But in this page a record will I seek. Not in the air shall these my words disperse, Though I be ashes; a far hour shall wreak The deep prophetic fullness of this verse, And pile on human heads the mountain of my curse! That curse shall be forgiveness.-Have I not- Have I not suffered things to be forgiven? As rots into the souls of those whom I survey. But I have lived, and have not lived in vain : My mind may lose its force, my blood its fire, And my frame perish even in conquering pain, But there is that within me which shall tire Torture and time, and breathe when I expire; Something unearthly, which they deem not of, Like the remembered tone of a mute lyre, Shall on their softened spirits sink, and move In hearts all rocky now, the late remorse of love. LESSON LXXXV. SYMPATHY. The following amusing Satire upon what may be called poetical despair or affected misanthropy, was written by the excellent BISHOP HEBER. The pupil must be careful to distinguish the speakers by a suitable variation of voice. A knight and a lady once met in a grove, "O never was knight such a sorrow that bore!" They searched for an eddy that suited the deed, They gazed on each other, the maid and the knight; How fair was her form, and how goodly his height! "One mournful embrace!" sobbed the youth, die!" So kissing and crying kept company! "O, had I but loved such an angel as you!" 66 66 O, had but my swain been a quarter as true!" "To miss such perfection how blinded was I!" Sure now they were excellent company! ere we At length spoke the lass, 'twixt a smile and a tear, LESSON LXXXVI. THE ART OF BOOK-KEEPING. The wit of the following piece lies in its puns, which have been explained at lesson 67. It may be necessary for the teacher to explain to the young pupil the point of each pun, although it is marked as far as practicable by italic letters. Campbell is pronounced Camel. How hard, when those who do not wish A circulating library Is mine—my birds are flown; There's one odd volume left, to be Like all the rest,-a-lone. New tales and novels you may shut They're gone-and though the leaves "are cut," 66 For pamphlets lent, I look around; But when they take a book that's bound, O'er everything, however slight, They seized some airy trammel; They snatched my " Hogg" and " Fox," one night, And pocketed my "Campbell." They picked my " Locke," to me far more Than patent locks are worth; And now my losses I deplore Without a "Home" on earth. If once a book you let them lift, For though I caught them stealing "Swift," 66 Hope" is not now upon my shelf, Where late he stood elated; But what is strange, my " Pope" himself My life is wasting fast away To suffer from these shocks; And though I've fixed a lock on " Gray,” But still they've made me slight returns, For, oh! they've cured me of my " Burns,” But more, I think, I shall not say, For as they never found me " Gay," They have not left me "Sterne." LESSON LXXXVII. THE APPLICATION OF PHRENOLOGY. The following good natured hit at the new science, was taken from the LITERARY GAZETTE. It must be spoken by a lad, and that not young one. The German name of Spurzheim is pronounced Spurtz a hame, Away with all doubt and misgiving, Now lovers must woo by the book— No more need we fly the bright glances What fate will be ours when we wed: 13 The heart has no passion within it The first time I studied the science I caught the first glimpse of her brow. Causality finely expanding, The largest, I happened to see; Such argument's far too commanding, Thought I, to be practised on me. Then Nancy came next, and each feature I ventured, the sweet little creature, The organ of Speech was in Fanny ; In Helen a passion to roam, At length 'twas my lot to discover The finest of skulls, I believe, To please or to puzzle a lover, That Spurzheim or Gall could conceive. "Twould take a whole age to decipher The bumps upon Emily's head; So I said, I will settle for life here, And study them-after I wed. |