listened to it. But that it was the Old Serpent, the Devil and Satan, that operated by it on the ear and imagination of Eve, we cannot doubt, because of the allusions to it in the New Testament; indeed he is called "the Tempter," because of his constant assaults upon mankind, and is denominated "a liar and a murderer from the beginning."

Olympas. Enough now on this subject. They both fell and were expelled from the garden; but not until they were judged and condemned to death. Tell me, Reuben, have we any documentary proof of how long they had lived in Eden?

Reuben. I could not learn from the Bible; but there is an ancient and universal tradition, as I have read somewhere, that they continued only forty days in the garden of delights. The Asiatics say that the reason why the number forty, like the number seven, has been consecrated, is because of its allusion to this fact. The seventh day celebrates the rest of the creation week, and the many mysterious forties in both Testaments celebrate or commemorate man's continuance in bliss.

Olympas. I will ask the junior class in rotation, the forties. Each of you mention some event that required forty days.

Susan. It rained forty days and nights in the beginning of the flood of Noah.

James. Moses was forty days in the Mount with God in receiving the Law.

Henry. He was a second time forty days in getting a second edition of the Law.

Olympas. We shall extend it to the second class:

William. They were forty days in spying out the promised land.

Mary. The Prophet Elijah fasted forty days. Edward. Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights.

Eliza. And he was tempted forty days and nights.

Olympas. We must advance into the senior class:

Thomas Dilworth. Our Saviour abode on earth forty days and nights after his resurrection from the dead.

Reuben Thom. Ezekiel was to lay on his side forty days to bear the iniquity of Judah. I have," says the Lord, "appointed thee a year for a day."

Olympas. Francis Cush, can you recall any other remarkable incident of forty day's continuance ?

Francis. Forty days were spent in embalming that Joseph who had been a slave, but who died governor of Egypt.

Olympas. There is yet remaining another forty days not mentioned. Rufus, can you think of it? Rufus. Yes, master. Jonah the preacher said, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed." But it was not, because they repented during forty days.

Olympas. But it is not only in respect of days, but of years also, that this number is celebrated. Israel eat manna forty years, wandered in the wilderness forty years, bore their iniquities forty years, were sustained by miracle forty years, &c. Besides this, we have this numeral distinguished in its application to other subjects, Can you recollect any of these subject, Sarah Black?

Sarah. The Jews were not allowed to inflict more than forty stripes, save one, on those whom they punished.

Olympas. But of these forties only a part, like the numbers three and seven, are of mysterious or allusive import. Such as Moses' forty days in the Mount twice repeated, Elijah's fast of forty days, Christ's fast and temptation of forty days and nights in which he abode on earth, the forty years' sojourn in the wilderness.

The numbers three and seven, as well as forty, are sacred numbers, and of frequent occurrence. In reference to days, they are both more frequent than forty; but in their mysterious and allusive character, they seem to be equally distinguished. There is, then, reason to think that some most interesting and important forty, as well as three and seven, gave rise to the frequent and mysterious use of that number; and as a very old tradition has pervaded Asia that Adam only continued forty days in Paradise, it is probable that it may have allusion to that; if not, there is no event known to man to which it does relate.

We must leave the geographical allusions and facts in these chapters to another time. But a few general questions which I shall propose to you all for volunteer answer, must close our present lessons. Is there anything peculiar in the creation of man, from that of other animals ?

Edward. Yes, God breathed into his nostrils that which made him a living soul-not a mere animal; for they are never said to become living sonls. A breath of life they have; but a breath of lives, as you say it is in Hebrew, they have not received, which makes them living souls.

Olympas. Can any of you explain what was the power of the Tree of Life?

Thomas Dilworth. It did not give, but preserve life. Without it, Adam in Paradise must have

grown old and died. It therefore had the power of always renewing his age, or making him young again as respected his worn or wasted energiesjust as ordinary fruit has the power of making us strong after exhaustion.

Olympas. And why was the Tree of Death called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? William. Because it gave the experience of evil and of good, and introduced man into a mixed state of good and evil here, to be terminated by death.

Olympas. In what sense did Adam die, in the day of his transgression?

Reuben. He was sentenced or condemned to die; and in law was dead, just as you once told us the antediluvians became spirits in prison, whenever the sentence of limitation to one hundred and twenty years respite was pronounced upon them. To "become mortal" and to die, are said to be two modes of the same expression among Jews.

Olympas. How many things appear to have been taught Adam before his fall?

Edward. The art of speaking, of naming things, what to eat for health and comfort, and how to employ his faculties.

Olympas. We shall resume the subject in the morning, and now let us sing our evening hymn.

CONVERSATION III.

66

THE fourth chapter of Genesis being read, Olympas called upon the junior class for the facts in the lesson for the morning. Tell me," says he, Susan, how many sons of Adam and Eve are named in this chapter?"

Susan. There are three-Cain, Abel, and Seth. Olympas. We shall leave out Seth for the present, and attend to the history of Cain and Abel? What were the employments of Cain and Abel?

James. Cain was a farmer, and Abel a shepherd. Olympas. And what, Henry, was the employment of Adam their father?

Henry. He was a gardener.

Olympas. And so the three most ancient callings in the world were gardening, farming, and keeping sheep. Certainly, then, they were simple, innocent, and pleasing employments. But what need was there for pursuing any calling? Was not Adam very rich? How rich was Adam, Susan?

Susan. He had dominion over all the earth, and all the beasts and cattle and fowl. He was as rich as the whole world.

Olympas. And why did he work? Do people, Edward, that are now called very rich, labour at any calling?

Edward. Adam was commanded to dress and keep the garden of Eden, and he most likely commanded his sons to select some business and pursue it.