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possible unto thee," &c. Thus should we not fail to do under all our afflictions. We should ever keep in remembrance, lay claim to, and plead, our relation to God as our Father. This will tend both to reconcile us to our afflictions, by convincing us, that they are the appointments of a Father, who means us well, and intends our good, even in the severest trials. It will also be well pleasing to him, and recommend us to his favour, as shewing a proper filial spirit of confidence in him, even when his hand is heavy upon us.

Observe also, how our Lord pleads the all-sufficient power of God to save him. "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee." When we suffer affliction, we are apt to indulge a desponding spirit, and to conlude, that there remains no possibility of remedy. Perhaps, indeed, no prospects of relief from men, or remedy from natural causes may appear; yet, let us remember, with our Lord in his agony, that all things are possible to our heavenly Father, and, with him likewise, let us not fail to pray earnestly for the deliverance we want. He who heareth the cries of the inferior animals, when they seek their meat from God, will not neglect the requests of his own children. He encourageth, he requires our prayers on these occasions. "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." He commands us to cast our care on himself, with assurance that he careth for us: to be anxious about nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to let our requests be known unto God. Let us not neglect, or fail to improve this important privilege.

But then, let us observe further, with what perfect submission and resignation our blessed Lord preferred his request to his Father for deliverance: "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." Here, especially, let us be particularly careful to imitate him. It is most meet we should do so, because, God, whose wisdom is unerring, knows infinitely better than we, what is fit and proper to be done, and at what season. If it be fit

that our requests should be granted, he will grant them: if not, then it is fit that he should not grant them, and that we should be submissive and patient in bearing what he sees needful to inflict. Oh that we could acquire more of this spirit! Let us endeavour to get it wrought into the real disposition of our hearts, and not content ourselves with adopting decent modes of expression with our lips.

Observe further: That our Lord was not answered at his first petition, nor at his second, and therefore at his third he thus absolutely resigned himself to the will of God. “O my Father,

if this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." This completed the excellence of his pious resignation, and prepared him for deliverance, which was then granted. Thus let us also, when we find, that our heavenly Father sees it not meet, to answer our petitions, though often repeated, humbly resign them and ourselves up to his good pleasure, saying from our hearts, "Thy will be done." Then we may be assured, that we also shall be heard and accepted for our piety. And though the deliverance or mercies we requested should not be bestowed, we shall obtain the favour of God, and his gracious support and conduct of us through this world, and everlasting deliverance from all evil, together with a perfect joy in his heavenly kingdom.

That we all by a frequent and serious contemplation of the most amiable and perfect character of our Lord Jesus, may through the assistances of divine grace, be improved into a more perfect conformity in all things to his temper and character; especially, to a more careful obedience to all God's commandments, and entire acquiescence and submission to all his appointments, may God of his infinite mercy grant through Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

SIR,

POETRY.

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.

THE following verses have never been printed to my knowledge, except in a newspaper, at the time when they were first written. They are now rather less, incorrect and at your service. The young African to whom they were addressed, died soon after his return to his native country. Thus were disappointed some fair expectations from the influence of his education in England on the improvement of Africa. While Naimbanna was here, happening in a company to take ⚫ out his watch, he confessed with marks of great regret that he had purchased it with a young slave. This circumstance produced a beautiful little song by a lady, called I think, " The Negro Boy." Should any of your readers be in possession of this valuable piece of poetry, I shall thank them for the communication of it; and I dare say you will readily insert it in your Repository.

London, June 26, 1807.

R. C.

VERSES,

To Prince John Frederic Naimbanna, on his arrival in England, under the care of the Sierra Leone Company.

1792.

WELCOME mild stranger! friendship's kindest smile
Now greets thee welcome to the British Isle;
Where knowledge oft unrols her ample page,
Rich with the varied spoils of many an age:
Be thine her choicest gifts, then bear the store,
A grateful present to thy native shore ;
Our arts and learning shall adorn her clime,
But oh! beware our folly and our crime!

