1. "Not to myself alone,"
The little opening flower transported cries.
"Not to myself alone I bud and bloom;
With fragrant breath the breezes I perfume,
And gladden all things with my rainbow dyes.
The bee comes sipping, every eventide,
His dainty fill;
The butterfly within my cup doth hide
From threatening ill."
2. "Not to myself alone,"
The circling star with honest pride doth boast,
"Not to myself alone I rise and set;
I write upon night's coronal of jet
His power and skill who formed our myriad host;
A friendly beacon at heaven's open gate,
I gem the sky.
That man might ne'er forget, in every fate,
His home on high."
3. "Not to myself alone,"
The heavy-laden bee doth murmuring hum,
"Not to myself alone, from flower to flower,
I rove the wood, the garden, and the bower,
And to the hive at evening weary come;
For man, for man, the luscious food I pile
With busy care,
Content if he repay my ceaseless toil
With scanty share."
4. "Not to myself alone,"
The soaring bird with lusty pinion sings,
"Not to myself alone I raise my song;
I cheer the drooping with my warbling tongue,
And bear the mourner on my viewless wings;
I bid the hymnless churl my anthem learn,
And God adore;
I call the worldling from his dross to turn,
And sing and scar."
5. "Not to myself alone," The streamlet whispers on its pebbly way,
"Not to myself alone I sparkling glide;
I scatter health and life on every side,
And strew the fields with herb and floweret gay.
I sing unto the common, bleak and bare,
My gladsome tune;
I sweeten and refresh the languid air
In droughty June."
6. "Not to myself alone:"--
O man, forget not thou,--earth's honored priest,
Its tongue, its soul, its life, its pulse, its heart,--
In earth's great chorus to sustain thy part!
Chiefest of guests at Love's ungrudging feast,
Play not the niggard; spurn thy native clod,
And self disown;
Live to thy neighbor; live unto thy God;
Not to thyself alone!
QUESTIONS.—1. What things are mentioned, that contribute to our comfort and happiness? 2. How does the suffix less, affect the meaning of the words cease, view, hymn, &c.? 3. What is the meaning of the suffixes let and et, in the words streamlet and floweret? See SANDERS & McELLIGOTT'S ANALYSIS, page 140, Ex. 185 and 187.
[!-- Marker --] LESSON LXIX.
NURS'ING, nourishing; cherishing.
AB HOR', detest; loathe.
RE LI' ED, depended.
FRA TER' NAL, brotherly.
SU PER' NAL, heavenly.
COM BINE', unite; join together.
RE HEARS' AL, recital; repetition.
BIG' OT RY, blind zeal; prejudice.
SHEATHE, put in a sheath.
U NI VERS AL, general.
CUS TOM, practice; usage.
TAL' ENT, natural ability.
AF FECT'ING, making false show.
IS' O LATE, separate; detach.
THE WORLD WOULD BE THE BETTER FOR IT.
W.H. COBB.
1. If men cared less for wealth and fame,
And less for battle-fields and glory,—
If writ in human hearts a name
Seemed better than in song and story,—
If men instead of nursing pride,
Would learn to hate it and abhor it,—
If more relied
On love to guide,—
The world would be the better for it.2. If men dealt less in stocks and lands,
And more in bonds and deeds fraternal,—
If Love's work had more willing hands
To link this world to the supernal,—
If men stored up Love's oil and wine,
And on bruised human hearts would pour it,—
If "yours" and "mine" Would once combine,—
The world would be the letter for it.3. If more would act the play of Life,
And fewer spoil it in rehearsal,—
If Bigotry would sheathe his knife
Till Good became more universal,—
If Custom, gray with ages grown,
Had fewer blind men to adore it,—
If talent shone
In Truth alone,—
The world would be the better for it.4. If men were wise in little things,
Affecting less in all their dealings,—
If hearts had fewer rusted strings
To isolate their kindly feelings,—
If men, when Wrong beats down the Right,
Would strike together and restore it,—
If Right made Might
In every fight,—
The world would be the letter for it.