But what were his arguments, few people know,
For the court did not think them equally wise.

8. So his lordship decreed, with a grave, solemn tone,
Decisive and clear, without one if or but,
That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on,
By day-light or candle-light,-Eyes should be shut.

XCIX. - GRATEFUL OLD AGE.

FROM THE GERMAN OF GESNER.

1. How beautifully the dawn shines through the hazelbush, and the wild roses blossom at the window! How joyfully the swallow sings on the rafter, under my roof, and the little lark in the high air! Every thing is cheerful, and every plant is revived in the dew. I also feel revived. My staff shall guide my tottering steps to the threshold of my cottage, and there will I sit down facing the rising sun, and look abroad on the green meadows. How beautiful is all around me here! All that I hear are voices of joy and thanks. The birds in the air and the shepherds on the hill, sing their delight, and the flocks from the grassy slopes and out of the variegated valleys, bellow out their joy.

2. How long, how long, shall I yet be a witness of divine goodness? Ninety times, have I already seen the change of the seasons; and when I look back from the present hour to the time of my birth,-a beautiful and extended prospect which, at last, is lost in pure air,-how swells my heart! The +emotion, which my tongue can not utter, is it not rapture? And are not these tears, tears of joy? And yet, are not both too feeble an expression of thanks? Ah! flow, ye tears! flow down these cheeks!

3. When I look back, it seems as if I had lived only through a long spring, my sorrowful hours being only short storms, which refreshed the fields and enlivened the plants. Hurtful +pestilences have never diminished our flocks; never has a +mischance happened to our trees, nor a lingering misfortune rested on this cottage. I looked out tenraptured into futurity, when my children played smiling in my arms, or when my hand guided their tottering footsteps. With tears of joy I

looked out into the future, when I saw these young sprouts spring up. "I will protect them from mischance," said I, "I will watch over their growth, and heaven will bless my endeavors. They will grow up and bear excellent fruit, and become trees, which shall shelter my declining age with their spreading branches."

4. So I spake, and pressed them to my heart, and now, they have grown up, full of blessings, covering my weary years with their refreshing shade. So, the apple-trees, the peartrees, and the tall nut-trees, planted by me while yet a boy, around my cottage, have grown up, carrying their widelyextended branches high into the air; and my little home nestles in their covering shade. This, this was my most +vehement grief, O Myrta, when thou didst expire on my agitated breast, within my arms. Spring has already covered thy grave, twelve times, with flowers. But the day approaches, a joyful day, when my bones shall be laid with thine. Perhaps, the coming night conducts it hither. O, I see with delight, how my gray beard flows down over my breast. Yes, play with the white hair on my breast, thou little *zephyr, who thoverest about me! It is as worthy of thy caresses, as the golden hair of joyful youth, or the brown curls on the neck of the blooming maiden.

5. This day shall be to me a day of joy! I will assemble my children around me here, even down to the little *stammering grand-child, and will offer thanksgiving to God; the altar shall be here before my cottage. I will garland my bald head, and my trembling hand shall take the lyre, and then will we, I and my children, sing songs of praise. Then, will I strew flowers over my table, and, with joyful †discourses, partake of the bounty of the Most High.

6. Thus spake Palamon, and rose trembling upon his staff; and having called his children together, held a glad +festival of devout and joyous +thanksgiving to the Deity.

C. THE THREE WARNINGS.

FROM MRS. THRALE.

1 THE tree of deepest root is found
Least willing still to quit the ground;
'T was therefore said, by ancient +sages,
That love of life increas'd with years,
So much, that in our latter stages,
When pains grow sharp and sickness rages,
The greatest love of life appears.

This great affection to believe,
Which all confess, but few perceive,
If old assertions can 't prevail,
Be pleas'd to hear a modern tale.

