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DIALOGUE III.

W

THERON.

E are now, Afpafio, about two Miles diftant from my House. The Horse-Road lies through a narrow dufty Lane. The FootPath leads along a fpacious pleafant Meadow. Suppose, We deliver our Horses to the Servant, and walk the Remainder of the Way?

Afp. Nothing can be more fuitable to my Inclination. Efpecially, as the Air is become cool, and the Walk is fo inviting.

What a magnificent and charming Scene? -Hills, on either Side, gently rifing, and widely fpreading. Their Summits, crowned with scattered Villages, and clustering Trees. Their Slopes, divided into a beauteous ChequerWork; confifting partly of Tillage, with its waving Crops; partly of Pafturage, with its grazing

grazing Herds.Before Us, the Trefoil, the Clover, and a Variety of graffy Plants, differently bladed, and differently branched, weave themselves into a Carpet of living Green. Can any of the Manufactures formed in the Looms, or extended in the Palaces of Perfia, vie with the Covering of this ample Area? Vie with it, in Grandeur of Size, or Delicacy of Decoration ?

What a Profufion of the gayeft Flowers, fringing the Banks, and embroidering the Plain !

-Nature Here

Wantons as in her Prime, and plays at Will Her Virgin-fancies, pouring forth more Sweet, Wild above Rule or Art, enormous Bliss * !

Nothing can be brighter, than the Luftre of those filver Daifies; nothing deeper, than the Tinge of thofe golden Crowfoots. Yet, both feem to acquire additional Beauty, by fucceeding to the Deformity of Winter, and flourishing amidst so much surrounding Verdure.

Ther. Nature is truly in her Prime.—The vegetable Tribes are putting on their richest Attire. Thofe Chefnuts, on our Right-hand, begin to rear their flowering Pyramids; those Willows, on our left, are tipt with Taffels of Grey; and yonder Poplars, that overlook

* Milton, B. V.

the

the River, and feem to command the Meadows, are pointed with Rolls of Silver.

The Hawthorn, in every Hedge, is partly turgid with filken Gems, partly diffused into a milk-white Bloom. Not a ftragling Furze, nor a folitary Thicket, but wears a rural Nosegay. All is a delightful Difplay of present Fertility, and a joyous Pledge of future Plenty.

-Now we experience what the royal Poet, in very agreeable Imagery, defcribes: The Winter is paft; the Rain is over and gone. The Flowers appear on the Earth; the Time of the Singing of Birds is come; and the Voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land. The Fig-Tree putteth forth her Green Figs; and the Vine with the tender Grapes give a good Smell *.

Afp. Your Quotation and the Scene remind me of a Remark, that should have been admitted into our laft Night's Discourse. When we were enumerating the Excellencies of the facred Writings, methinks, we might have added;-Are you fond of Paftoral, in all its flowery Graces, and blooming Honours? Never have we seen fuch exquifite Touches of rural Painting, or fuch fweet Images of endeared Affection, as in the Song of Songs which is Solomon's. All the brilliant and amiable Appearances in Nature are employed, to delineate the Tenderness of his Heart, who is Love itfelf

Cant. ii. 11, 12, 13:

itfelf-to pourtray the Beauty of his Perfon, who is The chiefest among ten thousand—and defcribe the Happiness of thofe Souls, whofe Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son JESUS CHRIST *.

See! Theron, what the chearing Warmth and the genial Showers of Spring have done! Such a Change, fo pleafing and fo ennobling, the Gospel of CHRIST introduces into the Soul. -Not a Day, fcarce an Hour paffes, but this Seafon of univerfal Fecundity produces Something new. And is there any State, or any Circumftance of Life, on which the Faith of CHRIST does not exert a fimilar Efficacy, and bring forth Fruit unto GOD?

This is fuppofed to be the spiritual Meaning of that fine descriptive Picture,which You have borrowed from the Canticles. It displays the benign Agency of Grace and its Doctrines; especially, of our LORD's Satisfaction for Sin, and of his Righteousness imputed to Sinners. These operate, with much the fame favourable and happy Energy, both on our Morals and our Comforts; as the feet Influences of the vernal Sun operate, on the sprouting Herbs, and opening Flowers.

Ther. If fuch were the Effects of your Doctrine, it would ftand the fairer Chance for general Acceptation. But there are several weighty

* 1 John i. 3.

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