had only been
Bestowed and felt, and heard and seen,
Since yesterday went by.

Her dress was simply neat--
Her household tasks so featly done:
Even the old willow-wicker seat
On which she sat and spun--
The table where her Bible lay,
Open from morn till close of day--
The standish, and the pen
With which she noted, as they rose,
Her thoughts upon the joys, the woes,
The final fate of men,
And sufferings of her Saviour God,--
Each object in her poor abode
Is visible as then.

Nor are they all forgot,
The faithful admonitions given,
And glorious hopes which flattered not,
But led the soul to heaven!
These had been hers, and have been mine
When all beside had ceased to shine--
When sadness and disease,
And disappointment and suspense,
Had driven youth's fairest fancies hence,
Short'ning its fleeting lease:
'Twas then these hopes, amid the dark
Just glimmering, like an unquench'd spark,
Dawned on me by degrees.

To her they gave a light
Brighter than sun or star supplied;
And never did they shine more bright
Than just before she died.
Death's shadow dimm'd her aged eyes,
Grey clouds had clothed the evening skies,
And darkness was abroad;
But still she turned her gaze above,
As if the eternal light of love
On her glazed organs glowed,
Like beacon-fire at closing even,
Hung out between the earth and heaven,
To guide her soul to God.

And then they brighter grew,
Beaming with everlasting bliss,
As if the eternal world in view
Had weaned her eyes from this:
And every feature was composed,
As with a placid smile they closed
On those who stood around,
who felt it was a sin to weep
O'er such a smile and such a sleep--
So peaceful, so profound;
And though they wept, their tears expressed
Joy for her time-worn frame at rest--
Her soul with mercy crowned.

_August 10, 1812._

A HIGHLAND CLEARING.

How quickly the years fly! One twelvemonth more, and it will be a full
quarter of a century since we last saw the wild Highland valley so
well described by Mr. Robertson in his opening paragraphs.{1} And yet
the recollection is as fresh in our memory now as it was twenty years
ago. The chill winter night had fallen on the brown round hills and
alde