state, begins to cultivate poetry and music, proceeds to the knowledge of arts and sciences, unknown and unthought of by his rude forefathers, till (in humble imitation of the works of God himself) he gives exquisite construction to the rudest materials which nature has left for his use; supplying those artificial wants and wishes, for which it was beneath her dignity to provide; and while his hand thus executes all that is ingenious and beautiful, his thought glances at all that is magnificent and sublime.
A LITTLE Worm too close that played
In contact with a gardener's spade,
Writhing about in sudden pain,
Perceived that he was cut in twain ;
His nether half, left short and free,
Much doubting its identity.
However, when the shock was past,
New circling rings were formed so fast,
By nature's hand which fails her never,
That soon he was as long as ever.
But yet the insult and the pain,
This little reptile did retain,
In what, in man, is called the brain.
One fine spring evening, bright and wet,
Ere yet the April sun was set,
When slimy reptiles crawl and coil
Forth from the soft and humid soil,
He left his subterranean clay
To move along the gravelly way;
Where suddenly his course was stopt
By something on the path that dropt;
When, with precaution and surprise,
He straight shrunk up to half his size.
That 'twas a stone was first his notion,
But soon discovering locomotion,
He recognised the coat of mail,
And wary antlers of a snail,
Which some young rogue (we beg his pardon)
Had flung into his neighbour's garden.
The snail, all shattered and infirm,
Deplored his fate, and told the worm.
"Alas!" says he, "I know it well,
All this is owing to my shell:
They could not send me up so high,
Describing circles in the sky,
But that, on this account, 'tis known
I bear resemblance to a stone :
Would I could rid me of my case,
And find a tenant for the place!
I'll make it known to all my kin;—
'This house to let―inquire within.'”
"Good!" says the worm, "the bargain's struck; I take it, and admire my luck :
That shell, from which you'd fain be free,
Is just the very thing for me.
Oft have I wished, when danger calls,
For such impervious castle walls.
Both for defence and shelter made,
From greedy crow, and murderous spade:
Yes, neighbour snail, I'll hire the room,
And pay my rent when strawberries come."
"Do," says the snail, "and I'll declare,
You'll find the place in good repair
With winding ways that will not fail
To accommodate your length of tail.”
(This fact the wily rogue concealing-
The fall had broken in his ceiling.)
"O," says the sanguine worm, "I knew
That I might safely deal with you."
Thus was the tenement transferred,
And that without another word.
Off went the snail in houseless plight;
Alas! it proved a frosty night,
And ere a peep of morning light,
One wish supreme he found prevail ;-
In all the world this foolish snail
Saw nothing he would like so well-
Which was that he had got a shell.
But soon for this he ceased to sigh:
A little duck came waddling by,
Who having but a youthful bill,
Had ventured not so large a pill
(E'en at imperious hunger's call)
As this poor reptile, house and all.
But finding such a dainty bite
All ready to his appetite,
Down went the snail, whose last lament,
Mourned his deserted tenement.
Meantime the worm had spent his strength,
In vain attempts to curl his length
His small apartment's space about;
For head or tail must needs stick out.
Now, if this last was left, 'twas more
Exposed to danger than before,
And 'twould be vastly strange, he said,
To sit in doors without one's head.
Alas! he now completely bears
The unknown weight of household cares;
And wishes much some kind beholder
Would take the burthen off his shoulder.
Now broke the dawn; and soon with fear,
Feeling the shock of footsteps near,
He tried to reach that wished-for goal,
The shelter of a neighbouring hole;
Which proved, when danger threatened sore,
A certain refuge heretofore.
But failed him now this last resort:
His new appendage stopt him short:
For all his efforts would not do
To force it in, or drag it through.
Oh then, poor worm! what words can say
How much he wished his shell away!
But wishes all were vain, for oh!
The garden roller, dreaded foe !
Came growling by, and did not fail
To crush our hero, head and tail,
-Just when the duck devoured the snail.
Thus says the fable :-learn from hence, It argues want of common sense, To think our trials and our labours, Harder and heavier than our neighbours':
Or that 'twould lighten toils and cares,
To give them ours in change for theirs;
For whether man's appointed lot
Be really equalized or not,
(A point we need not now discuss,)
Habit makes ours the best to us.
IN distant days of wild romance,
Of magic mist and fable;
When stones could argue, trees advance,
And brutes to talk were able;
When shrubs and flowers were said to preach,
And manage all the parts of speech :
'Twas then, no doubt, if 'twas at all,
(But doubts we need not mention)
That THEN and Now, two adverbs small,
Engaged in sharp contention;
But how they made each other hear,
Tradition doth not make appear.
THEN, was a sprite of subtle frame,
With rainbow tints invested;
On clouds of dazzling light she came
And stars her forehead crested;
Her sparkling eye of azure hue,
Seemed borrowed from the distant blue.
Now, rested on the solid earth,
And sober was her vesture;
|