of the thing, reaching from China in the east, to Britain and America, in the west." Aris totle says that he and others of fered a threefold sacrifice in acknowledgment of the threefold perfections in the Gods. Calcidius, a disciple of Plato, distinguished the divine nature into the Father, and the Son, who created the world, and the Spirit, who enlivens. The first arranging, the second commanding, and the third actuating all things. Plotinus, another ancient philosopher, asserts, that the doctrine of the Trinity was an ancient opinion before the time of Plato, and delivered down from the Pythagoreans to the Platonists. Mr. Maurice, in his Indian Antiquities, assures us, that one of the most prominent features in the Indian theology, is the doctrine of a Trinity. Brakma, Veeshnu, and Seeva constitute the grand Hindoo triad of Deity. He says this doctrine is found in nearly all the systems of oriental theology. In the Geeta of India the doctrine of a Trinity was written fifteen hundred years before the birth of Plato. things. This answers to the Kather, (virtue) the Cochma, (wisdom) and Binah, (intelligence) of the Hebrews. Plutarch, though he himself rejected the doctrine of the Trinity, informs us, that Zoroaster is said to have made a threefold distribution of things. He assigned the highest rank to Oromasdes, who is called the Father, the middle to Mithras, who is called the second mind, and the lowest to Ahrimenes. That the doctrine of the Trinity is of the highest antiquity, has been inferred from the carvings in the temple of Elephanta, an island five miles from Bombay. These carvings have been reckoned among the most inexplicable wonders of the world. So many ages have they defied the mouldering hand of time, so remote is their antiquity, that no history records their design; no annals of other times relate the era in which they were formed; no tradition tells the names of the artists by whom they were executed. The doctrine of the Trinity explains the mystery. In the most conspicuous part of the oldest temple, perhaps, in the world, the traveller beholds with surprise and amazement a bust of the presiding God. The bust formed from the solid rock is twenty feet in breadth, and eighteen in height, having three heads, and adorned with all the symbols of the most ancient the ology of India. : In the oracles of Zoroaster, who by some is considered the grandson of Ham, and by others the son or grandson of Noah, are the following remarkable expressions; "Where the paternal monad is, that paternal monad amplifies itself, and generates a duality for a triad of Deity shines forth through the whole world, of which a monad is the head." In a succeeding passage, the three persons of the Trinity are named. "And there appeared in this triad, virtue, wisdom, and truth, that know all This is a sacred and venerable witness, giving his testimony to the solemn fact, that in the remotest ages of the world the inhabitants of India adored a triune God. Though it be not attempted to explain, nor fully to illustrate the modal existence of Deity, yet perhaps no conception of man could be more happy, or more satisfy the inquisitive mind, than this image in the island of Elephanta. There we see a representation of three intelligences, and one being. The very names of the ancient heathen gods, as well as their triple form, often expressed a trinity of persons. Mercury was called Triceps; Bacchus, Triambus; and Hecate, Tergimini. In Europe, Diana was called Trifor. mis, triple, or threefold, and was represented with three heads. Proserpine, another Roman deity, according to Porphyry and Eusebius, gives this account of herself: "I am called," says she, "of a threefold nature, and also three headed. Three are my symbols; I bear three similitudes or images." ferent sources these waters of strife flow; but they are all bitter to the taste. The uneasiness occasioned by rivals is one trouble common to the aspiring of every class. And it seems peculiarly unfortunate, that this trouble increases in direct proportion, as the man advances in the path of renown. The very thing aimed at, is superiority to others; or the possession of uncommon, or singular qualities. The more competitors, therefore, the ambitious man leaves behind him, the more will he be exasperated that any should remain. But rivals will always exist, even in the opinion of the blindest self-conceit. Persons eminent in any walk of life cannot but know, that others have riches, beauty, wit, learning, eloquence, honour, or whatever they may make their boast, as well as themselves. Ahithophel and Haman are not the only statesmen, who have exhibited extreme mortification at the influence of others. In every community there are many instances of the same principle causing the same unhappiness in kind, if not in degree. But if rivals are not at hand, they