3. A venerable, gray-headed man, who had laid down the colic, and who, I found, wanted an heir to his estate, snatched up an undutiful son, that had been thrown into the heap by an angry father. The graceless youth, in less than a quarter of an hour, pulled the old gentleman by the beard, and had liked to have knocked his brains out; so that, meeting the true father, who came toward him with a fit of the gripes, he begged him to take his son again, and give him back his colic; but they were incapable, either of them, to recede from the choice they had made. A poor galley'-slave, who had thrown down his chains, took up the gout in their stead, but made such wry faces, that one might easily perceive he was no great gainer by the bargain. It was pleasant enough to see the several exchanges that were made, for sickness against poverty, hunger against want of appetite, and care against pain. 4. The female world were very busy among themselves in bartering for features; one was trucking a lot of gray hairs for a carbuncle; and another was making over a short waist for a pair of round shoulders; and a third cheapening a bad face for a lost reputation; but, on all these occasions, there was not one of them who did not think the new blemish, as soon as she had got it into her possession, much more disagreeable than the old one. I made the same observation on every other misfortune or calamity, which every one in the assembly brought upon himself, in lieu of what he had parted with; whether it be that all the evils which befall us are, in some measure, suited and proportioned to our strength, or that every evil becomes more supportable by our being accustomed to it, I shall not determine. 5. I could not, for my heart, forbear pitying the poor humpbacked gentleman, mentioned in the former paper, who went off a very well-shaped person with a stone in his bladder; nor the fine gentleman who had struck up this bargain with him, that limped through a whole assembly of ladies, who used to admire him, with a pair of shoulders peeping over his head. 'Gål' ley, a low, flat-built vessel. A galley-slave is one condemned, for crimes, to labor at the oar on board a galley. Gout, a very pain ful disease of the joints.—3 Trůck' ing, exchanging; bartering.—' Carbuncle (kår' bůnk kl), an inflammatory swelling or tumor. 6. I must not omit my own particular adventure. My friend with the long visage had no sooner taken upon him my short face, but he made so grotesque' a figure, that, as I looked upon him, I could not forbear laughing at myself, insomuch that I put my own face out of countenance. The poor gentleman was so sensible of the ridicule, that I found he was ashamed of what he had done; on the other side, I found that I myself had no great reason to triumph, for as I went to touch my forehead, I missed the place, and clapped my finger upon my upper lip. Besides, as my nose was exceedingly prominent, I gave it two or three unlucky knocks as I was playing my hand about my face, and aiming at some other part of it. 7. I saw two other gentlemen by me, who were in the same ridiculous circumstances. These had made a foolish exchange between a couple of thick, bandy legs, and two long trap-sticks, that had no calves to them. One of these looked like a man walking upon stilts, and was so lifted up into the air, above his ordinary height, that his head turned round with it; while the other made so awkward circles, as he attempted to walk, that he scarcely knew how to move forward upon his new supporters. Observing him to be a pleasant kind of fellow, I stuck my cane in the ground, and told him I would lay him a bottle of wine, that he did not march up to it, on a line that I drew for him, in a quarter of an hour. 8. The heap was at last distributed among the two sexes, who made a most piteous sight, as they wandered up and down under the pressure of their several burdens. The whōle plain was filled with murmurs and complaints, groans and lamentations. Jupiter, at length, taking compassion on the poor mortals, ordered them a second time to lay down their loads, with a design to give every one his own again. They discharged themselves with a great deal of pleasure; after which, the phantom who had led them into such grōss delusions, was commanded to disappear. 9. There was sent in her stead a goddess of a quite different figure her motions were steady and composed, and her aspect serious but cheerful. She every now and then cast her eyes : 'Grotesque (gro těsk'), wildly formed · odd; ludicrous. toward heaven, and fixed them upon Jupiter; her name was Patience. She had no sooner placed herself by the mount of sorrows, but, what I thought very remarkable, the whole heap sunk to such a degree, that it did not appear a third part so big as it was before. She afterward returned every man his own proper calamity, and, teaching him how to bear it in the most. commodious manner, he marched off with it contentedly, being very well pleased that he had not been left to his own choice, as to the kind of evils which fell to his lot. 10. Besides the several pieces of morality to be drawn out of this vision, I learned from it never to repine at my own misfortunes, or to envy the happiness of another, since it is impossible for any man to form a right judgment of his neighbor's sufferings; for which reason, also, I have determined never to think too lightly of another's complaints, but to regard the sørrows of my fellow-creatures with sentiments of humanity and compassion. JOSEPH ADDISON. 122. THE OLD CLOCK ON THE STAIRS. 1. SOMEWHAT back from the village street Stands the old-fashion'd country-seat: Tall poplar-trees their shadows throw; And from its station in the hall An ancient timepiece says to all, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" 2. Halfway up the stairs it stands, And points and beckons with its hands From its case of massive oak, Like a monk, who, under his cloak, Crosses himself, and sighs, alas! With sorrowful voice to all who pass, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" Antique (an tèk'), ancient; old-fashioned.—2 Por' ti co, a piazza, gal· lery, or covered walk. 3. By day its voice is low and light; And seems to say at each chamber door,— Never-forever!" 4. Through days of sorrow and of mirth, Of changeful time, unchanged it has stood, Never-forever!" 5. In that mansion used to be His great fires up the chimney roar'd; Never-forever!" 6. There groups of merry children play'd, And affluence of love and time! Even as a miser counts his gold, Those hours the ancient timepiece told,— "Forever-never! Never-forever!" 'Vi cis' si túde, revolution; regular change or succession.-"Skeleton at the feast." It was customary among the Egyptians to seat a masked or vailed skeleton at their feasts. Af′ flu ence, abundance of any thing; wealth; plenty. 7. From that chamber, clothed in white, The dead lay in his shroud of snow, "Forever--never! Never-forever!" 8. All are scatter'd now and fled, Never-forever!" 9. Never here, forever there, Where all parting, pain, and care, Sayèth this incessantly, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" H. W. LONGFELLOW. IT 123. THE MORNING. T is morning, and a morning sweet, and fresh, and delightful. Everybody knows the morning in its metaphorical' sense, applied to so many occasions. The health, strength, and beauty of early years, lead us to call that period the "morning of life." Of a lovely young woman we say, she is "bright as the morning;" and no one doubts why Lucifer is called "son of the morning." 1 1 Horologe (hỏr' o lỏj), a clock or watch. Met a phòr' ic al, figura. tive.-' Lu' ci fer, the bringer of light; the planet Venus; Satan. |