Series of antique Medals, or a Collection of the finest Gems; my Friends would naturally expect to be entertained, with a Sight of those Rarities, and an Explanation of their Meaning. Why should we not as naturally expect, and as conftantly agree, to entertain each other with Remarks on thofe admirable Curiofities, which are deposited in the boundless Musaum* of the Universe?

When a General has won fome important Victory, or an Admiral has destroyed the Enemy's Fleet; every Company resounds with their Atchievements; every Tongue is the Trumpet of their Fame. And why should We not celebrate, with equal Delight and Ardour, that ALMIGHTY Hand; which formed the Structure, and furnished the Regions, of this stupendous System ?

Afp. Efpecially, if to his immenfely glorious, We add his fupremely amiable Perfections.— When the victorious Commander is our most cordial Friend: when He has profeffed the tendereft Love; done Us the moft fignal Good; and promised Us a perpetual Enjoyment of his Favours; it will be impoffible to neglect fuch an illuftrious and generous Perfon. His Name must be engraven upon our Hearts ;

must

Mufaum-Alluding to a remarkable Edifice in the City of Oxford, diftinguifhed by this Name; and appropriated to the Reception of Curiofities, both natural and artificial.

must slide infenfibly into our Tongues; and be as Mufic to our Ears.

Is not all this true, and in the most fupereminent Degree, with regard to the bleffed GOD? Can greater Kindness be exercised, or greater Love be conceived; than to deliver up his own SON to Torments and Death, for the Expiation of our Sins?-Can Benefits, more defirable, be granted; than to adopt Us for his Children, and fanctify Us by his SPIRIT?— Can Promifes, more invaluable, be made ; than thofe, which infure to Us the Preferments of Heaven, and the Riches of Eternity?

All this is attested, concerning the ALMIGHTY Majefty, in the Scriptures of Truth. What a rich Fund, therefore, for refined Converfation, are the Scriptures!

Ther. Here also I have the Pleasure, to concur with my Afpafio. Though I believe, He fufpects me to be fomewhat wavering or defective, in my Veneration for the Scriptures.

Afp. No, Theron: I have a better Opinion of your Taste and Difcernment, than to harbour any fuch Sufpicion.

Ther, The Scriptures are certainly an inexhauftible Fund of Materials, for the most delightful and ennobling Discourse. When we confider the Author of those facred Booksthat they came originally from Heaven-were

dictated

dictated by divine Wisdom-have the fame confummate Excellence, as the Works of Creation -It is really furprising, that We are not always searching, by Study, by Meditation, or Converse, into one or other of those grand Volumes.

Afp. When Secker preaches, or Murray pleads; the Church is crouded, and the Bar thronged. When Spence produces the Refinements of Criticism, or Young displays the Graces of Poetry; the Prefs toils, yet is scarce able to fupply the Demands of the Public.—Are We eager to hear, and impatient to purchase, what proceeds from fuch eloquent Tongues, and masterly Pens? And can We be coldly indifferent, when not the most accomplished of Mankind-not the most exalted of Creatures -but the ADORABLE Author of all Wifdom, speaks in his revealed Word? Strange! that our Attention does not hang * upon the venerable Accents, and our Talk dwell upon the incomparable Truths!

Ther. I admire, I must confess, the very Language of the Bible. In this, methinks, I difcern a Conformity, between the Book of Nature, and the Book of Scripture.

In

*St. Luke, in his evangelical Hiftory, ufes this beautiful Image, expeμaro. The People hung upon the Lips of their all-wife Teacher. Luke xix. 48. Which implies two very strong Ideas-an Attention, that nothing could interrupt --and an Eagerness, fcarce ever to be fatisfed.

-Pendetque loquentis ab Ore

VIRG.

In the Book of Nature, the divine TEACHER speaks, not barely to our Ears, but to all our Senfes. And it is very remarkable, how He varies his Addrefs !-Observe his grand and auguft Works. In thefe, he ufes the Stile of Majesty. We may call it, the true Sublime. It ftrikes with Awe, and transports the Mind.— View his ordinary Operations. Here, He defcends to a plainer Dialect. This may be termed, the familiar Style. We comprehend it with Eafe, and attend to it with Pleasure.-In the more ornamented Parts of the Creation, He clothes his Meaning with Elegance. All is rich and brilliant. We are delighted; We are charmed. And what is this, but the florid Style?

A Variety, fomewhat fimilar, runs through the Scriptures. Would You fee Hiftory, in all her Simplicity, and all her Force; most beautifully easy, yet irresistibly striking?—See Her, or rather feel her Energy, touching the nicest Movements of the Soul, and triumphing over our Paffions, in the inimitable Narrative of Jofeph's Life.-The Representation of Efau's bitter Distress *; the Conversation-Pieces of Jonathan, and his gallant Friend; the memorable Journal of the Disciples going to Emmaus; are finished Models of the Impaffioned and

* Gen. xxvii. 30, &c. + Luke xxiv. 13, &c.

+1 Sam. xviii, xix, xx.

and Affecting.-Here is nothing studied; no Flights of Fancy; no Embellishments of Oratory. Yet, how inferior is the Episode of Nifus and Eurialus, though worked up by the most masterly Hand in the World, to the undiffembled artless Fervency of these scriptural Sketches* !

Are We pleased with the Elevation and Dignity of an Heroic Poem; or the Tenderness and Perplexity of a Dramatic Performance? In the Book of Job, they are both united, and both unequalled.-Conformably to the exactest Rules of Art, as the Action advances, the Incidents are more alarming, and the Images more magnificent. The Language glows, and the Pathos fwells. Till, at laft, the DEITY Himself makes his Entrance. He speaks from the Whirlwind, and fummons the Creation: fummons Heaven, and all its fhining Hoft; the Elements, and their most wonderful Productions; to vouch for the Wisdom of his providential Difpenfations.-His Word strikes Terror,

* Let a Perfon of true Tafte, perufe, in a critical View, the two first Chapters of St. Luke. He will there find a Series. of the moft furprifing Incidents, related with the greatest Simplicity, yet with the utmost Majefty.-All which, wonderfully affecting in themselves, are heightened and illuminated, by a judicious Intermixture of the fublimeft Pieces of Poetry. For my own Part, I know not how to characterize them more properly, than by Solomon's elegant Comparifon.-They are as gold Rings fet with the Beryl, or as bright Ivory over-laid with Sapphires. Cantic. v. 14.