11. "Supineness and effeminacy," says Dr. Rush, "have ruined more constitutions than were ever destroyed by excessive labors. Moderate exercise and toil, so far from prejudicing, strengthens and consolidates the body." 12. Avarice begets more vices than Priam did children; and 'ike Priam, survives them all. It starves its keeper, to surfeit50 those who wish him dead; and makes him submit to more mortifications to lose heaven" than the martyr undergoes to gain it. 13. The conclusion at which I have arrived is, that without temperance there is no health; without virtue, no order; without religion, no happiness; and that the sum of our duties is to live wisely, soberly and righteously. XXX. - THE TWO RETURNED TOURISTS. The following little poem, translated from the German of Grun, by Mr. C. T. Brooks, affords an opportunity for an exhibition of the contrast between a tame, inanimate mode of delivery and a spirited and expressive one. The last two of the lines between quotation-marks in the third stanza should be read in an apathetic, unimpassioned tone, as if the reader cared nothing for the objects he was mentioning. The same lines in the fourth stanza should be read with animation and enthusiasm, as if the reader were transported with admiration and love of the beauties of nature. 1. Two travellers through the gateway went 2. And when the two came home again, Their kin all clustered round the men: 'T was a buzz of questions on every side. 3. The one with yawning made reply: 66 What have we seen? Not much have I! Trees, meadows, mountains, groves and streams, Blue sky and clouds, and sunny gleams." 4. The other, smiling, said the same; But, with face transfigured and eye of flame: "Trees, meadows, mountains, groves and streams XXXI. BOUNTIFUL DESIGN OF CREATION. 1. Ir is a happy world, after all. The air, the earth, the water, teem with delighted existence. In a spring noon or summer evening, on whichever side I turn my eyes, myriads of happy beings crowd upon my view. "The insect youth are on the wing." Swarms of new-born flies are trying their pinions in the air. Their sportive motions, their wanton mazes, their gratuitous activity, their continual change of place without use. or purpose, testify their joy, and the exultation which they feel in their lately-discovered faculties. 2. A bee amongst the flowers in spring is one of the most cheerful objects that can be looked upon. Its life appears to be all enjoyment, so busy and so pleased; yet it is July a specimen of insect life, with which, by reason of the animal being halfdomesticated, we happen to be better acquainted than we are with that of others. 3. The whole winged insect tribe, it is probable, are equally intent upon their proper enjoyments; and under every variety of constitution gratified, and perhaps equally gratified, by the offices which the Author of their nature has assigned to them. 4. Suppose, then, what I have no doubt of, each individual of the vast number to be in a state of positive enjoyment; what a sum, collectively, of gratification and pleasure, have we here before our view! Paley. ΕΙ 1. In the days of knight-errantry and paganism, one of the old British princes set up a statue to the Goddess of Victory, in a point where four roads met together. In her right hand she held a spear, and her left hand rested upon a shield; the outside of this shield was of gold, and the inside of silver. On the former was inscribed, in the old British language, “To the god dess ever favorable;" and on the other, "For four victories obtained successively over the Picts, and other inhabitants of the northern islands." 2. It happened, one day, that two knights, completely armed, one in black armor, the other in white, arrived from opposite parts of the country at this statue, just about the same time; and, as neither of them had seen it before, they stopped to read the inscription, and observe the excellence of its workmanship. 3. After contem'plating it for some time, "This golden shield," says the black knight - "Golden shield!" cried the white knight, who was as strictly observing the opposite side, “why, if I have my eyes, it is silver." “I know nothing of your eyes," replied the black knight; "but, if ever I saw a golden shield in my life, this is one." 4. "Yes," returned the white knight, smiling, "it is very probable, indeed, that they should expose a shield of gold in so public a place as this! For my part, I wonder even a silver one is not too strong a temptation for the devotion of some people who pass this way; and it appears, by the date, that this has been here above three years.” 5. The black knight could not bear the smile with which this was delivered, and grew so warm in the dispute, that it soon ended in a challenge; they both, therefore, turned their horses, and rode back so far as to have sufficient space for their career; then, fixing their spears in their rests, they flew at each other with the greatest fury and impetuosity. Their shock was so rude, and the blow on each side so effectual, that they both fell to the ground much wounded and bruised, and lay there for some time, as in a trance.29 ΕΙ 6. A good Druid, who was travelling that way, found them in this condition. The Druids were the physicians of those times, as well as the priests. He had a sovereign balsam about him, which he had composed himself; for he was very skilful in all the plants that grew in the fields or in the forests: he stanched their blood, applied his balsam to their wounds, and brought them, as it were, from death to life again. 7. As soon as they were sufficiently recovered, he began to inquire into the occasion of their quarrel. Why, this man," cried the black knight," will have it that yonder shield is silver." "And he will have it,” replied the white knight, "that it is gold." And then they told him all the particulars of the affair. 8. "Ah!" said the Druid, with a sigh, "you are both of you, my brethren, in the right, and both of you in the wrong. Had either of you given himself time to look at the opposite side of the shield, as well as that which first presented itself to view, all this passion and bloodshed might have been avoided; however, there is a very good lesson to be learned from the evils that have befallen you on this occasion. Permit me, therefore, to entreat you never to enter into any dispute, for the future, till you have carefully considered both sides of the question." BEAUMONT. ΕΙ 1. I KNOW of no passage in classical literature more beautiful or affecting than that where Xen'ophon, in his Anab'asis, describes the effect produced on the remnant of the ten thousand Greeks, when, after passing through dangers without number, they at length ascended a sacred mountain, and from its peaked summit caught a sight of the sea. 2. Clashing their bucklers, with a hymn of joy they rushed tumultuously forward. Some wept with the fulness of their delirious pleasure, others laughed, and more fell on their knees and blessed that broad ocean. Across its blue waters, little floating sea-birds, the memorials of their happy homes, came and fanned their weary souls. 3. All the perils they had encountered, all the companions they had lost, all the miseries they had endured, were in an instant forgotten, and naught was with them but the gentle phantoms of past and future joys. 4. One was again scouring across the hoof-trodden plains of Thes'saly; another reclined beneath the flower-crowned rocks of Arca'dia, and gazed into the dreamy eyes of her whose form, amid battle and bivouac, was ever with him; a third recalled EI that proud day when, before the st parents, 5. O, home! magical, all-powe have been thy influence, when thy these bronzed heroes of a thousa women! With the cooling freshn the sweet fragrance of a flower fou the great waters to those wande peaceful shadow of your wings thei 6. It is related of a Greek islan to the vale of Tem-pë, and called only replied, "The sea where Mrs. Hemans has penned the follo "Where is the sea? languish here, With all its barks in fleet career, and XXXIV. 1. "You teach," said the Emperor Trajan, to a famous rabbi,EI Ethat your God is everywhere, and boast that he resides among your nation. I should like to see him.” 2. "God's presence is indeed everywhere," the rabbi replied; "but he cannot be seen, for no mortal eye can look upon his splendor." 3. The emperor had the obstinacy of power, and persisted in his demand. "Well," answered the rabbi, "suppose we begin by endeavoring to gaze at one of his ambassadors." 4. Trajan assented; and the rabbi, leading him into the open air, for it was noon of the day, bade him raise his eyes to the sun, then shining down upon the world in his meridian of glory. |