A SHEPHERD by the side of a brook complainingly sang, in his grief, of his sad and irreparable loss. His pet lamb had lately been drowned in the neighboring river. Having heard the shepherd, the brook thus began to murmur indignantly: 2. "Insatiable river! how would it be if thy depths, like mine, were clearly visible to all eyes, and every one could see, in thy most secret recesses, all the victims which thou hast so greedily swallowed up? I think that thou wouldst dive into the earth for shame, and hide thyself in its dark abysses. 3. "Methinks that, if fate gave me such copious waters, I should become an ornament to Nature, and would never hurt even so much as a chicken. How cautiously should my waves roll past every bush, every cottage! My shores would only bless me, and I should bring fresh life to the adjacent valleys and meadows, without robbing them of so much as even a single leaflet. Then, in a word, I should perform my journey in a kindly spirit, nowhere causing misfortune or sorrow, and my waters should flow right down to the sea as pure as silver." 4. So spake the brook, and so it really meant. But what happened? A week had not gone by before a heavy raincloud burst upon a neighboring hill. In its affluence of waters the brook suddenly rivalled the river. But, alas! what has become of the brook's tranquillity? The brook overflows its banks with turbid waters. It seethes; it roars; it flings about masses of soiled foam. It overthrows ancestral oaks; their crashing may be heard afar. And, at last, that very shepherd, on whose account it lately upbraided the river with such a flow of eloquence, perished in it with all his flock, and of his cottage not even a trace was left behind. 5. How many brooks are there which flow along so smoothly, so peacefully, and murmur so sweetly to the heart, only because they have so little water in them! Krilof. XLIX. — THE RETORT. I. NE day, a rich man, flushed with pride and wine, Conceived it would be vastly fine 66 To crack a joke upon his secretary. II. 'Young man," said he, “by what art, craft, or trade Did your good father earn his livelihood?" "He was a saddler, sir," the young man said ; “And in his line was always reckoned good." III. “A saddler, eh? and had you stuffed with Greek, A saddler, too, of you?" At this each flatterer, as in duty bound, The joke applauded, and the laugh went round. IV. At length the secretary, howing low, Said, (craving pardon if too free he made,) "Sir, by your leave, I fain would know Your father's trade." 66 'My father's trade? My father's trade? V. Why, sir, but that 's too bad! My father, sir, was never brought so low : VI. "Indeed! excuse the liberty I take ; But if your story 's true, How happened it your father did not make THE HE difference between men consists, in great measure, in the intelligence of their observation. The Russian proverb says of the non-observant man, "He goes through the forest and sees no firewood." "The wise man's eyes are in his head," says Solomon; “but the fool walketh in darkness." 2. "Sir," said Johnson, on one occasion, to a fine gentleman, just returned from Italy, some men will learn more in the Hampstead stage than others in the tour of Europe." It is the mind that sees as well as the eye. 3. Many, before Galileo, had seen a suspended weight swing before their eyes with a measured beat; but he was the first to detect the value of the fact. One of the vergers, in the cathedral at Pisa, after replenishing with oil a lamp which swung from the roof, left it swinging to and fro; and Galileo, then a youth of only eighteen, noting it attentively, conceived the idea of applying it to the measurement of time. 4. Fifty years of study and labor, however, elapsed before he completed the invention of his pendulum, — an invention the importance of which, in the measurement of time, and in astronomical calculations, can scarcely be overvalued. 5. While Captain (afterwards Sir Samuel) Brown was occupied in studying the construction of bridges, with the view of contriving one of a cheap description to be thrown. across the Tweed, near which he lived, he was walking in his garden one dewy morning, when he saw a tiny spider's-net suspended across his path. The idea immediately occurred to him, that a bridge of iron ropes or chains might be constructed in like manner, and the result was the invention of his Suspension Bridge. 6. So James Watt, when consulted about the mode of carrying water by pipes under the Clyde, along the unequal bed of the river, turned his attention, one day, to the shell of a lobster presented at table; and from that model he invented an iron tube, which, when laid down, was found effectually to answer the purpose. 7. Brunel took his first lessons in forming the Thames Tunnel from the tiny shipworm. He saw how the little creature perforated the wood with its well-armed head, first in one direction and then in another, till the archway was complete, and then daubed over the roof and sides with a kind of varnish; and by copying this work exactly on a large scale, he was at length enabled to accomplish his great engineering work. 8. So trifling a matter as the sight of sea-weed floating past his ship enabled Columbus to quell the mutiny which arose amongst his sailors at not discovering land, and to assure them that the eagerly sought New World was not far off. 9. It is the close observation of little things which is the secret of success in business, in art, in science, and in every pursuit in life. Though many of these facts and observations seemed in the first instance to have but slight significance, they are all found to have their eventual uses, and to fit into their proper places. Samuel Smiles. EXERCISE. 1. The difference between men consists in the intelligence of their observation. [Clearness of seeing things.] 2. The non-observant man goes through the forest and sees no fire wood. 3. One of the vergers in the cathedral replenished a lamp with oil. [Petty officers; sextons.] 4. Galileo, a youth of eighteen, noted it attentively. 5. Fifty years elapsed before he completed the invention. 6. Captain Brown saw a tiny spider suspended across his path. 7. Brunel saw how the shipworm perforated the wood. 8. Columbus quelled the mutiny among his sailors. 9. The eagerly sought New World was not far off. LI. FITZ-JAMES AND RODERICK DHU. R ODERICK. Thy name and purpose, Saxon! Stand! Rod. What dost thou require? Fitz. Rest, and a guide, and food, and fire. No! Rod. Thou darest not call thyself a foe? Fitz. I dare! To him and all the band He brings to aid his murderous hand. Rod. Bold words! But though the beast of game Though space and law the stag we lend The prowling fox was trapped or slain? Thus treacherous scouts - yet sure they lie Who say thou cam❜st a secret spy! Fitz. They do, by Heaven! Come Roderick Dhu, And of his clan the boldest two, And let me but till morning rest, I write the falsehood on their crest. Rod. If by the blaze I mark aright, Thou bearest the belt and spurs of knight. Fitz. Then by these tokens mayst thou know Each proud oppressor's mortal foe. Rod. Enough, enough! Sit down and share A soldier's couch, a soldier's fare. Walter Scott. EXERCISE. SUBSTITUTE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE ABOVE PIECE WHERE THEY 1. Intention-Halt. 2. A person not known. 3. Do you need? 4. Repose-pilot. WILL MAKE SENSE. 6. Wind-severe cold. 11. Perfidious spies. caught. 14. Fire-light-sea. 15. Signs-deadly. |