ADAM, whose soul was calm'd and reviv'd by noble and elevated sentiments, viewing the dazzling lustre of the angel, as he withdrew, said-Accept of our grateful thanks, celestial friend! Prais'd, prais'd for ever be thy name, O GOD MOST HIGH! Thy loving kindness, thy tender mercies are not withdrawn from the sinner. Thou, with compassion, dost behold our distress: thou commandest thine angels to enlighten our souls, and bring us comfort. No longer will we mourn in the dustno longer will we despair, like the spirits of darkness, who are banished from thine all-enlivening presence. We are still surrounded by thy boun

ties; still permitted to praise thee, to supplicate thy favour, to adore thy wisdom, to celebrate thy goodness. Thus enobled, shall we repine and murmur at thy dispensations, if the thorns and briars of affliction are scatter'd in the way of our pilgrimage to the bosom of our FATHER, the dwelling of our GOD? We cannot, indeed, entirely restrain our tears for the happy deceas'd: we must regret his being thus suddenly snatch'd from our embraces: but, alas! the unhappy criminal ought rather to be the object of our grief, the subject of our most earnest prayers. O GOD! what an alleviation would it be to our sorrows, if we dar'd to hope that thy mercy had not cast him off for ever! O my MAKER! he, unhappy-he, miserable! is the first fruit of my loins -the first whom EVE brought forth with pain.Let us not cease, my dearest spouse, to implore the tender mercies of our GOD for him. We will not

doubt his loving kindness: we ourselves were sinners: we were unworthy of his infinite grace; yet he has encourag'd us to confide in his promises. When, all trembling, we expected eternal chastisement, little did we hope for mercy. But let us not defer to execute the command of the LORD. I will carry this dear body to our dwelling, and there commit the precious dust to the earth.

O ADAM! O my love! return'd EVE, my soul emerges from overwhelming sorrow. Conscious of my own weakness, I support myself by thy strength, as the flexible ivy clings to the firm oak.

ADAM now, by the assistance of his weeping spouse, lifted the corpse on his shoulders, and, sighing under the sad burden, slowly moved towards his dwelling, while EVE walk'd weeping by his side.

THE

DEATH OF ABEL.

BOOK V.

Now THIRZA, whose sleep had been disturb'd by terrifying visions, open'd her eyes to the bright luminary of day, and precipitately quitted her bed. So leaps up the affrighted traveller, who, when spent with fatigue, had laid himself down under the shelter of a rock, when a terrifying dream, suggested by his guardian angel, represents to him the rock falling over his head: trembling, he hastens from the dangerous spot: an instant after, the huge mass falls, it falls with hideous noise. He seeks the companion of his toilsome journey; but, alas! he is crush'd under the ruins. Not less agitated was the wife of ABEL. What frightful images, said she, have pass'd before me, while I slept! They resembled nothing in nature. Welcome, cheerful light! thou hast scatter'd them. Hail, ye glowing flowers, sweet objects of my attentive care! your various odours, which the morning sun draws forth, will refresh my fatigu'd brain; and, ye joyous inhabitants of the air, your soft melody will re-establish serenity in my soul.

I will join your morning song. I will join with reanimated nature in praises to the MOST HIGH.CREATOR ALMIGHTY! SAVIOUR PROPITIOUS! my soul, overpower'd by thy goodness, can but imperfectly express the immensity of thy benefits, and the extent of its gratitude. Thy ever-waking PROVIDENCE guards thy creatures, when, cover'd by the veil of night, sleep weighs down their eyelids. May my grateful thanks arise to thee, O GOD!— Accept, from a feeble worm, the tribute of praise.

She now left her dwelling, and walk'd among the opening flowers, whose first sweets were diffus'd by the morning breeze. My heart still throbs, said she; still anxiety is lodg'd in my breast. What mean these unusual fears! An interior trembling seems to shake my very soul. My mind is darken'd, like the heavens, when black clouds spread through the expanse. Where art thou, ABEL? Where art thou, my belov'd? Dearest half of myself! I haste, pursu'd by gloomy terrors, to lose them in thine arms. I fly to thee with the speed thou wouldst fly, if, benighted in a dark forest, thy feet were wing'd by fear.

Having thus spoke, she redoubled her pace, when MAHALA seeing her, ran from her cottage to meet her. I salute thee, my dear sister, she cry'd: whi ther art thou going in such haste, with thine hair disorder'd, without ornament, not so much as one flower?-I go, reply'd THIRZA, to throw myself in the arms of my belov'd. Unusual terrors have this night disturb'd my sleep, and my labouring heart is

still oppress'd by sad apprehensions, which the serenity of this delightful morning is not able to disperse. But, tho' the blooming day, tho' the smiles of nature cannot dispel my fears, I shall lose them in the gladdening presence of my husband! I therefore run to cast myself in his arms.

The spouse of CAIN reply'd, with a sigh-Happy, happy sister! Alas! I have no such sweet resource! I should be lost to all consolation, were it not for a father who loves me, and a tender mother to whom I am dear; were it not for thee, my kind sister, and thine amiable husband. Yes, with you, I lose part of the load of woe that CAIN's discontent heaps on my wretched head. To him-unhappy! all the beauties of nature are only sources of melancholy, and he continually regrets the labour which his fertile fields so abundantly repay. But, my dearest THIRZA, above all, I lament his unkind and causeless dislike to our gentle brother. MAHALA now melted into tears. THIRZA wept also, and tenderly embracing her, reply'd-Penetrated by the same idea, ABEL and I spend many anxious hours in bewailing his inveterate hatred. Our resource is in the hand of heaven. Often, in sleepless nights, we send our most fervent petitions to GOD, that a beam of his grace may disperse the dark clouds from his breast; that every baneful weed may be rooted out from his heart, lest they choke all principles of humanity and virtue. Ah, my sister! was thy husband kind and gentle, again would peace smile-again would pleasure bless our dwellings,