Thus passes like the leaves away, His brow yet fresh with childhood's bloom. THE BROOK AND THE FOUNTAIN. A FABLE. A FOUNTAIN varied gambols play'd, While gently murmuring through the glade, Perhaps it gave one envious gaze In all the colors of the sky, Alternately it shone : The brook observed it with a sigh, But quietly roll'd on. 1 MAKING RESOLUTIONS. NEVER form a resolution, that is not a good one and when once formed, never break it. If you form a resolution, and then break it, you set yourself a bad example, and you are very likely to follow it. A person may get the habit of breaking his resolutions; this is as bad to the character and mind, as an incurable disease to the body. No person can become great, but by keeping his resolutions; no person ever escaped contempt, who could not keep them. If any of my young friends resolve to read this book through, as proposed in the introduction, I hope they will not fail to do so, unless they have good reasons for it. "I may A YOUNG Wolf said aloud, To the listening crowd, well of my father's great courage be proud; Wherever he came, Flock, shepherd, or dame, All trembled, and fled at the sound of his name. One day, by a blow, He was conquer'd, I know; But no wonder at last he should yield to a foe: He yielded, poor fellow ! The conquering bellow Resounds in my ears as my poor father's knell - Oh! " While, leering aside, He laugh'd at his folly and vaporing pride: 66 "My chattering youth, Your nonsense forsooth, Is more like a funeral sermon than truth- How your old father fell; And see if the narrative sounds as well. Your folly surpasses, Of monkeys all classes; The beasts which he frighten'd or conquer'd, were asses; When the shepherd asleep, The dog by his side for safety did keep. Your father fell back, Knock'd down by a whack From the very first bull that he dared to attack · But soon overpower'd, He lived like a thief, and he died like a coward." TO MY COUSIN ANNE, ON RECEIVING FROM HER A NET WORK PURSE MADE BY HERSELF. My gentle Anne, whom heretofore, When I was young, and thou no more Than plaything for a nurse, I danced and fondled on my knee, A kitten both in size and glee, I thank thee for my purse. |