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"HAPPY THE MAN, WHOSE WISH AND CARE A FEW PATERNAL ACRES BOUND."-ALEXANDER POPE.

42

"HAPPY THE MAN, WHOM BOUNTEOUS GODS ALLOW

HERE AND THERE.

A

THE HAPPY HEART.

RT thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
O sweet content!

Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexèd ?
O punishment!

Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexèd
To add to golden numbers, golden numbers?
O sweet content, O sweet, O sweet content!

Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny!

Canst drink the waters of the crispèd spring?
O sweet content!

Swimm'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears?
O punishment!

Then he that patiently want's burden bears
No burden bears, but is a king, a king!
O sweet content, O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;

Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny!

[T. DEKKER, a dramatist of high merit born 1570, died about 1638–39.]

HERE AND THERE.

JOR who did ever yet in honour, wealth,

Or pleasure of the sense, contentment find?
Who ever ceased to wish when he had health,
Or, having wisdom, was not vexed in mind?

WITH HIS OWN HANDS PATERNAL GROUNDS TO PLOUGH."-COWLEY.

"IF SOLID HAPPINESS WE PRIZE, WITHIN OUR BREAST THE JEWEL LIES."-CHARLES COTTON.

"CONTENT'S A KINGDOM, AND I WEAR THE CROWN."-HEYWOOD.

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Then, as a bee which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet flowers with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,

But, pleased with none, doth rise and soar away.

So, when the soul finds here no true content,
And, like Noah's dove, can no sure footing take,
She doth return from whence she first was sent,

And flies to him that first her wings did make.

[Sir JOHN DAVIES, author of a philosophical poem, "On the Soul of Man," wrote in numbers (says Southey) which, for precision and clearness, and felicity and strength, have never been surpassed. Born 1570, died

1626.]

"HAPPY THE MAN WHO SEES A GOD IN ALL THE GOOD AND ILL THAT CHEQUER LIFE."-WILLIAM COWPER.

"LEARN, WHERE'ER THY LOT DOTH FALL, SHORT LOT, OR NOT, TO BE CONTENT WITH ALL."-HERRICK.

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S

THE DAWN.

EE, the day begins to break,

And the light shoots like a streak
Of subtle fire. The wind blows cold,

While the morning doth unfold.

[JOHN FLETCHER, dramatist, born at Rye, 1579, died 1625. I think his finest work is "The Faithful Shepherdess," whence these lines are taken.]

"WHERE WILL AT EASE, AND HAPPY, LIVE CONTENT."-DENHAM.

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66 SELF-REVERENCE, SELF-KNOWLEdge, self-CONTROL."-TENNYSON.

A HAPPY LIFE.

IN

SELF-RELIANCE.

AN is his own star, and the soul that can
Render an honest and a perfect man,
Commands all light, all influence, all fate;
Nothing to him falls early, or too late.
Our acts our angels are, or good or ill,
Our fated shadows that walk by us still.

[JOHN FLETCHER.]

"DO THOU LIVE CONTENT; AND THEN CONSIDER WHY THY LIFE WAS LENT."-SIR JOHN DENHAM.

"THE WORLD HAS NOTHING TO BESTOW; FROM OUR OWN SELVES OUR JOYS MUST FLOW."-CHARLES COTTON.

A HAPPY LIFE.

OW happy is he born and taught
That serveth not another's will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill!

Whose passions not his masters are,
Whose soul is still prepared for death;
Not tied unto the world with care
Of public fame, or private breath;

Who envies none that chance doth raise
Or vice; who never understood
How deepest wounds are given by praise;
Nor rules of state, but rules of good :

Who hath his life from rumours freed,
Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruin make accusers great;

"THE MAN OF WISDOM IS THE MAN OF YEARS."-YOUNG.

"I MADE A POSY WHILE THE DAY RAN BY."-HERBERT.

STARS AND FLOWERS.

45

Who God doth late and early pray
More of his grace than gifts to lend;
And entertains the harmless day

With a well-chosen book or friend;

-This man is freed from servile bands

Of hope to rise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands;

And having nothing, yet hath all.

[Sir H. WOTTON, poet, statesman, and diplomatist, born 1568, died 1639.]

"RAMBLE A-FIELD TO BROOKS AND BOWERS, TO PICK UP SENTIMENTS AND FLOWERS."-CHURCHILL.

"SHINING FROM YOUR GLOSSY STEMS, LIKE MANY A GOLDEN STAR."-THOMAS CAMPBELL,

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"" WITH HOW SAD STEPS, O MOON, THOU CLIMB'ST THE SKIES."-SIDNEY.

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[BEN JONSON, second only to Shakspeare among English dramatists, was born in 1574, died in 1637. Besides his eighteen plays, he wrote several masques-from one of which, "Chloridia," the above extract is taken-and miscellaneous poems, collected under the titles of "The Forest," and "Underwoods."]

"WHAT IS THERE IN THEE, MOON, THAT THOU SHOULDST MOVE MY HEART SO POTENTLY?"-KEATS.

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"HOW LIKE A QUEEN COMES FORTH THE LOVELY MOON!"-CROLY.

"THE MOON, THE SACRED QUEEN OF NIGHT, WHO POURS A LOVELY, GENTLE LIGHT."-THOMSON.

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