WATCHMAN，WHAT OF THE NIGHT
1.TO this query of Isaiah，the watchman replies，that “The morning cometh，and also the night.”The brevity of this answer has left it involved in something of the obscurity of the season in which it was given.I think that night，however sooty and ill-favored it may be pronounced by those who were born under a day-star，merits a more particular deion.I feel peculiarly disposed to arrange some ideas in favor of this season.I know that the majority are literally blind to its merits；they must be prominent，indeed，to be discerned by the closed eyes of the snorer，who thinks that night was made for nothing but sleep.But the student and the sage are willing to believe that it was formed for higher purposes；and that it not only recruits exhausted spirits，but sometimes informs inquisitive and mends wicked ones.
2.Duty，as well as inclination，urges the Lay Preacher to sermonize while others slumber.To read numerous volumes in the morning，and to observe various characters at noon，will leave but little time，except the night，to digest the one or speculate upon the other.The night，therefore，is often dedicated to composition，and，while the light of the paly planets discovers at his desk the Preacher，more wan than they，he may be heard repeating emphatically，with Dr.Young，“Darkness has much divinity for me.”
He is then alone，he is then at peace.No companions near，but the silent volumes on his shelf；no noise abroad，but the click of the villageclock or the bark of the village dog.The deacon has then smoked his sixth，and last pipe，and asks not a question more concerning Josephus or the church.Stillness aids study，and the sermon proceeds.Such being the obligations to night，it would be ungrateful not to acknowledge them.As my watchful eyes can discern its dim beauties，my warm heart shall feel.and my prompt pen shall describe，the uses and pleasures of the nocturnal hour.
3.“Watchman，what of the night？”I can with propriety imagine this question addressed to myself；I am a professed lucubrator；and who so well qualified to delineate the sable hours as“A meager，muse-rid mope，adust and thin？”
However injuriously night is treated by the sleepy moderns，the vigilance of the ancients could not overlook its benefits and joys.In as early a record as the book of Genesis，I find that Isaac，though he devoted his assiduous days to action，reserved speculation till night.“He went out to meditate in the field at eventide.”He chose that sad，that solemn hour，to reflect upon the virtues of a beloved and departed mother.The tumult and glare of the day suited not with the sorrow of his soul.He had lost his most amiable，most genuine friend，and his unostentatious grief was eager for privacy and shade.Sincere sorrow rarely suffers its tears to be seen.It was natural for Isaac to select a season to weep in，that should resemble “the color of his fate.”The darkness，the solemnity，the stillness of the eve，were favorable to his melancholy purpose.He forsook，therefore，the bustling tents of his father，the pleasant “south country，”and “well of Lahairoi；”he went out and pensively meditated at eventide.