Daily American telegraph., 1852-02-23
From Mrs. sigourney's Examples of Life and Death
LORD BACON.

Addison has thus spoken of him, as "a man,
who, for the greatness of his genius and COM
pass of his knowledge, did honor to his age and
country, and to human nature itself. He pos
sessed at once all those extraordinary talents
that were divided among the great authors of
| antiquity; the sound distinct learning of Arts
totle, with all the beautiful, light graces and
embellishments of Cicero. One does not know
what most to admire in his writings-strength
of reason force of STYLE or brilliance of imagi-
nation. Among the works of this extraordi-
nary man, is prayer of his own composing,
which for elevation of thought and piety of ex-
preston might seem rather the devotion of an
angel, than a man."
With the prayer, on which this eulogium has
been pronounced, by one SO competent to Judge,
we close our remarks on the illustrious Bacon.
AS we follow its touching petitions we can al
most imagine that we see him in his retired
place of DEVOTION dvesting himself of all earth
ly distinctions, and Frustrating his soul, with
the deepest humility, before the Father of spir-
it's 49,
GHOST Gracious Lord God, my merciful
Father, my Creator and Redeemer, and nv
Comforter Thou, oh Lord, searcheth the
depths and secrets of all hearts Thou acknowl-
edgest the upright of heart Thou judgest the
hypocrite; Thou ponderest mans thoughts and
tentions as with line; vanity and crooked
ways cannot be hidden from Thee. Remember,
oh Lord, how thy servant has walked before
Thee; remember what have sought and what
has been principal in my intentions | have
loved thine assemblies | have mourned for the
divisions of Thy Church; ] have delighted in
the brightness of Thy Sanctuary. The vine
which Thy right hand hath planted in this ma
ton; | have ever prayed unto Thee, that it
might have the first and the latter rain, and
that she might stretch her branches to the sea
and to the flood. The state and bread of the
poor and oppressed have been precious in mine
eyes. have hated all cruelty and hardness
Of heart | have, though despised weed,
labored with good will for all men. If any
have been enemies, l thought not of them;
neither hath the sun set upon my displeasure;
but have been as a dove, free from all super
fluffy of righteousness Thousand have been
my sins, and ten thousand my transgressions;
but Thy sanctfcations have remained within
me, and mine heart, through Thy grace, hath
been an unquenched coal on thine altar.
20 Lord my strength | have since my youth
met with Thee in all my ways by Thy father
ly compositions; by Thy comfortable chastise-
ments; by Thy visible providences. AS Thy
favors have increased upon me, so have Thy
corrections. Thus Thou hast always been near
me, o Lord, and ever as my worldly blessings
were exalted; so secret darts from Thee have
pierced me; that when have assembled before
men, have descended in humiliation before
Thee.
And now, when thought most of peace and
honor, Thine hand is heavy upon me, and hath
humbled me according to thy former loving
kindness; keeping me still in Thy school, not as
an alien, but child. Just are Thy judgments
upon me for my sins, which ore more in num-
Der than the sands of the sea, but have no pro-
portion to thy mercies; for what are the sands
of the sea- Earth, heavens, and all these, are
nothing to Thy mercies! confess before,
Thee, that | am debtor to Thee for the pre-
cious talent Of Thy gifts and graces which |
have neither put into napkin, nor put out as
ought, to exchangers, where it might have
made best profit but misspent it in things TOR
which was least fit so may truly say, my
soul hath been stranger in the house of her
pilgrimage Be merciful unto me, 0 Lord, for
nv Sayiour's sake and receive me unto Thy
bosom, or guide me in Thy way"
According to religious statistics, it is ascer-
Al. -