"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."-PROV. "He giveth grace unto the lowly." "-PROV. iii. 34.

xvi. 18.

PRIDE AND HUMILITY.

Rising in fair proportion side by side,
Behold the stages of Progressive Pride;

Respectability begins the course;

'Tis his who has-all told-a well-filled purse;
High as his neighbour sure he'd like to feel,
So takes the next step, and is quite Genteel;
By many acts for which he'd fain write-blank,
He swells and struts at length a man of Rank;
The chair of state he next ascends, that Fame
May faithfully transmit his honoured name;

He meets a rival here, and-woe to, tell,
He sends his rival in a trice to-hell;

A thousand shots like that, and strange to say,
Right up to glory he has won his way.

Pride walks a thorny path; it nothing bears
But swords and pistols, blood and groans, and tears.
Far different in the happy vale, behold
Humility at ease, uncursed with gold;
With competence content, with wisdom blessed;
In peace he dwells, caressing and caressed;
No thorns beset his path, there only grows
'The bending corn, the violet, and the rose;
Truth, beauty, innocence, at once combine,
And o'er his pathway shed a light divine;

And when he leaves the vale, to him 'tis given,
To walk amid the bowers of bliss in heaven.

THIS engraving shows a rude mass of rocks rising from the valley below. They appear to be thrown up by some volcanic explosion, or forced up by the agency of subterranean fires, they are so steep, rugged, and unequal. On the tops of the ledges are seen bushes of thorns, high, and spreading in all directions. On the first ledge is a man who has scrambled up with some difficulty to the place he now occupies. His object is to get as high as he can, and he is seen about to place himself on the elevation of Gentility. On the next ridge is seen a man and a woman who appear to think a good deal of themselves. They strut and swell like peacocks, although behind and before danger threatens. A little higher, see there is a murder committed. One man has shot at and killed his brother, just because he would not move faster out of his way, although there was room enough for both. At the end of the rocks and above all, is a man in uniform. He has attained the highest pinnacle. Thunder and lightning attend his path; storms gather round him. A man of thick skin, no doubt; thorns could not scratch him, nor daggers pierce him, nor bullets kill him. His glory, however, is almost gone. The next step he takes he falls, and disappears.

A lovely

A more pleasing picture presents itself to us below. vale opens, enriched and adorned with the choicest fruits and flowers of paradise; there the fountains pour forth their living streams. The corn bends gracefully to the passing zephyr. The lowly violet rears her beauteous head in the friendly shade; the rose of Sharon decks the border; the father, mother, and little one are

seen walking along this beautiful valley, with Wisdom for their guide. The air is filled with fragrance and sweet sounds; no thorns grow there to obstruct their path; no lightning's flash, nor thunder's roar, makes them afraid. Safe, peaceful and happy, they pass along, while Truth, Beauty and Innocence, irradiate their pathway that leads directly to their own sequestered cottage.

This is an allegorical representation of Pride and Humility. The shelving rocks denote the rugged and thorny path of Pride. The way is raised by the agency of the devil. Having ruined himself by pride, he seeks to bring man into the same condemnation; he tempts the children of men to walk on it. The most High has planted it with thorns, made it difficult in order to deter men from walking on it. Notwithstanding this merciful precaution, it is crowded with adventurers. Nothing shows the fallen character of man more fully than his silly and presumptuous pride, at once stupid and wicked.

"Of all the causes which conspire to blind

Man's erring judgment, and misguide his mind,
What the weak head with strongest bias rules,

Is Pride, the never-failing vice of fools;
Whatever nature has in worth denied,

She gives in large recruits of needful pride;

For as in bodies, thus in souls, we find

What wants in blood and spirits, swelled with wind;

Pride, where wit fails, steps in to our defence,

And fills up all the mighty void of sense."

