A.-The Letter

This is the king, or leader, in the empire of letters forming the various languages of the world. And wherefore? Because it represents the first sound made by the organs of speech without the least effort, or even altering the natural position or configuration of the lips.-DR. DAVIES.

AARON.-The Character of

Aaron never appears so perfect a character as Moses. He was more a man of the times, subject to passing influences and prevailing tastes. He also lacked the burning enthusiasm of his meek, yet daring brother. Nevertheless he must have possessed rare gifts to have been chosen his companion and fellow-labourer in that wonderful deliverance of the Children of Israel from Egypt, and in conducting them forty years through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Much more must he have possessed an elevation and purity of character far above his fellows, to have been chosen as the founder of the Jewish priesthood, the first to minister at the altar, and to represent a sacerdotal dynasty more glorious and immortal than the line even of David, or any succession of kings that ever filled a throne.-HEADley.

These two words enshrine a world of pathos and beauty. Albeit of different languages-" Abba" being Syriac, and "Father" Greek-they possess but one meaning. Why, then, this divinely-inspired tautology? Simply and sublimely on account of that vital, and intense, and blessed relationship which now exists between the Great Parent and His redeemed children, that no other words could, in any sufficient degree, express it.-E. DAVIES. ABBEY.-Tombs in Westminster Mortality, behold and fear, What a charge of flesh is here! Think how many royal bones

Sleep within this heap of stones :

Here they lie, had realms and lands,

Who now want strength to stir their hands

ABBEY.-The Window of an

A mighty window, hollow in the centre,

Shorn of its glass of thousand colourings, Through which the deepen'd glories once could enter,

Streaming from off the sun-like seraph's wings,

Now yawns all desolate: now loud, now fainter,

The gale sweeps through its fretwork, and oft sings

The owl his anthem, where the silenced quire

Lie with their hallelujahs quench'd like fire. But in the moontide of the morn, and when The wind is winged from one point of heaven,

There moans a strange unearthly sound, which then

Is musical-a dying accent driven Through the huge arch, which soars and

sinks again;

Some deem it but the distant echo given Back to the night wind by the waterfall, And harmonized by the old choral wall: Others, that some original shape, or form Shaped by decay perchance, hath given the power

(Though less than that of Memnon's statue,

warm

In Egypt's rays, to harp at a fix'd hour) To this grey ruin, with a voice to charm

Sad but serene, it sweeps o'er tree or tower;

The cause I know not, nor can solve: but such

The fact I've heard it,- -once perhaps too much.-BYRON.

ABEL.-The Character of

What a lovely character! Our Lord, "who knew what was in man," styles him -"righteous Abel." He was a bright example of righteousness; a meek, but zealous servant of God, eminent in faith, stedfastly persevering in holiness, patiently suffering in the cause of religion, and finally closing his life with an honourable martyrdom.-T. ROBINSON.

ABILITIES.

ABEL-in Heaven.

Its

And there was a wonder in heaven. Meek and humble, there bent before the Divine Majesty a solitary human spirit. It sung, but it was a lonely song. It gazed, but its eye rested upon nothing like itself. thoughts and affections circled within their own individual consciousness. It could find none who were naturally like-minded with it. None had ever sinned of its new associates, none had wept, none had died. It had brought a new history with it to heaven. It had carried hither mingled But emotions which only it could know. the soul of righteous Abel did not long feel alienation there. Up from this world another and another sprung. He the solitary was set in a family: he the lonesome was surrounded by a throng.-DR. R. W. HAMILTON.

ABILITIES.-Natural

Natural abilities can almost compensate for the want of every kind of cultivation, but no cultivation of the mind can make up for the want of natural abilities.-SCHOPENHAUFER.

ABILITIES.-Poetical

These abilities, wheresoever they be found, are the inspired gift of God rarely bestowed, but yet to some, though most abuse, in every nation; and are of power to imbreed and cherish in a great people the seeds of virtue and public civility-to allay the perturbations of the mind, and set the affections in right tune-to celebrate in glorious and lofty hymns the throne and equipage of God's almightiness, and what He works, and what He suffers to be wrought with high providence in His Church-to sing victorious agonies of mar tyrs and saints, the deeds and triumphs of just and pious nations, doing valiantly through faith against the enemies of Christ -to deplore the general relapses of kingdoms and states from justice and God's true worship,-lastly, whatever in religion is holy and sublime, in virtue amiable or grave, whatsoever hath passion or admira. tion in all the changes of that which is called fortune from without, or the wily subtleties and refluxes of men's thoughts from within; all these things with a solid and treatable smoothness to paint out and describe.-MILTON.

ABILITIES.-The Use of

The knack of making good use of moderate abilities secures the esteem of men, and often raises to higher fame than real merit.-LA ROCHEFOUCAULD.

ABILITY.

ABILITY.-Requisite

Ability is as requisite to execute a great enterprize as capacity to devise it.-H. TAYLOR.

