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he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, sceing he is the anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. David also arose after3 ward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord hath delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt 4 of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee but my hand shall not be upon thee. saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea? The 5 Lord therefore be judge and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.

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And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said unto David, Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thy hand, thou killedst me 6 not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? Wherefore the Lord reward thee good, for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me,

and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of any father's house. And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

1 THEN came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times; but, until seventy times seven.

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be 2 made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and. I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him 3 into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant! I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. 1 O GOD, my sins are manifold; against my life they cry; And all my guilty deeds, foregone, up to thy temple fly: Wilt thou release my trembling soul, that to despair is driven?

"Forgive!" a blessed voice replied, " and thou shalt be forgiven!"

2 My foemen, Lord, are fierce and fell; they spurn me in

their pride;

They render evil for my good, my patience they deride: Arise, O King, and be the proud to righteous ruin driven : 'Forgive!" an awful answer came, 66 as thou wouldst

46

be forgiven!"

3 Seven times, O Lord, I pardoned them; seven times they've sinned again;

They practise still to work me wo, they triumph in my

pain;

But let them dread my vengeance, now, to just resent

66

ment driven !

Forgive!" the voice of thunder spake,
forgiven!"-Ieber.

66 or never be

LESSON XVI.

The Stranger and his Friend.

MONTGOMERY.

Matt. xxv. 35

1 A POOR wayfaring man of grief
Hath often crossed me on my way,
Who sued so humbly for relief,

That I could never answer, nay.
I had not power to ask his name,
Whither he went or whence he came;
Yet there was something in his eye,
That won my love, I knew not why.

2 Once, when my scanty meal was spread,
He entered-not a word he spake-
Just perishing for want of bread.

I gave him all; he blessed it, brake,
And ate, but gave me part again ;
Mine was an angel's portion then,
For while I fed with eager haste,
The crust was manna to my taste.

3. I spied him where a fountain burst

Clear from the rock; his strength was gone;

The heedless water mocked his thirst;

He heard it saw it hurrying on~

I ran, and raised the sufferer up;

Twice from the stream he drained my cup,
Dipt, and returned it running o'er;

I drank, and never thirsted more.

4 "Twas night. The floods were out, it blew
A winter hurricane aloof;

I heard his voice abroad, and flew

To bid him welcome to my roof;

I warmed, I clothed, I cheered my guest,
I laid him on my couch to rest:

Then made the ground my bed, and seemed
In Eden's garden while I dreamed.

5 Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side;

I roused his pulse, brought back his breath.
Revived his spirit and supplied

Wine, oil, refreshment;-he was healed
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

6 In prison I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor's doom at morn;
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him, midst shame and scorn.
My friendship's utmost zeal to try,

He asked if I for him would die :

The flesh was weak, my blood ran chill,
But the free spirit cried, "I will."

7 Then in a moment to my view,

The stranger started from disguise;
The tokens in his hands I knew,

My Savior.. stood before my eyes.

He spake, and my poor name he named-
"Of me thou has not been ashamed;
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto me."

I have seen the walls of Balclutha, but they were desolàte. The flame had resounded in the halls; and the voice

of the people is heard no more. The stream of Clutha was removed from its place by the fall of the walls. The thistle shook there its lonely head: the moss whistled to the wind. The fox looked out from the windows: and the rank grass of the wall waved around his head. Desolate is the dwelling of Morná: silence is in the house of her fathers.-Ossian.

LESSON XVII.

Letter from the Poet Couper to Mrs. King.

October 11, 1788. 1 You are perfectly secure from all danger of being overwhelmed with presents from me. It is not much that a poet can possibly have it in his power to give. When he has presented his own works, he may be supposed to have exhausted all means of donation. They are his only 'superfluity. There was a time-but that time was before I commenced writer for the press-when I amused myself in a way somewhat similar to yours; allowing, I mean, for the difference between masculine and female operations. The scissors and the needle are your chief implements; 2 mine were the chisel and the saw. In those days, you might have been in some danger of too plentiful a return for your favors. Tables, such as they were, and jointstools, such as never were, might have travelled to Perton Hall in most inconvenient abundance. But I have long since discontinued this practice, and many others which I found it necessary to adopt, that I might escape the worst of all evils, both in itself and in its consequences— -an idle life. Many arts I have exercised with this view, for which nature never designed me; though among them were some 3 in which I arrived at considerable proficiency, by mere dint of the most heroic perseverance. There is not a 'squire in all this country, who can boast of having made better squirrel-houses, hutches for rabbits, or bird-cages, than myself; and in the article of cabbage-nets, I had no superior. I even had the hardiness to take in hand the pencil, and studied a whole year the art of drawing. Many figures were the fruit of my labors, which had, at least, the merit

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