Of reft was Noah's dove bereft, When, with impatient wing, fhe left Sophronia, whofe maternal tenderness was directed by a folid judgment and well-cultivated understanding, had been repeating these lines to her fon, and urging the difficulties, temptations, and dangers which await the inexperienced youth, when he too forwardly launches into the busy world. They were enjoying an evening's walk; and the path which they pursued terminated in a beautiful pond, fupplied with water by a murmuring rill, that for a while feemed to lofe its current, but paffing onwards flowed, through a concealed grate, into a neighbouring brook. Having reached the margin of the pond, they stopped to gaze at the fportive fishes, gliding in all directions, with graceful eafe, through the yielding element. But a large tench was observed *Cotton's Fire-Side. to to remain in one unvaried pofition, as if stupified with pain, or overwhelmed with forrow. Were fishes capable of reflection, I fhould prefume, faid Sophronia, that the tench we are looking at, is mourning the folly and calamities of her offspring. Laft week, a fudden and unusual fwell of the brook raised the water of this pond above its level; and three young tench eagerly took the opportunity of escaping over the grate, and quitted with joy the confinement, to which they had fubmitted for fome time with impatience and difcontent. They fwam down the stream, exulting in their liberty; and were just entering a fpacious mill pool, which promised every gratification to their boundless wishes, when a ravenous pike feized upon the foremost, and terrified the others with the apprehenfion of dangers before unknown. The fhallows of the pool were now fought, for fecurity; but the flood having damaged the dike, the water rapidly difcharged itself. One of the remaining tench was left in a hollow, to die a painful and lingering death; the other, impelled by hunger, fwallowed U 2 swallowed a bait, and became the prey of a fisherman. Thus perifhed these unfortunate rovers; affording us a leffon of inftruction, concluded Sophronia, which it cannot be neceffary either to explain or to apply. THE HISTORIAN AND THE PAINTER. WHAT HAT unpleafing face is this? faid an hiftorian to a painter, as he was viewing the exhibition of his pictures. It is the portrait, answered the artist, of a man whom I fecretly despise; and I have purposely rendered it harsh and disagreeable. ---What a liberal and noble countenance, continued the learned fpectator, does the picture before me display! So looks the original, replied the painter; and I have the honour to call him my friend and patron. --- May I not prefume, then, that the Venus, on the right hand, is the likeness of your mistress? I confefs it, faid the artist with a blufh. But if paffion and prejudice fometimes guide my pencil, how much more frequently do they direct your pen? I delineate chiefly for the eye; you for the understanding and the heart. To deceive, therefore, may be venial in the painter, but is criminal in the historian. The art of false colouring, however, is not peculiar either to you or to me. It is practifed by all mankind, both in their judgments of themselves and of others. Self-love ftrongly incites to draw a flattering picture; political and religious prejudices, though lefs forcible, are not lefs certain in their influence; and envy, rivalship, and hatred offer to our pencil only dark and disgusting teints. All is infected that th' infected 'fpy, As all looks yellow to the jaundic'd eye. THE RATTLE SNAKE. N European youth, fauntering through AN a wood in Virginia, heedlefs where he trod, fuddenly heard a harsh rattling noife, which filenced the warbling of the nightingales, and feemed to ftrike terror into every living object around him. He looked U 3 looked forward, and beheld, across the path which he pursued, a large snake, with the head erect, the body coiled, and the tail, from which the found proceeded, in continual agitation. Alarmed with the danger that awaited him, he haftened back to Williamsburgh; and was eager both to recount his adventure, and to give utterance to the reflections which it had fuggefted. How wife, faid he, are the provisions of the Author of nature, to guard his favourite, man, from whatever may prove noxious or deftructive to him? The lion roars when he iffues from his den; the wolf howls in his nocturnal excurfions; and the dreadful ferpent, from which I efcaped this morning, shakes his rattle, as he crawls along, to warn us of the danger that approaches. Ceafe, young man, replied a venerable fage, to accufe Providence of partiality; nor abuse the wifdom of God, by applaufes which are founded only on pride and ignorance. The animals you have mentioned, inhabit many a defert where no human footstep |