Content can only be purchased by a virtuous life.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Better half a loaf than no bread.

-PROVERB..

It is better to have an egg to-day than a hen to-morrow.

The circle of enjoyment comprehends

Wife, children, books, a few warm-hearted friends :
Man may with these contented be, and spurn
Those nothings, after which his neighbours yearn.
-LORD LEIGH.

If we take a liberal survey of human life we shall see that the virtue of contentment is only to be exercised in those cases where nature has assigned an insuperable and ascertained barrier to our wishes, or where we have been visited with evils absolutely irremediable. If in these cases, we can soothe our minds down into patience, we do the very best thing, that can be done in the circumstances and deserve applause for it. But in our ordinary condition, a disposition to be contented with whatever is in our possession or within our reach, would be equivalent to a call of Halt!' to the progress of the whole social world.

-R. CHAMBERS.

If we could take life's blessings, as we find them,
Making the most of bright or cloudy days,
Departing they would leave content behind them,
And vague unrest be banished from our ways.

I will not sigh for vast domains,

For festive halls and homes of pleasure, Nor do I seek redundant gains

To heap my huge and hoarded treasure; But this I dare to ask,-a placid mind In every pulse of thought to heaven resign'd. -R. MONTGOMERY.

Oh let us not murmur, though clouds should arise,
To darken our way 'neath these fair summer skies.
By and by they will pass far away from our sight,
And leave the blue heavens more brilliantly bright.
Just so will our pathway be chequered through life—
Now gladness and sunshine, now sorrow and strife;
Still let us not doubt, 'midst affliction and pain,
The deep springs of hope in our breasts will remain.
Should the hearts we have cherished prove faithless
and cold,

Be our murmurs repress'd, our vexation untold.
Though the sun of our joy by their falsehood is set,
Let us kindly forgive them, and strive to forget.
Then away with repining: let our hearts be the
shrine

Around which love and charity closely entwine.

Let the dove of content from our breasts never roam, But gladden and cheer both our path and our home.

I WOULD I WERE.

The weary-grown labourer envies the lot

Of his wealthy and indolent neighbour;
The rich man gets bored and laments he has not
To obtain his subsistence by labour.

The scholar yearns wildly for muscular powers
And the athlete for learning is sighing;

It's strange, but it's true; in this queer world.

of ours,

We are all sempiternally crying

"I would I were" this, and "I would I were " that, And "I would I were"-goodness knows what!

If, perchance, some odd mortal should tell you that he With his lot is completely contented,

Described in the "book of your brain" he would be
As a creature entirely demented.

And, happen what may, the strange fact will remain,
It's our nature to growl and to grumble,
Should each his most cherished prerogative gain,

We should still be heard fiercely to mumble, "I would I were " this, and "I would I were " that, And "I would I were "-goodness knows what! " PICK-ME-UP."

MY CONSCIENCE IS MY CROWN.

My conscience is my crown;

Contented thoughts my rest;
My heart is happy in itself;
My hliss is in my breast.

Enough, I reckon wealth;

A mean, the surest lot;
That lies too high for base contempt,
Too low for envy's shot.

My wishes are but few,

All easy to fulfil

I make the limits of my power,

The bounds unto my will.

I have no hopes but one,
Which is of heavenly reign;

Effects attained, or not desired,
All lower hopes refrain.

I feel no care of coin;
Well-doing is my wealth:
My mind to me an empire is,
While grace affordeth health.

I wrestle not with rage

While fury's flame doth burn;
It is in vain to stop the stream
Until the tide doth run.

But when the flame is out,
And ebbing wrath doth end,
I turn a late enraged foe
Into a quiet friend.

And taught with open proof,
A tempered calm I find
To be most solace to itself,
Best cure for angry mind.

No change of fortune's calms
Can cast my comforts down:
When fortune smiles, I smile to think
How quickly she will frown;

And when froward mood,

She movWOU angry foe,

Small gain n labod to let her come,

Less loss alet her go.*

From Chambers's Poems for Young People.

-SOUTHWELl.

29. CONVERSATION.

One of the greatest pleasures of life is conversation;— and the pleasures of conversation are of course enhanced by every increase of knowledge.

—THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.

Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace.
-SIR W. TEMPLE.

Society and conversation are the most powerful remedies for restoring the mind to its tranquility, if, at any time, it has unfortunately lost it: as well as the best preservatives of that equal and happy temper, which is so necessary to self-satisfaction and enjoyment.

-ADAM SMITH.

Conversation makes one what he is.

-PROVERB.

The first ingredient in conversation is truth, the next good sense, the third good humour, and the fourth wit. -SIR W. TEMPLE.

It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to society.

-ADDISON.

In conversation, a wise man may be at a loss where to begin, but a fool never knows where to stop.