ABRAHAM.-The Renown of

Abraham is one of the most renowned persons the world ever saw. Besides the conspicuous place he holds in the Bible history, he is introduced into the Koran of Mohammet, and is regarded by the Arabians as the father of their nation, and by the Jews as theirs. The ancient Persians pay him the highest honour, and think he was Zoroaster, as before their great teacher. In India, too, Abraham is honoured by some sects as their distinguished ancestor. The people of Egypt, Chaldea, and Damascus acknowledge their obligations to this illustrious man. *** But what shall we say of the blessings which he received from God? His believing posterity have been multiplied as the stars of heaven. His venerable name is invested with immortal honour in the history of the Church and of the world, -second only to Him whose name is above every name. Canaan, the Land of Promise, was given to his natural posterity for fourteen centuries, as their peculiar inheritance. And, above all, from his loins, the divine Saviour in due time appeared in the flesh, to ransom, by His sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory, a multitude of immortal souls, whom no man can number.MACKENZIE.

ABRIDGERS.-The Care of

Had it not been for their care, which snatched many a perishable fragment from that shipwreck of letters which the barbarians occasioned, we should, perhaps, have had no works of the ancients remaining.-I. DISRaeli.

ABRIDGERS-compared to Etchers.

I must compare such to fine etchers after great masters.-I. DISRAELI.

ABSENCE-a Banishment.

Absence from those we love Is self from self! A deadly banishment. SHAKSPEARE.

ABSENCE-in Love.

Absence in love is like water upon fire; a little quickens, but much extinguishes it. -H. MORE.

ABSENCE.-Mental

La Fontaine attended the burial of one of his friends, and some time afterwards he called to visit him. At first he was shocked at the information of his death; but, re

ABSENT.

covering from his surprise, observed:"True! true! I recollect I went to his funeral."-I. DISRAELI.

ABSENCE.-The Results of

Absence in most that quenches love,
And cools the warm desire,
The ardour of my heart improves,
And makes the flame aspire.

COTTON.

ABSENT.-Night Thoughts of the
Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,
The dear repose for limbs with travel
tired;

But then begins a journey in my head,

To work my mind, when body's work 's expir'd;

For then my thoughts-from far where I abide

Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee, And keep my drooping eyelids open wide, Looking on darkness which the blind do

see:

Save that my soul's imaginary sight

Presents thy shadow to my sightless view, Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night, Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new :

Lo, thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,

For thee, and for myself, no quiet find. SHAKSPEARE.

ABSENT-yet Present.

As the flight of a river
That floats to the sea,
My soul rushes ever

In tumult to thee.
A two-fold existence

I am where thou art;
My heart in the distance
Beats close to thy heart.
Look up! I am near thee,
I gaze on thy face;

I see thee, I hear thee,

I feel thine embrace.-LYTTON.

ABSENT.-Speaking of the

When the absent are spoken of, some will speak gold of them, some silver, some iron, some lead, and some always speak dirt, for they have a natural attraction towards what is evil, and think it shows penetration in them. As a cat watching for mice does not look up though an elephant goes by, so are they so busy mousing for defects, that they let great excellences pass them unnoticed. I will not say it is not Christian to make beads of others' faults, and tell them over every day; I say it is infernal. If you want to know how the devil feels, you do know if you are such an one.-H. W. BEECHER.

ABSOLUTE.

ABSOLUTE.-The

God is called "The Absolute" by the Deist.-DR. WEBSTER.

ABSOLUTION-Beforehand.

When Tetzel was at Leipsic, in the sixteenth century, and had collected a great deal of money from all ranks of the people, a nobleman, who suspected imposition, put the question to him-" Can you grant absolution for a sin which a man shall intend to commit in future?" "Yes," replied the frontless commissioner, "but on condi tion that a proper sum of money be actually paid down." The noble instantly produced the sum demanded; and in return received a diploma, sealed and signed by Tetzel, absolving him from the unexplained crime which he secretly intended to commit. Not long after, when Tetzel was about to leave Leipsic, the nobleman made inquiry respecting the road he would probably travel, waited for him in ambush at a convenient place, attacked and robbed him; then beat him soundly with a stick, sent him back to Leipsic with his chest empty, and at parting, said-"This is the fault I intended to commit, and for which I have your absolution." -ARVINE.

ABSOLUTION-a Divine Act.

It appertaineth to the true God alone to loose men from their sins.-ST. CYRIL.

ABSTINENCE-Enjoined.

Refrain to-night,

And that shall lend a hand of easiness To the next abstinence; the next more easy;

For use almost can change the stamp of nature,

And either curb the devil, or throw him out With wondrous potency.-SHAKSPEARE. ABSTINENCE.-The Pain of

The abstinence from a present pleasure that offers itself is a pain, nay, oftentimes a very great one.-LOCKE,

ABSTINENCE.-A Reason for

Finding that deep and holy spirit-breathing was suspended during bodily enjoyments, godly souls have often interdicted the gratifications of the flesh, in order to help their spirits in the God-ward direction. -PULSFORD.

