Classical Theology.—Lvii.

Psyche awoke from her swoon as from along sleep . All around her appeared to have undergone a shocka change had come over the scene—all seemed altered and strange to her . The fountains had become turbid and uninviting , thesongsof thebirds were unmelodious , the trees had grown webby and blightedthe flowers

, had lost their freshness and sweetness , the pomegranates looked wild , and the lilies had perished . Flies and other insects seemed also to have multi plied , and a part of the isle was so changed , that it became an isle no longer , for as the tide ebbed , rock joined rock to rockand hence with another portion of the "dry

, land . Over this barren tract , in her wanderings in search of her lover , the forlorn unhappy Pysehe , as one driven by the spirit of despair , distractedly hastened onward .

The account given by the double Spirit of Curiosity and Disobedience , concerning the cause of Cupid ' s absence , and the injury he had met with , roused the anger , jealousy , and mortification of Venus . She determined to persecute and punish poor Psyche with a rigour void of all compassion and mercy . She therefore despatched the Erinnys , or Spirits of Fear ,

Despair , and Madness , in pursuit of her . Meanwhile , with all a mother ' s tender anxiety and selfish fondness , she attended on her son , and made his accident her pretext for detaining him in his chamber , for since his wound , the God of Love had found it somewhat difficult to take his invisible form , that spell or gift having been broken as it were , by the infliction of the wound .

The incidents of the whole story of Cupid and Psyche , in the adornment of the walls of the charming Belle Palace of Farnesia , on the banks of the Tiber , have been so beautifully painted a la fresque , b y Raphael , we wish we could conveniently illustrate our pages with photographs of them : but time , space , and progress , forewarn us to draw our papers to a close .

Psyche , hoping to escape the vengeance of Venus , in her solitary search for her betrothed , ascended to the summit of a lofty mountain , whereon was a temple dedicated to the Goddess Ceres , the mother of Proserpine , to supplicate tbe mediation of that benign and majestic Lady , " beautiful with yellow hair , " as says Ovid . "I have" humbly said Psyche"no sacrifice

, , meet to offer thee ; oh thou most beneficient Lady ; but accept the cries of a breaking heart . A ' ouchsafe to defend me from the rage of Venus , who , for my love of her son , by whom I am forsaken , would kill me , I fear , if she should find me . " " Psyche , my daughter , " replied Ceres , "you know not Avhat

you ask . There are forms ancl laws , courtesies and etiquettes , that cannot be broken without general confusion , yea , absolute anarchy . Venus is my cousin , aud however willingly I might extend unto you my protection , I cannot do so but by grievousl y offending her . I well remember myself how I ran up and down

the streets , and the high and wild ways of Enna and Aetna to Syracuse , after Proserpina my own strayed and stolen one . Go my sweet child , believing I can do what I may do , and to do more I cannot . " It will be seen in our metaphysical treatment of the history of Pysehe , we do not object at times to mix up , as it were , the new with the old version of her recorded adventures . That is to say , we can go back to times far before the flood of Noah to our

Classical Theology.—Lvii.

mythological lore at pleasure , and still be quite consistent in our allegorical application with all that concerns Cupid and Psyche . Thus , then , instead of Syracuse , it might have been to Salem , or even the city of Enoch itself , to which the great Alma of the fruits of the earth and foundress of husbandry , and

of laws so sympathetically referred . At all events upon the beautiful living soul , the lovely virgin Psyche being left unassisted and almost repulsed by the Terra Mater , in her agony of utter desertion , bethought her of imploring the protection of the Queen , of Heavenclassically called Juno . The answer to

, this prayer , though tempered with commisseration , was not more assuring or proffered support than the former . " I know , " enunciated Juno , " by sad experience , more than you can ever know , love besought and beloved Psyche , as you are , that Venus is exceedingly vindictive . She has been the cause of all the

vain and arrogant contentions and embroilments .. of my family . Vet still , unfortunately , she being my daughter-in-law , it would be extremely inconvenient , if not censurable and according to our laws , I fear , incompatible , in me to prejudge your cause , or offer to promote itwhilst Venus is so implacably incensed

, against you . But come of it what will , I promise the interposition of Jupiter in your behalf , should she strive to take your lite , or attempt to be the death © f you . I mean if it be true that you are abandoned by Cupid , who is esteemed by us to be the strongest amongst the gods . "

An Oration.

AN ORATION .

DEHl'EiiED 15 " TJIE GlUND LODGE , CHARLESTON , SoUTS CAROLINA , ON HIE 23 KD or SEPTEMBER , 1801 , 5801 H . L ., BY BRO . FREDERICK DAICIIO , M . D ., COMMUNICATED BY BRO . I . T . ARCHER , P . G ., S . P . Z . No . 25 ENGLAND , AN . B LLP . No . 8 , CHAPTER IRELAND . BRETHREN—The duty of this eveningto which I am .

, , called by the honour of your appointment , is a task infinitely more timportant and arduous than my feeble abilities aro equal to , and nothing but the high respect I have for the society which have honoured me with the appointment could have induced me to have accepted of it . The subject on which I am to address you is more

capacious than tbe utmost powers of the human mind can embrace . Every sphere in the immense regions of space feels the benign influence of the Institution ; I must , therefore , call on your fraternal indulgence to pass over in silence the many great imperfections which you will discover in this performance , and accept my zeal for better abilities . Tho time which I could appropriate

to it , from the more imperious demands of my profession has been short and interrupted , and which 1 ardently hope will also plead with you , as an apology for my deficienccs . When beginning this oration it was my intention to have given an historical dissertation on the origin and progress of Masonry until the present period , and to

have pointed out the effects produced on society by the extensive promulgation of the principles of the Order ; but I have since determined to reserve ib for a future occasion ; I shall therefore briefly mention some leading points of its histgry , and dwell more fully on the moral principles of the Institution as the effect the general condition of mankind . Masonry is the most perfect and sublime institution ever formed for promoting the happiness of individuals , or for increasing the general good of the community .