,. 

 46 CHANGE IN HUMAN AFFAIRi. 



treachery, and blood, stain almost every page of 

 history. 



We behold the fall of those empires which once 

 enslaved the world ; we see them dwindle into ruin 

 by strides as rapid as adverse providences could 

 reducethem. A person who could to-day command 

 an empire, to-morrow is seen prostrate in the dust, 

 before those over whom he had lately triumphed. 



The earliest accounts of the actions of mankind 

 are from the holy Scriptures, in which we have the 

 first history of the world, and the evil conduct of its 

 inhabitants, which hastened its ruin. There we behold 

 the consequence of disobedience to the will of hea- 

 ven, and are furnished with lessons of humility and 

 caution. What a scope is there given for the exer- 

 cise of the imagination in the general inundation of 

 the world, and in those convulsions of nature which 

 cast out of temporal existence the human species. 

 How dreadful is the idea of seeing mankind driven 

 to the last extremity ! to see death in the all-pre- 

 vailing fluid riding in triumph, advancing by rapid 

 and sure approaches to overwhelm its victims ! 

 Imagination continues its assiduity, tr.,1 beholds the 

 last effort to escape, and hears the last shriek of a 

 dying world. 



After having for a time bent its energies to this 

 painful subject, the mind turns from the dreadful 

 spectacle of dead bodies riding in confusion upon 

 the surface of congregated waters, and other species 

 of horrible scenery, to subjects which are more 

 grateful. It takes another peep, and beholds an en- 

 closure} which contained the relics of animated 



