THE OLD MAN'S COMFORTS, And by him sported on the green His little grandchild Wilhelmine. AND HOW HE GAINED THEM. You are old, Father William, the young In the days of my youth, Father William replied, I remember'd that youth could not last; I thought of the future, whatever I did, That I never might grieve for the past. You are old, Father William, the young man cried, And life must be hastening away; You are cheerful, and love to converse upon death! Now tell me the reason, I pray. I am cheerful, young man, Father William replied; Let the cause thy attention engage; In the days of my youth I remember'd my God! It was the English, Kaspar cried, I could not well make out. VII. My father lived at Blenheim then, So with his wife and child he fled, VIII. With fire and sword the country round But things like that, you know, must be IX. They say it was a shocking sight, Lay rotting in the sun; But things like that, you know, must be After a famous victory. X. Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won, Said little Wilhelmine.— XI. And everybody praised the Duke MERCIFUL INFLICTIONS. REPINE not, O my son! That Heaven hath chastened thee. Be hold this vine, I found it a wild tree, whose wanton strength Hast swoln into irregular twigs And spent itself in leaves and little rings, But when I pruned the tree, Then it grew temperate in its vain expense Of useless leaves, and knotted, as thou seest, Into these full, clear clusters, to repay Repine not, O my son! In wisdom and in mercy Heaven inflicts, Like a wise leech, its painful remedies. THE VOYAGE OF THALAPA THEN did the damsel speak again, The moon is bright, the sea is calm, Across the ocean waves; He looks above, he looks around, The moon is sunk, a dusky grey Is rising o'er the sea! The little boat rides rapidly, And now so near, they see |