What saith the Streamlet, Flowing so bright, Clear as a beamlet Of heavenly light? "Morning and evening still floating along, What saith the River, Majestic in flow, Calmly and slow? "Over my surface the great vessels glide, What saith the Ocean, Resistless in might? "Fountain to streamlet, streamlet to river, All in my bosom commingle for ever; Morning to noontide, and noontide to night, Soon will Eternity veil thee from sight.” WILLIAM W. CALDWELL, 1823 -American. How their leaves instruction yield! By the blessed birds of heaven! Warbles sweet philosophy: "Mortal, fly from doubt and sorrow! "Say, with richer crimson glows Mortal, fly from doubt and sorrow! "One there lives whose guardian eye One there lives, who, Lord of all, Free from doubt and faithless sorrow God provideth for the morrow!" BISHOP HEBER, 1783-1826. THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR. AND wherefore do the Poor complain? The Rich Man ask'd of me ;Come, walk abroad with me, I said, And I will answer thee. 'Twas evening, and the frozen streets And we were wrapt and coated well, We met an old bare-headed man, I ask'd him what he did abroad The cold was keen indeed, he said, We met a young bare-footed child, She said her father was at home, And he lay sick a-bed, And therefore was it she was sent Abroad to beg for bread. We saw a woman sitting down She had a baby at her back I ask'd her why she loiter'd there Then told us that her husband served, A soldier, far away, And therefore to her parish she We met a girl, her dress was loose I ask'd her what there was in guilt To shame, disease, and late remorse ; I turn'd me to the Rich Man then, For silently stood he, You ask'd me why the poor complain, And these haye answer'd thee. ROBERT SOUTHEY, 1774-1843 THE LABOURER. STAND up erect! Thou hast the form What then?-Thou art as true a MAN Who is thine enemy?—the high In station, or in wealth the chief? The great, who coldly pass thee by, With proud step, and averted eye? Nay! nurse not such belief. |