takes the oath in the manner customary in his age and country, and sets forth on his journey. The beautiful sequel must be related in the words of the inspired historian :

"And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water, at the time of the evening; even the time that women go out to draw water. And he said, 'O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. Let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also; let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know, that thou hast showed kindness to my master.'

"And it came to pass, that before he had done speaking, that behold Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was a virgin, very fair to look upon; and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, 'Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.' And she said, 'Drink, my lord;' and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink; and when she had done giving him drink, she said, 'I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.' And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

"And the man wondering at her, held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

"And it came to pass as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?'

"And she said to him, 'I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.' She said, moreover, to him, 'We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.' And the man bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord, and he said, 'Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth; I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.'

"And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things."

Had we space at command, we would give the remainder of this exquisite story; a representation of pastoral and patriarchal manners unequalled not only in the piety which pervades it, but in its truth to nature, its simplicity, elegance, and grace. The whole narrative, from the departure of Eliezer on his important errand, to the meeting of Rebekah with Isaac as he was meditating in "the field at eventide,"

ELIEZER AND REBEKAH.

107

is richly suggestive of poetical images; but no poetry can equal the graphic beauty of the story as told in the Sacred Volume.

The placid evening hour drew nigh,

The light of day wax'd dim,
While sweetly over mount and plain
Swell'd forth the Hebrew's hymn;
And rich dyes flush'd the Syrian sky,
Bright hues of sunset gleam'd
O'er shining stream and flowery blooms,
O'er tower, and tent, and field.

The shades lay on the quiet land,
Shades of the still, calm night,
And lull'd the sleepers of the folds
To rest and slumbers light.
But ere the darkness fell around,
On fount, and glade, and tree,
A band from Canaan's distant land
Came toiling wearily.

Beneath the palm-trees round the well
The docile camels knelt;

Their leader bless'd his master's God

Who thus had kindly dealt

With faithful Abram, and had brought

Himself upon his way;

And Eliezer bow'd his head

Before his God to pray.

That prayer! long ages have roll'd on,
And still its words are heard,
As clear as when in twilight gray,

Its breath the dim leaves stirr'd;
Never till time shall be no more,
That record sure shall fade

Of simple, earnest, trusting prayer,
Before Jehovah laid.

The prayer was o'er; the suppliant rose,

And lo! a lovely train

Of Hebrew damsels lightly trod

The silent dark'ning plain;

One gently bent her o'er the wave,

With beauty on her brow,
And maiden sweetness in her glance,
And on her cheek's pure glow.

"Twas she whom he in prayer had sought

To gain for Isaac's bride;

Asking of Heaven that she might come

At hour of eventide,

And draw the crystal water forth,

With ready, cheerful zeal,

Glad to do aught in simple love

For way-worn pilgrim's weal.

Then round her graceful form he clasp'd
Bracelets and rings of gold,

While of her birth and lineage

The trusting maiden told;

And she was won; the prayer was heard;

No sound was in the air

Nor 'neath the starlight, mid the flowers-
And yet the Lord was there.

Yes: Israel's mighty King and God

That rules the earth and sky,

Heard; and bestow'd the boon that faith

Craved in humility.

Down the long stream of ages still

Shines forth this record fair;

Who runs may read, engraved in light,
"Behold the power of prayer."

VISCOUNTESS BERESFOR D.

Ir is generally and justly regarded as an evidence of superior skill on the part of a portrait-painter, if he can so subdue and tone down the actually prevailing style of costume, as to secure to his figures-more especially to his female figures-that general character of elegance and grace, which, being independent of the passing mode, is never antiquated, and continues to please through, and in spite of, all the caprices of fashion. Sir Thomas Lawrence was singularly successful in this delicate department of the