something which can love simplicity and truth.

I

have seen one in whom some low vice had become a habit, make himself the plaything of a set of riotous children, with as much delight in his countenance as if nothing but goodness had ever been expressed in it; and have felt as much of kindness and sympathy toward him, as I have of revolting toward another, who has gone through life with all due propriety, with a cold and supercilious bearing towards children, which makes them shrinking and still. I have known one like the latter attempt, with uncouth condescension, to court an open-hearted child, who would draw back with an instinctive aversion; and I have felt as if there were a curse upon him. Better to be driven out from among men, than to be disliked of children.

"Is there, of the sounds that float

Minglingly, a single note

Half so sweet, and clear, and wild,

As the laughter of a child!"

EARLY LOST, EARLY SAVED.

"Whom the gods love, die young."

WITHIN her downy cradle there lay a little child, And a group of hovering angels unseen upon her

smiled.

A strife arose among them, a loving, holy strife, Which should shed the richest blessing over the newborn life.

One breathed upon her features, and the babe in beauty grew

With a cheek like morning's blushes, and an eye of azure hue;

Till every one who saw her was thankful for the

sight

Of a face so sweet, and radiant with ever fresh de

light.

Another gave her accents, and a voice as musical As a spring bird's joyous carol, or a rippling streamlet's fall;

Till all who heard her laughing or her words of childish grace

Loved as much to listen to her, as to look upon her

face.

Another brought from heaven a clear and gentle

mind,

And within the lovely casket the precious gem en

shrined;

Till all who knew her wondered that God should be

so good

As to bless with such a spirit our desert world and

rude.

Thus did she grow in beauty, in melody and truth, The budding of her childhood just opening into youth, And to our hearts yet dearer every moment than before

She became, though we thought fondly heart could not love her more.

Then outspake another angel, nobler, brighter than

the rest,

As with strong arm, but tender, he caught her to his

breast:

"Ye have made her all too lovely for a child of mortal race,

But no shade of human sorrow shall darken o'er her

face:

"Ye have tuned to gladness only the accents of her

tongue,

And no wail of human anguish shall from her lips be

wrung,

Nor shall the soul that shineth so purely from within Her form of earth-born frailty ever know the taint of sin :

"Lulled in my faithful bosom, I will bear her far

away,

Where there is nor sin, nor anguish, nor sorrow, nor

decay:

And mine, a boon more glorious than all the gifts shall be,

Lo! I crown her happy spirit with immortality.”

Then on his heart our darling yielded up her gentle breath,

For the stronger, brighter angel who loved her best was Death.

HEALTH AND PLAY versus TUBERCULAR

VIRTUE.

IN early years, while the child "feels its life in every limb," it lives in the body and for the body to a very great extent. It ought to be so. There have been many interesting children who have shown a wonderful indifference to the things of earth and an extraordinary development of the spiritual nature. There is a perfect literature of their biographies, all alike in their essentials; the same "disinclination to the usual amusements of childhood;" the same remarkable sensibility; the same docility; the same conscientiousness; in short, an almost uniform character, marked by beautiful traits, which we look at with a painful admiration. It will be found that most of these children are the subjects of some constitutional unfitness for living, the most frequent of which I need not mention. They are like the beautiful, blushing, half-grown fruit that falls before its time because its core is gnawed out. They have

their meaning, they do not live in

they are windfalls.

vain, — but

I am convinced that many