2 When sports went round, and all were gay,
On neighbor Dobson's wedding day;
Death call'd aside the +jocund groom
With him into another room;

And looking grave, "You must," says he,
"Quit your sweet bride, and come with me."
"With you? and quit my Susan's side?
With you?" the hapless bridegroom cried:
Young as I am, 't is monstrous hard!
Besides, in truth, I'm not prepared."

3. What more he urged, I have not heard;
His reasons could not well be stronger:
So Death the poor +delinquent spared,
And left to live a little longer.

Yet calling up a serious look,

His hour-glass trembled, while he spoke;
Neighbor," he said, "farewell; no more
Shall Death disturb your †mirthful hour,
And further, to avoid all blame
Of cruelty upon my name,
To give you time for preparation,
And fit you for your future station,
Three several warnings you shall have,
Before you 're summon'd to the grave:
Willing, for once, I'll quit my prey,
And grant a kind +reprieve;

In hopes you'll have no more to say,

But when I call again this way,
Well pleas'd, the world will leave.”
To these conditions both consented,
And parted, perfectly contented.

4. What next the hero of our tale befell,

How long he liv'd, how wisely and how well,

It boots not, that the muse should tell;

He plow'd, he sowed, he bought, he sold,
Nor once perceiv'd his growing old,
Nor thought of Death as near;

His friends not false, his wife no tshrew,
Many his gains, his children few,

He pass'd his hours in

peace:

But, while he view'd his wealth increase,
While thus along life's dusty road,

The beaten track, content he trod,
Old Time, whose haste no mortal spares,
Uncall'd, unheeded, tunawares,

Brought on his eightieth year.

5. And now, one night, in musing mood
As all alone he sat,

The unwelcome messenger of Fate
Once more before him stood.

Half kill'd with wonder and surprise,
"So soon return'd!" old Dobson cries.
"So soon d'ye call it ?" Death replies:

Surely my friend, you're but in jest ;

Since I was here before,

'Tis six and thirty years at least,

And you are now four-score."

"So much the worse!" the clown trejoin'd;

"To spare

the a-ged would be kind :

Besides, you promis'd me three warnings,

Which I have looked for, nights and mornings!"

6. "I know," cries Death, "that at the best,
I seldom am a welcome guest;

But do n't be +captious, friend; at least,
I little thought that you'd be able
To stump about your farm and stable;
Your years have run to a great length,
Yet still you seem to have your strength."
7. "Hold!" says the farmer, "not so fast;
I have been lame, these four years past."

"And no great wonder," Death replies;
"However, you still keep your eyes;
And surely, sir, to see one's friends,
For legs and arms would make amends."
"Perhaps," says Dobson, "so it might,
But latterly I've lost my sight."
"This is a shocking story, faith;

But there's some comfort still," says Death;
Each strives your sadness to amuse;
I warrant you hear all the news.

"There's none," cries he, "and if there were,
I've grown so deaf, I could not hear."

8. "Nay, then," the specter stern rejoin'd,
"These are unpardonable +yearnings;
If you are lame, and deaf, and blind,

You've had your three sufficient warnings;
So, come along! no more we'll part:
He said, and touch'd him with his dart:
And now, old Dobson, turning pale,
Yields to his fate-so ends my tale

CI. THE MEMORY OF OUR FATHERS.

FROM DR. BEECHER.

1. WE are called upon to cherish with high veneration and grateful recollections, the memory of our fathers. Both the ties of nature and the dictates of *policy, demand this. And surely, no nation had ever less occasion to be ashamed of its ancestry, or more occasion for gratulation in that respect; for while most nations trace their origin to *barbarians, the foundations of our nation were laid by civilized men, by Christians. Many of them were men of distinguished families, of powerful talents, of great learning and of pre-eminent wisdom, of decision of character, and of most inflexible integrity. And yet not unfrequently, they have been treated as if they had no virtues; while their sins and follies, have been *sedulously immortalized in *satirical anecdote. 2. The influence of such treatment of our fathers is too *manifest. It creates, and lets loose upon their institutions,