The dignity of age,--the playful innocence of youth, or the charms of beauty cannot save from thy cruel grasp, thou hast swallowed up the nations as water, and thou art an hungered still,--thou hast drunk rivers of blood, and hast bathed in oceans of tears, and thy thirst is still raging with unabating fury. Whither,--ah! whither shall I turn for comfort? in what secret chamber shall I hide myself to elude thy swift pursuit? If I would heap up gold as dust I cannot bribe thee. If I would fortify my habitation with the munitions of rocks, thine arrows would pierce them as the spider's web, and find their way to my heart. If I would soar on high as the eagle, or fly to the most secret haunts of the desert, or hide myself in the gloomy thicket with the solitary bird of night; or retire with the bat, to the inmost recesses of the cavern, yet thy footsteps would pursue me, and thy vigilance would search me out. No arguments of the wise--no talents of the eloquent can prevail with thee. The tears of the widow, the cries of the fatherless; or the broken hearted anguish of the lover cannot move thee to pity: thou mockest at the groans and tears of humanity, thou scornest the pure affections of love and tenderness; and thou delightest to tear asunder the silken cords of conjugal affection, and all the tender ties of love and endearment which twine around the virtuous heart, and which serve to cement society, and to administer joy and happiness in every department of life. What mighty power shall check thy grand career, and set bounds o'er which thou canst not pass? Whose mighty voice shall command, saying "thus far, no farther shalt thou go, and here let thy proud waves be stayed?" What almighty conqueror shall lead thee captive--shall burst thy chains--throw open the doors of thy gloomy cells, and set the unnumbered millions of thy prisoners free?--who shall bind up the broken hearted--comfort the mourners--dry the tears of sorrow--open the prison to them that are bound--set the captives free--make an end of sin and oppression--bring in everlasting righteousness--swallow up death in victory--restore creation to its primitive beauty, glory, excellence, and perfection; "and destroy him who has the power of death, that is the Devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage?" but hark--