novelty is, indeed, a characteristic of an ingenious people. All the Athenians, we are told in the volume of inspiration, spent their time in nothing else but to hear and to learn some new thing. No doubt authors may be expected from time to time to arise, who will be an ornament to English literature. But after all, it is undoubtedly true, that the most valuable literature and science in the English language is from half a century to a century and an half old. This is the mine which must be explored and wrought by him who would bring forth the treasures, and display the riches, of the language.

A few remarks on the future prospects of the language, as to its extension and prevalence, will bring this paper to a close. The English language, it may be confidently asserted, embodies more valuable literature and science than any other that was ever written or spoken. This circumstance will be sure to attract to it the regard of the learned and enlightened of every country. The butterflies of fashion, that flutter around the courts of modern Europe, may prefer the French. Let it, if they please, have the honor of being the court language of Europe. But the learned in these countries will always set a higher value on the English. Nor will they be content to derive a knowledge of English authors merely from translations. The spirit of English literature would extensively evaporate in a translation.

The British empire, although it has its seat in a few small islands of the ocean, has its colonies in the four quarters of the world. In Canada and the West Indies, in Western and Southern Africa, in Hindostan and New Holland, the English language has a firm establishment, and every prospect of an extension. Among the millions of India, a broad field for its conquests, the English is perpetually trenching upon the language of the natives. The United States, stretching through the breadth of a continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, which is yet to be spread over with a vast number of enlightened freemen, furnishes a distinguished theatre where the English language may extend its triumph, and rear up the monuments of its glory.

The English is the language of two of the most commercial nations on the globe; and British and American commerce cannot fail to carry it, as on the wings of the wind, to the utmost ends of the earth. The two nations that speak this language are also, more extensively than all others, engaged in missionary operations, and appear to be destined to be the principal instruments in the diffusion of Christianity to every nation of the world. Wherever missionary establishments are formed by these people, the English language is likely to be gradually introduced. No doubt missionaries will extensively learn the languages of those to whom they are sent; and translations of the Scriptures, and other valuable works, will be made into these languages, especially for the use of

the adult population. But much of missionary effort will be expended upon the young; and the children in schools will be likely to be taught the English language, that an access may be opened to them, without the labor of translations, to the great fountain of English literature and science.

Though the English can scarcely hope to become the universal language, no other language has an equal prospect of becoming nearly so. The author who can produce a work in this language, which is worthy to go down to posterity, knows not to what a vast congregation it may be his privilege ultimately to speak, and how many unborn millions it may be his high honor to entertain and to

instruct.

PRAYER.

BY H. R. BACON.

A child,

With full blue eyes, and softly clustering hair,-
An orphan, by the flinty-hearted world
Forgot,-one evening, in the dewy light
And calm sereneness of the blessed stars,
Knelt to her MAKER. She had learned to pray.
Catching deep, holy whispers from the lips

Of her sweet mother; and while now she prayed,
Large tears of grief and bitter loneliness

Welled from the gushing fountain of her heart

She prayed; and, like some winged dream her prayer
Flew upward to the throne of GOD, and He

Received it to his bosom :-and there came,

Mingled with star-light, a soft, inaudible

Response, that filled her soul with balmiest hope;
And, burdened with the excess of the new feeling,
She sobbed herself to sleep.

The morrow came,—

With gilded dawn, and song of early birds,

And bubbling of the joyous rivulet,—

And with it also came an angel form

That wakened this poor child with tenderest kisses,

Took her from want and tearful loneliness,

And was a mother to her.

Then she prayed
With a full heart of gratitude, so long
As on the earth she walked, and ever said,-
And taught her children thus to say,-
Our Heavenly FATHER, blessed be Thy name!

ST. PAUL AND THECLA.

THE following fragment is unquestionably of very great antiquity; but it has been, without foundation, ascribed to St. Paul. The facts were never questioned by the friends or enemies of Christianity for many centuries: though they were often celebrated, and are frequently mentioned by writers of the first rank in the Christian church.

The story of Thecla is confirmed by Gregory Nazianzen, and Gregory of Nysæ, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Isidorus, and others. Cyprian of Antioch, who flourished in the third century, prays for the suffering martyrs thus: "Stand by us, O Lord, as thou didst by the Apostles in bonds, by Thecla in the fire, by Paul in persecutions, by Peter in the waves.

Tertullian, one of the most ancient writers in the church, informs us, De Baptismo, c. 17, that it was compiled by a presbyter of Asia; a man extremely attached to St. Paul, who rashly ventured to publish it, under the Apostle's name, towards the close of the first century: and that being charged with it by the Evangelist John, he confessed the fact, alleging that he had done it out of fervent love to the Apostle. This account is confirmed by Jerome, who quotes Tertullian.

It is supposed to have happened about the year of our Lord 67, during the last time that St. Paul visited Asia, and not long before he suffered martyrdom: which, according to Eusebius, was near the close of Nero's reign: Jerome fixes it in the thirty-seventh year after the passion of our Lord.

The Greek copy, which is taken from a manuscript in the Bodleian Library, and published by Grabe, is in many places.defective, and in others much corrupted. Its defects are partly supplied from an ancient Latin version in the Bodleian Library, and from the Greek Commentary of Basilius Seleuciencis.

