For Slothsays falsely,

says falsely, "By and by

Is just as well to do it: "

But present strength is surest strength:
Begin at once, and do it.

And find not lions in the way,

Nor faint if thorns bestrew it;

2

But bravely try, and strength will come,
For God will help thee to it.

* 40 *

NIGHT.

THE sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon, like a flower
In heaven's high bower,
With silent delight

Sits and smiles on the night.

Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have ta'en3 delight;
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright;

1 sloth (sloth), laziness.

2 bestrew it (be-stroo), are scattered over it. 3 ta'en, taken.

Unseen, they pour blessing,
And joy without ceasing,
On each bud and blossom,
And each sleeping bosom.

They look in every thoughtless nest,
Where birds are covered warm,
They visit caves of every beast,
To keep them all from harm: —
If they see any weeping
That should have been sleeping,
They pour sleep on their head,
And sit down by their bed.

W. BLAKE.

* 41 *

WHAT CAN LITTLE HANDS DO?

Он, what can little hands do
To please the King of heaven?
The little hands some work may try,

To help the poor in misery.

Such grace to mine be given!

Oh, what can little lips do
To please the King of heaven?
The little lips can praise and pray,
And gentle words of kindness say.
Such grace to mine be given !

Oh, what can little eyes do
To please the King of heaven?
The little eyes can upward look,
Can learn to read God's holy book.
Such grace to mine be given!

Oh, what can little hearts do
To please the King of heaven?
The hearts, if God his Spirit send,
Can love and trust the children's Friend.
Such grace to mine be given !

Though small is all that we can do
To please the King of heaven,
When hearts and hands and lips unite
To serve the Saviour with delight,
They are most precious in his sight.
Such grace to mine be given!

* 42 *

THE MONTHS.

JANUARY, icy cold,

Leaves a mantle soft and white;

February, sharp and bold,

Onward takes his busy flight.

March's chilly breezes blow,

Still they're touched by Winter's hand;

April melts the frozen snow;

April sunshine floods the land.

May awakes the sleeping flowers,
Reigns a sweet and happy queen;
With her coaxing sun and showers
Robes the trees in tender green.

June is bright with roses gay;
Harebells bloom around her feet;
Hot July rakes new-mown hay
From the meadows fresh and sweet.

August's pleasant, quiet reign

Bids the meadow-lilies come; And September's golden grain Makes a welcome harvest-home.

Glad October's shining sun
Paints the leaves in richest dyes;
And November, dreary one,

Shoots his arrows as he flies.

Cold December's latest breath

Makes the woods and meadows drear,

And his eyelids close in death,
As he ends the happy year.

DORA READ GOODALE.

(In "Apple Blossoms.")

* 43 *

HIGH AND LOW.

THE showers fall as softly
Upon the lowly grass
As on the stately roses

That tremble as they pass.

The sunlight shines as brightly
On fern-leaves bent and torn
As on the golden harvest,

The fields of waving corn.

The wild birds sing as sweetly
To rugged, jagged pines,
As to the blossomed orchards,
And to the cultured vines.

Our Father looks as kindly
Upon the lowly poor

As on the rich and haughty

Who turn them from their door.

DORA READ GOODALE.

* 44 *

(In "Apple Blossoms.")

THE WORDS WE SPEAK.

FROM rosy bowers we issue forth,

From east to west, from south to north:

Unseen, unfelt, by night, by day,

Abroad we take our airy way..