When you fhall be grown to maturity, you will then affift the neceffitous part of the human race, as you now do the birds, and the more good you do, the nearer you will approach the perfections of God."

Louifa continued her attention to feed her hungry birds, for more than a week, when the fnow began to melt, and the fields by degrees recovered their former verdure. The birds who had lately been afraid to quit the warm fhelter of the houfe, now returned to the woods and groves. The birds in our little Louifa's ariary were confined, and therefore could not get away; but they fhewed their inclination to depart, by flying against the windows, and pecking the glafs with their bills. These birds, perhaps, were induftrious, and wished not to be troublesome to Louifa, fince they could now procure their own living.

Louifa not being able to comprehend what could make them fo uneafy, asked her papa if he could tell the cause of it. "I know not, my dear, (faid her papa) but it is poffible thefe little birds may have left fome companions in the fields, which they now wish to fee."-" You are very right papa, (replied Louifa) and they fhall have their liberty immediately." She accordingly opened the window, and all the birds foon flew out of it.

Thefe little feathered animals had no fooner obtained their liberty, than fome were feen hopping on the ground, others darting into the air, or fporting in the trees from twig to twig, and fome flying about the windows chirping, as though out of gratitude to their benefactor.

Louifa hardly ever went into the fields, but she fancied that fome of her little family feemed to welcome her approach, either by hopping before her, or entertaining her with their melodious notes, which afforded her a fource of inexhausti. ble pleasure.

HAIL, lovely pow'r! whofe bofom heaves a figh, When fancy paints the fcene of deep diftrefs; Whofe tears fpontaneous chryftalize the eye, When rigid fate denies the pow'r to bless.

Not all the fweets Arabia's gales convey

From flow'ry meads, can with that figh compare: Not dew-drops glitt'ring in the morning ray, Seem ne'er fo beaut'ous as that falling tear.

Devoid of fear the fawns around thee play; Emblem of peace, the dove before thee flies; No blood-ftain'd traces mark thy blameless way; Beneath thy feet no helplefs infect dies.

Come, lovely nymph; and range the mead with me, To fpring the partridge from the guileful foe, From fecret fnares the ftrugg'ling bird to free, And stop the hand uprais'd to give the blow.

And when th' air with heat meridian glows,

And nature droops beneath the conq'ring gleam, Let us, flow wand'ring where the current flows, Save finking flies that float along the ftream.

Or, turn to nobler, greater tafks thy care,
To me thy fympathetic gifts impart ;
Teach me in friendship's griefs to bear a fhare;
And justly boaft the gen'rous feeling heart.

Teach me to footh the helplefs orphan's grief;
With timely aid the widow's woes affuage;
To mis'ry's moving cries to yield relief,

And be the fure refource of drooping age.

So when the verdant fpring of youth fhall fade,
And finking nature owns the dread decay,
Some foul congenial then may lend its aid,
And gild the clofe of life's eventful day.

THINK

HINK yourselves happy, my little readers, fince none of you perhaps know what it is to endure hunger day after day, without being able to enjoy one plentiful meal. Confident I am, that the following relation will not fail to make an impreffion on your tender hearts.

Bertrand was a poor labourer, who had fix young children whom he maintained with the ut

moft difficulty. To add to his diftreffes, an unfavourable feafon much increased the price of bread. This honeft labourer worked day and night to procure fubfiftence for his family, and though their food was compofed of the coarfest kind, yet even of that he could not procure a fufficiency.

Finding himfelf reduced to extremity, he one day called his little family together, and with tears in his eyes, and a heart overflowing with grief, "My fweet children, faid he to them, bread is now fo extravagantly dear, that I find all my efforts to fupport you ineffectual. My whole day's labour is barely fufficient to purchase this piece of bread which you fee in my hand! it must therefore be divided among you, and you must be contented with the little my labour can procure you. Though it will not afford each of you a plentiful meal, yet it will be fufficient to keep you from perishing with hunger." Sorrow and tears interrupted his words, and he could fay no more, but lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven.

His children wept in filence, and young as they were, their little hearts feemed to feel more for their father than for themselves. Bertrand then divided the fmall portion of bread into feven equal shares, one of which he kept for himfelf, and gave to the reft each their lot. But one of them,