Thy voice that counselled, charmed, consoled, and

blessed,

Thy deep solicitude that found no rest,
But in completion of some pure design,
To make my happiness the spring of thine.
Thy boundless love, whose providential gaze
Poured light and tenderness round all my ways;
Those myriad fascinations felt and known,
Of truth maternal to be born alone,

Too coldly prized, while we command them ours,
And feel them gladden our unduteous hours.
But, oh! how worshipped magically dear,
When called to life by memory's votive tear!

Though these have perished, love in deathless bloom,
Outlives the torpor of the wintry tomb.

There is a clime where sorrow never came,

There is a peace perennially the same;

There rolls a world where severed hearts renew
Bright sympathies, the exquisite and true!
But chastened, cleared, exalted, and refined,
To each pure tone of beatific mind,—
There may we meet, departed spirit! there,
The home of bliss, the paradise of prayer.
A few more pangs, a few more tears to shed,
And I shall mingle with the faded dead;—
A few fleet years, and this tried heart must brave
The damp oblivion of the dreamless grave;
When, calm as thine, may resignation close
These eyes for glory, in their last repose!—
And if the dead, on this dull world may gaze,
To breathe a blessing round our troubled ways;

If by some ministry, to man unknown,

They still can make a human wish their own,
And wander round ineffably serene,

That unforgotten home, where life has been,—
Spirit maternal! often gaze on me,

And soothe the pang that so remembers thee,-
Hover around me when I mourn or pray,

A dream by night to consecrate the day;
When temper kindles, or when passion dares,
Renew thy warning, and recal thy cares,
Bid thy past love, like inspiration rise,
And plead for virtue with a mother's sighs.

R. Montgomery.

How apparently trivial, and apparently accidental, are the circumstances which, in many cases, lay the foundation, or pave the way, to great and important results. Thus it was in reference to the great and learned Dr. Claudius Buchanan:

A young gentleman of fortune, having finished his education at one of the Universities, proposed to make the tour of Europe; previous to which, however, he wished to examine Great Britain, and travelled as far north as the Highlands of Scotland, which bear nearly the same relation to that country as Wales bears to England. Coming to a place where two roads meet, and observing a young Highlander employed in attending two cows which were feeding by the road-side, he called out to him in Latin, by way of jest as it should seem, to know which road he should take, and was

G G

greatly surprised at receiving an answer in the same language. The gentleman now made a halt with his companions, and, on conversing with the youth, found that he had received a liberal education, and was remarkably intelligent. Inquiring into his situation, he learned that his employment was little more than attending these cows; on which he expressed a wish to take him with him on the tour of Europe, and afterwards to take upon himself the charge of his future fortunes. This young cow-herd was Claudius Buchanan. The kind offer made was accepted, and thus began his useful and bright career.

A BENEVOLENT BISHOP.

DR. WILSON, the late worthy and benevolent bishop of Sodor and Man, once discovered a clergyman, at Bath, who, he was informed, was sick, poor, and had a numerous family. One day, in the evening, he gave a friend fifty pounds, requesting that he would deliver it in the most delicate manner, and as from an unknown person. The friend replied, "I will wait upon him early in the morning." The bishop rejoined, "You will oblige me, Sir, by calling directly: think of what importance a good night's rest may be to the poor man.'

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ALFRED THE GREAT.

ALFRED THE GREAT was of a most noble and benevolent disposition. When in very low circumstances, by reason of his forced retreat from his enemies, a

beggar came to his little castle, and requested alms. The queen informed him that they had but one small loaf remaining, which was insufficient for themselves and their friends, who were gone in quest of food, though with little probability of success. The king replied, "Give the poor Christian one-half of the loaf. He that could feed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, can certainly make that half loaf suffice for more than our necessity." The kind deed was done, and the king's people soon returned with an abundance of provisions. How true are the words of Solomon— "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth."

THE BENEVOLENT EMPEROR.

ONE day, when the emperor Joseph the Second was walking without any suite, as he often did, he met a young woman unknown to him, in great affliction. She was lamenting her fate very bitterly, and was so absorbed in distress as not to be aware that she was overheard. Joseph, approaching her, inquired into the cause of her lamentation. The young woman, attracted by the apparent sympathy of the stranger, related to him, with much simplicity, that her father, an officer in a certain regiment, had been killed while fighting in the service of the empress-queen, and that her mother, having no arm to protect her, nor any one interested in her behalf, had fallen beneath the stroke of poverty, and was reduced to the greatest privations, which the recent scarcity of provisions had contributed to increase. She added, that, till the hardness of the

timesslackened the demand for every article of labour, her mother and herself had contrived to support themselves by little fabrications of utility and ornament; but now, this resource having failed them, she feared they should be brought to the most miserable extremities. The emperor inquired whether any assistance had been afforded them by the government; to which the young woman replied in the negative. He then asked why her mother had never thought of soliciting the emperor for relief, particularly as he was known to be easy of access. "They say he is avaricious," she answered, "we therefore thought such a step would be useless." The monarch profited by the lesson thus innocently given him, and presenting some ducats to the applicant, he placed a gold ring in her hands, telling her that he had the honour of being in the emperor's service, and if, on a certain day, and at an hour which he also mentioned, she and her mother would attend at the palace, he should then be on duty, and would introduce them to his majesty. He remarked, however, that the ring which he had given her must be exhibited to the guard in order to ensure admittance.

The young woman, comforted and relieved by this interview with a person whom she rightly regarded as a tutelary angel, immediately hastened home to communicate to her mother the welcome tidings. In the mean time the emperor made all the inquiries requisite to authenticate the young woman's narration; and finding that truth had been implicitly observed, looked forward with feelings of benevolent expectation to the