UNCLE IN ENGLAND, 193 



after the dissolution of the snow, the rapidity of 

 vegetation would astonish you. 



'* Clarke mentions, in his travels in Scan- 

 dinavia, that it is by no means uncommon for 

 barley to be reaped in six weeks after it has 

 been sown \ for in summer the sun is so long- 

 above the horizon there, that there is scarcely 

 any intermission of the warmth of the soil during 

 the night." 



19/A, Sunday. " While we are engaged in 

 considering the history of Moses," said my uncle 

 this morning, " I think we should dwell a little 

 on a very striking part of his character, in order 

 to imitate it r though, indeed, we can never 

 be tried like him, in having the guidance 

 of such a wayward and stiff-necked people. 

 Bertha, guess to what quality I allude," 



"Perhaps to his meekness, which the Bible 

 mentions as being remarkable,'" I replied. 



" Yes ; meekness and spirit united. No man 

 could have given more proofs of his courage 

 than Moses. He slew the Egyptian who was 

 killing one of his Hebrew brethren ; he beat 

 the Midianite shepherds though alone and un- 

 supported : he boldly remonstrated with Pharaoh 

 in his own court, and feared not all the power 

 of Egypt ; but more than all, when God com- 

 manded him to approach, he ventured amidst 

 all the terrors of Sinai : and yet that spirit, 



s 



