of deliverance, lost to all human sympathy, mourned as dead by our kindred, in this invaluable book we found the herald of hope, the balm of consolation, the dispenser of peace, the soother of our sorrows, and a pilot to the harbour of eternal happiness.”—(p.31.)
There is, however, one important feature in this interesting statement, which must not be overlooked. The account above detailed, relates only to a part of the crew which was wrecked in the Cutter--the other, the Sealing party, was left on the island. With reference therefore to this point, it is added, (p. 44.)" It will be recollected that when we left the Sealing party, consisting of eight persons, on the 10th of March, it was our intention to return and supply them with fresh provisions, at the end of eight days; but when at the expiration of that period, they found that we did not make our appearance, it was feared by them that our vessel had been wrecked; and those fears were corroborated by their perceiving pieces of the wreck washed ashore on their island. At the latter end of the year, in December, 1821, finding the Seals very scarce, and other provisions scanty, they determined on visiting the island on which we were thrown, but without the least expectation of finding any remnants of the Vessel, much less of meeting those they had long considered buried in the ocean.
"They started in their boat early in the morning of the 13th of the month, and reached our island about ten o'clock, fortunately landing in the very cove we had chosen for our residence; and the joy of all hands on meeting can much better be conceived than described. It happened that one of the Sealing party, when they went ashore, had taken a Bible with him, which on some previous occasion had been presented to him by the Bible Society, and that this book had also proved as valuable a friend to them, as that given by Capt. Cox had been to us; and it added considerably to our joy of meeting, that a unity of sentiment on the subject of our religious exercises prevailed among us, and that our daily reading was by no means interrupted, but rather more strongly enforced by the addition to our number; and when I state that the boisterous state of the weather would sometimes confine us to our hut for two or three days together, the comfort afforded by such a resource will be much more fully conceived; and several now read the sacred Scriptures with pleasure and profit who had scarcely looked into a Bible since the period they had left their school." (p. 45.)
INSPIRED by heavenly hope, my heart can bear
The extremity of wo, nor yet despair,
Though bowed with heavy trouble to the ground
And sorrows thick as autumn leaves abound,
Soothed and supported with this vital balm,
My pulse would beat as healthfully and calm
As though I freely walked a pleasant road,
With cheerful feet unburdened by a load.
When dark insidious foes my peace invade,
And shoot their poison'd arrows from the shade,
Or open enemies assault my fame,
Attack my faith, reproach my honest name,
I laugh to scorn their malice and their spite,
This Hope, victorious, bears me through the fight;
Triumphant on my buckler I can rest,
Storms roar around, there's peace within my breast.
When friends depart, O, sharper pang than all,
When those we thought had lov'd, like cowards fall,
And, in the heat of the hot battle day,
Leave us alone, and recreant turn away,
My spirit, on the wings of hope sublime,
Soars far above mortality and time,
Looks to a more than human help for trust,
Her joys and sorrows spring not from the dust:
No, the same voice that spread the smiling skies
Bids frowning clouds and angry storms arise,
He who has crown'd my brimming cup with joy,
For wisest ends may all my good destroy.
To that Almighty Friend my soul ascends,
Whose love a brother's closest love transcends;
Nor does in vain my glowing hope aspire,
Elated rise, and then depress'd retire,
Breathing that atmosphere of life divine,
Feeling the rays of love reviving shine:
O then I could o'erleap this wall of clay,
And bound at once to everlasting day;
Like those of old who on the mountain top,
Wish'd ever with their Master there to stop,
They had so sweet a taste of perfect bliss,
They fear'd returning to a world like this:
So I, exalted on Hope's radiant wings,
Feel no desire for earth's inferior things;
At once within the gates of pearl I'd soar,
And to this cloudy world return no more.
The angry tempest hoarsely roars around,
Lays all my flowering comforts on the ground,
But hope erect, points smiling to the skies,
And opens brighter prospects to mine eyes,
Cheers
my sad heart with joyful promises
Of never-ending rest, and everlasting peace.
