VII.

They have conquered! The people with grateful acclaim Look to Washington's guidance from Washington's fame; Behold Cincinnatus and Cato combined

In his patriot heart and republican mind!

O type of true manhood! what sceptre or crown
But fades in the light of thy simple renown?
And, lo! by the side of the hero, a sage,

In freedom's behalf, sets his mark on the age;
Whom Science adoringly hails, while he wrings
The lightning from heaven, the sceptre from kings!*

VIII.

But see! o'er Columbus slow consciousness breaks-"Land! land!" cry the sailors; "land! land!"-he awakesHe runs-yes! behold it!—it blesses his sightThe land! Oh, dear spectacle! transport! delight! Oh, generous sobs, which he cannot restrain!

“What will Ferdinand say? and the Future? and Spain?
I will lay this fair land at the foot of the throne—
The king will repay all the ills I have known;

In exchange for a world what are honors and gains?
Or a crown?" But how is he rewarded? With chains!
FROM THE FRENCH OF DELAVIGNE. †

C. TRUE SIMPLICITY.

1. To be wholly occupied with others, never to look within, is the state of blindness of those who are entirely engrossed by what is present and addressed to their senses. This is the very reverse of simplicity. To be absorbed in self in whatever engages us, whether we are laboring for our fellow-beings or for God-to be wise in our own eyes, reserved and full of our

* An allusion to the following celebrated Latin line on Franklin, composed by Turgot: "Eripuit fulmen cœlo, sceptrumque tyrannis." The literal translation is, "He snatched the lightning from heaven, and the sceptre from tyrants."

+ Original adaptation from Delavigne's "Trois Jours," etc.

selves, troubled at the least thing that disturbs our self-complacency-is the opposite extreme. This is really worse than to be engrossed by outward things, because it appears like wisdom and yet is not; we do not think of curing it; we pride ourselves upon it; we approve of it; it gives us an unnatural strength; it is a sort of frenzy of which we are not conscious; we are dying, and we think ourselves in health.

2. Simplicity consists in a just medium, in which we are neither too agitated nor too composed. The soul is not so borne away by outward things that it cannot give heed to its own interests, neither does it make those continual references to self which a jealous sense of its own excellence multiplies to infinity. This freedom of the soul, looking straight onward in its path, losing no time, parting with no strength in reasoning upon its steps, in studying or reviewing them, is true simplicity. Thus it is free in its course, since it makes no preparation. But this freedom must be the fruit of a perfect renunciation of self, of an unreserved trust in God.

3. Dwelling too much upon self produces in weak minds unprofitable scruples and superstitious fancies, and in strong minds a presumptuous wisdom. Both are contrary to true simplicity, which is free and direct, and gives itself up, without reserve and with a generous self-abnegation, to the Father of spirits. How free, how intrepid, are the motions, how glorious the progress, that the soul makes when delivered from all low and interested and selfish cares! If we desire that our friends be simple and free with us, disencumbered of self in their intimacy with us, will it not please God, our truest friend, to have us surrender our souls to him without fear or reserve, in that holy and sweet communion with himself which he vouchsafes? It is toward this divine simplicity that we must be ever advancing.

4. This deliverance of the soul from all disquieting and impertinent cares brings to it a peace and a freedom that are unspeakable. It is easy to perceive at a glance how glorious. it is, but experience alone can make us comprehend the enlargement of heart that it produces. We are then like a child

in the arms of its parent; we wish nothing more and we fear nothing; we yield ourselves up to this pure and confiding love; we are not anxious about what others may think of us; all our motions are free, graceful and happy. We do not judge ourselves, and we do not fear to be judged. Let us strive after this lovely simplicity; let us seek the path that leads to it. The farther we are from it, the more we must hasten our steps to draw near to it.

5. Very far from being simple, many who think they are Christians are not even sincere. They are not only disingenuous, but they are false; they dissemble with their neighbor, with God and with themselves. They practice a thousand little arts that indirectly distort the truth. Alas! every man is a liar; those even who are naturally upright, sincere and ingenuous, and who are what is called simple and natural, still have this jealous and sensitive reference to self in everything, and it is this which secretly nourishes pride and prevents that true simplicity which is the utter renunciation and oblivion of self.

6. But it will be said, How can I help being occupied with myself? A crowd of selfish fears beset me and tyrannize over me and excite my sensibility. The way to cure this is to yield yourself up sincerely to God, to place your interests, your pleasures, your reputation, in his hands, to receive, as trials and tests of your love, all the sufferings he may inflict on you in this scene of humiliation, and neither to fear the scrutiny nor avoid the censure of mankind. This state of willing acquiescence produces true liberty, and this liberty brings perfect simplicity. A soul that is liberated from the little earthly interests of self-love becomes confiding and moves straight onward, and its views expand and its peace is profound just in proportion as its forgetfulness of self increases.

7. In regard to this lofty simplicity the opinion of the world conforms to the judgment of God. The world admires, even in its votaries, the free and easy manners of a person who has lost sight of himself. But the simplicity produced by a devotion to external things still more vain than self is not the true

simplicity; it is only an image of it, and cannot represent its greatness. Those who cannot find the substance pursue the shadow, and shadow as it is, it has a charm, for it bears some resemblance to the reality they have missed. A person full of defects who does not attempt to hide them, who does not seek to dazzle, who does not affect either talents or virtue, who does not appear to think of himself more than of others, but to have lost sight of this self of which we are so jealous, pleases greatly in spite of his defects, for this false simplicity is taken for the true. On the contrary, a person full of talents, of virtues and of exterior graces, if he appear artificial, if he seem to be thinking of himself-though he may affect the very best things-is a tedious and wearisome companion whom no one likes.

8. True simplicity manifests itself not only in the inward but in the outward man. As the mind is freed from its besetting selfhood we act more naturally, all art ceases, and, by a sort of directness of purpose that is inexplicable to those who have not experienced it, we act aright without thinking of what we are doing. To shallow observers we may appear less simple than those who have a more grave and practiced manner; but such misconceptions arise from taking the affectation of modesty for modesty itself, from an ignorance of genuine simplicity. This genuine simplicity may sometimes appear careless and irregular, but it has the charm of truth and candor, and sheds around it I know not what of pure and innocent, of cheerful and peaceful, a loveliness that must ever win us when we see it intimately and with pure eyes. How desirable is this simplicity! Who will give it to me? I will surrender all else for this one precious possession. It is the pearl of great price. FENELON.

SELECT ETYMOLOGIES.-Engross: to make great, h. to absorb; fr. en and gross; fr. the F. gros, large; L. L. gros'sus, L. cras'sus, thick. To engross may also mean to copy in a large hand. . Vouchsafe: fr. vouch

and safe; L. vo'co sal'vum, I call and warrant safe; F. sauf, safe.