Where the hot-air is not stirred As if thou would'st, cheering, say, Camel, thou art good and mild, Thou wast made for usefulness, Mary Howitt. [1] Ormuz-a gulf in Asia, noted for its pearl fishery. [2] Damascene-goods from Damascus in Syria. [3] The Arabs call the Camel "the Ship of the Desert." 17.-CHILDHOOD'S TEARS. The tear down childhood's cheek that flows Scott. 18. THE DEAD SPARROW. Tell me not of joy! there's none, He would chirp and play with me; O! how sullen he would be! Would moisture sip : He would from my trencher feed, O! whose heart can choose but bleed? But on my glass He would sit, and mark and do What I did; now ruffle all His feathers o'er, now let 'em [1] fall; And then straightway sleek [2] 'em too. [1] 'em-them. [2] Sleek-make smooth. Now faithful bird is gone; my O! let mournful turtles [1] join With loving red-breasts, and combine Cartwright. 19. THE LATE SPRING. The sleepy Spring was still in bed, She rose in haste, not dressed in blue, Just stuck in her bosom a snow-drop or two, Then away over meadow, and garden, and wood, But in her fair eyes the tear-drop stood, So long had the tyrant of northern birth, [4] The genial commerce [5] of sky and earth Had well-nigh been suspended. [1] Turtles-turtle-doves. [2] Dirge-see note [1] No. 9. [8] Zephyr the west wind-any warm soft wind. [4] Tyrant of northern birth-winter. [5] Genial commerce-agreeable intercourse. D The young birds had met on St. Valentine's feast, [1] All eager to get married; But the sullen saint refused to be priest: The crocus had put forth its feelers green, The lilac gay, that loves to be first, But its orders, as yet, was doubting. And the queen of the season, so ill did she feel, Conder. 20. THE IRISH HARPER AND HIS DOG. On the green banks of Shannon, when Sheelah was nigh, No blithe Irish lad was so happy as I; No harp like my own could so cheerily play, [1] St. Valentine's Feast-the 14th of February. is the usual season for the pairing of birds. This [2] Red-day-feast-day, so called because the names of such days used to be particularly marked in the almanacs, by being printed in red letters. When at last I was forc'd from my Sheelah to part, She said while the sorrow was big at her heart"Oh! remember your Sheelah, when far, far away, And be kind, my dear Pat, to our poor dog, Tray." Poor dog! he was faithful and kind, to be sure, And he constantly loved me, although I was poor; When the sour-looking folks sent me heartless away, I had always a friend in my poor dog, Tray. When the road was so dark, and the night was so cold, And Pat and his dog were grown weary and old, case, Nor refus'd my last crust to his pitiful face; Campbell. 21. THE WORM. Turn, turn thy hasty foot aside, Nor crush that helpless worm! [1] Scant-for scanty-narrow-ill-furnished. |