BY

A CLUSTER OF GERMAN PROVERBS.

Y the street of Bye-and-By one arrives at the house of Never.
With great men one must allow five to be an even number.

If you are an anvil, be patient; if you are a hammer, strike hard.

Wait is a hard word for the hungry.

War is pleasant to those who have not tried it.

One to-day is better than ten to-morrows.

There are only two good women in the world: one is dead, and the other cannot be found.

"I have" is a better bird than " If I had."

Neutrals think to tread on eggs and break none.

Disputing and borrowing cause grief and sorrowing.

"Your words are fair," said the wolf, "but I will not come into the village."

Once in people's mouths, 'tis hard to get out of them.

WITH

A CLUSTER OF SPANISH PROVERBS.

ITH a staircase before you, you look for a rope to go down by. If you have a loitering servant, set his dinner before him and send him on an errand.

A peasant between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats.

In a smith's house the knife is wooden.

In a country of the blind, the one-eyed is king.

What is mine is my own; my brother Juan's is his and mine.

He is a fool who thinks that another does not think.

There's no argument like that of the stick.

Words will not do for my aunt; she has not faith even in deeds.

When God pleases it rains in fair weather.

A secret between two is God's secret: a secret between three is everybody's.

The earth hides as it takes the physician's mistakes.

THE GIANT AND THE DWARF.

A TRUE FABLE.

NCE upon a time, a Giant and a Dwarf were friends, and kept together. They made a bargain that they would never forsake each other, but go seek adventures. The first battle they fought was with two Saracens, and the Dwarf, who was very courageous, dealt one of the champions a most angry blow. It did the Saracen but very little injury, who,

lifting up his sword, fairly struck off the poor Dwarf's arm. He was now in a woeful plight; but the Giant coming to his assistance, in a short time left the two Saracens dead on the plain, and the Dwarf cut off the dead man's head out of spite. They then travelled on to another adventure. This was against three bloody-minded Satyrs, who were carrying away a damsel in distress. The Dwarf was not quite so fierce now as before; but for all that, struck the first blow; which was returned by another, that knocked out his eye: but the Giant was soon up with them, and had they not fled, would certainly have killed them every one. They were all

very joyful for this victory, and the damsel who was relieved fell in love with the Giant, and married him. They now travelled far, and farther than I can tell, till they met with a company of robbers. The Giant, for the first time, was foremost now; but the Dwarf was not far behind. The battle was stout and long. Wherever the Giant came, all fell before him; but the Dwarf had like to have been killed more than once. At last the victory declared for the two adventurers: but the Dwarf lost his leg. The Dwarf had now lost an arm, a leg, and an eye, while the Giant was without a single wound. Upon which he cried out to his little companion: "My little hero, this is glorious sport; let us get one victory more, and then we shall have honour for ever." "No," cries the Dwarf, who was by this time grown wiser-"no, I declare off; I'll fight no more; for I find in every battle that you get all the honour and rewards, but all the blows fall upon me."

B

THE LOVE OF COUNTRY AND OF HOME.

'HERE is a land, of every land the pride,

TH

Beloved by Heaven, o'er all the world beside;

Where brighter suns dispense serener light,
And milder moons emparadise the night;

A land of beauty, virtue, valour, truth,
Time-tutor'd age, and love-exalted youth:
The wandering mariner, whose eye explores
The wealthiest isles, the most enchanting shores,
Views not a realm so bountiful and fair,
Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air ;

In every clime the magnet of his soul,

Touch'd by remembrance, trembles to that pole ;
For in this land of Heaven's peculiar grace,
The heritage of nature's noblest race,
There is a spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest :
Where man, creation's tyrant, casts aside
His sword and sceptre, pageantry and pride,
While in his soften'd looks benignly blend
The sire, the son, the husband, father, friend :
Here woman reigns; the mother, daughter, wife,
Strews with fresh flowers the narrow way of life;
In the clear heaven of her delightful eye,
An angel-guard of loves and graces lie;
Around her knees domestic duties meet,
And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet.

"Where shall that land, that spot of earth be found?"
Art thou a man?-a patriot ?-look around;
Oh, thou shalt find, howe'er thy footsteps roam,
That land THY COUNTRY, and that spot THY HOME!

Montgomery.

THE THEORY OF QUARRELLING.

Touchstone. I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier's beard; he sent me word, if I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was: this is called the Retort courteous. If I sent him word again, it was not well cut, he would send me word, he cut it to please himself: this is called the Quip modest. If again, it was not well cut, he disabled my judgment: this is called the Reply churlish. If again, it was not well cut, he would answer, I spake not true: this is called the Reproof valiant. If again, it was not well cut, he would say I lie: this is called the Countercheck quar relsome: and so to the Lie circumstantial, and the Lie direct.

Jaques. And how oft did you say his beard was not well cut?

Touchstone. I durst go no further than the Lie circumstantial, nor he durst not give me the Lie direct; and so we measured swords, and parted. Jaques. Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie?

Tonchstone. O Sir, we quarrel in print, by the book; as you have books for good manners: I will name you the degrees. The first, the Retort courteous; the second, the Quip modest; the third, the Reply churlish; the fourth, the Reproof valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with circumstance; the seventh, the Lie direct. All these you may avoid, but the Lie direct; and you may avoid that too, with an "if." I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an "if," as "If you said so, then I said so;" and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your "if" is the only peacemaker; much virtue in "if." Shakespeare.