ABSTRACTION.-The Habit of

Things that differ very greatly one from another, are often found to be alike in some single quality; and when this one quality is distinctly taken notice of, we readily learn to think of it apart from the other qualities with which it may have been joined; and

There is something unspeakably awful in this word. Originally, it was applied to the ocean, or to the under-world, and accordingly had nothing particularly solemn in its meaning. Now, however, in New Testament language, it is used as a noun to describe hades-the place of the dead generally, but more specifically that part of hades-the bottomless pit-in which the spirits of fallen angels and unregenerate men are confined until the general judgment. Hence its thrilling import.-DR. DAVIES. ACADEMY.-The French

It was such that, now when the members speak of these first days of the Academy, they call it the golden age, during which, with all the innocence and freedom of that fortunate period, without pomp and noise, and without any other laws than those of friendship, they enjoyed together all which a society of minds, and a rational life, can yield of whatever softens and charms.PELISSON.

ACADEMY.-Need for an English

Had an academy been established in this country, we should have possessed all our present advantages with the peliar ones of

ACADEMY.

such an institution. The congregating spirit creates by its sympathy; an intercourse exists between its members which had not otherwise occurred; in this attrition of minds the torpid awakens, the timid is emboldened, and the secluded is called forth: to contradict, and to be contradicted, is the privilege and source of knowledge. — I. DISRAELI.

ACADEMY.-The Success of an

An academy can only succeed among individuals themselves. It will not be by the favour of the many, but by the wisdom and energy of the few. It is not even in the

power of royalty to create at a word what can only be formed by the co-operation of the workmen themselves, and of the great taskmaster-Time!—I. DISRAELI.

ACCELERATION.-The Principle of

A period of social improvement, or of intellectual advancement, contains within itself the principle of acceleration.-BP. TAYLOR.

ACCENT.-The Importance of

Accent is the soul of language; it gives to it feeling and truth.-ROUSSEAU.

ACCENTS-Heavenward borne.

Winds on their wings to heaven her accents bore,

Such words as heaven alone is fit to hear. DRYDEN.

on

ACCIDENT.-Geniuses developed by "It was at Rome," says Gibbon, the 15th of October, 1764, as I sat musing amidst the ruins of the Capitol, while the bare-footed friars were singing vespers in the Temple of Jupiter, that the idea of writing the Decline and Fall of the City first started to my mind."

Cowley became a poet by accident. In his mother's apartment he found, when very young, Spenser's "Fairy Queen ;" and, by a continual study of poetry, he became so enchanted by the Muse, that he grew irrecoverably a poet.

Sir Joshua Reynolds had the first fondness for his art excited by the perusal of Richardson's Treatise.

We owe the great discovery of Newton to a very trivial accident. When a student at Cambridge, he had retired during the plague into the country. As he was reading under an apple-tree, one of the fruit fell, and struck him a smart blow on the head. When he observed the smallness of the apple, he was surprised at the force of the stroke. This led him to consider the

ACCUSER.

accelerating motion of falling bodies; from whence he deduced the principle of gravity, and laid the foundation of his philosophy. -I. DISRAELI.

ACCIDENT-God's Part.

What men call accident is God's own part.-P. J. BAILEY.

ACCIDENT.-The Wind of

What reason, like the careful ant, draws laboriously together, the wind of accident collects in one brief moment.-SCHILLER. ACCOMMODATION.-The Law of

Without this, there can be no such thing as instruction. The teacher must lower himself to his pupils, in order to raise them to himself. So to the child the man becomes a child, and explains the truth in a form adapted to its age, by making use of its childish conceptions as a veil for it. In accordance with this principle, every revelation of God has made use of this law of accommodation, in order to present the divine to the consciousness of men in forms adapted to their respective stand-points.— NEANDER.

ACCOMMODATIONS.-A Pedestrian's

A volume of Shakspeare in each pocket, a small bundle with a change of linen slung across his shoulders, an oaken cudgel in his hand, complete our pedestrian's accommodations.-SIR W. SCOTT.

ACCOUNT.-The Final

Of all accounts, the final one will be the most accurate and decisive. It will embrace not only every deed, but every thought and word. Infinite Wisdom will audit it and Infinite Power settle it.-E. DAVIES.

ACCUMULATION.-The Desire of

When this desire has once gotten hold of the heart, it shuts out all other considerations but such as may promote its views. And as it closes the heart, so also it clouds the understanding.-BP. MANT.

ACCUSED.-Protection of the

It is a principle that should never be lost sight of, that an accused person is presumed to be innocent; and that no other vexation should be imposed upon him than what is absolutely necessary for the purposes of future investigation.-S. SMITH.

ACCUSER.-A False

A false accuser is a monster, a dangerous monster, ever and in every way malignant, and ready to seek causes of complaint.-DEMOSTHENES.