5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 LESSON CCXXIV.-THE TREASURE THAT WAXETH NOT OLD. D. HUNTINGTON. Oh! I have loved, in youth's fair vernal morn, To spread imagination's wildest wing, And seek the visioned realms that poets sing,- Where streams of earthly joy exhaustless rise, Since stern experience waved her iron wand, When Disappointment mocked my wooing heart, And from forbidden pleasures loth to part, Though shrinking oft beneath Correction's deepest smart. And is there naught in mortal life, I cried, Can sooth the sorrows of the laboring breast? No kind recess where baffled hope may hide, Be my few days with peace and friendship blessed; Though neither wealth, nor fame, nor luxury be mine. Encircled with a faithful few, to dwell, Beyond the reach of every human eye; To each alluring object 'neath the sky, Take then thy station,-act thy proper part ;— His love, diffused, thy shuddering breast shall warm 5 His power provide a shelter from the gathering storm.' Oh! welcome hiding place! Oh! refuge meet For fainting pilgrims, on this desert way! Oh ! kind Conductor of these wandering feet 10 Through snares and darkness, to the realms of day! His healing beams; each gloomy cloud dispel: Truth's cheering bow of precious promise fell, LESSON CCXXV.-THE YOUNG MARINER'S DREAM. In slumbers of midnight the sailor boy lay, -Dimond His hammock swung loose at the sport of the wind; But, watchworn and weary, his cares flew away, And visions of happiness danced o'er his mind. 5 He dreamed of his home, of his dear native bowers, And pleasures that waited on life's merry morn; While memory each scene gayly covered with flowers, And restored every rose, but secreted its thorn. 10 Then fancy her magical pinions spread wide, eyes. The jassamine clambers, in flower, o'er the thatch; And the swallow sings sweet from her nest in the wall 15 All trembling with transport, he raises the latch; 20 And the voices of loved ones reply to his call. A father bends o'er him with looks of delight; With those of the sister his bosom holds dear. Joy quickens his pulses,-his hardships seem o'er; And a murmur of happiness steals through his rest,— "O God! thou hast blest me; I ask for no more." Ah! whence is that flame which now bursts on his eye? Ah! what is that sound which now larums his ear? 'Tis the lightning's red glare, painting wrath on the sky! 'Tis the crashing of thunders, the groan of the sphere! 5 He springs from his hammock,-he flies to the deck,Amazement confronts him with images dire,Wild winds and mad waves drive the vessel a wreck,The masts fly in splinters,—the shrouds are on fire! Like mountains the billows tremendously swell: 10 In vain the lost wretch calls on mercy to save; Unseen hands of spirits are ringing his knell, And the death angel flaps his broad wing o'er the wave. O sailor boy! woe to thy dream of delight! In darkness dissolves the gay frost-work of bliss; Shall home, love, or kindred, thy wishes repay; Or redeem form or fame from the merciless surge; But the white foam of waves shall thy winding-sheet be, And winds, in the midnight of winter, thy dirge! 25 On a bed of green sea-flower thy limbs shall be laid; Around thy white bones the red coral shall grow; Of thy fair, yellow locks, threads of amber be made, And every part suit to thy mansion below. 30 Days, months, years, and ages, shall circle away, O sailor boy! sailor boy! peace to thy soul! LESSON CCXXVI. GUSTAVUS VASA AND CRISTIERN.-Brooke. Crist. Tell me, Gustavus, tell me why is this, That, as a stream diverted from the banks 5 Of smooth obedience, thou hast drawn these men To turn their inundation? Are the lives Of my misguided people held so light, That thus thou 'dst push them on the keen rebuke 5 Of guarded majesty; where justice waits Th' impervious rights, the sanctitude of kings; Gust. Justice, sanctitude, And rights! O patience! Rights! what rights, thou tyrant If wrongs give right, Oh! then, supreme in mischief, Of frank election, Not e'en the high anointing hand of Heaven, For lawless power, wed faith to violation, 25 On reason build misrule, or justly bind Allegiance to injustice. Tyranny Absolves all faith; and who invades our rights, 30 There is no name! Thou hast ab ured mankind, Crist. Licentious traitor! thou canst talk it largely Gust. Mistaken man! I come empowered and strengthened in thy weakness. For though the structure of a tyrant's throne Crist. Profane, and alien to the love of Heaven! Made an anathema, a curse enrolled Gust. Yes, I know, When such as thou, with sacrilegious hand, That bleat upon the mountain, are the words Sacked towns, and midnight howlings, through the realm When vice turns holy, puts religion on, 35 Assumes the robe pontifical, the eye Of saintly elevation, blesseth sin, And makes the seal of sweet offended Heaven A sign of blood. Crist. No more of this! 40 Gustavus, wouldst thou yet return to grace, And hold thy motions in the sphere of duty, Acceptance might be found. Gust. Imperial spoiler ! Give me my father, give me back my kindred, |