94 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



of virtuous men. Jt raifes a ParnalTus for the Poet, 

 and an Olympus for the Hero. It (heds a luftre 

 on the unfortunate days of the labouring poor. 

 Amidft the luxury of Paris, it extraits a figh from 

 the bread of the humble native of Savoy, after the 

 facred covering of the fnows upon his mountains. 

 It expatiates along the vaft Ocean, and recals, from 

 the gentle climates of India, the European mari- 

 ner, to the ftormy (hores of the Weft. It beflows 

 a country on the wretched, and fills with regret 

 thofe who have loft nothing. It covers our cradles 

 with the charms of innocence, and the tombs of 

 our forefathers with the hopes of immortality. It 

 repofes in the midft of tumultuous cities, on the 

 palaces of mighty Kings, and on the auguft tem- 

 ples of Religion. It frequently fixes it's refidence 

 in the defert, and àttraéts the attention of the 

 Univerfe to a rock. Thus it is that you are clothed 

 with majefty, venerable ruins of Greece and 

 Rome ; and you, too, myfterious pyramids of 

 Egypt ! This is the objed which we are invariably 

 purfuing, amidft all our reft lefs occupations; but 

 the moment it difcovers itfelf to us, in fome unex- 

 peéted aâ: of virtue, or in fome one of thofe events 

 which may be denominated ftrokes of Heaven, or 

 in fome of thofe indefcribably fublime emotions, 

 which are called fentimental touches, by way of 

 excellence, it's firft efFedl is to kindle in the breaft 

 a very ardent movement of joy, and the fécond is 



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