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I asked the mighty angel, who shall stand,
One foot on sea, and one on solid land;

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By heavens," he cried, "I swear the mystery's o'er :
Time was," he cried,
"but Time shall be no more!"

34.

Ruth and Naomi.

Marsden.

RUTH. i.-14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return thou after thy sister-in-law. 16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they, said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley-harvest.

35. Influence of education, constitution, and circumstances in forming character.

He has seen but little of life, who does not discern every where the effects of education on men's opinions and habits of thinking. Two children bring out of the nursery that, which displays itself throughout their 5 lives. And who is the man that can rise above his dis

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pensation, and can say, "You have been teaching me

nonsense?"

As to constitution-look at Martin Luther: we may see the man every day: his eyes, and nose, and mouth 10 attest his character. Look at Melancthon: he is like a snail with his couple of horns; he puts out his horns and feels-and feels-and feels. No education could have rendered these two men alike. Their difference began in the womb. Luther dashes in saying his things; Melanc15 thon must go round about—he must consider what the Greek says, and what the Syriac says. Some men are born minute men-lexicographers-of a German character: they will hunt through libraries to rectify a syllable. Other men are born keen as a razor; they have 20 a sharp, severe, strong acumen they cut every thing to pieces: their minds are like a case of instruments; touch which you will it wounds; they crucify a modest man. Such men should aim at a right knowledge of character. If they attained this, they would find out 25 the sin that easily besets them. The greater the capacity of such men, the greater their cruelty. They ought to blunt their instruments. They ought to keep them in a case. Other men are ambitious-fond of power; pride and power give a velocity to their motions. Oth30 ers are born with a quiet, retiring mind. Some are naturally fierce, and others naturally mild and placable. Men often take to themselves great credit for what they owe entirely to nature. If we would judge rightly, we should see that narrowness or expansion of mind, 35 niggardliness or generosity, delicacy or boldness, have less of merit or demerit than we commonly assign to them.

Circumstances, also, are not sufficiently taken into the account, when we estimate character. For exam40 ple-we generally censure the Reformers and Puritans as dogmatical, morose, systematic men. But, it is easier to walk on a road, than to form that road. Other men labored, and we have entered into their labors. In a fine day, I can walk abroad; but in a rough and stormy 45 day, I should find it another thing to turn coachman and dare all weathers. These men had to bear the bur

er.

den and heat of the day: they had to fight against hard times they had to stand up against learning and powTheir times were not like ours: a man may now 50 think what he will, and nobody cares what he thinks. A man of that school was, of course stiff, rigid, unyielding. Tuckney was such a man: Whichcot was for smoothing things, and walked abroad. We see circumstances operating in many other ways. A minister un55 married, and the same man married, are very different men. A minister in a small parish, and the same man in a large sphere where his sides are spurred and goaded, are very different men. A minister on tenter-hooks

-harassed-schooled, and the same man nursed-cher60 ished-put into a hot-house, are very different men. Some of us are hot-house plants. We grow tall not better not stronger. Talents are among the circumstances which form the diversity of character. of talents feels his own powers, and throws himself into 65 that line which he can pursue with most success.

A man

Sau

rin felt that he could flourish--lighten-thunder-enchant, like a magician. Every one should seriously consider, how far his talents and turn of mind and circumstances divert him out of the right road. Cecil.

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2 SAM. Xviii.-19 Then said Ahimaaz the Son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said

unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? 23 But howsoever, said he, let me And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. 24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up

run.

to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running and the watchman called unto the porter and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

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Hor. HAIL to your lordship!

Ham. I am glad to see you well: (approaches.)
Horatio!- -or do I forget myself.

Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.
Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name

with you.

And what makes you from Wittenberg, Horatio?

Hor. A truant disposition, good, my lord.
Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so;
10 Nor shall you do mine ear that violence,
To make it truster of your own report
Against yourself. I know you are no truant:
But what is your affair in Elsinore ?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.
15 Hor. My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.
Ham. I pray thee do not mock me, fellow-student;

I think it was to see my mother's wedding.
Hor. Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon.

Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked meats
20 Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven,
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!
My father- -Methinks I see my father-
Hor. Where, my lord?

25 Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.

Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight: 30 Ham. Saw! who?

Hor. My lord, the king, your father.

Hor. Season your admiration for a while,
With an attent ear; till I may deliver,
35 Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

Ham. For heaven's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,

40 In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Been thus encountered: a figure like your father,
Armed at point, exactly, cap-a-pe,

Appears before them, and, with solemn march,
Goes slow and stately by them; thrice he walked

45 By their oppressed and fear-surprised eyes,

Within his truncheon's length; whilst they (distilled
Almost to jelly with the act of fear)
Stand dumb, and speak not to him.

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