will be sought after till they are found. What does it avail a man to be the first in this or that little territory, while he has many equals or superiors within ha knowledge? If not to be found in the same nation or age, the annals of history will be search. ed, and foreign countries traversed, to find a person, with whom disadvantageous comparisons can be made. The victo rious Corsican, though his eye should meet no object now in be ing, which he would dignify with the name of a rival, may yet find another tomb of Achilles, at which to express his discontent and vexation. vibrating to every modulation of the voice, and prepared to execute every inandate of the eye. But to be an orator is a far different thing. It is easy for fancy to personate the leader of a great and victorious army, a leader, by whose wisdom in council, and whose prowess in the field, the interests of a mighty kingdom have been favourably decided; with enemies humbled, and sueing for peaće, with rivals compelled to lay aside their jealousy, and unitedly presenting the meed of superior merit; emulated by officers, as the model of military greatness, venerated by soldiers, as a delivering angel, It is easy to pursue the illusion farther, and see himself enter the capital cities of a nation sav. Another prominent evil attending every kind of ambition, is the probability, which borders on certainty, that the pursuer will never obtain even the external object, in the pursuit of which he is so earnestly engaged. Few, very few of those, who desire it, can be poets, orators, ministers of state, Presidents, Consuls, or Emperors. Many of those, who set out in the career of glory, scarcely leave the goal, before they perceive the utter hopelessness of maintaining the struggle; and small indeed is the number of those, whose courage, or perse verance, or ability does not failed from danger by his arm, them, long before they approach the end of the race. Among the highest, few are as high as they could wish, and thousands are to tally disappointed, to one, who in any measure succeeds. Of all dreams, none are so easily encouraged, as those of fame; while none are more vain and shadowy. It is easy to imagine one's self a poet, surpassing Homer, Shakespeare, and Milton; and crowned with chaplets of flowers, by wondering cotemporaries, as well as read and admired by succeeding ages. But, alas! this makes not a poet. It is easy in imagination to place one's self at the head of eloquence; heard at the bar, or on the bench as an oracle; reverenced and followed by the senate; adored by the people, as the defender of their rights, and the bulwark of their liberties; ruling every audience with absolute sway, the hearts of the hearers drawn in a triumphal car by an enraptured populace, hearing the revival of commerce, the renewal of industry, the return of peace, ascribed to his achievements, and hailed as the saviour of his country. Many such dreams have young men, but they do not all make a general. To be a poet, the possession of such mental powers, as fall scarcely to one in ten thousand, and the blessings of friends, education, health, and industry, which meet almost as rarely, must be enjoyed; to be an orator, the labour of profound investigation and wearisome study, the noise and exercise of the forum, and the heat of earnest debate, must be added to many other things of difficult attainment; to be a general, the fatigue of many campaigns must be endured; and knowledge must be obtained, not in the morning walk or the evening shade, but amid the clashing of swords, and the onset of battle; many a companion in arms must lie low in the dust by his side; and haply he himself will lie low in the dust, long before he ride in the chariot of victory. There is also no less disappointment as to the real good of the object obtained. He, who does not awake from his dream, till he has mounted the height, which he has been labouring to ascend, will then see how empty a phantom he has been pursuing. It is impossible for a man to persuade himself that he is happy in the possession of any object, when he does not find those things in the enjoyment, which he expected; and these, no ambitious man will ever find. It is true he may change one scheme for another, and may enter upon new projects with fresh eagerness. But this only proves how insufficient that is, which he before hoped would be solid and permanent. We shall do well to remember also, that the personal enjoy ment of fame must necessarily be short. While it is confined to human life, "a tale that is told," it cannot be otherwise. Man begins to approach the object of his desires, just as he must leave the world. He must quickly exchange the laurels on his brow, for a napkin; his purple and fine linen, for a shroud; his audience room, gilded, and hung with tapestry, for a coffin; the ensigns