poetic genius; but, at all events, it is to this parental caution that we are indebted for one of the finest poetical effusions of filial piety in existence:

Oh! that Pieria's spring would, through my breast,
Pour its inspiring influence, and rush

No rill, but rather an o'erflowing flood!
That, for my venerable Father's sake,

All meaner themes renounc'd, my muse, on wings
Of duty borne, might reach a loftier strain.
For thee, my Father! howsoe'er it please,
She frames this slender work, nor know I aught
That may thy gifts more suitably requite;
Though to requite them suitably would ask
Returns much nobler, and surpassing far
The meagre stores of verbal gratitude:
But, such as I possess, I send thee all."

From the closing passage of this beautiful Latin poem, translated by Cowper, it will be seen that both the children and parents of other days were in the eye of the poet :

"But thou! my Father, since to render thanks
Equivalent, and to requite by deeds

Thy liberality, exceeds my power;

Suffice it, that I thus record thy gifts,

And bear them treasur'd in a grateful mind!

Ye, too, the favourite pastime of my youth,

My voluntary numbers, if ye dare

To hope longevity; and to survive

Your master's funeral, not soon absorb'd

In the oblivious Lethæan gulf,

Shall to futurity perhaps convey

This theme; and by these praises of my sire
Improve the Fathers of a distant age!"

"Such productions of true genius," says Wharton, "with a natural and noble consciousness, anticipating its own immortality, are seldom found to fail."

To

conclude, however, this imperfect sketch, if there are any lines in this poem more touching and sublime than any which have been quoted, they will be found in the anticipation of such a son uniting in praise with such a father in a brighter and a better world:

"We too, ourselves, what time we seek again
Our native skies, and one eternal now

Shall be the only measure of our being,
Crown'd all with gold, and chaunting to the lyre
Harmonious verse, shall range the courts above,
And make the starry firmament resound."

Such were the expressions of filial obligation by a man, who has been styled, by Sir William Jones, "the most perfect scholar as well as the sublimest poet that our country ever produced."

BOERHAAVE.-Though of but a delicate constitution of body, this was one of those men who seem to think nothing worthy of their efforts, but what appears insurmountable to common understandings. He has been celebrated chiefly as a physician: he was, however, not only eminently skilled in history and genealogy, and versed in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, but his diligent employment, and delight for years, consisted in reading the Sacred Scriptures in their original languages; he added physic to divinity, chemistry to the mathematics, and anatomy to botany; and to all these, various branches of polite literature. He examined systems by experiment, and formed experiments into systems: he examined the opinions of other men, but trusted only to his own. His all he had expended on his education; when he afterwards amassed great wealth; but his charities

were very extensive. Known over all Europe, he received visits from three sovereigns,-the Grand Duke of Tuscany, William the Third, and Peter the Great; the last of whom slept in his barge all night, before the house of the professor, that he might enjoy two hours of conversation with him early in the morning. Nor was his celebrity, especially as a physician, confined to Europe. A Chinese mandarin, anxious to obtain his advice, is said to have addressed his letter "To the illustrious Boerhaave, Physician in Europe," which was safely delivered. Amidst all this, Boerhaave was conspicuous for humility, amiable temper, and habitual piety. He it was who often said, when he heard of a criminal condemned to die, "Who can tell whether this man is not better than I? or if I am better, it is not to be ascribed to myself, but to the goodness of God." Being once asked by a friend, who had admired his patience under great provocations, whether he knew what it was to be angry y? he answered, with the utmost frankness and sincerity, that he was naturally quick of resentment; but that he had, by daily prayer and meditation, at length attained to this mastery over himself; and often would he affirm, that a strict obedience to the doctrine, and a diligent imitation of the example of our blessed Lord, was the only foundation of true and lasting tranquillity. In perfect harmony with these frequent affirmations, as soon as this man rose in the morning, it was, throughout his whole life, his daily practice, to retire for an hour to private prayer and meditation. This, he said, gave him spirit and vigour in all the business of the day, and this he therefore used to commend as a rule of life. In one word,

so far was Boerhaave from being made impious by philosophy, or vain by knowledge, that he ascribed all his abilities to the bounty, and all his piety to the grace of God.

Now, to whom, under God, do we stand indebted for such a character? His eminence as a physician has been remarked; and for this, although his choice was finally decided by a successful cure which he performed on himself, and the effect of very cruel and unjust scandal thrown on his character, as if he favoured infidel principles, when he was actually about to combat them, yet he has been supposed to have derived an hereditary inclination to the study of physic from his Mother. She, however, died when he was young; and whatever may be said of this conjecture, his other attainments formed the basis of his character when living, and his Christianity alone remains of value to him now. That he regarded Christianity as infinitely superior to every branch of knowledge or science, is evident from his determination when resolved to pursue medicine for his livelihood; for even then he still intended to make Christianity the great employment of his life. The truth is, that this profound admiration of the Scriptures, as well as his delight in reading them, was owing to his father, a good man, having intended him for the ministry, in which he was himself engaged. He instructed him in grammar and the first elements of language, and the son continued under the father's eye and instructions until his fourteenth year. Boerhaave was distinguished as a botanist; and here also we recognise the influence of a Father, who, to preserve his but too delicate constitution, used to send

him out into the fields, and employ him in rural occupations. His father wished to blend the active with the contemplative, and thus saved his son from those distempers and depressions which are too frequently the result of indiscreet diligence, and uninterrupted application to study.*

SIR CHARLES LINNEUS is universally known as the author of a revolution in the study of nature, by an entire new classification and nomenclature of her three principal kingdoms; for, though his theory involved him in controversy with the most ingenious philosophers of the age, he finally received from them all, the profoundest testimonials of their conversion to his opinions, and their deference for his genius. Not less than three thousand letters, from celebrated persons of all nations, were found after his decease among his papers, expressive of the regard and admiration of the writers. The most brilliant period in the life of this ardent student of Nature, was spent at Upsal, in Sweden, where, amidst the beauties of one of the most flourishing botanic gardens in Europe, and daily improving it, he used to deliver lectures on his favourite pursuit. "The lectures, which had been, until the time of Linnæus, a mere matter of form, became, under the charms of his eloquence, a subject of national interest. The hall was crowded while he delivered them. His discourses embraced botany, natural history, the medicinal virtues of plants, the materia medica, and nosology. He made

* See the Life of Boerhaave, by Dr Samuel Johnson.