27. GOD.-Derzhavin.

THE following poem is a translation from the Russian. It has been translated into Japanese, by order of the emperor, and is hung up, embroidered with gold, in the temple of Jeddo. It has also been translated into the Chinese and Tartar languages, written on a piece of rich silk, and suspended in the imperial palace at Pekin.

O THOU eternal One! whose presence bright
All space doth оссиру, all motion guide;
Unchanged through time's all-devastating flight;
Thou only God! There is no God beside!
Being above all beings! Three-in-One!
Whom none can comprehend, and none explore;
Who fill'st existence with Thyself, alone;
Embracing all supporting- ruling o'er-
Being whom we call God-and know no more'
In its sublime research, philosophy

--

May measure out the ocean deep-may count
The sands or the sun's rays—but God! for Thee
There is no weight nor measure; -none can mount
Up to Thy mysteries. Reason's brightest spark,
Though kindled by Thy light, in vain would try
To trace Thy counsels, infinite and dark;

And thought is lost ere thought can soar so high-
E'en like past moments in eternity.

Thou from primeval nothingness didst call,
First chaos, then existence; - Lord! on Thee

Eternity had its foundation;-all

Sprung forth from Thee;-of light, joy, harmony,
Sole origin; all life, all beauty, Thine.

Thy word created all, and doth create;

Thy splendor fills all space with rays divine;
Thou art, and wert, and shalt be! Glorious,
Light-giving, life-sustaining Potentate!

Thy chains the unmeasured universe surround;
Upheld by Thee, by Thee inspired with breath!
Thou the beginning with the end hast bound,
And beautifully mingled life and death!

As sparks mount upward from the fiery blaze,
So suns are born, so worlds spring forth from Thee;
And as the spangles in the sunny rays

Shine around the silver snow, the pageantry
Of heaven's bright army glitters in Thy praise.
A million torches lighted by Thy hand
Wander unwearied through the blue abyss;
They own Thy power, accomplish Thy command,
All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss.

What shall we call them? Pyres of crystal light -
A glorious company of golden streams
Lamps of celestial ether burning bright-

Suns lighting systems with their joyful beams?
But Thou to these art as the noon to night.
Yes! as a drop of water in the sea,

All this magnificence in Thee is lost ;

What are ten thousand worlds compared to Thee?
And what am I then? Heaven's unnumbered host,
Though multiplied by myriads, and arrayed

In all the glory of sublimest thought,
Is but an atom in the balance weighed
Against Thy greatness, is a cipher brought
Against infinity! What am I then? Naught!
Naught! But the effluence of Thy light divine,
Pervading worlds, hath reached my bosom too;
Yes, in my spirit doth Thy spirit shine,
As shines the sunbeam in a drop of dew.

Naught! but I live, and on hope's pinions fly
Eager toward Thy presence; for in Thee
I live, and breathe, and dwell; aspiring high,
Even to the throne of Thy divinity.

I am, O God! and surely Thou must be!
Thou art! directing, guiding all, Thou art!
Direct my understanding then to Thee;
Control my spirit, guide my wandering heart;
Though but an atom midst immensity,
Still I am something, fashioned by Thy hand!
I hold a middle rank, 'twixt heaven and earth,
On the last verge of mortal being stand,

Close to the realms where angels have their birth,

Just on the boundaries of the spirit land!

The chain of being is complete in me;
In me is matter's last gradation lost,
And the next step is spirit-Deity!

I can command the lightning and am dust!
A monarch, and a slave; a worm, a god!
Whence came I here, and how? so marvellous.y
Constructed and conceived? unknown! this clod
Lives surely through some higher energy;
For from itself alone it could not be!

Creator, yes! Thy wisdom and Thy word
Created me! Thou source of life and good!
Thou spirit of my spirit, and my Lord!
Thy light, Thy love, in the bright plenitude,
Filled me with an immortal soul, to spring
Over the abyss of death, and bade it wear
The garments of eternal day, and wing
Its heavenly flight beyond the little sphere,
Even to its source- to Thee its author there.

-

O thoughts ineffable! O visions blest!
Though worthless our conception all of Thee,
Yet shall thy shadowed image fill our breast,
And waft its homage to Thy Deity.

God! thus alone my lonely thoughts can soar;
Thus seek Thy presence-Being wise and good,
Midst Thy vast works admire, obey, adore;
And, when the tongue is eloquent no more,

The soul shall speak in tears of gratitude.

CHAPTER VI.

Human Growth and Utility.

1. A Human Being is a human spirit, inhabiting a human body. This is done on certain conditions, and for certain purposes; first, that the Spirit may gain knowledge through the body; second, that the Spirit may use this knowledge through the body.

NOTE. The conditions of tenancy are; that the Spirit shall provide the Body with breath, food, drink, warmth, light, labor, and rest. 2. The Spiritual being, or Spirit, is usually meant when we say, I, thou, he, We, you, they, or use the name of a person.

3. The Physical being, or the Body, is usually mentioned as belonging to the Spirit.

Thus, we say, my body; or a part of my body, as, my arm, my head, &c.; because the parts belong to the body, and the body is our habitation. When we leave it, the Body dies. We do not die.

4. As Spiritual beings, we employ ourselves either in gaining knowledge, learning; or in using that, which we have already gained, practising. That part of this knowledge pertaining to things, by which we are surrounded, and to our own actions in gaining knowledge, is called Material or Temporal Knowledge; that part, which pertains to character as good or evil, is called Spiritual Knowledge.

5. We call our Spiritual beings or spirits, when engaged with Temporal Knowledge, Intellects or Minds; when engaged with the Spiritual, we call them Souls or Spirits.

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INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY,

The same person is called by different names, when considered in different relations. A man, in relation to his parents, is a Son; in relation to his wife, is a Husband; to his children, is a Father, &c.

"She died, having been, at the same time, the daughter, the wife, and the mother of a king."

So the spirit is, at the same time, the mind, the intellect, the soul, I, You, the writer, and the reader.

6. The science of the Intellect, or Mind, is called INTELLECTUAL or MENTAL PHILOSOPHY; and that of the Soul, or Spirit, is called MORAL or SOCIAL PHI

LOSOPHY.

A Comparison of the Body and the Spirit.

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

a. The Body is intended for growth or development, and for use or employment.

b. The elements, by which the body grows and endures labor, are furnished by nutriment.

c. Those parts of our nutriment, which furnish growth and strength to our bodies, become and are real and essential parts of our bodies.

d. In order that our food may increase and sustain our bodies, it must be digested and directed to its proper members by the action of our own bodily organs, not by another's.

e. Our bodies are that nutriment, which we ourselves have taken; except those bodies, with which, as the germs of after-development, we were born.

a. The Spirit is intended for growth or development, and for use or employment.

b. The elements, by which the spirit grows and endures labor, are furnished by knowledge.

c. Those parts of our knowledge, which furnish growth and strength to our spirits, become and are real and essential parts of ourselves.

d. In order that our knowledge may develop and sustain us, it must be digested and directed to its proper offices by the action of our own spirits, not by another's.

e. We are that knowledge, which we ourselves have learned; except that undying principle, with which, as the germ of after-development, we were created.