of arriving, before long, at a safe and comfortable home,-I must say, that my day has so much resembled yours, that what you have related, has seemed like a relation of my own history. And since there has been nothing remarkable to distinguish my life from that of other men; since I have, undoubtedly, had my full share of success, prosperity, and enjoyment, I think I may fairly regard it, not only as a counterpart to my own life in particular, but to life in general: or, to come to the conclusion I intended, that you, dear children, may consider your excursion as a fair specimen of what you have to expect in the day of life: so that the experience of this one day, may serve as a sample of all the rest.

Here you are, all in fine spirits, just setting out on your journey. It is yet early morning with you; the sun is up, and the sky clear, the road fine and flowery, and yet pleasures in prospect rather than those at present possessed, are the chief sources of your felicity. The first circumstance that occurred yesterday to damp your pleasure was the loss of one of your party. Now, this is a misfortune which may be certainly expected early in the journey of life. Of a company of young people beginning life together, and hoping to pursue their course hand in hand, how commonly does it happen that one and another are stopped in their career, leaving their companions to pursue the journey without them! And as it was with you, so it generally happens, that those who are taken are the loveliest, the liveliest ;-those whose society can be least spared, and who must be the most regretted. Such a breach, spoils our pleasure for a time: but Vol. 1

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time, as you found it, and the new scenes that present themselves at every turn, reconcile us to the loss; till at length it is little felt, perhaps rarely remembered.

The place of your destination, and its various curiosities, which you were so eager to see, may represent those favourite schemes and projects which we are apt to lay out for ourselves in life, and to which, our chief hopes and efforts are directed. All goes on fair for a time; we are in the direct road to our wishes; but just as we come within sight of them, the clouds begin to gather, and down comes the storm, when perhaps, we are driving straight up to their accomplishment. They who have marked well the ways of Providence, must have observed, that our earthly aims and wishes are oftener thus damped and embittered to us, than entirely frustrated. We are suffered to attain the object, but something unforeseen occurs to check the satisfaction we had expected in it. Now it is that

our spirits sink, and we are ready to think our day's pleasure quite spoiled. But, like yours, it frequently happens, that some unexpected alleviation, some little unforeseen circumstance attending our calamities, renders them supportable. Our very surprise at finding things not so bad to bear as we expected, often amounts to positive pleasure.

Well, you saw the apartments, and were upon the whole very well pleased. And thus it is, that we are generally indulged with a moderate share of the common comforts and enjoyments of life. We do not, perhaps, see the tapestry. That is, some particular gratification on which our hearts were most set, is withheld. Now,

while walking through the apartments, is the busy part of life; and, notwithstanding some disappointments, our satisfaction would be considerable, if it were not for a something, like your tooth ach, my dear, to take off its edge. Nothing could more aptly represent the continual uneasiness occasioned by the little daily crosses of life, too trifling to be seriously complained of.. And this is not my testimony alone: the accumulated experience of ages will attest, that some such nameless sources of dissatisfaction ever attend upon all our pursuits and undertakings, and mingle even with our holiday pleasures.

It was a fine morning; but it rained all day. Ah! this is like life. You may not think it, children; but I know it. Yet this very circumstance, it seems, was productive of some advantage. Thus every wise and good man will look back on seasons of adversity, and acknowledge that it was good for him to have passed through them. When you had given up all hope of fine weather, you were suddenly surprised with a ray of sun-shine. Thus are some of the heaviest storms of life suddenly dispersed; not in the time and manner that we had expected, but in such a way as we could not have calculated upon. You did therefore, at last, view the grounds, and climb the hill; but it was late in the day, with wet shoes, and in haste. Just as we are often not permitted to arrive at the summit of our desires until the decline of life, when it can be possessed but for a short time, and when our capacities for enjoyment are greatly weakened. You reached the Belvidere, and had an indistinct view of the five counties; but that circumstance,

which you had so long anticipated, disappointe your expectations; and as for the cathedral, was not to be seen at all. Thus, when we ar permitted to reach the height of our wishes, the result is sure to disappoint us. Our imagina tions had painted it too gaily; and our chief sa tisfaction arises, not so much from the success of our scheme, as from some simple circumstance attending it, like the fine glowing sun-set, which was unthought of in our calculation.

You were cheered by the sudden fineness of the evening, and the late accomplishment of your hopes; but, like the chastened tranquility of age, your cheerfulness was of a very different character from the lightsome, joyous spirits of the morning.

After all, though you had some entertainment upon the whole, yet, if you had the offer of going over the same events to-day, you would not feel disposed to accept it. Now, this is what I, and every one, I believe, of my age, must say of our day's pleasure. Could our youth be renewed like the eagle's yet we should decline the offer, if it must be upon the condition of living over again all the vicissitudes and anxieties, all the sorrows and sins of the past. Wearied even with pleasure, you were glad to set off on your return home. The evening was chilly and dark : and you were more disposed to sleep than to converse. This, as you see in your poor old grandfather, is not unlike the condition and infirmities of old age.

Thus far our comparison is pretty exact: and well will it be for us if it need not stop here! The sight of home at last, gave you, perhaps,

more true pleasure than any thing you had seen in the day. And there are some who can say the same of the long home to which they are hastening. All are, more or less, weary of life and need rest; yet, how many shrink from, and at last come short of it. You had a kind father to receive you, and a comfortable home; and the companion you dropped at the commencement of your journey, was ready to welcome your return. And if it should be thus with us at the end of the day of life, it will signify little indeed, what accidents befall us by the way. our Father's house are many mansions." "There is a rest remaining for the people of God."

"In

And there, many dear friends who are gone before await our arrival. They regret not that they were stopped short in their course, but, like your friend, rejoice that they got safe home so early, and thus escaped all the misfor

tunes of the road.

all

Your day's pleasure is now over r; and you feel that the little accidents which disconcerted you yesterday are of no consequence at all to-day. You can now smile at its misfortunes; and as for its pleasures they are past, and are now nothing to you. But suppose you had found no

home to return to; or an uncomfortable one, exposed to the weather, and filled with bad quarrelsome company! Of how much greater value s the smallest convenience and comfort you enoy here, because it is to last for years, than all he pleasures of that one day put together! Or uppose that from morning to night it had been ne continued storm; suppose you had not been ble to reach the place of your destination at all;