and attractions of the world, any one can humbly say, in the meaning of the text, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after," let them not fear but he will give them "the desires of their hearts." As to such as have no other than languid, indolent, ineffective desires after religion, (and this, it is to be feared is the case with a large proportion of young people in the religious world,) let them be stimulated by this subject to earnestness and activity; remembering that "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;" and to encourage the most backward, it is added, " to them that have no might he increaseth strength." But if another should 66 say, Alas; I have no desires toward religion,” let such go and intreat the Lord to awaken good desires in their cold, worldly hearts; and they shall "not be sent empty away." XXIII. ON INTELLECTUAL TASTE. WHEN Adam and Eve first awoke to existence, and beheld the fair creation, it is not very difficult to imagine what must have been the principal subjects of their thoughts, and their discourse. The Scriptures, which never descend to those particulars which are merely calculated to gratify curiosity, are silent on this sùbject. Yet we may infer, without any doubt, that the perfections of their Maker were the primary objects of their regard: and that to adore and praise Him was their highest and most delightful employment. Next to this, we may reasonably conclude, that their attention was awakened to a contemplation of His works; both in admiration of their grandeur and beauty, and in investigating their principles and laws. When the sun, descending in a golden mist, sunk behind the groves of Paradise, can we suppose that our first parents were unaffected by the sublimity of the spectacle? or that they beheld without emotions of wonder, and delight, and intelligent curiosity, the moon rising in her beauty, and shedding her tender light on their peaceful plains? When they arose at early dawn from tranquil sleep, while the morning stars yet sang together, would not they feel disposed, like all the sons of God, to shout for joy? The representations of our great Poet on this subject, although they claim not the authority of direct inspiration, yet, are so natural and affecting, that we can scarcely suppose them to differ widely from the reality. When, 66 Morn her rosy steps in th' eastern clime Milton supposes the innocent and happy pair to unite in that sublime hymn, in which the "glorious works" of the "Parent of good" are invited to be "vocal in His praise." In this, and in all their discourses, he represents them as susceptible of the refined pleasures of taste, and alive to high intellectual enjoyments. Indeed, to suppose them insensible to the beauties of creation, indifferent and inattentive to the grand phenomena of nature, would be to conclude, that instead of being formed rational and intelligent, they were sent into existence in the condition of untaught savages. It is true, that even during their state of innocency, they were not exempt from manual employments. For although the ground, before the curse, brought forth neither thorns nor briers, yet Adam, we are told, was placed in the garden to till it, and to dress it; and Eve had, doubtless, her appropriate task in preparing the simple meal, adorning the leafy bower, and tending the luxuriant growth of her fruits and flowers. But that these domestic offices did not engross her so much as to diminish her taste for more elevated pursuits, is beautifully intimated by the Poet: when after relating how-modestly retiring from the philosophical discourse between the angel and Adam, -she, 66 -Went forth among her fruits and flowers, he adds, "Yet went she not, as not with such discourse Of what was high." That such were the feelings and interests of our first parents, few will dispute for it would have been strange, indeed, if, under such favourable circumstances, when all to them was new, and when they were just come from the hands of their Creator, perfect and intelligent, they had been unmindful of Him, and of his works. This being granted, may it not fairly be inquired whether any such essential difference exists between their circumstances and ours, as to render a meaner taste and lower objects of pursuit reasonable in us their descendants? To young people just awaking from the dreams of childhood, and becoming capable of observation and reflection, is not this fair world with the interesting phenomena of nature, in fact, as new as it was to its first inhabitants? Have not they also every thing to see, to investigate, and to admire? True, this earth has now existed nearly six thousand years; and the works of nature have been explored and admired by the intellectual of mankind, in every successive generation. Yet, to the youth of this generation, it is as it were a new creation: the young are new to themselves; and all that surrounds them is novel. The language of Adam, describing his emotions upon first starting into being, may be adopted by every truly intelligent young person, in reference to the time when they first began to think and to observe. "Straight toward heaven my wandering eyes I turn'd, -About me round I saw Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains, And happy they, who like him, discerning the great Creator in his works, sum up all by exclaiming, "Tell me how I may know Him, how adore !" But is it not equally strange and lamentable, when, so far from admiration being awakened, and curiosity exeited by the beautiful and sublime objects of creation, and the great secrets of nature, the mind is satisfied with the most trifling pursuits and childish amusements? -when alternate attention to dress, visiting, and superficial acquirements, are suffered to engross all the time, or at least to engage all the interest? If Milton had represented our mother Eve, when not occupied by the concerns of the domestic bower, as devoting her leisure hours to binding flowers in wreaths and garlands, wherewith to adorn herself,-if he had told us that she and Adam spent their evenings in playing with pebbles, dancing on the turf, or in idle conversation: and that they rose and retired to rest without any devout acknowledgments to their Maker; we should certainly have considered it a most absurd, unfair, and degrading representation, even after they had fallen from their first estate. Yet how many of their descendants are there, even in the most civilized and evangelized parts of the globe, whose time is spent to no better purpose! A young lady who rises without prayer, or with only a heartless and formal performance of it, who spends her morning in preparing ornaments of dress, or in pursuits equally trifling, and devotes her evening to gay amusements, or even to the more creditable recreation of sober visiting, and returning weary or dissipated, forgets to call upon God, is surely no less unmindful of the dignity of her nature, and the great ends of her existence. Perhaps the subjoined stanzas may serve to illustrate our subject, by exemplifying the difference between a trifling and an intellectual taste. It was a pleasant winter's night; The sky was clear and the stars were bright, But all within was warm and tight; Here Anne and Martha idly sit, For her mother had said, (she was sure of that,) So rising as quickly as she could, Anne went to the window, and there she stood: For the curtains were not drawn: |