ALCHYMY.

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has introduced the Alchymist at his furnace,anxiously watching his crucible, while the elixirof life is running out, and Death, unperceived, isblowing the coals, holding in his hand the powderof projection which is about to consummate by anexplosion the deluded Alchymist and his vainendeavours.

But who, let us seriously inquire, and what, isthis all-potent Alchymist, Death ?

" Death is Life, and Life is Death," saidEuripides; and so said Plato, and so said theEastern Sages. If then Death be Life, as thewise and virtuous of all ages have believed, thequestion recurs, what is Life ?

Life, says the Beauty, is admiration and gayattire:—it is dice and dash, says the Spend-thrift ;—it is gain, says the Merchant and theMiser; it is power, says the Prince. Yet theAlchymist looks for it in an elixir. But Deathdethrones the Prince—breaks the Merchant andMiser—out-dashes the Spendthrift and the Belle,and spills the elixir of Life.