rooted nations-fire and sword have marked their career, they have been raised by the whirlwind of party spirit, riding, for a time, on the tornado of faction; and, by the same elements, often dashed to pieces. In a large majority of cases, the tenure of their crowns has been a mere rope of sand, and limited in its duration. Passing down from the Persian empire, less and less stability characterized monarchies, for many centuries. The number of modern European Kings, Queens, and Emperors, the most enlightened on the eastern continent, has been enormous. From A. D. 800, England has had fifty-six. From A. D. 768, France has had fifty. From A. D. 824, to 1603, Scotland had forty. From A. D. 800, up to the confederation of 1815, Germany had been favored with fifty-six. Prussia, from A. D. 802, to the present time, has had fifty-nine. Spain, from A. D. 858, to the present time, has had seventy-seven. Sweden, from A. D. 825, to the present time, has had forty-eight. In the year A. D. 1699, subdivisions commenced. From that time to the present, Denmark has had five. From A. D. 1706, Portugal has had eight. From A. D. 1701, Prussia has had five. From A. D. 1713, Naples has had seven. From A. D. 1720, Sardinia has had eight. From A. D. 1704 to 1805, Poland had twelve. From A. D. 1831, Belgium has had one. From A. D. 1805, Bavaria has had two. From A. D. 1806, Wirtemburg has had two. From A. D. 1806, Holland has had three. From A. D. 1806, Saxony has had three. From A. D. 772 to 1820, the Papál power has had one hundred and sixty-one heads, whose power, varied, at different periods, from absolute, over most of the kingdoms, to the control of Austria, Italy, &c. The above numbers are substantially correct, and the dates when each kingdom commenced, are believed to be entirely so. If variety is the spice of life, and the dispositions of kings, queens, and emperors; as various as their numbers have been, Europe has been spiced with a vengeance. This item of history is given, that the reader may be induced more highly to appreciate the freedom we enjoy. How different from all other potentates, is the history of the KING of kings. Compared with the sublimity and grandeur of his advent and reign, all earthly pageantry is the shadow of a shade. His pathway illuminated by the morning stars, he descended to earth, and tabernacled in clay. The archangel's trump sounds the glad tidings of peace on earth, and good will to men. The shepherds heard the joyful news, echo reverberated the soul-cheering message, over the hills and through the dales of Bethlehem. The Prince of glory appeared in all the majesty of light and purity ; Divinity, clothed in humanity-his wardrobe, all the Christian graces, crowned with love; his canopy, the heavens; his palace, all space; his throne, the hearts of his people; his lifeguards, legions of angels; his power, almighty; his kingdom, the universe; his subjects, the saints of all time; his tenure, ETERNITY. His laws are based on freedom-concise, plain, equal, just; as enduring as the immortal soul, freely and cheerfully obeyed by all his subjects, in every age and clime. His earthly career has been graphically portrayed by the master pen of inspiration, in five words, HE WENT His rays of light burst upon the world, like lightning, glancing through the midnight gloom. ABOUT DOING GOOD. How unlike the pageantry of the greatest mon archs of frail humanity-conquerers of the world; desolators of the earth; scourgers of the human race; murderers of millions. How unlike their laws; the breath of tyrants, the chains of slaves, the iron-barred shackles of man. How unlike their subjects; governed by fear, quailing with terror, shuddering with dreadobsequious, cringing, miserable, wretched vassals. In death, the contrast is still more striking. Contemplate the awful terrors, the keen remorse, the fearful dread, the biting anguish, the dreadful death pangs, of the proud Alexander, the ambitious Cæsar, and the disappointed Bonaparte. Darkness impenetrable hung over their pathway-no light illuminated their passage to the tomb. With them, their power expired; no subjects obey them now. No rich perfume renders their memory sacred. With the hand of oppression, they inscribed their names, in letters of blood, on the tablet of inglorious fame. At one bold stroke, death struck them, and their mandates, from the calendar of life; nor did the stroke disturb the calm of nature. In the dust they moulder, nor will they rise to resume their robes of majesty, or again wield their iron sceptres over man. How different the scene on Calvary. The sun in darkness-the moon in crimson-the earth quaking— rocks rending-hell moving-the KING of kings expiring. But how short the triumph-how transient the conquest. Jesus put forth his recovered strength; crushed the sting of death; snatched from the grave the laurels of boasted victory; placed them upon his own brow; burst the cleft rock tomb; triumphed over his enemies; rose, the godlike conquerer; ascended to his native heaven, amidst the shouts of angelic throngs, who lifted high the eternal gates, and let the KING of glory in. There he lives, enthroned in majesty, swaying, and to sway his mild sceptre over his willing and happy subjects through all time; loved, revered, obeyed, and adored; by the countless millions who have, and shall enlist under his banner of love. Nor is this all. Again will this KING of kings descend to earth, in majesty, fearful, terrible, and exterminating, to his enemies; peaceful, happy and joyful, to his saints. To describe the awful grandeur of that scene, would require an angel's pen, dipped in etherial fire, and more than an angel's hand to guide it. Let all be prepared for that dreadful day, when "Man, starting from his couch, shall sleep no more! LABOR. The man and woman who is above labor, and despises the laborer, show a want of common sense, and forget that every article that is used, is the product of more or less labor, and that the air they breathe and the circulation of the blood in the veins, is the result of the labor of the God of nature. The time was, when kings and queens stimulated their subjects to labor, by example. Queen Mary had her regular hours of work, and had one of her maids of honor read to her, whilst she plied the needle. Sir Walter Raleigh relates a cutting reply made to him by the wife of a noble duke, at whose house he lodged over night. In M the morning, he heard her give directions to a servant, relative to feeding the pigs. On going into the breakfast room, he jocosely asked her if the pigs had all breakfasted. All, sir, but the strange pig I am about to feed, was the witty reply. Sir Walter was mute, and walked up to the trough. Washington and his lady were examples of industry, plainness, frugality and economy-and thousands of others of the wealthy, labored in the field and kitchen, in olden times, before folly superceded wisdom, and fashion drove common sense and economy off the track. The necessity imposed on man to labor, is unquestionably a great blessing, as much as many are opposed to it, and as others flee from it. In those countries, and districts of country, where the greatest amount of labor is requisite to obtain the necessaries of life, we find the most vigorous, healthy, and athletic inhabitants. Where nature has done most for man, in providing for his bodily wants, we find him most destitute of the solid comforts of life. In the highlands of Scotland, on the mountains of Circassia, amidst the hills of Norway, the people are happier, by far more robust, and more energetic, than in effeminate Spain, or degraded Italy. In our own country, rock-bound New England, the long range of the Allegheny mountains, and their numerous spurs and valleys, support a much more hardy race of men, than the sunny South. When the body becomes weakened by indolence, or by luxury, the mind usually suffers with it. The energies become torpid, the intellectual powers are not cultivated, and the whole man becomes enervated for want of action. Labor in the open air is most conducive to health, and agriculture affords the largest share of happiness, |