appear amid the cares or pleasures of this life, but because they were not accompanied by prayer and endeavour ; fervent prayer and persevering endeavour? This only can be the reason; for the promise is explicit and unqualified, "Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find;""He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Therefore it is most certain, that if any remain ignorant of God; unconscious of their need; and unacquainted with Jesus and the way of salvation; or if they are cold and lifeless in religion, it is because they have not made known their desires to the Lord, nor effectively determined to seek after him.

This subject affords encouragement to those who are conscious of lively desires and sincere determination of devoting themselves to the service of God. If, after counting the cost, and looking round upon the pleasures and attractions of the world, any one can humbly say, in the meaning of the text, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after," let them not fear but he will give them "the desires of their hearts." As to such as have no other than languid, indolent, ineffective desires after religion, (and this, it is to be feared, is the case with a large proportion of young people in the religious world,) let them be stimulated by this subject to earnestness and activity; remembering that "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;" and to encourage the most backward, it is added, "to them that have no might he increaseth strength." But if another should say, "Alas; I have no desire toward religion," let VOL. I. O

such go and intreat the Lord to awaken good desires in their cold, worldly hearts; and they shall "not be sent empty away."

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XXIII.

ON INTELLECTUAL TASTE.

WHEN Adam and Eve first awoke to existence, and beheld the fair creation, it is not very difficult to imagine what must have been the principal subjects of their thoughts, and their discourse. The Scriptures, which never descend to those particulars which are merely calculated to gratify curiosity, are silent on this subject.Yet we may infer, without any doubt, that the perfections of their Maker were the primary objects of their regard: and that to adore and praise Him was their highest and most delightful employment. Next to this, we may reasonably conclude, that their attention was awakened to a contemplation of His works; both in admiration of their grandeur and beauty, and in investigating their principles and laws. When the sun, descending in a golden mist, sunk behind the groves of Paradise, can we suppose that our first parents were unaffected by the sublimity of the spectacle? or that they beheld without emotions of wonder, and delight, and intelligent curiosity, the moon rising in her beauty, and shedding her tender light on their peaceful plains? When they arose at early dawn from tranquil sleep, while the morning stars yet sang together, would not

they feel disposed, like all the sons of God, to shout for joy?

The representations of our great Poet on this subject, although they claim not the authority of direct inspiration, yet, are so natural and affecting, that we can scarcely suppose them to differ widely from the reality. When,

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Morn her rosy steps in th' eastern clime
Advancing, sowed the earth with orient pearl,"

Milton supposes the innocent and happy pair to unite in that sublime hymn, in which the "glorious works" of the "Parent of good" are invited to be "vocal in His praise." In this, and in all their discourses, he represents them as susceptible of the refined pleasures of taste, and alive to high intellectual enjoyments. Indeed, to suppose them insensible to the beauties of creation, indif ferent and inattentive to the grand phenomena of nature, would be to conclude, that instead of being formed rational and intelligent, they were sent into existence in the condition of untaught savages. It is true, that even during their state of innocency, they were not exempt from manual employments. For although the ground, before the curse, brought forth neither thorns nor briers, yet Adam, we are told, was placed in the garden to till it, and to dress it; and Eve had, doubtless, her appropriate task in preparing the simple meal, adorning the leafy bower, and tending the luxuriant growth of her fruits and flowBut that these domestic offices did not engross her so much as to diminish her taste for more elevated pursuits, is beautifully intimated

ers.

by the Poet; when after relating how-modestly retiring from the philosophical discourse between the angel and Adam,-she,

-Went forth among her fruits and flowers, To visit how they prosper'd;"

he adds,

"Yet went she not, as not with such discourse
Delighted, or not capable her ear

Of what was high."

That such were the feelings and interests of our first parents, few will dispute: for it would have been strange, indeed, if, under such favourable circumstances, when all to them was new, and when they were just come from the hands of their Creator, perfect and intelligent, they had been unmindful of Him, and of his works. This being granted, may it not fairly be inquired whether any such essential difference exists between their circumstance and ours, as to render a meaner taste and lower objects of pursuit reasonable in us their descendants ?

To young people just awaking from the dreams of childhood, and becoming capable of observation and reflection, is not this fair world with the interesting phenomena of nature, in fact, as new as it was to its first inhabitants? Have not they also every thing to see, to investigate, and to admire? True, this earth has now existed nearly six thousand years; and the works of nature have been explored and admired by the intellectual of mankind, in every successive generation. Yet, to the youth of this generation, it is as it were a

new creation: the young are new to themselves; and all that surrounds them is novel. The language of Adam, describing his emotions upon first starting into being, may be adopted by every truly intelligent young person, in reference to the time when they first began to think and to observe.

"Straight toward heaven my wandering eyes I turn'd, And gazed awhile the ample sky :

-About me round I saw

Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains,
And liquid lapse of murmuring streams; by these
Creatures that lived and moved, and walked or flew;
Birds on the branches warbling; all things smiled;
With fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflowed,
Myself I then perused."

And happy they, who like him, discerning the great Creator in his works, sum up all by exclaiming,

"Tell me how I may know Him, how adore?"

But is it not equally strange and lamentable, when, so far from admiration being awakened and curiosity excited by the beautiful and sublime objects of creation, and the great secrets of nature, the mind is satisfied with the most trifling pursuits and childish amusements ?-when alternate attention to dress, visiting, and superficial acquirements, are suffered to engross all the time, or at least to engage all the interest?

If Milton had represented our mother Eve, when not occupied by the concerns of the domestic bower, as devoting her leisure hours to binding flowers in wreaths and garlands, where