When the joyous morn of youth, and the ardent noon of manhood are past, then comes the peaceful eve of life, which to the virtuous,like the close of a fine summer's day is clear, temperate, and serene. It is a season highly favourable to truth and goodness, since reason and experience must then (if ever) correct the delusions of fancy, dispel the mists of prejudice, and subdue the wild transports of passion. A man of an improved understanding thus mellowed by time into sound judgment and reflection, when he withdraws from the bustle of the world into that retirement which is the privilege of age, is at full liberty to enjoy the highest intellectual gratifications. He has neither the flutter of juvenile amusements, or the ambitious pursuits of riper years to disturb his thoughts, and seduce his attention from the great objects of a rational immortal being. I suppose him to have kept clear of avarice, a vice usually (and it must be confessed with too much reason) attributed to age. For a man possessed with the love of money is enslaved by the lowest anxieties and most despicable cares: his restless solicitude for wealth, disqualifies him for every elevated sentiment and liberal pursuit. Since covetousness is so often to be found with the aged, can we too highly highly reverence and admire the characters of those, who unite the wisdom and prudence of years, with the generosity and benevolence of youth? How amiable, how happy is the evening of Atticus's well-spent life! In the meridian of his days he exerted his active powers in a useful and upright course of action. He is now gracefully retired from the gay and the busy scene, to the peaceful shade of a wise and learned, yet benevolent and social privacy; there with sublime satisfaction he contemplates a life sacred to virtue and humanity. He laments some few errors into which he was betrayed by inexperience, and the impetuosity of youthful passion; though indeed they only served to attach him more deeply to wisdom and virtue, by shewing him that their slightest deviations are to an ingenuous mind, attended with anguish and regret. He rejoices that he is no longer subject to such temptations, and reviews the paths he has trod, with the satisfaction of a traveller escaped from a dangerous perplexing journey. He has cultivated Science and the Muses, not only to contribute to his honour and usefulness in the world, but to reap the fruits of them (as he now does) in the vale of years. Auricus devotes a great part of the leisure he enjoys, to L 2 ༔ the the sublime exercises of Devotion, and the pleasing offices of beneficence and domestic love. He carefully guards against petulance and caprice, gloom and severity. He is blest with an offspring, that promise to perpetuate his virtues when he is no more. And his most delightful employment, is to assist them in the pursuits of knowledge, and train them up to every maral excellence. REFLECTIONS THIS is the awful, the tremendous day, on which the great Author of our Redemption with his precious blood, purchased Salvation for a guilty race: he suffered the most excruciating pangs to obtain for us the most transporting enjoyments; he endured an ignominious death to exalt us to a glorious immortality ; "Heaven wept that man might smile, Heaven bled that man might never die.” What heart but glows at thoughts like these? Those bosoms must be cold and languid indeed, which are not warmed with the consideration of that all-surpassing love displayed in our Redemption. They must be destitute of every feeling of humanity, who are not moved with the inexpressibly pathetic descriptions which the sacred writers give us of the sufferings of our blessed Lord surely, if we reflect those sufferings were for our sakes, they claim a double portion of grief and compassion. Entertain, oh my soul, a just sense of the transcendant goodness of thy Maker, in sending his beloved Son to secure to thec, by his death, (if thou art not wanting to thyself,) an immortal felicity. Think how great will be thy guilt, if thou abusest the inestima ble advantages derived to thee from the Saviour of mankind. What canst thou justly plead in thy excuse at the awful tribunal of God, if (after being illuminated with the divine light of the Gospel, and fully convinced of the truth of the Christian doctrine,) the deceitful allurements and flecting enjoyments of this transitory world, should make thee unmindful of what thy Redeemer taught, and alienate thy affections from the Fountain of all good. Contemplate frequently on the dread catastrophe of this day, till thou glowest with gratitude for the astonishing benefit conferred upon thee, and art resolved to make all the returns, thy limited abilities will permit. Endeavour as much as thou canst, to copy the bright pattern of goodness which Jesus so illustriously exhibited. Difficult as it is, strive to imitate his diffusive benevo lence, |