THE MAGPIE's NEST. A FABLE.
When the Arts in their infancy were,

In a fable of old 'tis express’d,
A wise magpie constructed that rare :

Little house for young birds, called a nest.
This was talk'd of the whole country round;

You might hear it on every bough sung, “Now no longer upon the rough ground

Will fond mothers brood over their young. “For the magpie with exquisite skill

Has invented a moss-cover'd cell,
Within which a whole family will

In the utmost security dwell.”
To her mate did each female bird say,

“ Let us fly to the magpie, my dear ; If she will but teach us the way,

A nest we will build us up here. “ It's a thing that's close arch'd over head, .

With a hole made to creep out and in; We, my bird, might make such a bed,

If we only knew how to begin.” To the magpie soon ev'ry bird went,

And in modest terms made their request,

That she would he pleased to consent

To teach them to build up a nest. ·

She replied, “I will show you the way,

So observe every thing that I do. First two sticks ’cross each other I lay

“ To be sure," said the crow; why, I knew

“ It must be begun with two sticks,

And I thought that they crossed should be." : Said the pie, “ Then some straw and moss mix,

In the way you now see done by me.”

“Oyes, certainly,” said the jackdaw,

“ That must follow of course, I have thought; Though I never before building saw,

I guess'd that without being taught.”

“More moss, straw, and feathers, I place,

In this manner,” continued the pie. “ Yes, no doubt, madam, that is the case ; . Though no builder myself, so thought I.”

* Whatever she taught them beside,

In his turn every bird of thein said, Though the nest-making art he ne'er tried,

He had just such a thought in his head. i

Still the pie went on showing her art,

Till a nest she had built up half way;
She no more of her skill would impart,

But in anger went flutt'ring away.
And this speech in their hearing she made,

As she perch'd o'er their heads on a tree:
“ If ye all were well skilld in my trade,

Pray, why carae you to learn it of me?"
When a scholar is willing to learn,

He with silent submission should hear;
Too late they their folly discern;

The effect to this day does appear;
For whenever a pie's nest you see,

Her charming warm canopy view,
All birds' nests but hers seem to be
A magpie's nest just cut in two.

MRS. LEICESTER.
Charlites wwwww.amos
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE GLOW.WORM.

A nightingale, that all day long
Had cheer'd the village with his song,
Nor yet at eve his note suspended,
Nor yet when eventide was ended,

CA

EIAN

Began to feel, as well he might,
The keen demands of appetite ;
When, looking eagerly around,
He spied far off upon the ground,
A something shining in the dark,
And knew the glow-worm by his spark.
So, stooping down from hawthorn top,
He thought to put him in his crop.
The worm, aware of his intent,
Harangued him thus, right eloquent-
“ Did you admire my lamp," quoth he,
“As much as I your minstrelsy,
You would abhor to do me wrong,
As much as I to spoil your song ;
For 'twas the self-same pow'r divine,
Taught you to sing, and me to shine ;
That you with music, I with light,
Might beautify and cheer the night.”
The songster heard his short oration,
And, warbling out his approbation,
Releas'd him, as my story tells,.. .
And found a supper somewhere else. "

Hence, jarring sectaries may learn
Their real interest to discern ::

That brother should not wär with brother,
And worry and devour each other:
But sing and shine by sweet consenti
Till life's poor transient night is spent ;
Respecting, in each other's case,
The gifts of nature and of grace.
Those Christians best deserve the name,
Who studiously make peace their aim :

Peace, both the duty and the prize in
Of him that creeps, and him that flies.

COWPER.

CA

A BIRTH-DAY THOUGHT.
Can I, all-gracious Providence !

Can I deserve thy care ?
Ah! no; I've not the least pretence

To bounties, which I share.
Have I not been defended still

From dangers and from death; Been safe preserv'd from ev'ry ill

E'er since thou gav'st me breath? I live once more to see the day

That brought me first to light ;