Think what our To us descends Though we like Old age (which few of us shall know) now puts a period to my woe. Would you true happiness attain, let honesty your passions rein; so live in credit and esteem, and the good name you lost redeem.” "The counsel's good," a son replies, "could we perform what you advise. ancestors have done,—a line of thieves from son to son. the long disgrace, and infamy hath marked our race. harmless sheep should feed, honest in thought, in word, in deed, whatever hen-roost is decreased, we shall be thought to share the feast. change would never be believed :—a lost good name is neʼer retrieved.” Nay, then," replies the feeble Fox,—“ but hark, I hear a hen that clucks! go; but be moderate in your food; a chicken, too, might do me good." 66 17.-EARLY RISING.-Lady F. Hastings. Get up, little sister, the morning is bright, And the birds are all singing to welcome the light ; And thinks (wise little insect!) work better than play. Get up; for when all things are merry and glad, 18.-THE COUNTRY IN MARCH.-Wordsworth. The 'The cock is crowing, the stream is flowing, the small birds twitter, the lake doth glitter, the green field sleeps in the sun; the oldest and youngest are at work with the strongest; the cattle are grazing, their heads never raising; there are forty feeding like one! 2 Like an army defeated the snow hath retreated, and now it doth fare ill on the top of the bare hill; the ploughboy is whooping anon; there's joy in the mountains; there's life in the fountains; small clouds are sailing, blue sky prevailing;-the chill rain is over and gone! 19. THE LARK AND THE NIGHTINGALE.-Hartley Coleridge. 'Tis sweet to hear the merry Lark, that bids a blithe good-morrow; but sweeter to hark, in the twinkling dark, to the soothing song of sorrow. 2 Oh Nightingale! What doth she ail? And is she sad or jolly? For ne'er on earth was sound of Mirth so like to Melancholy. 3 The merry Lark, he soars on high,—no worldly thought o'ertakes him; he sings aloud to the clear blue sky, and the daylight that awakes him. As sweet a lay, as loud, as gay, the Nightingale is trilling; with feeling bliss no less than his, her little heart is thrilling. 5 Yet ever and anon, a sigh peers through her lavish mirth; for the Lark's bold song is of the sky, and hers is of the earth. By night and day she tunes her lay, to drive away all sorrow; for bliss, alas! to-night must pass,—and woe may come to-morrow! 6 20. THE MOTHER AND CHILD.-Mrs. Wells. 2 'Behold the little baby boy! a happy babe is he: his face how bright, his heart how light, his throne his mother's knee. Now, in her face with laughing eye I see him gaily peep; and now, at rest upon her breast, he gently sinks to sleep. His lips are red, his teeth like pearls,-the rogue! he has but two; his golden hair, how soft and fair; his eyes, how bright and blue! His tiny hands are white and plump; and, waking or asleep, beneath his clothes, his little toes, how cunningly they peep! 5 Oh! many things are beautiful! the bird that sings and flies; the setting sun when day is done; the rainbow in the skies; my own pet lamb is innocent, and full of play is he; the violet, with dew-drops wet, is sweet and fair to see; 7 but there is one more beautiful,-gay, tender, sweet, and mild, a baby boy with heart of joy,-a loved and loving child! 6 21.-POOR DOG TRAY.-Campbell. On the green banks of Shannon when Sheelah was nigh, No harp like my own could so cheerily play, When at last I was forced from my Sheelah to part, When the road was so dark, and the night was so cold, Though my wallet was scant I remember'd his case, 22.-INFANTINE INQUIRIES.-Brown. "Tell me, O mother! when I grow old, And the friends, with whom, in his youth, he play'd; "He spoke of a home, where, in childhood's glee, And followed afar, with a heart as light As its sparkling wings, the butterfly's flight; And pulled young flowers, where they grew 'neath the beams Of the sun's fair light, by his own blue streams; Yet he left all these through the world to roam! Why, O mother! did he leave his home ?" "Calm thy young thoughts, my own fair child! The fancies of youth and age are beguiled ; Though pale grow thy cheeks, and thy hair turn gray, There's a land, of which thou hast heard me speak, "Though ours is a pillared and lofty home, And leave us with woe, in the world's bleak wild-- 23. THE FAIRIES.-W. Allingham. Up the airy mountain, down the rushy glen, Down along the rocky shore some make their home; He is now so old and grey he's nigh lost his wits. By the craggy hill-side, through the mosses bare, They have planted thorn-trees for pleasure here and there. Is any man so daring as dig one up in spite? He shall find the thornies set in his bed at night. Up the airy mountain, down the rushy glen, 24.-THE NIGHTINGALE AND GLOWWORM.-Cowper. A Nightingale, that all day long had cheered the village with his song, -nor yet at eve his note suspended, nor yet when even-tide was ended, -began to feel, as well he might, the keen demands of appetite; when, looking eagerly around, he spied, far off, upon the ground, a something shining in the dark,—and knew the Glowworm by his spark. So, stooping down from hawthorn top, he thought to put him in his crop. The Worm, aware of his intent, harangued him thus, right eloquent: "Did you admire my lamp," quoth he, "as much as I your minstrelsy, you would abhor to do me wrong, as much as I to spoil your song; for 'twas the self-same Power Divine taught you to sing and me to shine; that you with music, I with light, might beautify and cheer the night."- -The songster heard this short oration; and, warbling out his approbation, released him, as my story tells, and found his supper somewhere else. 25.-THOSE EVENING BELLS.-Moore. Those evening bells! those evening bells! 26.-THE BABY'S BONNET.-Mrs. Southey. Fairies! guard the baby's bonnet! set a special watch upon it! elfin people! to your care I commit it, fresh and fair; neat as neatness, white as snow, -see ye keep it ever so. Watch and ward set all about,— some within and some without; over it with dainty hand, one her kirtle green expand; two or three about the bow, vigilant concern bestow. A score, at least, on either side, 'gainst evil accident provide-fall, or jar, or overlay; and so the precious charge convey through all the dangers of the way. But when these are battled through, fairies! more remains to do; ye must gift, before ye go, the bonnet and the babe also. Gift it to |