And many a land I then should see, Nor fear, through all the pathless sky, "I'd fly where, round the olive-boughs, O, if I had but wings to fly, MOTHER. "Wings cannot soar above the sky, The noonday's sun grows dim. "But thou may'st learn to trace the sun, His pinions cut the air; Ere yet he rests his wing, thou art, "Though strong and free, his wing may droop, Or bands restrain his flight; Thought none may stay, more swift its speed ON INSTINCT. WHO taught the bird to build her nest Who taught the busy bee to fly Who taught the little ants the way And through the pleasant summer's day, "Twas God who taught them all the way, And teaches children, when they pray, MY GRANDMOTHER. My Grandmother! Yes: I well remember my Grandmother; and I have her now in the eye of my mind, just as she sat and looked when I was seven years old, though it is forty years ago. My Grandfather was a farmer in a secluded village, about two miles from the town where my father lived. It was the best thing I then knew, and nothing could make my young heart bound with more joy, than to be told we were going to see Grandfather and Grandmother that afternoon. A fine day was generally selected, in spring or autumn. O how nice the green fields looked, sprinkled all over as they were with daisies and buttercups! What handsful of posies did I and my brothers and sisters gather, and run with proud delight to show them to Father and Mother! And there was the fine old river, along whose banks we walked half the distance, rolling and tumbling along. Ah, even now when I see it, it looks like a thing of life, and seems to ask me if I do not remember those sunny days; and then it rolls and tumbles again, as much as to say, "thus did I sport and gambol when your fathers played on my banks, and so I shall do when you and your children are all gone and remembered no more." One thing about the river I remember my Father telling me. It was of his Grandfather. In those days the market people had to cross the river in a ferry boat; (there is now a fine noble bridge over the Trent at the place,)—his Grandfather and many others were in the boat: it was nearly full of people. A man came up on horseback, and wished to be taken into the boat. The ferry-man refused; upon which, the man leaped his horse into the boat and upset it. Many were drowned, among whom was my great-Grandfather. After crossing many a pleasant field, we arrived at last at the village. How nice every thing looked and smelled! Yes: the very smell I remember; especially of the sweet dairy, and the old white rose tree in the gar den. A fine old tree was that white rose tree: many winters had passed over it, and many a summer had it shed its sweet fragrance! I saw it a few years ago; it was still alive and healthful, and smelled just as it did when I was a child. Well: Grandmother was always pleased to see us; always did she give the "bairns" a hearty welcome; and there was always something good for us. This, among other things, made Grandmother a great favourite with the little selfish folks who visited her. But there were other things which made them love her. She was not only good-natured, and generous, and patient, but she looked so nice; she was every inch a Grandmother! There she sat,I say again that I fancy I see her now, in her large arm-chair in that corner of the fire-place next the window, dressed in a rich chintz gown, with ruffles below the elbows, a nice white muslin apron, cap with lace border fastened under the chin, high heeled shoes and silver buckles, and her large handsome walking stick in the corner. I vainly thought no one had a nicer Grandmother than I had. After dinner she would generally say to me,I was proud of the distinction,- Come, Joseph, you read me a chapter in the Bible." It was a big huge Bible; I could not carry it from the dresser on which it stood, with the rows of bright pewter plates above it, to the little round table beside her. With what delight did I turn over its pages to find the pictures of Adam and |