lief of his country, was not authorised to expect His cooperation, whilst he despised the maxims of common pru dence. Experience should ever teach us to avoid the evils which have crossed our careless way. He had already suffered by the infidelity of a woman, attached to him by no religious, or even national affections-yet he becomes the slave of another of similar character! The Philistines, ever watchful to circumvent him, understanding that he often visited Delilah in the valley of Sorek, sent some of their chief noblemen to offer her eleven hundred pieces of silver, if she would induce him to tell wherein his prodigious strength lay concealed. Several times he amused her with deceptive tales, which as often, on the trial, disappointed their attempts to take him. At length, wearied out by her blandishments and importunity, he confessed that he was a Nazarite from his birth, and would become weak as another man, if the hair of his head should be cut off!

Tempted by the alluring silver in her view, she summoned once more the malicious lords, assuring them that Samson would not again escape; and, most anxious to possess their hated foe, another effort was readily made. They came down to the valley, with the price of her treachery in their hands-and the glory of Samson was shorn, whilst he slumbered on the faithless lap of Delilah! The fruitless struggles of Samson to extricate himself from his captors, convinced them that now indeed his secret was discovered, and his more than giant strength had departed: yet, not satisfied, they cruelly put out his eyes, confined his limbs with chains of brass, and put him to labour in a prison! Sad and sorrowful were now the days of the humbled hero! In the solitude of a prison, he might reflect on the

advantages he had lost, and repent of the folly which had thrown them away. His prayers and penitence prevailed to their restoration-his hair again grew-his strength returned, and hope began to revive! The loss of his sight might well preclude every prospect of doing any thing for his oppressed country: but the talent which was entrusted to him for her sake, was again directed to her relief.

At the celebration of a great festival to the Philistine idols, the now contemned Israelite was brought out, and presented to the multitude as an object peculiarly obnoxious to their insults, whilst they offered sacrifices to the gods who had put him into their hands. Men and women were assembled on the joyous occasion; and thousands, in the house and on the roof of Dagon's temple, beheld, while poor Samson was goaded, to make sport for his unfeeling gaolers. Affecting to submit to his helpless lot, he only asked that his hands might be directed to the pillars, that he might rest awhile his shackled limbs. "Now," cried he, "remember me, and strengthen me, O Lord God! but this once, that I may be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. Let me die with the Philistines!" The aspiration was heard the columns moved beneath his mighty grasp the roof tumbled in-and Samson and his adversaries fell together beneath the tremendous crash!

CATHERINE. Did the law of Moses allow of suicide? MRS. M. No legislator can make a law which militates against the law of nature. No man can give away what is not his property. Life is a tenure, to be held during the pleasure of the Giver, and to be surrendered at His sumSamson must not be considered as throwing away his own life: he was born and qualified for the public service, and in their behalf exposed himself. If this last

mons.

act of his life had not been sanctioned by divine authority, his prayer would not have been answered. The Power which had performed such wonders by his hand, could, in the same miraculous manner, have saved his life amidst the ruins of Dagon's temple, if his services had been longer required.

The history of the Judges affords a striking verification of the predictions of Moses and of Joshua, respecting the beneficial effects which would flow to the people of their charge, from an adherence to the true religion, and the calamities which would inevitably follow their apostacy. When they obeyed the injunctions of the law, they were happy; but when they mingled the polytheism of the heathens with their own divine institutions, they were torn by civil discord, and subjugated by foreign violence.

RUTH.

During the administration of the Judges, a period of more than three centuries, we have seen the Israelites become exceedingly degenerate, and suffering severely for their sins. Insulted-subjugated-at war with their neighbours, and sometimes even amongst themselves— agriculture would be neglected, and famine ensue. This cruel addition to the catalogue of their miseries, is not expressly mentioned in the records which we have been reviewing but the distress of that nation in the days of Gideon, when the ravages of the Midianites were so wide and incessant, that no sustenance remained for either man or beast; and the wretched inhabitants were obliged to secrete the scanty gleaning of their fields in the caves of the mountains, is sufficiently indicative of that deplorable state. To the time of Gideon, then, we may very reasonably refer the famine which occasioned the introduction of the illustrious Ruth into the commonwealth of Israel, and the beautiful episode of that part of her life.

CATHERINE. The rural scenes and simple manners described in the Book of Ruth, are delightful; and she herself is sweetly interesting: yet I do not know exactly why you should call her illustrious.

MRS. M. Her own amiable character entitles her to

praise; but her remarkable fortune has made her illus trious in history, An alien, accidentally incorporated into the nation of Israel, she became the grandmother of the celebrated King David-and remotely, though in a direct line, the ancestor of the Benefactor of Mankind, the divine Messiah.

A famine, "in the days when the Judges ruled," had driven a man named Elimelech, with his family, Naomi his wife, and two sons, from his residence in BethlehemJudah, to seek a temporary relief in the country of Moab. Here Elimelech soon after died; and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion, connected themselves with the Moabites, by marrying Orpah and Ruth. In a few years this tie was severed by the death of both the young men ; and poor Naomi, now widowed and childless, desired only to return to her native country! Ten years had elapsed since she came from Canaan, and peace and plenty had again blessed the land. She therefore left the scene of her sorrow, and, accompanied by Orpah and Ruth, began her journey back to Bethlehem. When they had gone a reasonable distance, Naomi turned to her daughters-in-law, and, bidding them farewel, desired that they would now return to their friends, United to her by a sentiment of tenderness for the companions they had lost, and veneration for her own virtues, they both declared their resolution not to be separated from her! To abandon their country and kindred for her, seemed too great a sacrifice to the generous Naomi; but the affectionate attachment of her daughters penetrated her heart. Weeping and embracing them, she acknowledged all the kindness she had received at their hands; and lamented, for their sakes, that the hand of the Lord had afflicted her. "But go, return," she said, "each to her