In the bowers of bliss; in the gardens of delight; in the fields of Elysium; in the seats of the illustrious and beatified dead, there was always a retrospective longing, lingering look, at the superior fascinations of this world. The great epic bard of Rome, after he had exhausted the powers of his creative mind in describing the delights of the Elysian Fields, asserts the return of the souls of the departed to this world, in order to reanimate other bodies. And the father of heroic poetry, "whose magic muse soared to the topmost heaven of gandeur," describes his heroes as dissatisfied with their portion in the regions of blessedness. When Ulysses congratulates Achilles on his supremacy over the mighty dead, the latter indignantly exclaims, that he would rather be a servile hind, and eat the bread of poverty on earth, than exercise imperial authority over all the Shades.

Whole nations were ignorant of a future state; and others had but feeble glimmerings of light on this subject. The ancient philosophers were divided in their views. Many of them utterly discredited, and some openly ridiculed an hereafter. The consequences of this state of things were in every respect most deplorable: they were felt in every vein and artery of social combination, and in every aspect and conformation of conduct and character. The ancients, who disbelieved in a future state, were utterly unable to account for the moral phenomena of this world. When they considered the events and vicissitudes of lifewhen they beheld the accumulation of laurels on the brow of the tyrant, the oppressor rolling in affluence, and the murderer defying punishment-when they perceived the wise and the virtuous shrouded in obscurity and overwhelmed with calamity-when they saw Cato driven to

suicide, Socrates to hemlock, an Aristides in exile, and heard the dying Brutus exclaim, that virtue was an empty name-in what a dreadful position did they stand? A knowledge of a future world would have elucidated all incongruities, solved all doubts, dispelled all darkness. They sometimes, indeed, endeavored to vindicate the ways of God to man, by alleging that in this sublunary state virtue was its own reward; that vice was attended by an appropriate punishment, and that a man's enormities were at least visited on his posterity; and when forced from the full extent of their positions by the testimony of daily experience, they took refuge in atheism, or inculcated that the Deity had no agency in the concerns of this world, or adopted the system of polytheism, and believed in

Gods partial, changeful, passionate, unjust;

Whose attributes were rage, revenge, or lust.

In this state of moral darkness, Jesus Christ appeared, pointing out the way to heaven, and shedding light over the world. What was before uncertain he rendered certain for to adopt the words of the great apostle, "he hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." And herein consists a characteristic feature and a peculiar excellence of the Christian dispensation. It lifted the vail which concealed futurity from view, and that separated time from eternity; and it afforded clear demonstrations of the life to come. All doubts on this subject have vanished, for a belief in the Chistian religion is utterly incompatible with a disbelief of a future state. Christianity not only ascertains its existence, but points out our destinies in it. Instead of the sensual enjoyments of a Mahometan Paradise-instead of the Elysian

Fields of Pagan superstition, or the transmigrations of the Metempsychosis, "our minds are lifted up from the dungeon of the body to the enjoyment of the divine essence of the Almighty," and we are endowed with

come.

Perfections absolute, graces divine,

And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds.

Christianity may be contemplated in two important aspects. First, in reference to its influence on this world; and secondly, in reference to our destiny in the world to And whatever may be intimated to the contrary by the sneers of infidelity, or the cavils of scepticism, it may be asserted boldly, and can be demonstrated conclusively, that to its celestial influence we are indebted for the blessings of civilization, the elevation of the female character, the enjoyment of domestic happiness, the successful cultivation of knowledge, the establishment of free government, and the dominion of good order and peace, wherever they prevail in the great communities of mankind.

Had I the time and the talent, I would proceed with pleasure to establish these positions; but restricted as I am in both respects, I can only glance at some of the leading topics.

We are governed by our hopes and our fears-by the desire of happiness and the dread of misery. The laws which regulate our conduct, are the laws of man, and the laws of God. To which may be added, as exercising a strong influence, and in many instances, a controlling power over our actions, an anxious desire to acquire the good will, and to avoid the contempt of our fellow creatures by a conformity to the general sense of right and wrong. This is denominated by Mr. Locke the law of opinion. The sanctions of laws, in order to be complete,

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a future state, as the bravest and most upright of the Thracian nations. And Juvenal ascribes the horrible depravity of the age to the reigning infidelity which had exploded from the public creed the Stygian Lake, and other terrors of the ancient mythology.

The Christian religion, armed with power, endowed with light fortified by truth, and revealed by God, foretold in the prophecies, attested by miracles, sealed with the blood of the saints, and sublimed by the morality of Heaven, is thus presented to man, exhibiting him in a state of probation, and enforcing his good conduct in this transitory state in order to secure his felicity in the regions of eternal bliss. It places what Archimedes wanted, the lever of power on another and a better world, and controls all the operations of man in union with the prescriptions of Divine love.

Feeble and imperfect as this view is, it notwithstanding presents powerful inducements to encourage your animated perseverance and redouble exertions in the cause of philanthropy and religion. Institutions like this unite in the bonds of friendship and charity all their cultivators, without regard to kindred, sect, tongue, or nation. In this place an altar is erected to concord-peace is declared among the most discordant sects-and the parti-colored coat of Joseph is exchanged for the seamless garment of Christ; and in such a holy cause, be assured that the visitations of Divine approbation will attend your proceedings that opposition will prove like the struggles of a river with the ocean-and that although mountains of sophistry may be piled on mountains of invective, like Ossa on Pelion, yet that all such attempts will terminate like the fabled wars of the Titans, and can never prevail against truth and Heaven.

Free Schools.

1809.

The cause of popular education was ever near to the heart of Mr. CLINTON. He was an early friend of the Free Schools, and was President of the Society, and delivered the following address to the benefactors and friends of the Society in the city of New York, on the 11th of December, 1809. The occasion was "the opening of that Institution in their new and spacious building." It will be remembered that he was at this period Mayor of the city of New York. In connection with this address, it may be interesting to give an extract from the last Message of Gov. Clinton to the Legislature, 1st January, 1828. In the following address, and in the message, the subject of classical or collegiate education for the most promising and talented of the children of poor parents is considered and earnestly recommended.

Thus in his Message, he says:-"Permit me to solicit your attention to the two extremes of education,—the highest and the lowest; and this I do in order to promote the cultivation of those whom nature has gifted with genius, but to whom fortune has denied the means of education. Let it be our ambition (and no ambition can be more laudable), to dispense to the obscure, the poor, the humble, the friendless, and the distressed, the power of rising to usefulness and acquiring distinction. With this view, provision ought to be made for the gratuitous education in our Colleges of youth eminent for the talents they have displayed, and the virtues they have cultivated in the subordinate Semi