Loathing and pain the odious beverage, Which, forced upon you still, becomes at last Your dírest enemy, your deadliest poison, The water all the while being the same, Ánd the last draught refreshing as the first, Hadst thoú thyself not in the meantime changed.
Go tó! go tó! ye that an absolute good
Or ábsolute bád find in the outward world And look not in yourselves for that which makes The indifferent, outward object good or bad.
ALPNACH in the valley of SARNEN, Sept. 23, 1854.
A cát that in a barn the day Had moúsing spent among the hay Without success, and thought her fast Was likely now till morn to last, Spied, with her eyes half closed to sleep, Out of a hole a fát rat creep
And joyful cried, with claw and fang As ón th' unhoped-for prey she sprang: "Who could believe with common sense There's no such thing as Providence? What but a special Providence sent This fat rat for my nourishment?"
"Áh,” squeaked the rát loud, "it's a good
Providence gives rats to cats for food!"
LICHTENSTEIN in SAXONY, June 19, 1854.
"THERE's nothing like experience"
An old fly to a young one say, as both
About my study buzzed in the golden sunbeams : "Only experience teaches what to follow
And what to shun; only experience guides In safety through th' intricacies of life. Bút for experience Í had months ago
The préy been of that fell and cunning spider; Bút for experience' salutary counsel I'd limed perhaps both foot and wing ere now In yón pestiferous dish of viscid fly-trap. List éver to experience, child, and thank God Thát he 's vouchsáfed us the unerring guide But aren't you lonely in this wide room here? Cóme and let's pay a visit to the blackbird That sings so sweetly in the cage in the window." "Let's go by áll means if it 's only safe," Replied the young fly; "what says your experience ?” "Nóthing on this point; I have never yet been Inside a blackbird's cage; it 's plain it 's pleasant, We'll never younger learn whether it's safe; Expérience can be got only by trying."
So said, and through the bars direct they flew, With civil buzz of greeting, to the blackbird Who in the midst of his song made so long pause As was required to snap at and down swallow First óne and then the other of th' intruders,
Then, táking up his song again, praised God
That only after the evil comes experience.
While travelling with the Postboy from NEUSTADT to GEISSENFELD (BAVARIA), July 3, 1854.
"PSHAW!" said a wise, grave moth that, as it flitted About my candle that same evening, heárd me Télling a friend the story thou 'st just read, "They were a pair of fools or worse, those flies; Ínstinct's the only guide, the sure safe rule Supplied to every creature by its kind And provident creator; never lét me, While I have life, forsake or disobey thee, Unérring counsellor, monitor and friend; And whither first?" "Direct into the light That spreads such bright warm radiance all around." "I'm but too happy" said the moth and into
The flame flew straight and, in the wick entangled,
Was burned into a cinder on the instant.
SATTEL, Canton SCHWYz, Sept. 19, 1854.
IT happened as a fox and wolf together
Were travelling by the way and both were hungry, They saw a man approaching, and to the wolf Thus said the fox: "Here comes one of those ugly, Vícious, malignant creatures who for pastime
Hunt wolves and foxes, and assert that God Made this fair world and all that it contains For their sole use and interest and profit. Cóme, let us shew that God has some care too For wolves and foxes; nót that flesh of man
To mé 's particularly sweet or dainty,
And wére I not by hunger pressed I'd hold it Almost beneath me to defile my blood
With éven the least admixture of the blood
Óf the foul, lying, hypocritical monster;
But húnger has no law; so fall thou on him And tear him to the ground, whilst I keep watch Lest any of his fellows come to his aid." "The counsel's excellent," replied the wolf, "And I'm quite ready to perform my part; The more as, unlike you, I find the flesh Of that sleek, pampered animal a bónne bouche, And hold it for mere cowardice in our kind That they prefer to prey on harmless lambs And leave their direst and most cruel foe To ríot as he will, untouched, unpunished.'
He said, and on the man sprang with a howl,
And tóre him down, then called the fox to supper;
And thús both, mocking, said as in his vitals
They fléshed their tusks: "Where 's now the Providence That made us and all creatures for thy use?”
PRIMIERO, in the Italian TYROL, July 31, 1854.
İF thou would'st lead a quiet life
Respéct my corns, my creed, my wife Three tender points and I'll agree
The same points to respect in thee.
ETZELBERG, in the Canton SCHWYz, in Switzerland, Sept. 18, 1854.
"MIGHT I ásk, Sir, where you 're always Pósting tó in súch a húrry?"
Said a snail once tó an earwig
Wriggling pást him on the roadside.
"I cannot conceive the business Só perpétuálly úrgent,
Still less think it is for pleasure You keep driving ón at thát rate.”
"Tell me first," replied the earwig, "Why you 're néver ín a húrry, Why you always seem as if you Hád a whole life fór each joúrney.
"Í for my part can't conceive what Pleasure you can take in thát pace, Still less that it forwards business, Ór is wholesome ór becóming."
"Bút ye are a pair of nínnies
Tó dispúte where thére 's no difference!" Said a milestone that stood hárd by Ón the roadside and their tálk heard,
"Fást and slów are bóth alike bad, Tíresome, úseless, únbecoming;
you would be graceful, healthy, Ánd of use, stand still as I do."
Walking from GÜCKELSBERG to CHEMNITZ (SAXONY), June 18, 1854.
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