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SONNET

ON MOUNT VERNON.

BY THE SAME.

THERE dwelt the Man-the flower of human

kind

Whose visage mild bespoke his nobler mind; There dwelt the Soldier, who his sword ne'er drew

But in a righteous cause, to freedom true; There dwelt the Hero who ne'er fought for fame, Yet gain'd more glory than a Cæsar's name; There dwelt the Statesman, who, devoid of art, Gave soundest counsels from an upright heart; -And O Columbia! by thy sons caress'd,

There dwelt the Father of the realms he blest, Who no wish felt to make his mighty praise— Like other Chiefs-the means himself to raise; But there retiring, breathed in pure renown, And felt a grandeur that disdain'd a crown.

REASON AND RELIGION.

AN ALLEGORY.

"Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? The watchman saith, The morning cometh!"

IT is nearly twenty centuries since the celestial sisters, Reason and Religion, descended from their native heavens, on the lovely plains of Palestine. Each radiated with a self-derived light, and each was supported by the other. The countenance of the one was firm and decided, and her eye, which was tranquil though severe, was fixed upon her sister: that of the other was holy, bright, and enthusiastic, and her rapturous gaze was bent upon the heavens.

A peculiarly benign and genial atmosphere, which Religion shed around her, immediately attracted the heart, but she could only be communed with in full light through the introduction of Reason, who seemed never to be fully alive, but when discharging this delightful duty. It was observed that when a votary of Religion

neglected the voice of Reason, who never failed to address every one that approached, there evolved from his body a cloud which gradually darkened his vision, till he became blind; but it was not always the case that he lost the benefit of the warm atmosphere of Religion, even when he was thus deprived of light.

The sisters had descended on a spot which many thousand years before they had visited, but were so ill-treated by men, that they had fled disgusted. They now made a second essay to save him, and thus addressed a company of men whom they meant to constitute their heralds:

“We are sent from God. Our purpose is to make mankind happy; inducing them to be virtuous, by promising them eternal life. We have elected you to be our heralds, for many reasons. You are unlearned in the wisdom of this world, and none of your race, in after ages, who may have enjoyed the advantages of that wisdom, which we have brought from heaven, can rise up and dispute our title to universal

homage, by pretending, that all the good we do, was done by ingenious men, without supernatural aid. We do not deceive you. If you follow us, you must give up national prejudices, for the blessings we dispense will not be confined to your nation. You must give up all hope of earthly emolument, for our kingdom is not of this world. You must not expect to ingratiate yourselves with the rich and powerful. No, you will be persecuted and hunted from city to city; you will be scorned, and mocked, and reviled, and die unnatural deaths, of torture, and ignominy, and shame. But you will be rewarded in this life with the reflection that you are carrying a message, which, though it cost you care and pain, to ages on ages yet unborn, will bring comfort, peace, and happiness, and to you, also, in another life, a crown of fadeless glory."

The proposal was received, for the sisters gave sensible evidence of their celestial origin, -and their empire began to spread. They met with two powerful rivals, Paganism and

Psuedo-Philosophy, who were counterfeits of themselves: for men, when the sisters left them before, being willing to supply their places, attempted to do it by placing these fallen deities over them, who had reigned ever since. Paganism and Pseudo-Philosophy were supported by the great and the powerful, and the learned; and they scorned, and scoffed at the simplicity of their heavenly rivals, and at the meanness of their followers: yet the celestials conquered, for they proved their mission divine, by effecting so great things by so impotent instruments.

At last the great and learned were constrained to admit the truth of what they said, and became converts; but, bringing with them much of the pride of Pseudo-Philosophy, while the multitude were still attached to the gaudy trappings of Paganism, Reason was soon enveloped in a mist by the subtle speculations of the former, and Religion disfigured by the injudicious fondness of the latter for the cast garments and desecrated temple of Paganism,

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