Oh! never "hold malice;" it cannot be good, Oh! never ELIZA COOK. "WE ARE SEVEN." A SIMPLE child, dear brother Jem, And feels its life in every limb, I met a little cottage girl, Of eight years old, she said; She had a rustic woodland air, And she was wildly clad; Her eyes were blue, and she was fair : "Sisters and brothers, little maid, How many may you be?" 66 How many ? seven in all," she said, And wondering looked at me. "And where are they? I pray you tell." She answered, "Seven are we ; Two of us at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea; "Two of us in the churchyard lie, My sister and my brother; And in the churchyard cottage Dwell near them with my mother." "You say that two at Conway dwell, Yet you are seven-I pray you, tell, Then did the little maid reply, "You run about, my little maid, If two are in the churchyard laid, Their graves are green, they may be seen," The little maid replied; "Twelve steps or more, from mother's door, There they lie side by side; "My stockings there I often knit, "And often after sunset, Sir, I take my little porringer, "The first that died was little Jane, Till God released her from her pain, "So in the church-yard she was laid; Together round her grave we play'd, "And when the ground was white with snow, And I could run and slide, My brother John was forced to go, "How many are you, then," said I, If those two are in heaven?" The little maid still did reply, "But two are dead, their spirits fled, 'Twas throwing words away, for still And said, 66 Nay, we are seven." W. WORDSWORTH. THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR. THERE is dignity in toil-in toil of the hand as well as toil of the head-in toil to provide for the bodily wants of an individual life, as well as in toil to promote some enterprize of world-wide fame. All labour that tends to supply man's wants, to increase man's happiness, to elevate man's nature-in a word, all labour that is honest, is honourable too. What a concurrent testimony is given by the entire universe to the dignity of toil! Things inanimate and things irrational combine with men and angels to proclaim the law of Him who made them all. The restless atmosphere, the rolling rivers, and the heaving ocean, Nature's vast laboratory never at rest; countless agencies in the heavens above and in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth; the unwearied sun coming forth from his chamber, and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race; the changeful moon, whose never slumbering influence, the never-resting tides obey; the planets, never pausing in the mighty sweep of their majestic march; the sparkling stars, never ceasing to show forth the handiwork of Him who bade them shine; the busy swarms of insect life; the ant providing her meat in the summer, and gathering her food in the harvest; the birds exuberant in their flight, pouring forth the melody of their song; the beasts of the forest rejoicing in the gladness of activity; primeval man amid the bowers of Eden; paradise untainted by sin, yet honoured by toil; fallen man, with labour still permitted him, an alleviation of his woe, and an earnest of his recovery; redeemed man, divinely instructed, assisted, encouraged, honoured in his toil; the innumeráble company of angels, never resting in their service, never wearied in their worship; the glorious Creator of the universe, who never slumbereth or sleepeth: all, all, bear testimony to the dignity of labour ! The dignity of labour! Consider its achievements! Dismayed by no difficulty, shrinking from no exertion, exhausted by no struggle, ever eager for renewed efforts, in its persevering promotion of human happiness, |