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A silk-worm in her hand she laid',

Nor fear, nor yet disgust, was stirred'; But gaily with her charge she play'd', As 'twere a nestling bird.

She raised it to her dimpled cheek,
And let it rest and revel there-
O, why for outward beauty seek'?
Lovè makes its favorites fair.

That worm-I should have shrunk, in truth',
To feel the reptile o'er me movè—
But, loved by innocence and youth',
I deemed it worthy love.

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And, when with usefulness combined',
Give them our love and gentle caré-
O, we might have a world as kind',
As God has made it fair!

There is no form upon our earth
That bears the mighty Maker's seal',
But has some charm' -to call this forth'
We need but hearts to feel.

LESSON XL.

THE SNOW-DROP.

THE snow-drop! 'tis an English flower',
And grows beneath our garden trees';
For every heart it has a dower
Of old and dear remembrances.
All look upon it, and straightway
Recall their youth like yesterday';

Their sunny years', when forth they went
Wandering in weariless content';
Their little plot of garden ground',
The pleasant orchard's quiet bound';
Their father's home', so free from care',
And the familiar faces there.

The household voices kind and sweet,
That knew no feigning-hushed and gone'—
The mother', that was sure to greet
Their coming with a welcome tone';-
The brothers', that were children then',
Now anxious', thoughtful', toiling men';-
And the kind sisters', whose glad mirth
I Was like a sunshine on the earth';-
These come back to the heart supine',
Flower of our youth', at look of thinè;
And thou', among the dimmed and gone',
Art,an unaltered thing alone!

Unchanged, unchanged`;--the very flower'
That grew in Eden droopingly',
Which now beside the peasant's door'
Awakes his merry children's glee',
Even as it filled his heart with joy
Beside his mother's door'-a boy'—
The same;—and to his heart it brings
The freshness of those vanished springs.
Bloom, then, fair flower', in sun and shade',
For deep thought in thy cup is laid',
And careless children, in their glee',
A sacred memory make of thee.

LESSON XLI.

PRAYER.

GLAD hearts to thee we bring';
With joy thy name we sing',
Father abové ;

Creation praises thee;

O'er all around we see'

Tokens of love.

Thou who in heaven art',
To us that grace impart',
Our master knew';

Aid us like him to live',

To thee our young hearts give,
Thou only true'.

Giver of all our powers',
Now in life's morning hours',
May they be thine',

Pure, and from error free',
An offering worthy Thee',
Parent divine.

Unite our souls in lovè;
Smile on us from above',
'Till life be o'er';

Then gather us to Thee',
In thine own fold to bé,
For evermore.

LESSON XLII.

FAITH.

THERE is a flower, a holy oné,
That blossoms on my path';
No need of dew or daily sun',
Or falling showers it hath`;

It blooms as brightly on the storm',
As on the cloudless day',

And rears unharmed its humble form',

When others fade away.

That plant is Faith'; its holy leaves'

Reviving odors shed'

Upon the lowly place of grief',

Or mansions of the dead.

God is its sun'; his living light'
In happy hours he lends',
And silently, in sorrow's night',
Religion's dew descends.

Plant of my soul', be fading things
By other hands caress'd';

But through life's weary wanderings',
I'll bear thee in my breast';

And when the icy power shall chill'
The fountains of my breath',
Thy loveliness shall cheer me still',
E'en in the hour of death.

LESSON XLIII.

SELECTIONS FROM THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.

My son', keep thy father's commandment', and forsake not the law of thy mother'; bind them continually on thy heart', and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest', it shall lead theè; when thou sleepest', it shall keep theè; and when thou wakest', it shall talk with thee.

Give instruction to a wise man', and he will be yet wiser'; teach a just man', and he will increase in learning.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'; and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.

If thou art wise', thou shalt be wise for thyself`; but if thou scornest', thou alone shalt bear it.

A wise son maketh a glad father'; but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand'; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

The memory of the just is blessed'; but the name of the wicked shall rot.

It is as a sport to a fool to do mischief'; but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich', and he addeth no sorrow with it.

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes', so is the sluggard to them who send him.

When pride cometh, then cometh shamè; but with the lowly is wisdom.

A tale-bearer revealeth secrets'; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Where no counsel is, the people fall'; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it'; and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul'; but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished'; but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman who is without discretion.

The liberal soul shall be made fat'; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him`; but blessing shall be on the head of him that selleth it.

He that trusteth in his riches shall fall`; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth'; much more the wicked and the sinner.

LESSON XLIV.

WINTER.

WINTER hath blown upon the earth'; he hath breathed on the streams', and they are frozen. The rivers themselves, and the mighty lakes, are turned into stone. From his hand he hath scattered the hoar-frost', and hath spread the snow upon the ground. The murmur of the brooks, the melody of the birds, are heard no more. The verdure of the spring, the glory of the summer, and the golden fruits of autumn, where are they? And thou, O man', does not the time approach, when the voice of harmony', and the daughters of music', thou shalt hear no more'? When the beauty of thy youth, the strength of thy manhood', and the wisdom of thy hoary head shall be as though they were not'? For the icy hand of death shall arrest thee in thy course', and thou shalt lie cold and silent', neglected and forgotten', in the tomb.

Turn again, O man', and look upon the goodness of the Lord. He it is that hath scattered the soft snow, to preserve the tender herb': he hath clothed the sheep with wool'.

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