Gloomy winter, hence! away!

Love and fancy scorn thy sway;

Love and joy, and friendly mirth

Shall bless this roof, these walls, this hearth,

The rigor of the year control,

And thaw the winter in the soul.

Mrs. Barbauld.


A German gentleman, in the course of a strict cross-examination on a trial was asked to state the exact age of the defendant.

“Dirty,” (thirty,) was the reply.