If they "run," joyfully and easily, the mental race set before them, "they shall not be weary;" and if, mounting on the wings of eagles, they anticipate the unutterable things of heaven, they shall renew their strength, undazzled and unwearied by the contemplation of realities which it is neither possible nor lawful for man adequately to describe.

As Christ is the "author and finisher of our faith," God is the Alpha and the Omega-the first and the last, of all knowledge. Begin, therefore, continue, and end in Him, who is all-wise and only-wise. "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart even as the sand which is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he spake three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts and of fowl, and of creeping things and of fishes."

And what was the secret of all these vast attainments? The key that unlocked the treasure-house of these superhuman resources was only prayer. "He prayed for understanding, and the speech pleased the Lord." He waited on Him, and he lacked nothing going from strength to strength through the vast round of natural mental and moral philosophy and science.

Surely we shall not be misunderstood, as wishing to abase human knowledge in our attempt to exalt the Great Teacher. Yet, such is often the cant of the world. We love-devotedly and sincerely, all kinds of natural learning, especially when it consists, as in the case of Solomon, with "largeness of heart." Such a perfect ideal of the truly great man, indeed, we have never found elsewhere. With reverence we would speak it; but we have long looked on him as the embodiment in one organism of the noblest minds that ever graced our earth. Confucius, Menu, Zoroaster-the gifted "children of the East," were his inferiors. Our own Shakspeare with his truth-telling aphorisms, his ubiquitous "household words," and his high imaginings, is as nothing in the awful presence of the Royal moralist and preacher. Milton would, himself, have gladly laid his immortal melodies at the feet of such a sweet singer as

L

the son of David. Ray and Derham joyfully, and the thrice great Cuvier less willingly, must bow before him as the anointed naturalist of the very Author of nature himself. And these alleach in his own sphere pre-eminent and alone-can most inadequately typify this one majestic mind, informed and illuminated by the Great Father of Lights.

Far be it for us to suppose, that the learning of Solomon was a spontaneous and immediate gift from God himself. The maker of our minds too well knows our frame, to instruct us by any such direct in-breathings in matters which prove, in the very process of seeking, their own exceeding great reward. Solomon, no doubt, worked and worked laboriously, but God gave the increase, clothing, as He always does, the dead, dry bones of abstract truth, with the sinews and the flesh of practical and useful and curative philosophy, to mould and mend the world it traverses, with all the healthy might of a "giant refreshed."

Study, then, with all the heart, and soul, and strength; but study all things in God. Shut him out of any one pursuit, and it will prove a weariness indeed to flesh and spirit; but let in the clear shining of his revealed truth, and in that light you shall see light-"you shall mount up with wings as eagles; you shall run and not be weary; you shall walk and not faint."

T.

RIVULETTA-A SEASONABLE ALLEGORY.

[Adapted from the German.]

LITTLE Rivuletta's birth-place was near the top of a lofty mountain, whose summit was often crested with a cap of mist, and whose sides were richly clad with wood. As she grew up, she sported among the wild roses and the fragrant flowers; and the shepherds, who tended their flocks upon the mountain side, loved fondly the merry prattling child, and watched her, as she came towards them, leaping over the rocks, and playing, in childish glee, with the bright and sparkling sand, and the partycolored pebbles in her path.

Innocent, artless child! through the depths of her clear blue eye might be seen how pure and transparent was her little soul. It seemed as if at mid-day the royal sun, and at quiet even-tide

the moon, his silver-cinctured consort, surrounded by her starry court, loved to behold themselves reflected as in a mirror, in the brightness of Rivuletta's eyes. At times, however, when the weather was less cheery, her eye would seem less clear than wont, and she would appear dull and gloomy till the sun resumed his reign, and the parted clouds revealed the deep blue sky in which she so much delighted. And then it seemed as if the gay and kingly butterflies, with their spotted mantles of purple and of gold-and the swift hawk-like dragon flies, with their glossy black-nerved wings-loved to hover round the lovely child as she hastened on her way.

But Rivuletta liked not to stay in her quiet mountain home; she was ever on the move, and her motions were as nimble and as swift as quicksilver; indeed, she could scarcely be said to walk at all, but she friskingly skipped about, and leaped down the mountain side ever farther and farther from her home. She heeded not the roughness of her path, but bounded with a merry laugh over the rocks which opposed her way; and she daily grew more strong. Now she boldly ventured onward into the great world, prattling merrily with the bright and sunny flowers and the wavy grasses which grew beside her way, and she ever wore, in her dimpled bosom, a fresh nosegay of the blue-eyed Forget-me-not-a flower dearer to her than all beside. Wherever she came she was gladly welcomed-all were pleased to see her, but none more so than the children who came flocking to her side bringing their hands filled with flowers, which, as they sat by her, they wreathed into garlands, or flung into her lap: and they brought their little boats of cork or paper for her to take with her as she went. But she could never long be still; she had a friendly word for all in passing, but nought could stay her love of wandering on and on.

