y
acquirements which the world calls knowledge, he was limited as a
child. But for acquaintance with a few fine histories and stories, and
with the ways and wonders of God; for a knowledge of Nature and
Scripture; for an enlightened reading of the lessons of Providence and
human life, he might have been accounted wiser than many who possessed
the wisdom of the schools, and looked down with vain contempt on his
humble sphere. One of the few lovers of learning he was, who could
say, with the shepherd David, "O, God, Thou hast taught me from my
youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wonders!"

Nature surrounded him with symbols, and by the light of Christianity he
sought their interpretation. And to his admiring mind, the presence,
the beauty, and sublimity of God continually addressed their
revelations; and he discovered in the water a mirror of this form; in
the sun, a symbol of His light; in the thunder, an echo of His voice;
in the wind, a delegate of His spirit and power; in the mountain, a
ladder to His sanctuary; and in the rain and dew, the medium of His
favor, and the means of His love.

Yet, with all his faith, wisdom, and virtue, he was by no means
perfect. Several of the frailties of humanity he had failed to
overcome, and a few of its sinful impulses he found the discipline of
life no more than competent to rule. He was honest and upright to a
nice conviction, and a large and gracious heart lay beating in his
breast; but brief moments would now and then take him by surprise, in
which he sighed for another and more pretending sphere; and he
regretted to feel growing almost imperceptibly upon him, an
unwarrantable love of show and praise. Still, perhaps we should regard
these and other little errors more as misfortunes than sins, and
attribute them measurably to the effect of growing fortune, and the
influence of the world with which he had more and more to do.

Nor did such a faith in the Father, nor such an estate of beauty and
affluence, render his life a perpetual or unqualified joy. Men would
not be men if perfect joy and peace were theirs, and the glowing robes
of angels dressed them. He had never prayed to be taken out of the
world of trials and griefs; but to be kept from iniquity. Religion had
not power to remove all sorrows from his life; but he prayed it might
aid him to overcome them; to rise above them stronger and better, for
the strength and courage required and employed to quell thei