2. No act falls fruitless; none can tell Nor what results enfolded dwell Work and despair not; give thy mite, God is with all that serve the right, LXXXVI. IMMENSITY OF THE UNIVERSE. 1. THE sun, with all its attendant planets, is but a very little part of the grand machine of the universe: every star, though in appearance no bigger than the diamond that glitters upon a lady's ring, is really a vast globe like the sun in size and in glory, no less spacious, no less luminous, than the radiant source of the day. So that every star is not barely a world, but the centre of a magnificent system; has a retinue of worlds irradiated by its beams, and revolving round its attractive influence; all which are lost to our sight. 2. That the stars appear like so many dimin'utive points, is owing to their immense and inconceivable distance. Immense and inconceivable, indeed, it is, since a ball shot from a loaded cannon, and flying with unabated rapidity, must travel at this impetuous rate almost seven hundred thousand years, before it could reach the nearest of these twinkling luminaries. 3. While beholding this vast expanse I learn my own extreme meanness, I would also discover the abject littleness of all terrestrial things. What is the earth, with all her ostentatious scenes, compared with this astonishingly grand furniture of the skies? What, but a dim speck, hardly perceptible in the map of the universe? 4. It is observed by a very judicious writer, that if the sun himself, which enlightens this part of the creation, were extinguished, and all the host of planetary worlds which move about him were annihilated, they would not be missed, by an eye that can take in the whole compass of nature, any more than a grain of sand upon the sea-shore. 5. The bulk of which they consist, and the space which they occupy, are so exceedingly little in comparison of the whole, that their loss would leave scarce a blank in the immensity of God's works. If, then, not our globe only, but this whole system, be so very diminutive, what is a kingdom or a country? what are a few lordships, or the so-much-admired pătrimonies of those who are styled wealthy? 6. When I measure them with my own little pittance, they swell into proud and bloated dimensions; but when I take the universe for my standard, how scanty is their size, how contemptible their figure! They shrink into pompous nothings! ADDISON. 1. To be always attentively observing what is passing around them, is one of the means by which men improve their circumstances. In order to attain a knowledge of the characters of our neighbors, of the ways of the world in general, and of a great multitude of things peculiar to every place, all of which kinds of knowledge are necessary to us, we must attentively observe and ponder on those thing as they daily present themselves to our notice. 33 2. Peter Gassen'di, a native of France, was a very wise and learned man. When he was about four years of age, he would stand up on a chair and preach little sermons to his brothers and sisters. As he grew bigger, he was very fond of looking at the mountains and fields, and at the sun, moon, and stars. 3. When he was only seven years of age, he was so fond of looking at the sky by night, that he often rose out of his bed to see the moon and stars moving in the heavens. One evening he was walking with two or three boys and girls of about the same age as himself. The full moon was shining in the sky, and a great many thin clouds were flying before the wind. 4. The children began to dispute among themselves whether it was the moon or the clouds which floated along. The other boys and girls said "they were sure that the clouds were still, and that it was the moon which moved." 5. Peter insisted that the moon had no sensible motion, such as they thought, and that it was the clouds which passed so swiftly. But his reasons produced no effect upon the minds of his companions, till he tried the following plan: 6. He took them under a large tree, and bade them look at the moon through the branches. They now saw that the moon seemed to stand still between the same leaves and branches, while the clouds sailed far away out of sight. They were then obliged to admit that Peter was right in what he said, and that they were wrong. 1. In a district of Algeria, distinguished by a name which, being translated, signifies the fine country, there lived, in the year 1850, an Arab chief or sheik, named Bou-Akas, who held despotic sway over twelve tribes. ΕΙ EI 2. Having heard that the cadi, or judge, over one of thesc twelve tribes, administered justice in an admirable manner, and pronounced decisions worthy of King Solomon himself, Bou-Akas determined to judge for himself as to the truth of the report. 3. Accordingly, dressed like a private individual, without arms or attendants, he set out for the cadi's town, mounted on a docile Arabian steed. He arrived there, and was just entering the gate, when a cripple, seizing the border of his mantle, asked him for alms.29 4. Bou-Akas gave him money, but the cripple still maintained his hold. "What dost thou want?" asked the sheik; "I have already given thee alms."-"Yes," replied the beggar; "but the law says, not only thou shalt give alms to thy brother,' but, also, thou shalt do for thy brother whatsoever thou canst.'" 6 5. 66 Well; and what can I do for thee?"-"Thou canst save me - poor, crawling creature that I am!— from being trodden under the feet of men, horses, mules and camels, which would certainly happen to me in passing through the crowded square, in which a fair" is now going on." 6. "And how can I save thee?"-"By letting me ride behind you, and putting me down safely in the marketplace, where I have business."-"Be it so," replied the sheik. And, stooping down, he helped the cripple to get up behind him; which was not accomplished without much difficulty. 7. The strangely-assorted couple attracted many eyes as they passed through the crowded streets; and at length they reached the market-place. "Is this where you wish to stop?" asked Bou-Akas. “Yes.”. "Then get down.” -"Get down yourself."-" What for?"-"To leave me the horse." 8. "To leave you my horse! What mean you by that?" "I mean that he belongs to me. Know you not that we are now in the town of the just cadi, and that if we bring the case before him he will certainly decide in my favor?""Why should he do so, when the animal belongs to me?" you 9. "Do you not think that when he sees us two,with your strong straight limbs, so well fitted for walking, and I with my weak legs and distorted feet, he will decree that the horse shall belong to him who has most need of him?"—"Should he do so, he would not be the just cadi," said Bou-Akas. 66 10. "O! as to that," replied the cripple, laughing, "although he is just, he is not infallible."-"So!" thought the sheik to himself, "this will be a capital opportunity of judging the judge." Then turning to the cripple, he said aloud, "I am content-we will go before the cadi." 1. ARRIVED at the tribunal," where the judge, according to the Eastern custom, was publicly administering justice, they found that two trials were about to go on, and would, of course, take pre-ce'dence of theirs. The first was between a ta'leb, or learned man, and a peasant. 2. The point in dispute was the taleb's wife, whom the peasant had carried off, and whom he asserted to be his own better half, in the face of the philosopher, who demanded her restoration. The woman (strange circumstance!) remained obstinately silent, and would not declare for either; a feature in the case which rendered its decision extremely difficult. 3. The cadi heard both sides attentively, reflected for a moment, and then said, "Leave the woman here, and return to-morrow." The learned man and the laborer each bowed and retired, and the next case was called. This was a difference between a butcher and an oil-seller. The latter appeared covered with oil, and the former was sprinkled with blood. The butcher spoke first, and said: .1 1. "I went to buy some oil from this man, and, in order to pay him for it, I drew a handful of money from my purse. The sight of the money tempted him. He seized me by the wrist. I cried out, but he would not let me go; and here we are, having come before your worship, I hold◄ |