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coolness at evening succeeds the genial' warmth of the day. The labors of the husbandman approach their natural termination, and he gladdens with the near prospect of his promised reward.

2. The earth swells with the increase of vegetation. The fields wave with their yellow and luxuriant3 harvests. The trees put forth the darkest foliage, half shading and half revealing their ripened fruits, to tempt the appetite of man, and proclaim the goodness of his Creator. Even in scenes of another sort, where Nature reigns alone in her own majesty, there is much to awaken religious enthusiasm."

3. As yět, the forests stand clothed in their dress of undecayed magnificence. The winds, that rustle through their tops, scarcely disturb the silence of the shades below. The mountains and the valleys glow in warm green, of lively russet.' The rivulets flow on with a noiseless current, reflecting back the images of many a glossy insect, that dips his wings in their cooling waters. The mornings and evenings are still vocals with the notes of a thousand warblers, that plume' their wings for a later flight.

4. Above all, the clear blue sky, the long and sunny calms, the scarcely whispering breezes, the brilliant sunsets, lit up with all the wondrous magnificence of light, and shade, and color, and slowly settling down into a pure and transparent twilight. These, these are days and scenes which even the cold can not behold without emotion, but on which the meditative" and pious gaze with profound admiration; for they breathe of holier and happier regions beyond the grave.

2

JOSEPH STORY.

'Gè' ni al, contributing to production; gay; merry; enlivening.— * Term in a' tion, a coming to an end; result.- Luxuriant (lug zu' reant), exuberant in growth; very abundant.- Fò' li age, leaves of trees; a cluster of leaves. Enthusiasm (en thủ' ze azm), an ardent or burning zeal with regard to some object or pursuit.— Mag nif′ i cence, grandeur of appearance; display. Růs' set, a reddish brown color.— Vo' cal, having a voice; uttering sounds.- Plume, dress the feathers. -10 Trans pår' ent, clear, so as to be seen through." Med' i ta tive, given to meditation; thoughtful.

A PARENTAL ODE TO MY INFANT SON.

198

1.

2.

8.

82. A PARENTAL ODE TO MY INFANT SON.

THOU happy, happy elf!!

(But stop-first let me kiss away that tear)—
Thou tiny' image of myself!

(My love, he's poking peas into his ear)—

Thou měrry, laughing sprite !3 with spirits feather light,
Untouch'd by sorrow, and unsoil'd by sin―

(Good heavens! the child is swallowing a pin!)

Thou little tricksy Puck,'

With antic toys so funnily bestuck,

Light as the singing bird that wings the air,
(The door! the door! he'll tumble down the stair!)
Thou darling of thy sire!

(Why, Jane, he'll set his pinafore afire!)
Thou imp of mirth and joy!

In love's dear chain so strong and bright a link,
Thou idol of thy parents-(Drat the boy!
There goes my ink!)

Thou cherub-but of earth!

Fit playfellow for fays by moonlight pale,
In harmless sport and mirth,

(The dog will bite him if he pulls its tail!)
Thou human humming-bee, extracting honey
From every blossom in the world that blows,
Singing in youth's Elysium ever sunny,
(Another tumble-that's his precious nose!)
Thy father's pride and hope!

(He'll break the mirror' with that skipping-rope!)
With pure heart newly stamp'd from nature's mint,
(Where did he learn that squint?)

Sprite,

'Elf, a fairy; a fancied wandering spirit.-Tl' ny, small. spirit. Půck, Robin Good-Fellow, and Friar Rush, were names applied many years ago to a mischievous little fairy, or wanderer of the night. Shakspeare, in the "Midsummer Night's Dream," has beautifully depicted his character and attributes.- Fàys, fairies.- Elysium (e liz' e um), a place of delight, as the ancients believed, for happy souls after death; any delightful place.— Mir' ror, looking-glass.--* Mint, a place where money is coined.

Thou young domestic dove!

(He'll have that jug off with another shove!)
Dear nursling of the hymene'al' nest!
(Are those torn clothes his best?)
Little epitome of man!

(He'll climb upon the table, that's his plan!)
Touch'd with the beauteous tints of dawning life,
(He's got a knife!)

Thou enviable being!

No storms, no clouds, in thy blue sky foreseeing,
Play on, play on, my elfin John!

5. Toss the light ball-bestride the stick,

6.

(I knew so many cakes would make him sick!)
With fancies buoyant as the thistle down,
Prompting the face grotesque, and antic brisk,
With many a lamb-like frisk,

4

(He's got the scissors, snipping at your gown.)

