22 52 THE EPICURE AND THE PHYSICIAN. Swift o'er the plain the hunters fly, Who guides him back from whence he stray'd; THE EPICURE AND THE PHYSICIAN. "I'm glad your worship is so pleasant; Is known to make the stomach keen." THE INFANT'S EVENING PRAYER. THE day is over, my frolic child! With looks composed, and with accents mild, While thy voice is raised to the Power on high, Few are thy words, my gentle boy, Thou art but of infant years, Thou canst not tell of the world's vain joy, But thou still canst ask from the Lord above, And each earthly friend who has won thy love, Ere thy lips could a lengthened sentence frame, Or utter a perfect tone, We taught thee to lisp thy Maker's name, And bow at his heavenly throne; And he will not the simple words despise THE SNAIL AND THE BEES. I WILL tell you a droll story of the manner in which some bees treated a snail who marched into their hive with his house upon his back, as if he really meant to take up his quarters with them. He fixed himself to the side of the hive, as you may often see these creatures sticking against a wall, waiting till a refreshing shower of rain invites them to put their heads out of the shell. The bees did not at all like the intruding snail's company; but finding that they could not pierce his hard shell, and sting him to death, they very cunningly bethought themselves of glueing him so fast that, when he had a mind to put his nose out, he should find himself a prisoner for life. So they went to work, so many at once, and so busily with their propolis, that before slow Mr. Snail had once thought of peeping out, they had fixed his shell fast to the side of the hive, and turned his house into his tomb. WHEN you are disposed to be vain of your mental acquirements, look up to those who are more accomplished than yourself, that you may be fired with emulation-but when you feel dissatisfied with your circumstances, look down on those beneath you, that you may learn content. SINGULAR ANECDOTE. THE house of a Greek, living in the suburbs of Constantinople, had been set on fire: by the assistance, however, of a few janissaries, he had nearly saved all his goods; but by some fatal chance, one of his children, lying in its cradle, had been forgotten. No possibility was left of reentering the house, and the despairing father had. given up the babe as irrecoverably lost. At that very instant, a large mastiff, the property of the Greek, was seen coming out of the house, holding the child in its mouth by the body. Vain were the attempts to stop him, or to make him loose his hold; the sagacious creature ran through the crowd, and never stopped, till, reaching the house of his master's intimate friend, he dropped at the door the precious burthen. The gratitude of the father towards this excellent servant cannot be expressed! nor could you imagine what reward he resolved to bestow upon the faithful creature! The Greek killed the animal with his own hand, and had the carcase dressed, which was served up as a principal dish at an entertainment he had prepared to solemnize his child's providential escape from the devouring element, saying, "He has behaved too well to be left a prey to filthy worms, men alone should feed upon his remains; and ye, my guests, cannot but profit by it; you will grow more benevolent, feeling and virtuous," |