spring, But passion rudely snaps the string, Some foe to his upright intent Finds out his weaker part; Virtue engages his assent, But pleasure wins his heart. "Tis here the folly of the wise Through all his art we view; Bound on a voyage of awful fength, But oars alone can ne'er prevail, The breath of heaven must swell the sail, On Linden, when the sun was low, All bloodless lay the untrodden snow; And dark as winter was the flow Of Iser, rolling rapidly. But Linden saw another sight, By torch and trumpet fast array'd, Then shook the hills with thunder riven, But redder yet that light shall glow, 'Tis morn, but scarce yön level sun The combat deepens. On, yè brave, Few, few shall part where many meet The snow shall be their winding sheet, And every turf beneath their feet, Shall be a soldier's sepulchre. WHEN all within is peace, How nature seems to smile! Delights that never cease, The live-long day beguile.. From morn to dewy eve, With open band she showers Fresh blessings to deceive, And soothe the silent hours. It is content of heart Gives nature power to please; The mind that feels no smart, Enlivens all it sees ; Can make a wintry sky Seem bright as smiling May, And evening's closing eye As peep of early day. The vast majestic globe, So beauteously arrayed In nature's various robe, With wondrous skill displayed, Is to a mourner's heart A dreary wild at best ; It flutters to depart, And longs to be at rest. PART III. LECTURES ON SYNTAX. LECTURE I.-INTRODUCTORY. Syntax is derived from Suntaxis, which signifies the construction or connexion of the words of a language into sentences or phrases. It is the office of this part of grammar to consider the natural suitableness of words with respect to one another, in order to wake them agree in gender, number, person, mood, &c. The several parts of speech are, with regard to language, what materials are with regard to building. How well prepared soever they may be, they will never make a house, unless they be placed together conformably to the rules of architecture. It is, properly, the Syntax, that gives the form to language; and it is that, on which turns the most essential part of grammar. Now, Orthography teaches us how to spell words; Etymology teaches us their inflections, or how to decline, compare, and conjugate them; and Syntax teaches us how to put them together, or to form them into senteuces, in a proper manner. Thus, the first part of grammar treats principally of letters; the secend of words; and the third, of sentences. It may, therefore, be proper here to explain the nature of sentences more fully, than we have hitherto done. Sentences are denominated simple, which contain but one finite verb; and compound, which contain more finite verbs than one. It is not, therefore, the number of words in a sentence, that makes it compound; but the circumstance of its having more than one finite verb, i. e. a verb agreeing with a nominative case. The following sentence, "Grass grows in great abundance in all the Northern States, particularly in New England,' contains but one finite verb, viz grows, agreeing with grass; and is therefore a simple sentence. But the following, though short, are compound sentences; "Grass grows, and water runs ;"" Men, who are prudent, speak little.' Each of these sentences contains two simple sentences, joined together by a connective word; the first, grass grows, water runs, connected by the copulative conjunction, and; the second, men speak little, who are prudent, connected by the relative pronoun, who. The members of a compound sentence must be connected by a conjunction, or a relative pronoun; if they are connected by a preposition, the seatence remains simple. 66 As sentences themselves are divided into simple and compound, so the members of sentences may be divided likewise into simple and compound members; for whole sentences, whether simple or compounded, may become members of other sentences, by means of some additional connexion; as, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib ; but Israel doth not know, my people do not consider.' This sentence consists of two compounded members, each of which is subdivided into two simple members, which are properly called clauses. There are three sorts of simple sentences; the explicative, or explaining; the interrogative, or asking; the imperative, or commanding. An explicative sentence is when a thing is said to be or not to be, to do or not to do, to suffer or not to suffer, in a direct manner; as, 'I am; thou wri test; Thomas is loved.' If the sentence be negative, the adverb not is placed after the auxiliary, or after the verb itself when it bas no auxiliary; as, “I did not touch him;' or, “ I touched him nol.' 66 99 In an interrogative sentence, or when a question is asked, the nominative case follows the principal verb or the auxiliary; as, “Was it he ?"" Did Alexauder conquer the Persians ?' In an imperative sentence, when a thing is commanded to be, to do, to suffer, er not, the nominative case likewise follows the verb or the auxiliary; as, “Go thou, traitor? Do thou go;' "Haste ye away;" unless the verb let be used; as, "Let us be gone." To produce the agreement and right disposition of words iu a sentence, the following rules and observations should be carefully studied. These rules are numbered according to the General View; but arran ged here according to the order of the parts of speech to which they relate. LECTURE II.-OF THE ARTICLES, RULE I.-Articles must agree with the nouns, which they limit or define; as, "A man; a sweet apple; the house; the principal rivers." Remarks-The article, a or an, agrees with nouns in the singular number only, individually or collectively; as," A christian, an infidel, a score, a thousand." The definite article, the, may agree with nouns in the singular and plural number; as, "The garden, the houses, the stars." The articles are often properly omitted; when used, they should be justly applied according to their distinct nature; as, "Gold is corrupting; the sea is green; a lion is bold." As the articles are often misapplied, it may be useful to exhibit a few instances of misapplication; " and I persecuted this way unto the death." The apostle does not mean any particular sort of death, but death in general; the definite article therefore is improperly used; it ought to be "unto death,' with out any article. "When he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, be wi'l guide you into all truth;” that is, according to this translation, “into all truth whatsoever, into truth of all kinds;" very different from the meaning of the evangelist, and from the original," into all the truth;" that is," into all evangelical truth, all truth gecessary for you to know.' 66 Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?" it ought to be "the wheel,' deus as an instrument for the particular purpose of torturing criminals. The Almighty hath given reason to a man to be a light unto him; it should rather be "to man.' in general. "This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is the son of Abraham;' it ought to be, a son of Abraham.” These remarks may serve to show the great importance of the proper use of the article, and the excellence of the English language in this respect; which by means of its two articles, does most precisely determine the extent of the signification of common nouns. Exercises in False Syntax-The fire, the air, the earth, and the water are four elements of the philosophers-Reason was given to a man to control his passions.-We have within us an intelligent principle, distinct from body and from matter.-A man is the noblest work of creation.-Wisest and best men sometimes commit errors.-Beware of drunkenness; it impairs understanding; wastes an estate; destroys a reputation; consumes the body; and renders the man of the brightest parts the common jest of the meanest clown. He is a much better writer than a reader. The king has conferred on him the title of |