Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

I love this self-dissection; for I woo

All knowledge, and this process finds it out.
I love to judge between the false and true;

Blow off the dust of romance and of doubt;
Break error's crust and let the sunlight through;
Ope mystery's doors; give bigotry the knout:
I love the good, the beautiful, the great,
And all the noblest hopes in man's estate.

I love to laugh-likewise I love to sneer!
Am fond of pleasure-not averse to pain.
I have found wisdom sometimes in a tear;

I have been gay, and sad, and gay again.
I love my sorrows, though they've cost me dear;
I love my dinner,-but did not complain
When I had none, which sometimes was the case;
For even that may be a means of grace!

I love my country, though, as Brutus says,
I do not like her faults; I love to hear
Of those old, rusty sires and dangerous days;
I love to burn my fingers, once a year,
In Independent joy: I love the praise
Of patriotic citizens, in beer;

And, though a quiet man, I love to stand
In annual torture for my native land.

I love those "glittering generalities"

Which we have read-and sometimes read about;

And, more significant than language is,

I love the wild emotion of the rout;

I love His memory who gave us this

Terrennial freedom-and, although devout,

I can't tell which may be the greater loss,
The "Constitution" or the "Holy Cross."

I love my friends-they 're mostly Books-and they
Are always faithful: at my foes I laugh.
What Mr. Blank and Mrs. Grundy say,

Affects me not. I love at times to quaff

A health to those who love me; and I pray
That honest men may not be caught with chaff.
So in this philanthropic style I live:

Get what I can, and give what I can give.

THE following curious anecdote is related of Buonaparte in one of our London papers: "When the Count d'Antraigues was arrested in Italy, his papers disclosed the correspondence that existed between Pichegru and the Prince of Conde; and the Count was examined at Milan by Buonaparte. In the course of their conversation M. d'Antraigues observed that, from the nature of things, France would be obliged to revert to a monarchy. At any rate,' replied Buonaparte, 'if the monarchy is re-established, it will not be done by a sergeant of artillery; but by men like you and me!'

[ocr errors]

YOUNG MEN AND LATE HOURS.-There is a great deal of truth in the remark of a cotemporary, that one of the most deleterious influences brought to bear against the strength and vigor of American youth is the practice of keeping late hours. The simple fact of a young man keeping late hours is not in itself of so much import, though bad enough, but when all is taken into account, the dissipation, and the long string of incidents connected with leading such a life, it will be readily understood how keeping late hours is calculated to reduce the vigor and strength of our youths, both in body and mind. We will take, as an instance, the young man who has just broken loose from his mother's apron strings, as it is called. He goes into company with men much his seniors, and every night, though against his inclinations at first, he is led step by step into practices at which his pure mind revolted but a few short months before, and which he then thought it impossible that he could ever be induced to take part in. But, imperceptibly, he becomes familiar with them, until at last he first takes part and then delights in them as much as his companions; and, as not unfrequently happens, becomes the leader of them all; and the first intimation that his mother receives of the change that has come over him, is that he comes home in the "small hours of the night," a roaring drunkard!

66

Such is almost invariably the result of keeping late hours; and though our youths may think it manly to smoke and drink like their seniors, they should beware, and remember that it is "the first step" that has led to crime and all its dreadful consequences; and that one of the greatest, if not the greatest, mistakes that can be made is to keep late hours. Early to bed and early to rise," is as good a motto now as when it was first uttered, and if it does not make men always "wealthy and wise," it does better-it preserves their constitution, their innocence, and keeps them from sin and its train of evil consequences.

HOW TO EAT GRAPES.-As a piece of practical instruction to lay away for a month or two, till wanted, read the following instructions by Dr. Underhill, as to grape eating: "When in health, swallow only the pulp. When the bowels are costive, and you wish to relax them, swallow the seeds with the pulp, ejecting the skin. When you wish to check a too relaxing state of the bowels, swallow the pulp with the skins, ejecting the seeds. Thus may the grape be used as a medicine,

