"James kindly brought to me." Now, I require to say it perfumes my room, and fifty schemes may be devised to express this idea, and at the same time it must be remembered the last syllable of the last line must correspond in tone to the last syllable of the second line. Something is wanted to sound with me. I begin at be—can find nothing to suit—along the consonants alphabetically-dē, fẽ, lẽ, mē, nē, rē, geẽ, teē, wẽ. This is what a child will do, you know. No idea will come up. Then the short sound of i is tried-by, fy, ly. I might say something about scenting delightfully— about the fragrance of the flowers scenting delightfully, or refreshing me nicely, or gratefully. "Throws perfume o'er my sweet boudoir "—that will do, but James knows I have not a boudoir; I have only my pretty little parlour. Well, I like my verse to be true, so I will change it into, "Wafts fragrance o'er my sittingroom, scenting delightfully." No, fragrance means scenting. I must say it does more than scents the room—it refreshes me. Well, I've got it—“ Refreshing delightfully;” no, that won't do it is too long; I see it must be a word of of three syllables with the accent on the first; charmingly will do-that is the very thing-no, I want it to express that the refreshment is grateful to my sense of smell. Refreshing gratefully." well, here it is This bouquet of most lovely flowers Well, Ch. O that is quite different. How did that thought come? M. Cannot tell; but have often found that after all the thinking, reasoning, twisting, and teasing, it sprung up of itself It came by an unseen, unknown, something, or somebody, called thought. Ch. Perhaps it was a fairy, mamma. PROSE AND VERSE. You have always been kind to me, my dear boy. May God reward you. Four feet and three alternately: two syllables in each foot. Thou hast been kind-to me, my son, My own-dear pre-cious boy, May God-reward-thy fi-lial love- OR Four feet in each line: the last syllable of every two lines making metre to the preceding line. How many kindnesses,-my son,— OR The same number of feet with the metre differently arranged: first and third: second and fourth rhyming. Thy kind-ness will-not be-forgot- Thus the same sentence in prose may be put into various forms in verse, and thus prove an amusing and instructive exercise for the mind. trial, to be a far more interesting It will be found, after study than music on the piano-forte. It is peculiarly pleasing on a sick-bed, and we think it should be more cultivated than it is. "My sick-bed brings from me a song, PROSE. Verses from the Bible form most suitable meditation for a sick room; and making them into verse is a delightful exercise, especially when prolonged. "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" "Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." "Feed my sheep." VERSE. Five feet in each line: each foot containing two syllables. 1. Say Si-mon, son—of Jo-nas, lov'st-thou me? Jesus-thou know-est well-I do-love Thee! Then if thou dost-go, feed my ten-der sheep, Protect-my lambs-and them-from dan―ger keep. 2. The same kind Saviour whispers to us still, PROSE. Don't be afraid to go to Australia. God is there as well as here; and He will gather His own people at last from the four corners of the earth. VERSE. Three syllables in each foot, and four and three feet alternately in each line: first line and third agreeing in sound, and second and fourth making metre. Then go fear-lessly forth-to Australia's shore, For the God-of all lands-will be there. And He'll gath—er his peo-ple when time—is no more, From the north-south, and every where. PROSE. When the flowers of spring are bursting into bloom, they remind us that departed friends will rise again. VERSE. Four feet in each line containing three syllables in each foot: the last syllable of each two lines making metre. BLANK VERSE. This requires measurement, but no metre. Blank verse generally consists of five feet, or ten syllables in each line. It allows great scope to the poet, for his ideas flow on without interruption. Metre is no stumbling-block to him; but to the mere verse-rhymer, blank verse is said to be more difficult than any other. PROSE. Surely that soft, grassy, little mound cannot be a stone covered with moss. "O no! It is the habitation of myriads of little ants who have not only built it, but are busy now laying up a store of food for the winter." BLANK VERSE. What is this mossy mound? An insect world- Talk of the pyramids! That monument These were, perhaps, Is mightier than they! The granaries Egyptians built of old! Oh the spring-time is sweet-it brings hope-to the breast, For the flow'rs-come to life-they awake-from their rest; And they whisper soft music as if-from the sky, Do not mourn-for that lov'd-one, the soul-cannot die. |