72 DAYS OF MY YOUTH. My kite-how fast and far it flew ; 'T was papered o'er with studious themes, My joys are wingless all, and dead; My fears prevail, my fancies droop, My football's laid upon the shelf;- The world knocks to and fro. No more in noontide sun I bask; And friends grow strangely cool! The very chum, that shared my cake, It makes me shrink and sigh- No skies so blue, or so serene As then; no leaves look half so green As clothed the play-ground tree! All things I loved are altered so, Oh, for the garb that marked the boy- Well ink'd with black and red ;- Oh, for the riband round the neck! How can this formal man be styled Oh, for that small beer anew? And (Heaven's own type) that mild sky blue The master even-and that small Turk Oh, for the lessons learned by heart! Should mark those hours again; 73 74 THE RATS AND THE BARLEY. The Arabian Nights, rehearsed in bed; The "omne bene"-Christmas come! But now I write for days and days, For fame-a deal of empty praise, Without the silver pen! Then home, sweet home; the crowded coach- The winding horns, like rams'; When, that I was a tiny boy My mates were blithe and kind— THE RATS AND THE BARLEY. SOME Rats, having found a sack of barley deposited in the corner of a garret, enjoyed themselves every day, in feasting abundantly upon it, till it was all gone. The winter now set in, but they had no provision, and COLUMBUS.-RESENTMENT. 75 "How none could they get at in the neighborhood. foolish were we," said one of them, "that we did not eat less at a time, and then we might have had plenty to last us all the winter.". COLUMBUS. WHEN Columbus, after having discovered the Western Hemisphere, was, by order of the king of Spain, brought home from America, in chains, the captain of the ship, who was intimately acquainted with his character, his knowledge and his talents, offered to free him from his chains, and make his passage as agreeable as possible. Columbus rejected his friendly offer, saying, "Sir, I thank you; but these chains are the rewards and honors for my services from my king, whom I have served as faithfully as my God; and as such, I will carry them with me to my grave." RESENTMENT. RESENTMENT may be distinguished into anger and revenge. Anger is the pain we suffer, upon the receipt of an injury, or an affront. Revenge is the inflicting of pain on the person who has injured or offended us. When prompted to resentment, we should particularly advert to the following reflections; the possi bility of mistaking the motives from which the conduct that offends us proceeded; how often our own offences have been the effect of inadvertence, when they were construed into indications of malice; that the object of our resentment is suffering, perhaps, under a contrition, which he is ashamed, or wants opportunity, to confess; how ungenerous it is to triumph, by coldness or insult, over a spirit already humbled in secret; that the returns of kindness are sweet, and that there is neither honor, nor virtue, nor utility in resisting them. EXERCISE. WITHOUT the regular exercise of the body, its health cannot be maintained; the body becomes weak, the countenance pale and languid, and the spirits depressed and gloomy. Regular bodily exercise, on the contrary, creates a healthy appetite, invigorates the powers of digestion, causes sound and refreshing sleep, a freshness of the complexion, and cheerfulness of the spirits; it wards off disease, and tends to preserve the vigor of both mind and body to an advanced age. During the winter season, active exercise in the open air preserves the warmth of the body, and renders it less susceptible to the influence of cold, and less dependent for its comfort on artificial heat. The periods of the day best adapted to exercise are, early in the morning, and towards the close of the day. Walking is the most beneficial and most natural exercise, because, in the erect position, every part of the body is free from restraint, while by the gentle motion communicated to each portion of it, in the act of walking, free circulation is promoted. Next to walking, riding on horseback is the kind of exercise to be preferred. Many other species of exercise may be considered as contributing to the support of health; such as working in the garden, or in the fields, running, leaping, dancing, and swimming. |