Page:Reflections among the monuments.pdf/6

 with that penſive air! None can conſider ſo mournful a ſtory, without feeling ſome touches of ſympathizing concern.——His age twenty-eight; his death ſudden; himſelf cut down in the prime of life, amidſt all the vivacity and vigour of manhood: while "his breaſts were full of milk, and his bones moiſtened with marrow."——Probably he entertained no apprehenſions of the evil hour. And indeed, who could have ſuſpected, that ſo bright a fun ſhould go down at noon? To human appearance, his hill ſtood ſtrong. Length of days ſeemed written in his ſanguine countenance. He ſolaced himſelf with the proſpect of a long, long ſeries of earthly ſatistactions.—When, lo! an unexpected ſtroke deſcends! deſcends from that mighty arm, which "overturneth the mountains by their roots; and cruſhes the imaginary hero. before the moth;" as quickly, and more eaſily, than our fingers preſs ſuch a feeble fluttering inſect to death.

Perhaps the nuptial joys were all he thought on Were not ſuch the breathings of his enamoured soul? "Yet a very little while, and I ſhall poſſess the utmost of my wiſhes. I ſhall call my charmer mine; and in her enjoy whatever my heart can crave."——

Who can tell, but the bride-maids, girded with gladness, had prepared the marriage-bed! had decked it with the richeſt covers, and dreſſed it in pillows of down? When,