ARGUMENT. One prominent human passion, the lust of power-The many forms and names it assumes.—Tyranny-Anarchy.—Struggles which gave birth to liberty in Britain.-Earthly liberty—Its real character and objects. -Slavery denounced-Only exceeded in wickedness by persecution.The false-named freedom of Greece and Rome-Prejudices of statesmen, historians, philosophers, and poets on this point-Pagan freedom only truly described by the Prophet.-True Christian liberty-Its blessed effects-The true freeman.-A renewed human heart unfolded— Its passions and capacities-Its struggling and contradictory principles and qualities-The scene of conflict between the powers of Good and Evil.-Afflictions and trials to which the Christian was liable on earth. - His growth in holiness. — Virtue perfect in God only. -Impossibility of fallen man gaining Heaven by his own holiness.-The Redeemed beheld around the Throne.-Hymn to Divine Love.-The Bard reverts to the affairs of Time. · -Books of Earth-The Novelist and Novels-Books that endured.-Vanity of human speculations on the mysteries of God.—Sin and presumption of men in censuring the ways of Providence -The mysteries of the Christian faith-Reason unable to comprehend these hidden things of God.-The unequal distribution of worldly goods, a mystery of Providence.-The high-born luxurious man contrasted with the beggar-Lessons taught by the disparity of fortune. The difference of mental gifts.-The man of weak intellect— The man of powerful understanding.—Important lesson drawn from the difference of intellectual endowments.-Reflections on the wisdom and goodness of God in the measure and distribution of His best gifts. -An illustrious poet of Earth-The lofty powers and tendencies of his genius-His fame-His fate-Reflections drawn from his character and history. THE COURSE OF TIME. BOOK IV. HE world had much of strange and wonderful: That ill her ignorance liked to own, through dark In order such as memory suggests. One passion prominent appears—the lust Of freedom out. Many, indeed, its names. And on the shoulders of the people laid And every tongue was weary cursing it. When in the multitude it gathered strength, These are a part; but other names it had, Of mere terrestrial root; but sickly, too, Conflicting cruelly against itself, By its own hand it fell; part slaying part. Stood wondering much, why earth, from age to age, This was earth's liberty, its nature this, However named, in whomsoever found- Of individuals, families, commonwealths. The root from which it grew was pride; bad root, And, marvellous though it seem, this monster, when It took the name of slavery, as oft It did, had advocates to plead its cause; Beings that walked erect, and spoke like men; Of Christian parentage descended, too, And dipped in the baptismal font, as sign Of dedication to the Prince who bowed Unchristian thought! on what pretence soe'er Of right inherited, or else acquired ; Of loss, or profit, or what plea you name, In chains, a being of celestial make; Of kindred form, of kindred faculties, |