"When Paul was going up to Iconium, as he fled from Antioch, he was accompanied by Hermogenes and Demas, men full of hypocrisy. But Paul intent only on the goodness of God suspected no evil of them, but loved them exceedingly, making the words of Christ and his gospel pleasant unto them, and discoursing to them of the knowledge of Christ as it was revealed to him.

But a certain man named Onesiphorus hearing that Paul was coming to Iconium went forth to meet him, with his wife Lectra, and their children, Simmia and Zeno, that they might receive him into their house for Titus had informed them of the person of Paul, for as yet they had not known him in the flesh. Walking therefore in the King's highway which leads toward Lystra, they waited, expecting to receive him. Not long after they saw Paul

coming toward them, a man small of stature, bald, his legs distorted, his eye-brows knit together-his nose aqueline--but manifestly full of the grace of God; for his countenance was sometimes like that of a man, and sometimes like that of an angel. And Paul seeing Onesiphorus, was glad.

And Onesiphorus said unto him, Hail, thou servant of the Blessed. Paul replied, grace be with thee and with thy house. Demas and Hermogenes filled with envy and dissimulation cried out, And are we not the servants of the blessed? Why hast thou not saluted us? To whom Onesiphorous answered, I do not see in you the fruits of righteousness: but if ye are indeed such, come and abide also at my house. So Paul went with him, and there was great joy in the house of Onesiphorus; and having fallen upon their knees and prayed, and broken bread, Paul preached to them the Word of God, concerning temperance, and the Resurrection, to this effect:

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are they that keep the flesh unspotted, for they shall become the temples of God.

"Blessed are they that renounce this present world, for they shall please God. Blessed are they that have wives as though they had them not, for shall become like the angels of God. Blessed are they that tremble at the words of God, for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed are they that receive the wisdom of Jesus Christ, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are they that keep the knowledge of Jesus Christ, for they shall dwell in light. Blessed are they that for the love of Christ have forsaken the form of this world, for they shall judge angels, and shall sit at the right hand of Christ, and shall see the day of judgment without bitter

Whilst Paul was discoursing thus in the house of Onesiphorus, Thecla, daughter of Theoclia, a virgin who was espoused to Thamyris, a prince of the city, standing at the window of her house continued night and day to hear the word spoken by Paul concerning the love of God, and faith in Christ; nor would she be removed: but being filled with exceeding joy became subject to the faith. And seeing many women and young persons entering in to hear Paul, she was exceedingly desirous of being counted worthy to stand in his presence, and to hear the word of Christ; for as yet she had never seen the person of Paul.

And as she continued thus to hear him, Theoclia, her mother, sent for Thamyris, and informed him, that Thecla had not risen from her place for three days, neither to eat, nor to drink;, but in fixed attention on the words of Paul, had wholly given herself to that stranger, teaching seducing and wicked opinions: adding, This is the man that hath stirred up the whole city of Iconium,

and hath perverted Thecla. But go thou and speak to her for she is espoused to thee.

Thamyris fearing the distraction of her mind, spoke to her with tenderness: "Why,.Thecla, dost thou sit dejected thus, with thine eyes fixed on the ground? What new passion hath seized thee, and turned thee to this stranger? Turn to thy Thamyris and be ashamed." But she answering nothing, her mother and attendants wept bitterly. But Thecla, continuing unmoved, turned from them to the words spoken by Paul.

Thamyris filled with despair, left the house, and going into the street watched those that went in and came out from Paul. And seeing two men sharply contending, he said, "Sirs, inform me who is this your companion, that seduces the minds of men, forbidding them to marry? I offer you great rewards if ye will declare, for I am chief in this city." Demas and Hermogenes replied, "We do not well know who this man is; but he deprives men of their wives, and virgins of their husbands, declaring that there will be no resurrection unless they continue pure, and free from the pollutions of the flesh."

Then 'Thamyris invited them to come and refresh themselves at his house. And having honorably entertained and rewarded them, he said, "Tell me, I pray you, sirs, what is the doctrine of Paul, that I may know: for I am in great anguish for Thecla, on account of her love for this stranger?" Demas and Hermognes, with one voice, cried out, "Deliver him to the governor as one that persuadeth the people to receive the doctrines of the Christians; and let him be put to death by the decree of the Emperor; and thou shalt have thy wife, and we will instruct her that the resurrection which he teacheth hath already taken place, and that we then have truly risen, when we are come to the knowledge of God."

Thamyris hearing these things was filled with rage; and rising early in the morning, went with officers and a guard, accompanied by a great multitude, to the house of Onesiphorus, and demanded Paul; saying, "Thou hast corrupted the city of Iconium and Thecia come therefore to the governor." And all the people cried out, "Away with this sorcerer, for he hath corrupted our women."

And Thamyris standing before the judgment-seat, cried with a loud voice to the governor, "We know not whence this man isbut he suffereth not our women to marry; let him therefore declare before thee for what cause he teaches these things." And the governor rising called to Paul and said, "Who art thou? And what is thy doctrine! Grevious things are laid to thy charge?"

And Paul lifting up his voice, said, "If I am questioned with respect to my doctrine, O Governor, God, that seeketh nothing