SPRING. ye who never knew the joys WM. COWPER, 1731-1800. SPRING. SEE, see how the ices are melting away, The sun rises high and shines warm o'er the dale, The voice of the woodlark is heard in the vale, Young lambs sport and frisk on the side of the hill; Ah! let me not be less industrious than they, Now, while in the spring of my vigour and bloom, Thus, if to my lessons with care I attend, When the winter of age shall upon me descend, 27 JANE TAYLOR, 1783-1824. * The name of a lively dance. THE HARE AND TORTOISE. A FABLE. A FORWARD hare of swiftness vain, He'd boast his flight 'twere vain to follow, Come, 'tis a match : nay, no denial, "Twas "done" and "done," all fair, "a bet," Judges prepared, and distance set. The scampering hare outstripped the wind; I'll take a nap, and then be with thee." While puss unknowing soundly slept, THE CHILD'S DESIRE. The bets were won, the hare awoke, LLOYD. 29 THE CHILD'S DESIRE. I THINK, when I read that sweet story of old, How He called little children as lambs to His fold, I wish that His hand had been placed on my head, And that I might have seen his kind look when He said, "Let the little ones come unto Me." But still to His footstool in prayer I may go, And if I thus earnestly seek Him below, In that beautiful place He has gone to prepare * Made pure from sin. THE CHAMELEON. OFT has it been my lot to mark Two travellers of such a cast, "Hold there," the other quick replies, "'Tis green, I saw it with these eyes, As late with open mouth it lay, And warmed it in the sunny ray; THE CHAMELEON. Stretched at its ease the beast I viewed, And saw it eat the air for food." "I've seen it, sir, as well as you, And must again affirm it blue; At leisure I the beast surveyed, Extended in the cooling shade." ""Tis green, 'tis green, sir, I assure ye." "Green!" cried the other in a fury: "Why, sir, d'ye think I've lost my eyes?" ""Twere no great loss," the friend replies; "For if they always serve you thus, You'll find them but of little use." So high at last the contest rose, From words they almost came to blows: When luckily came by a third; To him the question they referred; And begged he'd tell them, if he knew, Whether the thing was green or blue. 66 Sirs," cries the umpire, 66 cease your pother; The creature's neither one nor t'other. I caught the animal last night, And viewed it o'er by candlelight; I marked it well, 'twas black as jetYou stare-but, sirs, I've got it yet, And can produce it."- Pray, sir, do; I'll lay my life the thing is blue." "And I'll be sworn, that when you've seen The reptile, you'll pronounce it green." If 'Well, then, at once to ease the doubt," Replies the man, "I'll turn him out; And when before your eyes I've set him, you don't find him black I'll eat him." He said; and full before their sight Produced the beast, and lo! 'twas white. Both stared; the man looked wondrous wise- 31 |