of imperial sway, for the badges of the king of terrors; his turreted mansion for a grave. But could the souls of departed heroes, or others, who have fed themselves with the hope of immortality, be permitted to visit the world, and see every thing that is preserved about them, they would find little to flatter their pride. Fuimus Troes, et fuit Ilium, is the substance of what is written concerning the once mighty city of Troy and its mighty men, and is the general inscription on the tombs of those, who have best succeeded in the career of renown. It was once a thing of great emulation to be a Senator at Rome; but it is now as impossible to tell, who composed that Senate, as, who were the city scavengers. Where are the great men, who composed the court of Cyrus ; who offered him counsel, and fought by his side? Who can tell the long line of monarchs in the Persian dynasty? Who knows the names of those, who have filled the throne in China and Hindostan? What is become of the Emperors of Mexico, or the Incas of Peru? In those regions, who have been the inventers of arts, the professors of learning, the poets, the statesmen, the warriors? With respect to these things oblivion envelopes the whole. How few of the human race are acquainted even with the name of Cicero, much less with his character and writings? Nearer our own times, how few know any thing more than the names of Constantine or Charlemagne, of Lewis XIV, or Peter the Great? Their courtiers and panegyrists, their subjects and themselves, have fallen into the mass of undistinguished ruin. As a man really ambitious sets no bounds to his desires, one would imagine he must be far from happy, when he considers how utterly impossible it is, that he should possess an influence or a name, at all commensurate with his inclinations. Alexander might have spared himself the trouble of weeping for more worlds to conquer; he had subdued scarcely a tenth part of this. And since his day not one man in a hundred has ever heard of his exploits, or that a fellow worm of that name ever lived in Macedonia. 8070 Above all, when it is consider ed, that the love of glory is a sanctuary under which every thing base and malignant takes shelter; when it is considered to what enormities this passion prompts, how it destroys every desirable affection of the heart; with what a resistless influence it tyrannizes over the whole man; how it delights in commotion, rebellion, massacre and blood; with what diabolical cruelty it perpetrates assassination and parricide; with what cool deliberation it murders not individ uals only, but whole cities, armies, nations; we cannot but be convinced, that its votaries " the wind, and reap the whirlwind.” Let me not be thought to insinuate, that every great man is a bad man. An Alfred, or a Washington may be directed by the justest principles, and influenced by the purest motives. There is not a more noble object to the contemplation of a. benevolent mind, than a man truly elevated, who, if learned, directs the whole force of his genius to the instruction and amendment of his fellowmen; or, if in authority, thinks not of his own gratification, but applies himself taithfully to the discharge of his duty, always remembering his subjection to the great and only Potentate. Such a ruler is beautifully compared to "the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds." I am aware that it is urged in favour of ambition, that it is just such an active principle, as is wanted to engage men in the performance of great and useful services; that without it, they would relapse into listless insensibility, and sottish barbarism; and that no other principle is of suffi cient efficacy to supply its place. Nor can any one be ignorant, that under the name of emulation, laudable ambition, or some other soft appellative, it is often made the grand stimulus to improve. ment and eminence, in the school and the college, in the army and the senate. If it can be shown, however, that there is a principle more noble, more amiable,equally active,more efficacious, and infinitely more promotive of good, there can be no sound reason why it should not take the place of ambition. Such a principle is Christian benevolence. Instead, therefore, of inflating a youth with absurd and gigantic wishes, instead of exalting him by invidious comparisons with his associates, how much more reasonable is it, to urge him by such motives as love and obedience to his parents, usefulness to his country, and gratitude to his Maker? Instead of forming the statesman by the sordid motives of personal success, would it not be wiser to educate him so that the good of others should be the unvarying standard of his conduct? Nothing appears more derogatory to the honour of a ruler, than his inquiring, in every conjuncture of his public life, how this and that measure will af |