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With hasty steps the Farmer ran; and close beside the fire they place the poor half-frozen Beggar-man, with shaking limbs and pallid face. The little children flocking came, and warmed his stiffening hands in theirs, while busily the good old Dame a comfortable meal prepares. 9 Their kindness cheered his drooping soul; and slowly down his wrinkled cheek the big round tears were seen to roll-they told the thanks he could not speak. 10 The children, too, began to sigh, and all their merry chat was o'er; and yet they felt, they knew not why, more glad than they had done before.

5. THE CHILD AND THE PIPER--W. Blake.

Piping down the valleys wild, piping songs of pleasant glee,
On the sward I saw a child, and he, laughing, said to me,
"Pipe a song about a lamb." So I piped with merry cheer:
"Piper, pipe that song again." So I piped-he wept to hear.
"Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe-sing thy songs of happy cheer."
So I sang the same again, while he wept with joy to hear.
"Piper, sit thee down and write in a book that all may read."
So he vanished from my sight; and I plucked a hollow reed,
And I made a rural pen, and I stained the water clear;
And I wrote such happy songs every child may joy to hear.

6. THE DOVE.-Moore.

The bird let loose in Eastern skies, when hast'ning fondly home,
Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies where idle warblers roam;
But high she shoots through air and light, above all low delay,
Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, nor shadow dims her way.
So grant me, God! from earthly care and stain of passion free,
Aloft, through Virtue's purer air, to hold my course to Thee.
No sin to cloud, no lure to stay my Soul as home she springs;
Thy sunshine on her joyful way-Thy freedom in her wings.

-THE VOICE OF SPRING.-Mrs. Howitt.

'I am coming, little Maiden, with the pleasant sunshine laden; with the honey for the bee, with the blossom for the tree, with the flower and with the leaf:-till I come the time is brief. 2 I am coming, I am coming! Hark, the little bee is humming; see, the lark is soaring high in the bright and sunny sky, and the gnats are on the wing;-little Maiden, now is Spring! 3 See the yellow catkins cover all the slender willows over; and on mossy banks so green starlike primroses are seen; and their clustering

leaves below, white and purple violets blow. Hark! the little lambs are bleating; and the cawing rooks are meeting in the elms,—a noisy crowd! and all the birds are singing loud; and the first white butterfly in the sun goes flitting by.

5 Little Maiden, look around thee! green and flowery fields surround thee; every little stream is bright; all the orchard trees are white; and each small and waving shoot promises sweet flower or fruit. 6 Turn thine eyes to earth and heaven!-God for thee the Spring has given, taught the birds their melodies, clothed the earth and cleared the skies, for thy pleasure or thy food ;-pour thy soul in gratitude! So mayst thou 'mid blessings dwell,-Little Maiden, fare thee well!

8.-THE MOSS-ROSE.-Translation from Krummacher.

The Angel of the Flowers, one day, beneath a rose-tree sleeping lay; that Spirit to whose charge 'tis given to bathe young buds in dews of heaven;-awaking from his light repose, the Angel whispered to the Rose: "O, fondest object of my care, still fairest found where all are fair; for the sweet shade thou giv'st to me, ask what thou wilt, 'tis granted thee." Then," said the Rose, with deepened glow, "on me another grace bestow." The Spirit paused in silent thought,-what grace was there that flower had not? 'Twas but a moment;-o'er the Rose a veil of moss the Angel throws; and, robed in Nature's simplest weed, could there a flower that Rose exceed?

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9.-PRIDE.--Taylor.

Pride, ugly Pride, sometimes is seen by haughty looks and lofty mien ; but oftener it is found that Pride loves deep within the heart to hide; and, while the looks are mild and fair, it sits and does its mischief there.

Now, if you really wish to find if Pride is lurking in your mind, inquire-If you can bear a slight, or patiently give up your right? Can you submissively consent to take reproof and punishment, and feel no angry temper start in any corner of your heart? Can you at once confess a crime, and promise for another time? or say you've been in a mistake, nor try some poor excuse to make; but freely own that it was wrong to argue for your side so long? Flat contradiction can you bear, when you are right, and know you are? nor flatly contradict again, but wait, or modestly explain, and tell your reasons one by one, nor think of triumph when you've done? Can you, in business or in play, give up your wishes or your way or do a thing against your will, for somebody that's younger still? and never try to overbear, nor say a word that is not fair? Does laughing at

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you, in a joke, no anger or revenge provoke; but can you laugh yourself, and be as merry as the company? Or, when you find that you could do the harm to them they did to you, can you keep down the wicked thought, and do exactly as you ought?... Put all these questions to your heart, and make it act an honest part; and, when they've each been fairly tried, I think you'll own that you have Pride: some one will suit you as you go, and force your heart to tell you so; but, if they all should be denied then you're too proud to own your Pride!

10. THE TEAR.-Moore.

On beds of snow the moonbeam slept, and chilly was the midnight gloom,
When, by the damp grave, Ellen wept,-sweet maid! it was her Lindor's tomb!
A warm tear gushed,--the wintry air congealed it as it flowed away :
All night it lay an ice-drop there,—at morn it glittered in the ray!
An Angel, wandering from her sphere, who saw this bright, this frozen gem,
To dew-eyed Pity brought the tear, and hung it on her diadem!

11. THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR.-Southey.

"And wherefore do the Poor complain?" the Rich Man asked of me,-
“Come, walk abroad with me,” I said, “and I will answer thee."
'Twas evening, and the frozen streets were cheerless to behold;
And we were wrapt and coated well,—but yet we were a-cold.
We met an old bareheaded Man, whose locks were few and white
I asked him what he did abroad in that cold winter's night.
'Twas bitter keen, indeed, he said; but at home no fire had he,
And therefore he had come abroad to ask for charity.

We met a young bare-footed Child, and she begged loud and bold;
I asked her what she did abroad when the wild wind blew so cold.
She said her father was at home, and he lay sick in bed,
And therefore was it she was sent abroad to beg for bread.

We saw a Woman sitting down upon a stone to rest;

She had a baby at her back, and another at her breast.

I asked her why she loitered there, when the bleak wind blew so chill: She turned her head, and bade the child that screamed behind be still. She told us that her husband served, a soldier, far away;

And therefore to her parish she was begging back her way.

I turned me to the Rich Man then, for silently stood he;

"You asked me why the Poor complain,—and these have answered thee !"

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12.-WHAT DO THE BIRDS SAY.-Coleridge.

Do you ask what the birds say? The sparrow, the dove,
The linnet, and thrush, say, 66 I love," and "I love!"
In the winter they're silent-the wind is so strong;
What it says I don't know, but it sings a loud song.
But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing, and loving-all come back together.
But the lark is so brim-full of gladness and love,—
The green fields below him, the blue sky above-
That he sings, and he sings, and for ever sings he,
"I love my Love, and my Love loves me!"

18-THE SKY-LARK.-Mrs. Hemans.

1The Sky-Lark, when the dews of morn hang tremulous on flower and thorn, and violets round his nest exhale their fragrance on the early gale; to the first sunbeam spreads his wings, buoyant with joy, and soars, and sings. He rests not on the leafy spray, to warble his exulting lay; but, high above the morning cloud, mounts in triumphant freedom proud; and swells, when nearest to the sky, his sweetest notes of ecstasy. Thus, my Creator! thus the more my spirit's wing to Thee can soar; the more she triumphs to behold thy love in all thy works unfold: and bids her hymns of rapture be most glad, when rising most to Thee.

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14.—THE CHILD AND THE DEW-DROPS.-Carpenter.
"Oh father, dear father, why pass they away,
The dew-drops that sparkled at dawning of day,
That glittered like stars by the light of the moon
Oh, why are those dew-drops dissolving so soon ?
Does the sun, in his wrath, chase their brightness away,
As though nothing that's lovely might live for a day?
The moonlight has faded-the flowers still remain,
But the dew has dried out of their petals again."

"My child," said the father, "look up to the skies,
Behold yon bright rainbow, those beautiful dyes;
There there are the dew-drops, in glory re-set,
'Mid the jewels of Heaven they are glittering yet.

Then are we not taught by each beautiful ray,
To mourn not for beauty though fleeting away?

For, though youth of its brightness and beauty be riven,
All that withers on Earth blooms more brightly in Heaven !"

Alas! for the father-how little knew he,

The words he had spoken prophetic could be;
That the beautiful child-the bright star of his day,
Was e'en then, like the dew-drops-dissolving away!
Oh! sad was the father, when lo! in the skies

The rainbow again spread its beauteous dyes;
And then he remembered the maxims he'd given,

And thought of his Child and the Dew-drops-in Heaven.

15.-VIOLETS.-Moultrie.

Under the green hedges after the snow,
There do the dear little violets grow;
Hiding their modest and beautiful heads
Under the hawthorn in soft mossy beds.
Sweet as the roses, and blue as the sky,
Down there do the dear little violets lie,

Hiding their heads where they scarce may be seen :-
By the leaves you may know where the violet hath been.

16.-THE FOX AT THE POINT OF DEATH.-Gay.

A Fox, in life's extreme decay, weak, sick, and faint, expiring lay; all appetite had left his maw, and age disarm'd his mumbling jaw. His numerous race around him stand, to learn their dying sire's command; he rais'd his head with whining moan, and thus was heard the feeble tone: 66 Ah, sons! from evil ways depart; my crimes lie heavy at my heart. See, see, the murder'd geese appear! Why are those bleeding turkeys here? Why all around this cackling train, who haunt my ears for chickens slain ?" The hungry Foxes round them star'd, and for the promised feast prepar❜d. "Where, sir, is all this dainty cheer? Nor turkey, goose, nor hen is here. These are the phantoms of your brain; your children lick their lips in vain."

“ "O, gluttons," says the drooping sire, "restrain inordinate desire; your liquorish taste you shall deplore, when peace of conscience is no more. Does not the hound betray our pace, and gins and guns destroy our race? Thieves dread the searching eye of power, and never feel the quiet hour.