HONESTY.-PROVERBS.

47

tience, and by its prospects and promises, throws a cheering ray into the darkest shade of human life.

"Where dwells this sovereign bliss? Where doth it grow?
Know, mortals, happiness ne'er dwelt below;
Look at yon heaven-go seek the blessing there,
Be heaven thy aim, thy soul's eternal care;
Nothing but God, and God alone, you'll find
Can fill a boundless and immortal mind."

HONESTY.

To be punctual in our engagements, and just in our dealings, though it may sometimes seem to be contrary to our present advantage, is always sure in the end to promote our true interests.

A fair and honest course of conduct will always be rewarded by the approbation of our fellow-creatures; and this approbation will naturally be followed by good offices and grateful returns, which will certainly tend to promote and give success to all our undertakings.

It is a maxim worthy of being written in letters of gold, that there is no method so certain of defeating the plots of wicked men against us, as by acting uprightly.

PROVERBS.

"A fool's bolt is soon shot," or silly people speak without reflection. The instruction of this proverb lies in teaching us to govern the tongue with discretion and prudence. It is a lecture which enjoins deliberation, courtesy and affability in company and fidelity and secrecy in the affairs of life.

"Cut your coat according to your cloth." This proverb

48 PARENTAL AFFECTION.-FLORA'S PARTY.

contains good advice to people of several ranks and degrees, to balance accounts between their expenses and their income, and not to let their vanity lead them into debt.

"As you brer, so shall you bake." This bitter taunt is applicable to such as act inconsiderately in matters of moment, without the precaution of good counsel and good advice.

"Much falls between the cup and the lip," or many things which we expect, we do not realize. This is a cautionary proverb to persons who too confidently depend upon future hopes, unmindful of the contingencies that may intervene.

PARENTAL AFFECTION.

As the vexations which parents receive from their children, hasten the approach of age, and double the force of years, so the comforts which they reap from them are balm to all other sorrows, and repair, in some degree, the injuries of time.

However strong we may suppose the fondness of a father for his children, yet they will find more lively marks of tenderness in the bosom of a mother. There are no ties in nature to compare with those which unite an affectionate mother to her children, when they repay her tenderness with obedience and love.

FLORA'S PARTY.

LADY FLORA gave cards for a party at tea,
To flowers, buds and blossoms of every degree;
So from town and from country they thronged at the call,
And strove by their charms to embellish the hall.

FLORA'S PARTY.

First came the exotics, with ornaments rare,
The tall Miss Corcoris, and Cyclamen fair,
Auricula splendid, with jewels new-set,
And gay Polyanthus, the pretty coquette.
The Tulips came flaunting in gaudy array,
With the Hyacinths, bright as the eye of the day;
Dandy Coxcombs and Daffodils, rich and polite,

49

With their dazzling new vests and their corsets laced tight;

While the Soldiers in Green, cavalierly attired,

Were all by the ladies extremely admired.
But prudish Miss Lily, with bosom of snow,
Declared that "those gentlemen stared at her so,
It was horribly rude," '-so retired in a fright,
And scarce stayed to bid Lady Flora good night.
There were Myrtles and Roses from garden and plain
And Venus's Fly-trap they brought in their train,
So the beaux thronged around them, they scarcely
knew why,

At the smile of the lip, or the glance of the eye.
Madam Damask complained of her household and care,
That she seldom went out save to breathe the fresh air,
There were so many young ones and servants to stray,
And the thorns grew so fast, if her eye was away.
"Neighbor Moss-Rose," says she, "you who live like
"a queen,

And ne'er wet your fingers, don't know what I mean."
So the notable lady went on with her lay,
Till her auditors yawned, or stole softly away.
The sweet Misses Woodbine from country and town,
With their brother-in-law, the wild Trumpet, came down,
And Lupine, whose azure eye sparkled with dew,
On Amaranth leaned, the unchanging and true;
While modest Clematis appeared as a bride,

50

FLORA'S PARTY.

And her husband, the Lilac, ne'er moved from her side, Though the belles giggled loudly, and said, "'T was a shame

For a young married chit such attention to claim;

They never attended a rout in their life,

Where a city-bred man ever spoke to his wife."
Mrs. Peony came in quite late, in a heat,

With the Ice-Plant, new spangled from forehead to feet
Lobelia, attired like a queen in her pride,

And the Dahlias, with trimmings new furbished and dyed,

And the Blue-bells and Hare-bells, in simple array,
With all their Scotch cousins from highland and brae;
Ragged Ladies and Marigolds clustered together,
And gossiped of scandal, the news, and the weather;
What dresses were worn at the wedding so fine
Of sharp Mr. Thistle, aad sweet Columbine ;
Of the loves of Sweet-William and Lily the prude,
Till the clamors of Babel again seemed renewed.
In a snug little nook sat the Jessamine pale,

And that pure, fragrant Lily, the gem of the vale ;
The meek Mountain-Daisy, with delicate crest,
And the Violet, whose eye told the heaven in her breast;
And allured to their group were the wise ones, who

bowed

To that virtue which seeks not the praise of the crowd.
But the proud Crown Imperial, who wept in her heart,
That their modesty gained of such homage a part,
Looked haughtily down on their innocent mien,
And spread out her gown that they might not be seen.
The bright Lady-Slippers and Sweet-Briars agreed
With their slim cousin Aspens a measure to lead;
And sweet 't was to see their light footsteps advance,
Like the wing of the breeze through the maze of the
dance.

FLORA'S PARTY.

51

But the Monk's-Hood scowled dark, and, in utterance

low,

Declared "'t was high time for good Christians to go; He'd heard from his parson a sermon sublime,

Where he proved from the Vulgate, to dance was a crime."

So, folding the cowl round his cynical head,
He took from the sideboard a bumper, and fled.
A song was desired, but each musical flower
Had "taken a cold, and 't was out of her power;"
Till sufficiently urged, they broke forth in a strain
Of quavers and trills that astonished the train.
Mimosa sat trembling, and said, with a sigh,
"'T was so fine, she was ready with rapture to die."
And Cactus, the grammar-school tutor, declared
"It might be with the gamut of Orpheus compared ;"
Then moved himself round in a comical way,
To show how the trees once had frisked at the lay.
Yet Nightshade, the metaphysician, complained
That the nerves of his ears were excessively pained;
"'T was but seldom he crept from the college;" he said,
"And he wished himself safe in his study or bed."
There were pictures, whose splendor illumined the place,
Which Flora had finished with exquisite grace;
She had dipped her free pencil in Nature's pure dyes,
And Aurora retouched with fresh purple the skies.
So the grave connoisseurs hasted near them, to draw
Their knowledge to show, by detecting a flaw.
The Carnation took her eye-glass from her waist,

And pronounced they were "not in good keeping of taste;"

While prim Fleur de Lis, in her robe of French silk, And magnificent Calla, with mantle like milk,

Of the Louvre recited a wonderful tale,