She grew daily, and all who saw her were delighted with her, and much admired her slim and slender figure. One day a host of swallows came wheeling round her face, and, for very love, even touched it with their wings. And one of them whispered, "What is pretty Rivuletta doing at the mountain's base? if she knew how pleasant it is in the realm where the Wood-king rules, she would surely come and join us there." Rivuletta heard their whispering, and as she longed to see

this strange new kingdom, she resolved to follow whither the birds led. So she ran on after them, her eyes sparkling with glee and gladsomeness, and towards evening she arrived at the Wood-king's palace. There, everything was so quiet and so still, that she scarcely heard a sound beside the pattering tread of her own nimble feet, and the breeze whispering gently among the leaves of the emerald palace; and the soft and sobered western light fell upon its chequered pavement. This was mostly covered by a luxurious green carpet, embroidered sumptuously, and a fragrant odour exhaled from the thyme and other herbs which were profusely scattered over it.

The Wood-king received the stranger with the utmost kindness, and he immediately ordered a meal of berries and bright golden-colored honey to be prepared for her, and his daughters, meanwhile, sang the most exquisite melodies. Among so many delights, Rivuletta lingered wistfully, and in this enchanted palace could almost have forgotten her love of roaming. She passed the night on a scented cushion of the softest moss, beneath an awning of green velvet; and when she opened her eyes she was startled at the lavish splendour spread out around her. The Wood-king had ordered gold and purple to be spread around, and with all these splendours the green hall flashed and glittered wondrously-nay, even the couch of the young guest was spangled with thousands of the most costly brilliants. No monarch in the wide world could rival the Wood-king in the gorgeousness of his court.

While Rivuletta kept gazing on all this magnificence, the king's band struck up the most harmonious music; but among all the flutes and shakes, were clearly heard the sweet voices of the princesses Nightingale and Throstle, the daughters of the Wood-king. Then tame and gentle does, with their honest wise-looking eyes, approached her slowly, and then came fearlessly and drank out of Rivuletta's hand; and merry squirrels, leaping from bough to bough with frisk and frolic, came and slyly stole a few nuts from off the royal table. This was indeed a joyous time for Rivuletta, but though it pleased her much, yet she would not linger long; and so, after shedding a few regretful tears over her departure from the Wood-king's domain, she set out on her journey to far and distant lands.

The king grieved much at the loss of his lovely guest, and he called to him a mighty enchanter who often sojourned at his court, promising him large rewards if he should prevent Rivuletta from passing the boundaries of his kingdom; for his green palace seemed sad and dull without her. And his daughters too, the princesses, said, that if Rivuletta went, they would also go, so much they loved her.

"Sire," said the mighty enchanter when he arrived, “I am unable to hold her fast for ever, but I can detain her here by force for many months, but then she will regain her liberty, and must have her free will to go or stay."

Then was the Wood-king glad. The wizard commenced his enchantments: on a sudden poor Rivuletta, who had already set out upon her journey, felt her nimble feet getting heavier and heavier; and at length she could scarce crawl onwards at all, and soon her whole body grew numb and stiff, so that she could no longer move; and her merry prattling mouth was mute and shut, and her eyes were sad and fixed, and her beauty was no more. Though the king had now his wish, yet he could derive no pleasure from it, and when he saw the once merry child lie so still and stiff upon the ground, he grew exceedingly wrath, and commanded the cruel magician to be brought before him, and he ordered him to restore her freedom to the stranger. But the enchanter laughed, and said, “This charm can only be unloosed by a mightier than I, and even then not before the time which I named at first." Then was there sorrow and mourning through the Wood-king's once merry realm; and the monarch himself laid aside his garments of green, and mourned for Rivuletta, who appeared to be quite dead and stiff; and he dismissed his band of musicians, and pined alone, for even his daughters had left him, and had gone to distant lands. Song and music were heard no longer at his court, only the loud wailing of the king sounded through the bare and deserted palace.

Rivuletta still lay beneath the evil charm, and moved not for many months. On one bright and sunny day however, gay butterflies fluttered through the air, and in a golden car, Prince May, with a stately train, entered the kingdom of his old friend the Wood-king. And he brought with him the Princesses