Thou pretty opening rose!

(Go to your mother, child, and wipe your nose!)
Balmy, and breathing music like the south,
(He really brings my heart into my mouth!)
resh as the morn, and brilliant as its star,
I wish that windōw had an iron bar!)
Bold as the hawk, yet gentle as the dove—
(I'll tell you what, my love,

I can not write unless he's sent above!)

83. THE MISER.

THOMAS HOOD

Lovegold. Where have you been? I have wanted you an hour.

ab ve

James. Whom do you want, sir,-your coachman or your cook for I am both one and t'other.

Love. I want my cook.

'Hy men d'al, relating to marriage.- E pit' o me, an abridgment; u small copy.-' Buoyant (bwål' ant), light; bearing up.-' Grotesque (gro tesk'), wildly formed; laughable; odd.

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James. I thought, indeed, it was not your coachman; for you 1 have had no great occasion for him since your last pair of horses were starved; but your cook, sir, shall wait upon you in an instant. (Puts off his coachman's great-coat, and appears as a cook.) Now, sir, I am ready for your commands.

Love. I am engaged this evening to give a supper.

James. A supper, sir! I have not heard the word this half year; a dinner, indeed, now and then; but for a supper I'm almost afraid, for want of practice, my hand is out.

Love. Leave off your saucy jesting, and see that you provide a good supper.

James. That may be done with a good deal of money, sir.

Love. Is the mischief in you? Always money! Can you say nothing else but money, money, money? My children, my servants, my relations, can pronounce nothing but money.

James. Well, sir; but how many will there be at table?

Love. About eight or ten; but I will have a supper dressed but for eight; for if there be enough for eight, there is enough for ten.

James. Suppose, sir, at one end, a handsome soup; at the other, a fine Westphalia1 ham and chickens; on one side, a fillet of veal; on the other, a turkey, or rather a bustard, which may be had for about a guinea1

3

Love. Zounds! is the fellow providing an entertainment for my lord mayor and the court of aldermen ?

James. Then a ragout—

Love. I'll have no ragout. Would you burst the good people, you dog?

James. Then pray, sir, say what will you have?

Love. Why, see and provide something to cloy their stomachs let there be two good dishes of thin soup; a large suetpudding; some dainty, fat pork-pie, very fat; a fine, small lean

1 Westphalia (West få' le a), a province of Prussia in which horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs are numerous, and the last named furnish the celebrated Westphalian hams.- Fil' let, the fleshy part of the thigh. —3 Bůs' tard, a large bird.- Guin' ea, a former English gold coin, worth somewhat more than five dollars.- Ragout (rå gå') a highly seasoned dish or food Cloy, to overload; to glut; to satisfy; to fill to loathing.

breast of mutton, and a large dish with two artichokes There;

that's plenty and variety.

James. Oh, dear

Love. Plenty and variety.

James. But, sir, you must have some poultry.'

Love. No; I'll have none.

James. Indeed, sir, you should.

Love. Well, then,—kill the old hen, for she has done laying James. Mercy! sir, how the folks will talk of it; indeed, people say enough of you already.

Love. Eh! why, what do the people say, pray?

James. Oh, sir, if I could be assured you would not be angry. Love. Not at all; for I'm always glad to hear what the world says of me.

James. Why, sir, since you will have it, then, they make a jest of you everywhere; nay, of your servants, on your account. One says, you pick a quarrel with them quarterly, in order to find an excuse to pay them no wages.

Love. Poh! poh!

James. Another says, you were taken one night stealing your own oats from your own horses.

Love. That must be a lie; for I never allow them any.

James. In a word, you are the by-word everywhere; and you are never mentioned, but by the names of covetous, stingy, scraping, old

Love. Get along, you impudent villain!

James. Nay, sir, you said you wouldn't be angry.

Love. Get out, you dog! you—

IN

HENRY FIELDING.

84. MOUNT VERNON IN 1759.

N his letter from Mount Vernon, Washington writes: "I am now, I believe, fixed in this seat, with an agreeable partner, for life, and I hope to find more happiness in retirement, than I ever experienced in the wide and bustling world."

'Poul' try, fowls; hens; geese; turkeys, &c.-2 Mount Vår' non, Vırginia, the former residence of Washington, on the west side of the Potomac, eight miles below Alexandria. It contains the mansion and

tomb of the "Father of his Country."

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