To them the deep recess of dusky groves,
Or forest where the deer securely roves,
The fall of waters and the song of birds,
And hills that echo to the distant herds,
Are luxuries excelling all the glare

The world can boast, and her chief favourites share.

Retrospection.

Couper.

Could any man, after having attained the age of manhood, reverse the order of the course he has passed-could he, with the power of observation, together with the experience, that belong to manhood, retrace, with perfect exactness, every step of his sentient existence from the age, suppose of forty, to the moment when the air first came in contact with his body on his leaving his maternal dwelling-among the truths that he would learn, the most interesting, if not the most surprising, would be those which relate to the manner in which he dealt with his earliest impressions; with the mode in which he combined them-recalled them-laid them by for future use-made his first general deduction—observed what subsequent experience taught to be conformable, and what not conformable, to this general inference—his emotions in detecting his first error-his contrasted feelings on discovering those comprehensive truths, the certainty of which became confirmed by every subsequent impression. Thus, perfectly to live backwards, would be, in fact, to go through the complete analysis of the intellectual combinations, and consequently to obtain a perfect insight into the constitution of the mind. And among the curious results which would then become manifest, perhaps few would appear more surprising than the true action of the senses. To see, to hear, to smell, to touch, to taste, are processes which appear to be performed instantaneously, and which really are performed with extraordinary rapidity, in a person who observes them in himself; but they were not always performed thus rapidly; they are processes acquired-businesses learned;-processes and businesses acquired and

learned, not without the cost of many efforts and much labour. And the same is true of the muscles of volition. How many efforts are made before the power of distinct articulation is acquired! How many before the infant can stand! How many before the child can walk !-Dr. Southwood.

Revenge.

How much soever a person may suffer from injustice, he is always in hazard of suffering more from the prosecution of revenge. The violence of an enemy cannot inflict what is equal to the torment he creates to himself, by means of the fierce and desperate passions which he allows to rage in his soul. Revenge dwells in little minds.—Blair.

There are but three ways for a man to revenge himself of the censure of the world; to despise it-to return the like -or to endeavour to live so as to avoid it. The first of these is usually pretended—the last is almost impossible. The universal practice is for the second.

The only debt a man will never be dunned for.-Taylor. In taking revenge, a man is but equal with his enemy: but in passing it over he is superior.

Riches.

The greatest pleasure of life is love; the greatest treasure, contentment; the greatest possession, health; the greatest ease is sleep; and the best medicine, a true friend.

Still to be rich, is still to be unhappy

Still to be envied, hated and abused;
Still to be carking, still to be collecting,
Only to make your funeral a feast,

And hoard up riches for a thriftless heir.
Let me be light in purse, and light in heart;
Only preserve me from the law, ye gods!
And I will thank you for my poverty.

Ridicule.

A mocking tone hath an edge more keen
Than the warrior's sharpest sword ;—
The heart may have sear'd and stricken been,
But 'twill shrink from a taunting word:
The hardest lesson of life's stern school
Is, patient endurance of ridicule.

But oh! if thou chance to feel the smile
Of scorn to thy lip arise,

Check it, oh, check it, although no guile
Perhaps in thy feeling lies.

But oh! that look in another's heart,
May plant a deep and a rankling dart!
Many a spirit, through all life's track,
Has trials with patience borne,

Yet, like to the sensitive plant, shrinks back
At the slightest touch of scorn :

It may be 'tis weakness, but who does not know
That contempt is more hard to be borne than woe?
I've seen the agony of the heart,

Which a mocking word hath thrill'd;
The deep, the wordless, the bitter smart,
Which that once glad spirit fill'd :
The burning cheek, and the tearful eye-
Tearful till anguish hath scorch'd it dry.
I've seen the throb of the wounded breast,
And the lighting up the flame

Of evil passions, and all unrest,
Of sorrow, and hate, and shame ;
And this by a word ye perhaps heed not,
But oh! by the sufferer ne'er forgot!

Then pause, ere ye speak in a bitter tone,
Or look with a mocking look :

The heart may have feeling, though seldom shown,
Which ridicule cannot brook.

God gave each feeling, then prize them all,

Lest some kindly nature ye change to gall.

Trials enough we have all to bear,
And lessons enough to know ;

We need not more heavy to make the care
Which must be our lot below.

Then oh let us pause ere we wound a heart,
And remember that we could not bear the smart.

F. M. Scott.

-The fatal fondness for indulging in a spirit of ridicule, and the injurious and irreparable consequences which sometimes attend the too severe reply, can never be condemned with more asperity than it deserves. Not to offend is the first step towaris pleasing; to give pain is as much an offence against humanity as against good breeding; and surely it is as well to abstain from an action because it is sinful, as because it is impeditie.

Right.

For might smit, since God is God, and right the day must

Do doubt would be isori7-5 falter would be sin.

Trader fer de mag-inger, and why is the vel dngang von a the helinger of the left hand ?—The moi inger is the red ring-finger. Hence, al who wear rings ez cu var them on that finger. Cariinals, bishops, doctors, shirts, L., each wear their ring on the third finger. The reasons that it is the first vacant finger. The thumb and the first wo fingers have always been reserved as symbols of the the persons of the blessed Trinity. When a bishop gives his blessing, he blesses with the thumb and first two fingers. O brasses and sepulchral slabs bear witness to this fact. And at the marriage ceremony the ring is put on by the thumb and the first two fingers, whilst the names of "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost," are pronounced. Thus, the third is the first vacant finger, and the ring-finger. The wedding-ring is worn on the left hand to signify the subjection of the wife to

her husband. The right hand signifies power, independence, authority. The left hand signifies dependence, or subjection. Married women, then, wear the wedding-ring on the third finger of the left hand, because they are subject to their husbands. Bishops, because they have ecclesiastical authority; and doctors, because they have authority to teach, wear the ring on the ring-finger of the right hand.-Notes and Queries.

Rings.

If a gentleman wants a wife, he wears a diamond ring on the first finger of the left hand; if he is engaged, he wears it on the second finger; if married, on the third; and on the fourth, if he never intends to be married. When a lady is not engaged, she wears a hoop or diamond on the first finger; if engaged, on the second finger; if married, on the third; and on the fourth, if she intends to live single. When a gentleman presents a flower, a fan, or a trinket to a lady with the left hand, it is on his part an overture of regard; if she receive it by the left hand, it is an acceptance of his esteem; but if by the right hand, it is a refusal of the offer.

Ribers.

See the rivers how they run

Through woods and meads, in shade and sun,

Sometimes swift, sometimes slow,

Wave succeeding wave they go

A various journey to the deep,

Like human life to endless sleep.-Dyer.

“Room for the Proud.”

"Room for the proud!" ye sons of clay
From far his sweeping pomp survey,
Nor, rashly curious, clog the way
His chariot wheel before !

Lo! with what scorn his lofty eye
Glances o'er Age and Poverty;
And bids intruding Conscience fly
Far from his palace door!