The wind, that late breathed gently forth,
Now shifted east, and east by north;
Bare trees and shrubs but ill, you know,
Could shelter them from rain or snow;
Stepping into their nests, they paddled,
Themselves were chilled, their eggs were addled;
Soon every bird and mother

Grew quarrelsome and pecked each other;
Parted without the least regret,

Except that they had ever met;
And learned in future to be wiser

Than to neglect a good adviser.

MORAL.

Young folks, who think themselves so wise,

That old folk's counsel they despise,

Will find when they too late repent,

Their folly prove their punishment.

THE RIVER.

RIVER! River! little River!

Bright you sparkle on your way,
O'er the yellow pebbles dancing,
Through the flowers and foliage glancing,
Like a child at play.

River! River! swelling River!
On you rush o'er rough and smooth,-
Louder, faster, brawling, leaping

Over rocks by rose-banks sweeping,
Like impetuous vouth.

SOCRATES.-PROVERBS.

River! River! brimming River!
Broad, and deep, and still as time,
Seeming still-yet still in motion,
Tending onward to the ocean,
Just like mortal prime.

River! River! rapid River!
Swifter now you slip away;

Swift and silent as an arrow,

Through a channel dark and narrow,
Like life's closing day.

River! River! headlong River!
Down you dash into the sea;

Sea, that line hath never sounded,
Sea, that voyage hath never rounded,
Like eternity.

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THE SENSIBLE ANSWER OF SO

CRATES.

WHEN Socrates, the Athenian philosopher, had built himself a small house, one of the common people stepped up to him; "And pray, sir," said he, "what can be the reason that you, who are so great a man, should build such a little box as this for your dwelling house!" "Indeed, neighbor, replied the sage, “I shall think myself happy if I can fill even this with real friends." True friends are indeed great treasures, and the wise know how to prize them,

PROVERBS.

HEARTS may agree, though heads differ.

164

PHILOSOPHER OUTDONE.-FABLE.

Since you wronged me, you never had a good thought of me.

There is no better looking-glass than a true friend. After dinner, sit awhile;

.After supper, walk a mile.

Go to bed with the lamb, and rise with the lark.
As the wind blows, you must set your sail.

As love thinks no evil, so envy speaks no good. As virtue is its own reward, so vice is its own pu nishment.

THE PHILOSOPHER OUTDONE. A LEARNED philosopher being very busy, in his study, a little girl came to ask him for some fire. "But," says the doctor, "you have nothing to take it in ;" and as he was going to fetch something for the purpose, the little girl stooped down to the fire-place, and taking some cold ashes in one hand, she put live embers on them with the other. The astonished doctor threw down his books, saying, "With all my learning, I should never have found out that expedient."

THE MULES AND THE ROBBERS.

A FABLE.

Two mules, who were each of them loaded with a pack, happened to travel in company. One of them was carrying money to the public treasury, and the other sustaining the weight of a large sack, which was full of barley. The former, being proud of his burden, tossed up his head with an air, and shook the tinkling bell, which dangled upon his neck; while his partner followed him at a distance with a humble and easy pace

INTEGRITY.--SHORT EXHORTATIONS.

165

On a sudden; out rushed a gang of robbers from their ambush, and in the heat of the skirmish, they wounded the mule, who had been so vain of his money, and carried off the bags, leaving the barley for the next comer. Thus plundered and crippled; while he was bewailing his cruel fate, "For my part," said the other mule, “I am heartily glad they did not think me worthy of notice; for I have lost nothing by their contempt, and am still as whole and sound as ever."

DESPONDENCY OF LORD CORNWAL. LIS.

AFTER the capture of lord Cornwallis, at Yorktown, he was one day standing in the presence of general Washington, with his head uncovered. His excellency politely said to him, "My lord, you had better be covered from the cold." His lordship, applying his hand to his head, replied, "It matters not, sir, what becomes of this head now."

PATRIOTIC INTEGRITY.

DURING the American Revolution, while general Reed was president of Congress, the British commissioners offered him a bribe of ten thousand guineas, to desert the cause of his country. His reply was, "Gentlemen, I am poor, very poor; but your king is not rich enough to buy me."

SHORT EXHORTATIONS.

1. Let your thoughts be divine and upright.
2. Let your talk be honest, true and concise.
3. Let your manners be courteous and cheerful.

166

POWDER AND BALLS.-REPUTATION.

4. Let your works be holy, charitable, profitable, and useful.

5. Let your diet be temperate, convenient, and frugal. 6. Let your apparel be neat and comely.

7. Let your will be compliant, obedient, and ready. 8. Let your prayers be devout, fervent, and often. 9. Let your recreations be lawful, brief, and seldom. 10. Let your meditations be of death, judgment, and eternity.

POWDER AND BALLS.

LET ancient or modern history be produced, they will not afford a more heroic reply than that of the Yankees at Stonington, to the British commanders. The people were piling the balls, which the enemy had wasted, when the foe applied to them, "We want balls; will you sell them?" They answered, "We want powder; send us powder, and we 'll return your balls."

REPUTATION.

THE desire of praise, when it is discreet and moderate, is always attended with emulation and a strong desire of excelling; and so long as we can stop here, there is no harm done to ourselves or others. St. Paul exhorts christians to follow, not only whatsoever things are right, but whatsoever things are of good report. The love of reputation, therefore, if it be not joined to a bad disposition, will scarcely of itself lead us to immoral actions.

Yet the things which the world generally admires and praises most, are not the things in their own nature most valuable. They are those bright abilities and