I Cotton BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER UNCLE IN ENGLAND. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. MDCCCXXX. 18495.2.48 1859. April. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY LONDON: Printed by W. CLOWES, By Mrs Jane Haldimone) Mearest 1593 43.203 20-3 BERTHA'S VISIT. April 1st.-THE little buds of pear blossoms, which I told you had enlarged so much, have this day blown out completely. They are, I do think, a curiosity. They have been now about two months in water, long before, that one remained in them. but they had lain dry so might have thought no life The horse-chesnut leaves, which first came out, begin to droop; but on one of the twigs there is a nice young shoot, at least two inches long, which looks bright and fresh. : The lilac buds, I am sorry to say, have withered; but some of the ash leaves have opened out finely three of them, however, were curiously twisted, and filled up with a cottony substance, which on examination was found to contain a little greenish insect. Mary thinks it is the aphis fraxina. What a long time the eggs must have remained there, for I do not think VOL. III. B an aphis could have found out this branch in my room. 66 2d, Sunday.-Deuteronomy, the title of the fifth book of the Pentateuch, is derived, I find, from two Greek words, which signify the second law, or rather the repetition of the law. Mishnah, the name the Jews give it, has nearly the same meaning. Moses, in this book," said my uncle, “not only recapitulates the laws he had already ordained, but makes several explanatory additions, and enforces the whole by the most earnest and impressive appeals to the gratitude, the hopes, and the fears of the people. To them it is principally addressed, as most of what particularly related to the priests is omitted; and as it was drawn up in the last year of their abode in the wilderness, we may suppose that it was intended as a compendium for the benefit of the new generation, who had not been present at the first promulgation of the law. "It is remarkable that, in the preceding books, Moses speaks of himself in the third person; but in Deuteronomy he drops the assumed character of an historian, and addresses himself to the nation in the animated language of a prophet, and with the authority of their chieftain and lawgiver. He begins by reminding them of the many circumstances since their departure from Horeb, in which they had experienced the Divine favour; and then contrasts the success and the victories that had marked their progress, with the disobedience and ingratitude that had provoked the Divine wrath. He frequently alludes to his own guilty conduct, and to the inexorable decree by which he was debarred from accompanying them to that land of promise, for which he had so zealously toiled. He dwells on every circumstance that could improve their hearts, and earnestly enjoins the succeeding judges of Israel to do strict justice, and to inculcate the principles of obedience and piety. He rehearses the commandments which he had delivered to the people direct from God; and exhorts them by every possible argument to fulfil the terms of that covenant, which the Lord had made with them. While he affectionately urges their future obedience, and severely reproaches their past misconduct, he loses no opportunity of unfolding the glorious attributes of Jehovah, and dwells on His mercy and compassion, and on His promised blessings. He then enters into a new covenant with the people; which includes that previously made at Horeb, and ratifies all the assurances long before given to Abraham and his descendants. "The historical part of Deuteronomy contains a period of only two months; and concludes the life of Moses that truly great man and faithful servant of the Most High. His parting words to |