THE DRAMA OF LIFE.

All the world's a stage

And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,—
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his
satchel

And shining morning face, creeping, like snail,
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,—
Sighing like furnace, with a woful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,— Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,

Jealous of honour,-sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice

In fair round belly with good capon lined,-
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut-
Full of wise saws and modern instances-
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon-
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side-
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound.

Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivionSans* teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing.

GODLINESS AND PATIENCE.

Whatever good I can think of or wish for, I do not think to get here, but hereafter.

For if I alone were owner of all the good things in the world and could make the most of all delights, it is certain that they could not last very long.

Therefore, my soul, thou canst not be all in all glad nor fully happy anywhere but in God, the consoler of the poor, the upholder of the lowly.

Wait a little while, my soul: wait for the fulfilment of the divine promises, and then thou wilt have plenty of all good things in heaven.

But if thou seekest after those which now seem within thy reach too eagerly, thou wilt lose those which are everlasting and heavenly. Use the things of this world, but long for those of heaven.

No worldly thing will satisfy thee, because

*"Sans," without.

thou art not made to find all thy gladness in them.

And even if thou hadst all the good things that were ever made, thou wouldst not be happy and blest: but all happiness and all blessedness is in God, who made all things.

Not, indeed, such a bliss as the foolish lovers of the world seek after and praise; but such an one as the good faithful ones of Christ look for, and which the godly-minded and the clean of heart, whose thoughts are in heaven, already foretaste.

Short and empty is the happiness of man. Blessed and true is that which Truth itself makes to arise within us.

A godly man carries everywhere with him his consoler, Jesus: and says to him: Be with me, oh Lord Jesus, in every place and time.

Let my joy be this:-to be willingly without any worldly joy.

And if joy in thee fail me, let it be my joy to bow beneath thy will and thy righteous trials.

What a man cannot amend either in himself or others, let him bear patiently until God orders it otherwise.

Think that perhaps it is better so for thy trial and patience, without which our merits are not of much weight. Thou must, however, in all such hindrances, pray that God would vouch

safe to help thee, that thou mayest be able to bear them well.

If one who has been once or twice admonished will not agree, do not wrestle with him; but entrust the whole to God, that His honour and glory may be done by all His servants; He knows how to turn evil into good. Do thou strive to be patient in bearing with the failings of others, whatever their weaknesses may be; for thou thyself hast many faults and hast need that others should bear with thee. If thou canst not make thyself such as thou wouldst wish to be, how canst thou hope that all others will be to thy liking? We would gladly have all others perfect; and yet we do not amend our own faults. We would have all others strictly corrected, and yet we do not like to be corrected ourselves. We dislike the great freedom of others, and yet we ourselves do not choose to be denied any thing we ask for. We are willing that others should be bound by laws; but we would not, on any account, be withheld ourselves. Thus it appears how seldom we weigh our neighbour in the same scales as ourselves.

If all were perfect, what should we have to suffer from others for God's sake? But God has now so ordered it that we may learn to bear one another's burdens; for no one is without fault; no one without burdens: no one can be

thy peace, and thy life. Keep thyself with me and thou shalt find peace. Let alone all fleeting things and seek the everlasting.

What can all earthly things do but lead thee astray? and what can creatures avail thee if thou art deserted by thy creator?

Leaving all things, make thyself, therefore, well-pleasing and faithful to thy creator, that thou mayest be able to lay hold of true happiness.-THOMAS A KEMPIS.

THIS WORLD AND HEAVEN.

This world is all a fleeting show
For man's illusion given,

The smiles of joy, the tears of woe,
Deceitful shine, deceitful flow,-

There's nothing true but heaven!

And false the light on Glory's plume,
As fading hues of even;

And Love, and Hope, and Beauty's bloom
Are blossoms gather'd for the tomb-
There's nothing bright but heaven!

Poor wanderers of a stormy day,
From wave to wave we're driven;
And Fancy's flash and Reason's ray
Serve but to light the troubled way-

There's nothing calm but heaven!