head of armies, or among the pomp of a court; but often find them out in shades and solitudes, in the private walks and bye-paths of life. The evening walk of a wise man is more illustrious in their sight, than the march of a general, at the head of a victorious army. A contemplation of God's works; a voluntary act of justice to our own detriment; tears that are shed in silence for the miseries of others; a private desire or resentment broken or subdued: in short, an unfeigned exercise of humility, or any other virtue, are such actions as are glorious in their sight, and denominate men great and respectable. The most famous among us are often looked upon with pity, with contempt, or with indignation, while those, who are most obscure among their own species, are regarded with love, with approbation and esteem.

"WHO ARE THESE THAT FLY AS A CLOUD, AND AS DOVES TO THEIR WINDOWS."

The flight of doves, when returning to their cotes, is remarkably rapid; and the metaphors of this passage point out the numbers, as well as speed, of those who should be converted to Christianity by the Apostles' preaching.

Morier, in his Travels in Persia, says, That in the neighborhood of Ispahan there are a great number of dove-cotes, built by the inhabitants, at a little distance from their houses, merely with a view to collect the dung for the manure of their lands. These are great round towers, wider at the bottom than top, with winding openings for the pigeons to enter. The inside resembles a honey-comb, by the multitude of holes that are there for placing their nests. It appears that the country people bestow more pains in ornamenting the outside of these towers than that of their own houses, for some of them are painted and beautifully embellished. The immense flights of pigeons that are seen near these dovecotes may serve to explain that passage of Isaiah lx. 3. Their number, and the thickness of the masses, make them appear at a distance like a cloud, and sometimes they seem to darken the sun.

ANCIENT GRANDEUR OF MEDITERRANEAN AFRICA.

This region, which is now covered with darkness, and left so far behind in all the arts and attachments which exalt and adorn human nature, had at that early period, taken the lead in these very particulars of all other nations. It included Egypt and Carthage, which as the first seats of government and commerce were the admiration of the ancient world. In the patriarchal ages when Scripture history represents the Mesopotamian Plain, the scene of the future empires of Babylon and Assyria, as little more than a wide and open common, Egypt appears regularly organized, and forming a great and powerful kingdom; and when Greece was under the tumultuous sway of a multitude of petty chieftains, Homer already celebrates the hundred gates of Thebes, and the mighty hosts which, in warlike array, issued from them to battle. Egypt was illustrious, also, among the ancients as producing the first elements of learning and abstract science; the first approach to alphabetical writing by hieroglyphic emblems; the first great works in sculpture, painting, and architecture; and travellers even now find that country at an era when the faintest

dawn of science had not yet illuminated the regions of Europe. While Egypt was thus pre-eminent in science and art, Carthage equally excelled in commerce and the wealth which it produced; by means of which she rose to such a degree of power, as to enable her to hold long suspended, between herself and Rome, the scale of universal empire. In that grand struggle Carthage sunk amid the blaze of expiring glory, while Egypt, after having passed through many ages of alternate splendor and slavery, was also, at length, included in the extended dominion of Rome. Yet, though all Mediterranean Africa thus merged into a province of the Roman world, it was still an opulent and enlightened one, boasting equally with others its sages, its saints, its heads, and fathers of the church, and exhibiting Alexandria and Carthage on a footing with the greatest cities of the empire.

MATERNAL AFFECTION.

EXTRACT FROM A FUNERAL SERMON.

What other friend has watched like her, over the helpless and uneasy hours of sickness-borne with its petulance-ministered to its infirmities-soothed its infirmities-soothed its pains-and smoothed its feverish pillow? Where are the friends of our prosperity when "the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, in which we must say we have no pleasure in them?" When the clouds of misfortune descend, and poverty and want overtake us-when the heart is sick with the unfulfilment of hope, and the spirit droops over its blasted expectations-when the cup of life is empoisoned by mischance or guile-when the storm hath no rainbow, and the midnight hath no star-where then are the flatterers of our cloudless skies and our sunbright hours? When the schemes of earthly ambition fail, and the hiss of the multitude follows our downfall-whither have they departed? Where is the shadow that attended us, when the sun has veiled his beams? Where are the summer-birds, when the voice of winter sighs in the

leafless forests ?-Alas! it is but interest-or conven ience—or habit-or fashion-that preserves the friendship of mankind. Where are the friends of this world, when the mouth of calumny has breathed mildew and pestilence over the promise of our growing reputation: Where are they, when the taint of worldly dishonor has fallen on our heads, and shame, whether deserved or not, has pointed us out for scorn and mockery?—They have gone to worship the rising sun; and left perhaps their former benefactor to pine in gloomy solitude over their ingratitude, and to feel the biting memory of "benefits forgot."

"For what is friendship but a name,
A charm that lulls to sleep;

A shade that follow; wealth or fame,
And leaves the wretch to weep."

But the attachment of a mother, no change of fortune -no loss of influence-not even the loss of character can destroy. As the triumph of her children is her own, so is their downfall, and their dishonor. Her heart bleeds for them instinctively; her tears flow unbidden for their sorrows. Her eye follows them while present, and her soul goes with them while absent. With patience that never tires, and self-denial that never ceases, she cheerfully sacrifices for them her own comforts and pleasures. Her sympathy is felt-not obtruded; her consolation is never officious, and always soothing to the spirit; her friendship is unalterable in life, and strong in death-and she breathes her last sigh in a prayer for the welfare of her children.

Remembrance hovers over every incident, in those calm and blissful days, when her presence gave life its charm:-That affection which turned aside the arrows of misfortune that gentleness which alleviated the pangs of distress-that tenderness which smoothed the pillow of sickness-that hand which held the aching head of pain-that piety and that sanctity which kindled in our heart the pure flame of devotion-those smiles which beamed upon us, and ever the brightest when the world was frowning-and that unalterable love which supported us amidst its unkindness and ingratitude can these ever be forgotten ?-Can we call to

mind without deep emotion the scenes of the deathchamber ?—the beloved face fast fading at the touch of dissolution-and the fond farewell-the fervent prayer for us which ceased but with parting life?-Callous and hardened must be the heart of that child, who can behold without powerful emotion the memorials of a deceased parent. No!--the heart must swell, and the eye must weep, when we visit that closet where we conversed with God together, and find it in the abode of solitude and desolation of heart-when we look on the days that are to come, and behold the dark current of existence strewed with the wreck of our broken hopes and ruined schemes; and feel that we must travel in loneliness along the pathway of being, bereft of those who, by sharing, heightened our pleasures-and who, by dividing, alleviated our sorrows.

MUSIC.

Our amusements, the employments with which we Occupy our leisure hours, have much to do with the formation of our characters. The man who seeks pleasure in boisterous mirth and midnight revelry, rarely proves a kind husband or a tender father; and the boy who delights to exercise wanton cruelty on the humblest insect, is rarely an agreeable playmate or a dutiful son; whilst he whose recreations are of a sober and rational character, is most commonly a pleasant companion and a peaceable neighbor.

To the young, and to all engaged in their education, or interested in their well-being, this is a subject of much interest, and no efforts ought to be spared to give a right direction to the love of pleasure so strong in youth. Hence arises the usefulness of infusing early into the youthful mind a taste for intellectual pleasure; and inspiring love for the fine arts before a thirst is contracted for more dangerous amusements; of these none is more laudable or more improving than a knowledge and love of music; no one interferes less with other studies or other employments-the amount of time necessary for the attainment of a tolerable proficiency is not great, and the expense is inconsiderable.

But Music is not to be regarded merely as an amuse