For Europe's sons, though Truth her charms display,
And their's the boast of Reason's brightest day;
Though Heav'n's blest volume to their eyes unfold,
What kings and prophets waited for of old.
The slaves of Av'rice, at her stern command,
'They hostile rove some unoffending land;

Through haunts of peace the sanguine falchions glare,
And pamper'd Ruin proudly triumphs there!
While the wrong'd native with his latest breath,
On Justice calling hails the grasp of death;
Invokes each fabled demon's vengeful rod,
And lisping infants curse the Christian's God.
Prophet of leav'n! whom we our Master call,
In life, in death, approv'd the friend of all;
Yet there are those who mark thy gen'rous plan,
And love a brother where they meet a man:
Who scorn the maxims of a venal throng,
Nor claim a civil right from moral wrong;
The cause of injur'd Africa they plead,
And tell how justice and compassion bleed.
Hopeless they plead with Mammon's sordid train,
On Pleasure's thoughtless sons they call in vain ;
Yet though so long unmov'd the world appear'd,
At length Humanity! thy voice is heard:
Through the throng'd city and the peopled vale,
They hang with horror on thy tragic tale;
And dread to give a relish to their food,
By lux'ries purchas'd with a brother's blood!
And see the active sons of Commerce join,
With gen'rous ardour in a blest design;
On Afric's shore the laden fleet appears,
Not the dire object of a nation's fears:

By Av'rice charg'd to rouse infernal strife,
And blast the promise of domestic life;

But launch'd by Commerce with a kind command,
To bear our blessings to her distant land;
The stores of peace, the instruments of art,
The faith that guides the life and rules the heart.
And sure the men to whom this zeal was giv❜n,
May humbly hope the patronage of Heav'n:
Of purpos'd virtue their's the sacred bliss,
And their's the plaudit of the Prince of Peace;
And while my country, provident at last,
Looks, hapless spendthrift, on her follies past;
Computes the widow's and the orphan's tear,
And deems e'en victory's laurel bought too dear;
This true ambition shall exalt her fame,
And unborn nations hail Britannia's name.

Naimbanna! health and virtue still be thine!
Those high endowments from the Pow'r divine!
And when improv'd by friendship's fost'ring care,
Thy welcome sails shall bless a parent's pray'r;
May thousands smile beneath a mild command,
While arts and industry enrich thy land.
Then Europe's savages shall spread no more
Contention's flame along her peaceful shore,
Rouse friends and kindred to a guilty strife,
And wound the fondest charities of life;
Nor drag the husband from the wife's embrace,
And leave to pining want his orphan race;
Her sons no more for foreign tyrants toil,
But dress with willing hand their native soil;
Where pathless thickets stopp'd the trav'ler's way,
Shall peopled towns the arts of life display;
Blithe on her streams the barks of commerce sail,
And joys of harvest gladden every vale;
The Christian hope revisit Afric's clime,

And point to worlds beyond the bounds of time.

Lines written in my New Testament.

DOTH learning, science emulate thy mind
To soar above the mass of human kind?
What if thou canst with optic tube survey,
And measure Saturn on his dusky way,

Canst mark how distant, and how large his sphere,
And note the length of his revolving year?

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In short, hath Nature in her kindest mood,
Blest thee with genius ?-and, hath Art bestow'd
Her vast attainments?-what will these avail,
In life's decline, when health and vigour fail ;
When fell disease from which no aid can save,
Shall point the way to an eternal grave?
Eternal grave! heart-sickening is the sound;
From fate so dread, can no relief be found?
Can Nature in her various aspects shew
No ground for hope to mitigate this woe?
Can Reason, or can Science e'er display,
A future life to chear the wanderer's way?
No! not to these, the poor opprest good man
Owes hopes of joy beyond this narrow span.

If there be aught can bid his sorrows cease,
And whisper to his wounded spirit peace;
It is this book, this book to which he owes
Those blessings that no other book bestows;
Owes heav'n-born hope, which midst his daily toil,
Will still point forward with an angel smile;
Will still attend him on his weary road,
And lead him to his Father and his God!

Manchester.

W.P.

SHEPHERD'S SONG.

WHEN primrose tufts and daffodils,
Smell sweetly from the breezy hills;
When nightingales do softly sing,
O! then we learn the time is Spring.

When trees are leafy, roses blown,
When fragrant hay is gaily mown;
When cuckoos shout and wild-bees hum,
"Tis then we know that Summer's come.

When golden grain is gather'd all,
When mellow'd pears and apples fall;
When hooting owls at night we hear,
"Tis then we say,-the Autumn's near.

When trees are bare, and streams are still,
When cheerful fires the chimnies fill;
When red-breasts on our tables stand,
Ah! then, cold Winter is at hand!

A. M. P

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