With heart as calm as lakes that sleep
In frosty moonlight glistening;
Or mountain rivers where they creep,
Along a channel smooth and deep,

To their own far-off murmurs listening.

WORDSWORTH.

BEAUTY IN AGE.

YOUTH hath its beauty,-lip and smile,
And cheek of roseate ray;

It strikes the admiring glance awhile,
Then fleeting fades away.

But age, with hoary wisdom crowned,
That waits its Father's will,

And walks in love with all around,

Hath higher beauty still.

MRS. SIGOURNEY.

SKETCH.

21

SKETCH.

TO MRS.

THIS day, Time winds the exhausted chain,
To run the twelvemonth's length again:
I see the old, bald-pated fellow,
With ardent eyes, complexion sallow,
Adjust the unimpaired machine,
To wheel the equal, dull routine.

*

* * * * * *

Will you (the Major 's with the hounds,
The happy tenants share his rounds;
Coila 's fair Rachel's care to-day,

And blooming Keith 's engaged with Gray ;)
From housewife cares a minute borrow ?-
That grandchild's cap will do to-morrow-
And join with me in moralizing?

This day's propitious to be wise in.
First, what did yesternight deliver?

"Another year

is

gone forever."

And what is this day's strong suggestion?
"The passing moment 's all we rest on."
Rest on-for what? what do we here?

Or why regard the passing year?
Will Time, amused with proverb'd lore,
Add to our date one minute more?

A few days may-a few years must-
Repose us in the silent dust.

Then is it wise to damp our bliss?
Yes-all such reasonings are amiss!
The voice of nature loudly cries,
And many a message from the skies,
That something in us never dies:
That on this frail uncertain state
Hang matters of eternal weight:
That future life in worlds unknown
Must take its hue from this alone;
Whether as heavenly glory bright,
Or dark as misery's woful night.-
Since then, my honor'd first of friends,
On this poor being all depends,
Let us the important now employ,
And live as those who never die.

ROBERT BURNS.

PRAISE.

23

PRAISE.

FOR what shall I praise thee, my God and my King? For what blessings the tribute of gratitude bring? Shall I praise thee for pleasure, for health and for

ease,

For the spring of delight and the sunshine of peace?

Shall I praise thee for flowers that bloom'd on my breast,

For joys in perspective and pleasures possessed?
For the spirits that heighten'd my days of delight,
And the slumber that sat on my pillow at night?

For this should I thank thee, but only for this,
I should leave half untold thy donation of bliss:
I thank thee for sorrow, for sickness and care;
For the thorns I have gathered, the anguish I bear;

For nights of anxiety, watching and tears,

A present of pain, a perspective of fears:

I praise thee, I bless thee, my King and my God,
For the good and the evil thy hand has bestow'd!

The flowers were sweet, but their fragrance is flown;
They left me no fruit-they are withered and gone;
The thorn it was poignant, but precious to me,
As the message of mercy that led me to thee.

ANON.

24 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW.

RETROSPECTIVE VIEW.

Oн, who that takes a retrospective view
Of years, now fading in the distant blue,-.
The snares to which impetuous we had flown,
Restrained by God's resistless arm alone;
How, ever yielding to our own self-will,
We would refuse the good and choose the ill,
He interposing still on our behalf,

Still safely guiding by his rod and staff

But with subdued, submissive heart would cry, "Choose Thou my portion, guide me with thine eye!

One sole condition would I dare suggest,

That Thou would'st save me from mine own re