He He no

A man becomes possessed of a little gold, and he all at once becomes blind, or at least he sees things in a very different light from what he did once. He himself is altogether another man. wonders that he never before discovered his own merit. longer associates with his former friends; Oh no! they are not respectable. He wishes to be considered a gentleman; he will no longer work; he is above that. He sees his neighbour living in higher style than he does, he is discontented. The thorns already begin to scratch him. Pride however can bear a little pain. Pride is very prolific. The man under its influence soon gets peevish, envious, and revengeful. The remonstrances of conscience are silenced, and he gives himself up to the guidance of Ambition. He next aspires after rank and fashion; but pride is very expensive. In order to keep up appearances he does many things that at one time he would never have thought of doing. He can lie,

and be very respectable. He can overreach and defraud his neighbour, and yet be respectable. He can seduce the innocent and unsuspecting, and destroy the happiness of entire families, and still be considered respectable. By his slanders he has ruined the reputation of more than one. By his unrighteous schemes he attains the present object of his proud heart, and moves among the circles of rank and fashion.

Yet his soul is restless. It is like the troubled sea; he pants for Power. He pursues after honours, that the trump of fame may sound his name abroad, and hand it down faithfully to posterity. He becomes now a candidate for high office. In his own opinion he possesses every qualification; he is astonished that the world should be so blind to his many excellences. He here meets with a competitor-he wishes him out of his way. "From pride comes contention;" he picks a quarrel with his rival. The challenge succeeds; the duel is fought, and his antagonist falls weltering in his blood. He triumphs. Ah! unhapy man! Remorse is his com

panion for ever-the ghost of the murdered haunts him continually.

He is installed in office. He scruples at nothing that will but increase his power; the man's pride knows no bounds-he aspires now after conquest and dominion. He will be a Hero; he will attain the highest pinnacle of military renown and glory. War, fearful, devastating war, goes before him; Famine and Pestilence attend him; Ruin and Misery follow close behind, but "Pride goeth before destruction!" There are others who wish' him out of the way. A shot from his own ranks cuts him down. From his high elevation he is brought low. His glory is departed

"Heroes are much the same, the point's agreed,

From Macedonia's madman to the Swede;
Mark by what wretched steps their glory grows,
From dirt and sea-weed, as proud Venice rose;
In each how guilt and greatness equal ran,

And all that raised the hero sunk the man."

The man with his family in the happy vale, represents Humility. The passions seldom operate alone; humility begets contentment and peace. He is satisfied with the position God has given him. He has learned from the book of wisdom that happiness consists not in the abundance of things which a man may

possess; hence contentment is his safeguard. He has no desire to ascend the rugged path of pride; he drinks wisdom and knowledge from the fountain of Truth-he quaffs pleasure at the springs of domestic bliss, His greatest treasure is a good conscience-his highest ambition is to walk humbly with his God. Free from the consuming, the torturing desires, the fierce passions, the dreadful fears and gnawing conscience of the man of Pride he enjoys peace. He labours to discharge all the duties of his station, with an eye single, doing all to the glory of God. His present path is safe peaceful, and happy, and his hope of the future blessed and glorious.

"Far from the madd'ning crowd's ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learned to stray;
Along the cool, sequestered vale of life,

They keep the noiseless tenor of their way."

Behold how great is the difference between Humility and Pride. Pride assumes an elevated position, and looks down with contempt on all beneath. Humility is content with a lowly seat, and mingles kindly with the brotherhood of man. Pride climbs a steep, dry, and rugged path, beset with thorns and briars. Humility walks the verdant vale amid rippling brooks, blushing corn, and flowers of vernal beauty. Pride occupies a dangerous place; even nature contends against him. The thunder, the lightning, and the storm, encompass him about. Humility walks with nature and her path is safe. Pride is tormented with cares, fears, and vain desires. Humility enjoys the peace of God that passeth understanding. Pride works all, and endures all, to be seen of dying men. Humility courts the eye only of the living God. The path of Pride leads to shame and everlasting contempt; that of Humility to Honour, Glory, and Eternal Life.