Expiring, lays the warbling world asleep, 10. Ye chief, for whom the whole creation smiles, 2 The long-resounding voice, oft breaking clear, 11. For me, when I forget the darling theme, And where He vital breathes, there must be joy. 12. When even at last the solemn hour shall come, 1 Phil o mē la, from Philomela, daughter of Pandion, king of Athens, who was supposed to have been changed into a nightingale; hence, the nightingale. * Rural, (ro' ral). • Seraph, (Eng., plural, sěraphs; Heb., pl., sěr'a phím), an angel of the highest order. 4 Command, (kom månd'). * Mỹs' tic, obscure; involving some hidden meaning. Where Universal Love not smiles around, Come then, expressive Silence, muse His praise. JAMES THOMSON. JAMES THOMSON was born at Ednam, near Kelso, Roxburgh County, Scotland, September 11th, 1700, and died August 27th, 1748. He was the author of the "Seasons," a work which alone would have perpetuated his name. Though born a poet, he seems to have advanced but slowly, and by reiterated efforts, to refinement of taste. The first edition of the "Seasons" differs materially from the second, and the second still more from the third. Every alteration was an improvement in delicacy of thought and language. That the genius of Thom son was purifying and working off its alloys up to the termination of his exist. ence, may be seen from the superiority in style and diction of his last poem, the "Castle of Indolence," to which he brought not only the full nature, but the perfect art of a poet. As a dramatic writer he was unsuccessful. He was in poverty in early life, but through the influence of Lord Lyttleton, he obtained a pension of £100 a year, from the Prince of Wales, and an office which brought him £300 per annum. He was now in comparative opulence, and his residence at Kew-lane, near Richmond, was the scene of social enjoyment and lettered ease. He was friendly, shy and indolent. His noted lines in favor of early rising, commencing were written in bed, Falsely luxurious, will not man awake, SECTION ΙΙ. I. 3. NEVER DESPAIR. THERE is no trait of human character so potential for weal woe as firmness. To the business man it is all-impor 3 tant. Before its irresistible energy the most formidable obstacles become as cobweb barriers in its path. Difficulties, the terror of which causes the pampered sons of luxury to shrink 1 In ef fa ble, not capable of being expressed in words; untold; un speakable. powerful; mighty; forcible. * Potential, (po tên' shal), efficient; ordinately or unduly. back with dismay, provoke from the man of lofty determination only a smile. The whole history of our race-all nature, indeed -teems with examples to show what wonders may be accomplished by resolute perseverance and patient toil. 2. It is related of Tamerlane,1 the celebrated warrior, the terror of whose arms spread through all the Eastern nations, and whom victory attended at almost ěvèry step, that he once learned from an insect a lesson of perseverance, which had a striking effect on his future character and success. 2 3. When closely pursued by his enemies as a contemporary tells the anecdote he took refuge in some old ruins, where, left to his solitary musings, he espied an ant tugging and striving to carry a single grain of corn. His unavailing efforts were repeated sixty-nine times, and at each several time, so soon as he reached a certain point of projection, he fell back with his burden, unable to surmount it; but the seventieth time he bore away his spoil in triumph, and left the wondering hero reänimated and exulting in the hope of future victory. 3 5. How pregnant the lesson this incident conveys! How many thousand instances there are in which inglorious defeat ends the career of the timid and desponding, when the same tenacity of purpose would crown it with triumphant success! Resolution is almost omnipotent. Sheridan' was at first timid, and obliged to sit down in the midst of a speech. Convinced of, and mortified at, the cause of his failure, he said one day to a friend, "It is in me, and it shall come out." 5 5. From that moment he rose, and shōne, and triumphed in a consummate eloquence. Here was true moral courage. And it was well observed by a heathen moralist, that it is not because things are difficult that we dare not undertake them. fever, and died soon after taking the field, 18th February, 1405. * Con těm porary, living, acting, 1 Tăm' er lāne, called also Timour the Tartar, was born 1335. He became sovereign of Tartary, and subdued Persia, India and Syria. With or happening at the same time. an army of 200,000 men, in a battle fought at Angora, on the 20th of July, 1402, he defeated the Turkish army, composed of 300,000 men, and made their emperor, Bajazet, prisoner. He was on the point of invading China, when he was seized with a violent * Prěg nant, full of consequences. • Richard Brinsley Sheridan, see Biographical Sketch, p. 126. * Con sum' mate, carried to the utmost extent or degree; complete; perfect. Dare, (dår), see Note 2, p. 22. 6. Be, then, bold in spirit. Indulge no doubts-they are traitors. In the practical pursuit of our high aim, let us never. lose sight of it in the slightest instance: for it is more by a disregard of small things, than by open and flagrant offenses, that men come short of excellence. There is always a right and a wrong; and if you ever doubt, be sure you take not the wrong. Observe this rule, and every experience will be to you a means of advancement. II. 4. NOW. THE venerable Past-is past; T 'Tis dark, and shines not in the ray : Why should we sit where ivies creep, 2. Why should we see with dead men's eyes, Why should we hear but echoes dull, Will give us music of our own? 3. Abraham' saw no brighter stars Than those which burn for thee and me. 'A' bra ham, the patriarch of the Jews, born and died more than two thousand years B. C. *Ho' mer, the most distinguished of poets, called the "Father of Song." 3 He is supposed to have been an Asi. atic Greek, though his birth-place, and the period in which he lived, are not known. • Song, see Note 1, p. 23. 2 They were such sounds as Shakspeare' heard, 4. Great Plato' saw the vernal year Send forth its tender flowers and shoots, 5. We will not dwell amid the graves, We will not only see the light Through paintèd windows cobwebbed ō'er, Nor know the beauty of the night Save by the moonbeam on the floor : But in the presence of the sun, Or moon, or stars, our hearts shall glow; 6. The present needs us. Every age And stretch the circle of its ken. 1 See Biographical Sketch, p. 383. 2 Geoffrey Chaucer, (chaser), called the day-star and father of English poetry, born about 1328, and died in 1400. His great work is "The Canterbury Tales." * Plā' to, a very celebrated philosopher of ancient Greece, was born about 430 B. c., and died in his eightieth year. * Architrave, (årk' i tråv), the part of a roof which rests on the top of a column, designed to represent the beam which supports the roof. * Plinth, a flat, round, or square base or foundation for a column. |