Page images
PDF
EPUB

in a more elegant dress and convenient form, I am not conscious of having at all perverted the spirit of the original, or derogated from the dignity of the subject. This edition, though translated by the same hand as that erroneously said to be by the Author of the Adviser, differs in some respects from that translation, which was composed very hastily, and came from the press with some inaccuracies. Some of the concluding sentences, which were omitted before, are now restored, as tending to promote the cause of religion and the practice of humanity; and many corrections have been made.

I cannot conclude, without sincerely congratulating the public upon the increase of piety, and the more general diffusion of knowledge, in this country. Our children are leaving the worse-than-foolish tales of Tom Thumb, Goody Two-shoes, Little Red Riding-hood, Jack the Giant Killer, and many more productions of like nature, all tending to vitiate their young minds, fill them with absurd notions, and encourage a love of the marvellous, and a dislike to plain truth; for works savouring more of probability, and tending to conduct them through the paths of virtue to the temple of fame. The present work I venture to recommend to young people, with a firm confidence in its improving the mind and ameliorating the heart. It will be particularly useful to those whose reading is not very extensive, as containing much useful information in natural history and natural philosophy, conveyed in language intelligible to young children; and every where abounding with devotion warm from the heart.

REFLECTIONS

UPON

THE WORKS OF GOD

AS DISPLAYED IN NATURE.

JANUARY I.

A Meditation upon New-year's Day.

LET us consider this day as the first of our lives, and venture to anticipate, from the goodness of God, a repetition of those benefits which we have received from our first entrance into the world, to the present period of our existence. What blessings may we hope from that Being, which has ever watched over us with the tender solicitude of a father which, at the hour of our birth, presented us in our parents; with friends that have supplied all our wants, and supported us through the helpless and unprotected state of infancy?

Without their fostering care, how could we have preserved our health, and all the comforts which we now enjoy? Were it possible for us at that time to have reflected upon our destined fate, we should doubtless have looked forward with delight to the pleasures of our sublunary existence; now that we are capable of such reflections, it is pleasing to indulge the sensations our present happiness inspires, and our imagination dwells with rapture upon the sweet hopes of future felicity.

To-day a new career of life opens before us, in which, though more advanced to maturity, we still require a portion of that support we experienced, when, feeble and destitute, we first drew our breath. In the hour of danger, and in the time of affliction, we feel the necessity of a friend to VOL. I.

B

« PreviousContinue »