INTEMPERANCE,

1. Cyrus, when he was a youth, being at the court of his grandfather Astyages, undertook one day to be the cup-bearer at table. It was the duty of this officer to taste the liquor before he presented it to the king.

2. Cyrus, without performing this ceremony, delivered the cup, in a very graceful manner, to his grandfather. The king reminded him of his omission, which he imputed to forgetful

ness.

2. No, replied Cyrus, I was afraid to taste, because I apprehended there was poison in the liquor: For not long since, at an entertainment which you gave, I observed that the lords of your court, after drinking of it, became noisy, quarrelsome, and frantic. Even you, sir, seemed to have forgotten that you was a king.

THE MOTH

flame, till at last it is Is not this a fit emblem who play around the

1. The moth, allured by the brightness of the candle, plays round the consumed with the heat. of those heedless ones, verge of evil, till at length they precipitate themselves into infamy and ruin!

2. The moth is an animal of so delicate a texture, that a slight touch crushes it to pieces. It is, therefore, the last creature in the world, to sustain the attack of so terrible an enemy as

fire. Yet this enemy, in the resemblance of a friend, courts it to draw near, and afterwards

works its entire destruction.

3. Be not deceived, therefore, by fair appearances. Vice, folly, and danger often lurk under the most inviting forms.

Sweetest leaves the rose adorn,

Yet beneath them lurks the thorn:
Fair and flowery is the brake,
Yet it hides the speckled snake.

THE SPEECH OF A BUTTERFLY TO A PHILOSOPHER,

1. Thou hast seen me a creeping worm, in danger of being crushed by the foot of the tra veller, unable to protect myself from injury. I claimed thy compassion, and thou turnedst thy foot and didst let me live: thou wouldest not wantonly kill a creature to which thy Creator had given life.

2. Thou hast seen me spin a web of the finest silk from the substance of my body, (without knowing my future destiny) and enclosing myself within it, apparently without life, as if my final doom were come.

3. Thou hast seen me emerge from the tomb, with all the sprightliness and vigour of youth, arrayed with wings of the finest texture, and adorned with colours superior to the robes of kings. Thou hast observed these wonderful changes of my condition, and now beholdest

me an inhabitant of earth or air, at my plea

sure.

4. Is not he who formed me, wise and powerful? Is he not gracious and beneficent? He implanted a law within me, which has brought me to this happy state: I obeyed it even to death, not knowing it was the way to resurrection and life.

5. Canst thou contemplate on my being, and not be instructed? Canst thou think on my Maker, and believe that he hath been less kind to thee? He hath written a law within thy heart, to be the guide of thy life, and canst thou think that it is not preparatory to a future Scene?

6. Is not thy sphere of action greater than that of a worm? Canst thou doubt, if thou art obedient to thy Creator, that he will bring thee to a state of felicity, of which thou canst now have no more conception, than I had once of my present enjoyment.

7. Oft on the flower, embosom'd in perfume, Thou seest gay butterflies in beauty bloom; With curious eye, the wondrous insect scan, By heaven ordain'd a three-fold type of man.

8. First, from the dung-hill sprang the shining form,

And crawl'd to view, a hideous, loathsome

worm ;

To creep, with toil, his inch-long journies curs'd, The ground his mansion, and his food the dust; To the next plant, his moment o'er, he drew And built his tomb, and turn'd to earth anew.

9. Oft, from the leaf depending, hast thou

seen

Their tombs, with gold bedropp'd and cloth'd in green;

There slept the expectant, till the plastic beam Purg'd his vile dross, and bade his splendors flame.

Then burst the bonds: at once in glory rise,
His form etherial, and his changing dyes;
Full on the lucid morn his wings unfold,
Starr'd with strong light, and gay in living gold.

10. Through fields of air, at large, the wonder flies,

Wafts on the beams, and mounts th' expanding skies;

O'er flowery beauties plumes of triumph waves, Imbibes their fragrance, and their charms outbraves;

The birds his kindred, heaven his mansion claims, And shines, and wantons, in the noon-day flames.

11. So man, poor worm! the nurseling of a day!

Springs from the dust, and dwells in humble clay;

Around his little mole-hill doom'd to creep,
To drag life's load and end his toil with sleep.
In silence, to the grave his form descends,
And waits the trump that time and nature ends.

12. Then, wing'd with light, the deathless
mau shall rise,

Sail thro' you stars, and soar from skies to skies;

See heavens, o'er heavens, beneath him lessen ing roll,

And feel the Godhead warm his changing soul; From beauty's fount inhale th' immortal ray, from light to light, in cloudless day; Mid morn's fair legions, crown'd with grace be known,

And grow

The peer of angels, and of God the son.

CRUELTY PUNISHED.

1. A pack of ravenous fox hounds were half starved in their kennel, to render them more furious and eager in the chace: and were severely lashed, every day, by a merciless keeper, that they might be disciplined to the strictest observance of his looks and commands.

2. It happened one day, that this petty tyrant entered the kennel without his scourge. The dogs observed his defenceless state, and instantly flying upon him, at once satisfied their hunger and revenge, by tearing him to pieces.

3. Whilst you pity the unhappy fate of the keeper, you should lament, that in a civilized country, such cruelty should be exercised as to give occasion to it.