O heavenly hope, through every stage of life,
Through all vicissitudes of wo and strife,
Be thou but with me, I will not repine;
How can I? when a hand so much divine,
Upholds, directs, encourages, and cheers,
And soothes my doubts, and wipes away my tears;
Nor e'en deserts me in that vale of gloom,
The chilling regions of the shadowy tomb,
But through the vista darts its rays of light,
Driving away the darkness worse than night,
Revealing to my eyes that happy land,
Where white-robed angels smile, and beck'ning stand.
Then I can smile at all the forms of death,
And sigh no murmur with my parting breath,
But plunge within the shade, and leave the day,
And hope and sing along the fearful way ;
Our parting moment, that which sees me blest
In full possession of eternal rest.
ON A YELLOW WREN.
(An Anecdote from Herbert's Researches.)
AND hast thou return'd to the place of thy birth,
From thy flight through the regions and cities of earth;
Over islands of spice, where the air is perfum'd,
Where the rose in its eastern luxuriance has bloom'd?
Hast thou sipp'd of the river, whose sands mix'd with gold,
No eye but its Maker's did ever behold?
Where the diamond lies buried, the pearl is concealed,
Where the secrets of Nature were never reveal'd?
Hast thou perch'd on the palace of barbarous kings,
And witness'd the sorrow which ignorance brings;
Where their wives are neglected, their children untaught,
Where the sound of salvation has never been brought?
Passing over the coast hast thou seen the poor slave,
In chains, and in tears, borne far over the wave;
To toil in the land where his soul cannot dwell,
For what is immortal, man cannot compel.
On the grave of the traveller, now has thy flight,
Been compell'd in the desert to rest for the night,
Where a tree has been planted in beauty to bloom,
Where the bones* of the weary are mould'ring too soon?
Hast thou crossed over states where the trumpet's loud call
Is sounding for war, and the soldier must fall,
And soon desolation its ruin must spread,
Where they weep for the dying, and mourn for the dead?
Hast thou pass'd over cities of famous renown,
Whose suns brightly rose, but in darkness went down ;
Where not even a ruin remains now, to state,
That their Princes were mighty, their riches were great?
Oh, much hast thou seen we should like to behold,
Which the tongue of no traveller has yet ever told;
And much we must turn from in horror away,
But for earth's restoration, we cease not to pray.
Away from those scenes, and alight on the eave,
Which in freedom thou once wast permitted to have;
And confess, though by nature addicted to roam,
There is no place beside, so delightful as Home.
How blest is the man who is ne'er led astray,
By impious counsel, the Lord to forsake ;
Who goes not with sinners, nor stands in their way;
Who feareth the seat of the scornful to take.
* The bones of Captain Clapperton, who accompanied Major Denham to Africa.
The word of the Lord is his constant delight;
The source of his pleasure is God's holy law;
He meditates on it by day and by night,
And thence doth sweet comfort and nourishment draw.
This man shall resemble a flourishing tree,
That, planted by rivers of water, is found;
In season, well laden with fruit shall he be
His leaf shall not wither, nor fall to the ground.
The blessing of God all his works shall attend:
Not so the ungodly; no blessing have they ;
Their hopes in confusion and ruin must end,—
All light as the chaff which the wind drives away.
Nor shall the ungodly be able to stand,
When Christ in his glory to judgment descends;
They shall not be found at the Judge's right hand,
Nor mingle with those whom he owns as his friends.
The steps of the righteous, Jehovah will guide;
He knows and delights in the way that they go;
But those who to folly and sin turn aside,
Must sink to the pit of destruction and woe.
I ask'd the Heavens, "What foe to God hath done
This unexampled deed ? " The Heavens exclaim,
"'Twas Man ;-and we in horror snatched the sun
From such a spectacle of guilt and shame."
I ask'd the Sea;-the Sea in fury boil'd,
And answer'd with his voice of storms-"'Twas Man;
My waves in panic at his crime recoil'd,
Disclos'd th' abyss, and from the centre ran."
I ask'd the Earth ;-the Earth replied aghast,
"'Twas Man; and such strange pangs my bosom rent,
That still I groan and shudder at the past."
To Man, gay, smiling, thoughtless Man, I went,
And ask'd him next :-He turn'd a scornful eye,
Shook his proud head, and deign'd me no reply.
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