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ON A FLOWER.

BY LYTE.

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spare my flower, my gentle flower,
The slender creature of a day!

Let it bloom out its little hour,

And pass away.

Too soon its fleeting charms must lie,
Decay'd, unnoticed, overthrown.

O, hasten not its destiny

Too like thy own.

The breeze will roam this way to-morrow,
And sigh to find his playmate gone:
The bee will come its sweets to borrow,
And meet with none.

O spare! and let it still outspread
Its beauties to the passing eye,
And look up from its lowly bed
Upon the sky.

O spare my flower! Thou know'st not what
Thy undiscerning hand would tear:

A thousand charms thou notest not

Lie treasured there.

Not Solomon in all his state,

Was clad like Nature's simplest child;
Nor could the world combin'd create
One floweret wild.

Spare then, this humble monument
Of an Almighty's power and skill;
And let it at His shrine present
Its homage still.

He made it who makes nought in vain;
He watches it who watches thee;

And he can best its date ordain

Who bade it be!

THE HISTORY OF A HORNED COCK.

A noble Virtuoso, one of those philosophers who build their pretensions to scientific fame on making collections of the monstrosities of nature without ever attempting to investigate the wisdom and power displayed in the regular process of her works, was waited on by a man, who having got intelligence of his lordship's taste, resolved to turn it to his own advantage. This man who bought poultry round the country for the supply of the markets in London, procured a beautiful game cock, and sawing off the spurs of another cock that had very long ones, contrived to fix them very firmly with wax on the head of the game cock, on each side of the comb, the points turned backwards, and inclining from each other, like the horns of a goat, in such a manner that they appeared to have grown naturally.

As soon as he found that he could bring his scheme to a probability of success, he went to the Virtuoso and giving notice that he had something curious to communicate, was immediately admitted to an audience in his museum. He then informed his Lordship that he had received intelligence from a particular friend that in the farthest part of the Highlands, there was a most remarkable cock, with two surprising horns growing out of the back of his head, in the possession of an old woman who was famous for her skill in rearing poultry; and he was come to offer his service to go and bring him up, if his lordship would reimburse him the expences of the journey, and give him some little con

sideration for his trouble: and to convince his lordship that he had no design to impose upon him, he would go at his own hazard, and desire nothing if he did not succeed.

The first mention of such a curiosity threw the Virtuoso into raptures; he embraced the fellow, conjured him not to lose a minute, nor to drop the least syllable of the affair to any person living till he brought him the cock and to secure his fidelity, pulled out his purse, and gave him ten guineas, with a promise of fifty more if he delivered the bird in safety. The man promised every thing he required, and went away overjoyed at the success of his scheme. Accordingly he left that part of the country directly, and taking care to keep beyond the reach of his lordship's inquiry, followed his business as usual, for the time that he might be thought to have spent in his expedition. In the meanwhile the Virtuoso could not conceal the pride of his heart on the prospect of so great an acquisition; but in all his letters to his philosophical correspondents, gave mysterious hints of something immensely fine, rare, and unnatural, and the importance due to the possession of such a treasure.

At length the moment arrived that was to complete his happiness. About ten o'clock at night the man alighted at his lordship's gate, and sending in his name, was immediately shown into the museum where his lordship flew to meet him in the utmost impatience. As soon as the man entered, all spattered with dirt, with every appearance of fatigue,,, Well, my good friend, (said the Virtuoso, with the greatest eagerness,) what success? Where is the dear creature? shall I be so happy as to see him in my possession?"

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My Lord, (answered the man,) I must beg your pardon for a moment, I am not able to speak; I am quite worn out what with travelling and watching day and night I am quite worn out“ But where is

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the bird?" And then such offers as I have refused! Well, to be sure, I trusted to your lordship's generosity, for I shall never have such another opportunity of making my fortune. The thing had taken wind, and there were my Lord Duke's and Sir Thomas's men, and twenty more riding for life, to try who should get him; but I had got the start of them, and was coming back with the pretty creature in my bosom; but I let them all go on their fools- errand, and did not say any thing; for how did I know but they might kill me to get him away from me?" Having finished this speech he opened his horseman's cloak, and with the greatest caution produced the wonderful creature, the head and neek of which had been carefully thrust into a box made on purpose for fear the horns should be injured.

His lordship's rapture at the sight is not to be described. He instantly pulled out his purse, and paying down the promised price, took possession of him, and bid the man go and refresh himself for that night with the best in the house, and in the morning he would consider how he might make a return more suitable to his valuable services. But the fellow had resolved that his lordship should never see his face again, if he could help it, aud retiring with many professions of gratitude, left the house directly, and took his leave of that part of the country for ever.

In the mean time, his lordship had notice, that supper was served up; but though he had company of the first rank in his house, he was so engaged in the

contemplation of his new acquisition, that he sent word he was taken suddenly ill, and could not possibly attend them: he then despatched several servants express to his learned friends to desire their attendance next day, to see the most astonishing work that nature had ever created in the animal world, and devoted the rest of the night to drawing up a proper description of this surprising horned cock, with a physical inquiry into the substance of his horns, and a philosophical attempt to account for such an extraordinary production. When this work of uncommon learning was finished, he indulged himself with taking another view of his darling bird, and then put him in a beautiful cage from which he dislodged two Chinese pheasants, and placed him in his museum, next to a horned owl.

It was six in the morning before he retired to rest, when his head was so full of his new acquisition, that he lay dreaming of cows with wings, griffins, sphinxes and other fabulous creatures, till the arrival of his learned friends at noon. As soon as their coming was announced, he arose directly, and without waiting to visit the cock to whom he had given a sufficiency of barley the evening before, went to meet them. After several inquiries into the cause of so sudden and peremptory a summons, the Virtuoso, in all the importance which so inestimable an acquisition gave him, produced his own learned labours of that morning, and when they had sufficiently studied and examined them, introduced them to a sight of the unparalleled subject:

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There, gentlemen (said he in conscious exultation) there, my friends, behold the most inestimable curiosity, that ever enriched the collection of a philosopher. There behold an indisputable proof of their error, who

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