protection or its benefits. It has been to us all a copious fountain of national, social, personal happiness. 4. I have not allowed myself, sir, to look beyond the Union, to see what might lie hidden in the dark recess behind. I have not coolly weighed the chances of preserving liberty, when the bonds that unite us together shall be broken asunder. I have not accustomed myself to hang over the precipice of disunion, to see whether, with my short sight, I can fathom the depth of the abyss below; nor could I regard him as a safe counsellor in the affairs of this government, whose thoughts should be mainly bent on considering, not how the Union might be best preserved, but how tolerable might be the condition of the people when it shall be broken up and destroyed. 5. While the Union lasts, we have high, exciting, gratifying prospects spread out before us, for us and our children. Beyond that I seek not to penetrate the veil. God grant, that, in my day at least, that curtain may not rise! God grant that on my vision never may be opened what lies behind! When my eyes shall be turned to behold, for the last time, the sun in heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments of a once glorious Union; on States dissevered, discordant, belligerent; on a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, in fraternal blood! 6 5 7 6. Let their last feeble and lingering glance, rather, behold the gorgeous ensign of the Republic, now known and honored throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its arms and trophies streaming in their original lustre, not a stripe erased or polluted, nor a single star obscured,— bearing for its motto, no such miserable interrogatory as "What is all this worth?" nor those other words of delusion and folly, "Liberty first, and Union afterwards,” but every where, spread all over in characters of living light, blazing on its ample folds, as they float over the sea 9 and over the land, and in every wind under the whole heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every true American heart,-LIBERTY and UNION, now and forever, ONE AND INSEPARABLE! 1 FJ-NĂNCE'. Public revenue of a gov- | 5 FRA-TER'NAL. Belonging to brothernment; income or means. ers; brotherly. 6 GÖR'GEOUS (-jus). Splendid; showy; magnificent. 7 EN'SIGN. The national flag. 8 E-RASED'. Effaced; scratched out, or rubbed out. 9 ÎN-TER-RŎG'A-TO-RY. Question. C.-SOLILOQUY OF THE DYING ALCHEMIST.→ WILLIS. 1. THE night wind with a desolate moan swept by; 2. The fire beneath his crucible' was low; * An alchemist is one versed in the science of chemistry as practised in former times. The object of alchemy was to change the baser metals into gold, to find an elixir by which disease and death were to be avoided, &c. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The silent room, From its dim corners, mockingly gave back I did not think to die Till I had finished what I had to do; I thought to pierce the eternal secret through I felt, O God! It seemeth even now Of this dull sickness at my heart, afraid; Over my bosom like a frozen hand, And this is death! But why Like a chained eaglet at its parent's call? Yet thus to pass away! - To live but for a hope that mocks at last, 8. 9. Night's better beauty, feeling, fancy, thought, Grant me another year, God of my spirit!- but a day, - to win I would know something here! Break for me but one seal that is unbroken! Vain vain! my brain is turning With a swift dizziness, and my heart grows sick, Dying! O God! if I might only live! My vial 10. 11. 12. Ha! it thrills me! I revive. O, but for time to track The upper stars into the pathless sky,- To tread unhurt the sea's dim-lighted halls,- And more, much more, for now The life-sealed fountains of my nature move Of weakness and mistrust, and bow it down This were indeed to feel The soul-thirst slaken at the living stream, Aha! I reel God of heaven! I die! Dim-dim-I faint-darkness comes o'er my eye; And death Cover me! save me! 13. 'Twas morning, and the old man lay alone. 14. The fire beneath the crucible was out; 15. And thus had passed from its unequal frame A soul of fire, a sun-bent eagle stricken From his high soaring down, - an instrument 1 CRUCI-BLE. A melting-pot used by AG'O-NIZE. Feel agony; suffer exchemists and goldsmiths. treme pain. 2 HOR'O-LOĢE. Something which 5 THRŌE. Extreme pain; pang. tells what hour it is; a time-piece. RE-COIL'. Motion backwards; rebound; a shrinking or faltering. MYS'TIC. Secret; unrevealed. |