THE GEM.

HOW sad and slow the moments fly,

When illness lingers on their wing!

When happy-they glide lightly by,

Like pebble from an urchen's sling.

Has not, to equalize their flight,

Kind Heaven some treasure lent? Some gem to cheer affliction's night ? Why, yes-and what is it-Content !

MALICE.

Is heart is Hell, where all the passions rage;

His mind is Chaos, where confusion dwells;

His body is the vast abyss of evil,

Combining possibility with probable,

And probable with certainty :

In the deep of depths,

;

Where horrors brood, and blackness ruminates,

He rolls and, from his hollow den,

Looks out, and scowls at happiness!

Fain would he, down the gorge of ruin,

Tumble the vault of Heaven

But he is weak.

The vengeance of a God is arm'd against him,

And, his just punishment,

Will drag a whole eternity in train !

F

ENVY.

THEN little limping ENVY came,

And squeaking cried out, “I am something too,” -Bearing a load of causes and conclusions;

With both hands full of may beʼs and perhapses

Her eye was cast askance,

And look'd, with such suspicious meaning,

As if 'twould say-" can that be so !"

She wore a mirror that reflected inward,

And, curious wrought, look'd outward too;
This told her all the good that pass'd,

Which pleas'd her so-it kept her writhing
Like a black viper struggling to get free.
Then on her head she had a mirror diadem;
Round this she kept a host of atom sprites,

Who, when they saw an aught of evil

Happening in the world,

Ran instant to her lacerated side,

Which entering, in her hollow heart they leap'd,

And there they joy'd so mightily,

As if they'd tear her very vitals up !!

1

DISSIPATION.

I'VE seen the rose its sweets unfold,

I've seen the blossom fragrance shed,

The vi'let blue, the marigold,

The flower that's born when noon has fled :

These have I seen, and heav'd a sigh,

To see them lost in wintry snows;

I've felt a joy to see them nigh,

When spring its earliest zephyrs blows :

Soon fled, soon gone, but soon return'd;
Still living, though in wintry snows;
For hope preserves, by mem'ry learn'd,
To haste the time the zephyr blows :

I've seen the youth with pleasure thrilling,

I've seen him fair as early rose,

His cheek with smiles of rapture filling,

For life on innocence repos'd:

These have I seen, and heav'd a sigh,

To see them lost in ruins urn,

But felt no joy to see them nigh,

For never, never, comes return!

I've seen the eye of haggard pain,

I've seen the hand with trembling move,

I've seen-but Oh look not again--
For that's the cheek I once did love!

The rose leaf falls, but soon returns,
The vi'let's hue by hope may live-
Affection's smile in mem'ry burns,
And soon the spring will zephyr give ;

But ah! when once fair virtue 's filed,
By damning dissipation driven,
Almost as soon may wake the dead,

As have the same dear treasure given :

Who shall restore the bosom's calm ?
Who the bland spirits back recal?