Burns.
The man who looks around him as he walks
Sees objects often wonderful and new;
And he who thinks while his companion talks
In time may grow the wiser of the two.
An open eye—a quick, attentive ear
Will lead the mind into the ways of knowledge;
For all the world’s a universal college,
And every one may be a learner here.
Experience is the teacher: dear, indeed,
Her charges are to thoughtless folks and fools;
But those who follow carefully her rules
The various tongues of nature learn to read.
Who seldom ploughs his mind shall reap but little;
Weeds quickly overspread the fallow soil;
The toiler may be wearied by his toil,
But it shall yield sufficiency of victual,
Enough for his own use, and much to spare.
To him who hath, abundance shall be given;
From him who squanders wastefully his share,
All that he has shall righteously be riven:
The world shall make a proverb of his name,
And he shall fill a sepulchre of shame.
Oak Geranium.... Friendship.
The Oak Geranium does not present so beautiful an appearance as the scarlet variety; but the pale blue colour of the flower, and the length of time which it continues in bloom, endear it to us as the emblem of true friendship.
What though on Love’s altar the flame that is glowing
Is brighter?—yet Friendship’s is steadier far!
One wavers and turns with each breeze that is blowing,
And is but a meteor,—the other’s a star!
In youth Love’s light
Burns warm and bright,
But dies ere the winter of age be past,—
While Friendship’s flame
Burns ever the same,
And glows but the brighter, the nearer its last!
Anon.
Thanks to my stars, I have not ranged about
The wilds of life, ere I could find a friend:
Nature first pointed out my brother to me,
And early taught me, by her sacred force,
To love thy person, ere I knew thy merit,
Till what was instinct grew up into friendship.
Ours has severest virtue for its basis,
And such a friendship ends not but with life.
O! Friendship! in thy constant ray,
My heart is cheered and cannot sink,
Though gloom and storm around me play
And I am pressed to death’s cold brink!