while at the same time it serves as a luxury unsurpassed by any other cultivated fruit. An adult may eat from three to four pounds a day, with benefit. It is well to take them with or immediately after meals." And it is apropos to this to quote one of wise Dr. Hall's paragraphs, from the Journal of Health. He says of surfeits: "A surfeit in man is called founder in a horse, and is over-eating, eating more than the stomach can possibly convert into healthful blood. Wise men and careful men will sometimes inadvertently eat too much, known by a feeling of fulness, of unrest, of a discomfort which pervades the whole man. Under such circumstances, we want to do something for relief; some eat a pickle, others swallow a little vinegar, a large number drink brandy. We have swallowed too much, the system is oppressed, and nature rebels, instinct comes to the rescue, and takes away all appetite, to prevent our adding to the burden by a morsel or a drop. The very safest, surest, and least hurtful remedy is to walk briskly in the open air, rain or shine, sun, hail or hurricane, until there is a very slight moisture on the skin; then regulate the gait, so as to keep the perspiration at that point until entire relief is afforded, indicated by a general abatement of the discomfort; but as a violence has been offered to the stomach, and it has been wearied with the extra burden imposed upon it, the next regular meal should be omitted altogether. Such a course will prevent many a sick hour, many a cramp, colic, many a fatal diarrhoea."

LOUIS XII, king of France, called the Father of his people, and who contests the palm of genuine glory with Henry IV, had, while duke of Orleans, received many affronts from Madame de Beaujeau, and from Briconet, who were in favor during preceding reigns. One of his confidants excited him, on his coming to the crown, to resent them; but he answered, "It is beneath a king of France to avenge the injuries of the duke of Orleans."

FRANKLIN'S MODE OF LENDING MONEY." I send you, herewith, a bill of ten louis-d'ors. I do not pretend to give much, I only lend it to you. When you return to your country you cannot fail of getting into some business that will, in time, enable you to pay all your debts. In this case, when you meet another honest man, in similar distress, you will pay me by lending this money to him, enjoining him to discharge the debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and meet

with such another opportunity. I hope it may pass through many hands before it meets with a knave to stop its progress. This is a trick of mine to do a great deal of good with a little money. I am not rich enough to spend much in good works, and am obliged to be cunning, and make the most of a little."

IS THE PLANET MARS INHABITED?-The opponents of the doctrine of the plurality of worlds allow that a greater probability exists of Mars being inhabited than in the case of any other planet. His diameter is 4,100 miles; and his surface exhibits spots of different hues-the seas, according to accurate observation, appearing to be green, and the land red. The variety in the spots, it is thought, may arise from the planet not being destitute of atmosphere and cloud; and what adds greatly to the probability of this is the appearance of brilliant white spots at its poles, which have been conjectured to be snow, as they disappear when they have long been exposed to the sun, and are greatest when emerging from the long night of their polar winter, the snow line then extending to about six degrees from the pole. The length of the day is almost exactly twenty-four hours, the same as that of the earth. Continents and oceans, and green savannahs have been observed upon Mars, and the snow of his polar regions has been seen to disappear with the heat of summer. Clouds may actually be seen floating in the atmosphere of the planet, and there is the appearance of land and water on his disc.

WHERE DWELLS HAPPINESS?

Where the soft power of sensibility

Rules and directs the heart,

Where the kind efforts of sweet sympathy

Seek consolation to impart,

There dwells happiness.

Where virtue, sense and elegance combine,
And sweet good nature adds her charm,
Where all these do in lovely woman join,
Life's boisterous sea to render calm-

There dwells happiness.

Where confidence, void of distrust's control,
With gen'rous friendship glows;

And from the lips, the purpose of the soul,
In converse sweetly flows-

There dwells happiness.

Where, in the gentle bonds of wedded love,
The husband, wife and parent blend,

In union blest, superior bliss to prove,
Resolving all in one dear word-a FRIEND-

There dwells happiness.

[blocks in formation]

STABILITY seems not to belong to human institutions. Change after change marks the pages of history, giving interest and variety, and furnishing indubitable evidence of the progress of the human race. Nations, once the masters of the world, have long since perished, leaving behind monuments and arts which still decay beneath the hand of time, and a fame which the lapse of ages cannot destroy. On the soil of ancient Athens and Rome stand the ruins of the Parthenon and Pantheon, grand architectural structures, unequalled by the works of modern times. From those two cities, through varying ages, have come down to us, statuary and paintings, on which the world yet looks with wonder and admiration, and the artist of the present day strives in vain to rival.

Eighteen hundred years ago, Asia was populated by a powerful people, among whom Judaism flourished and Christianity was born. Long since, it ceased to be the seat of religion and the centre of the populated world. Now it is sought only by the curious traveller and the ardent antiquarian. Its fame has departed and lives only in history.

Look back one hundred years, and trace the events of Europe! What rapid and momentous changes! Nations have been blotted out of existence; thrones have fallen; kings and emperors have been killed or driven into exile; republics have sprung up; revolutions, bloody and bloodless, have produced changes in every condition of life. France alone furnishes abundant examples. The career of Napoleon presents one continued variety of fortune.

1-VOL. V. NO. I.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »