And the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. 12 Now a thing was secretly brought to mé, And my ear received a small sound of it. 13. In thoughts from the visions of the night', When deep sleep falleth on men', 14 Fear came upon me', and trembling', Which made all my bones to shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up; 16 It stood still, but I could not discern its form`; An image was before my eyes; There was silencè,—and I heard a voice saying, 17 Shall mōrtal mān bē mōre jūst thān Gōd'? Shall ā man` bē mōre pūre than hịs Maker'? 18 Behold', he put no trust in his servants`; And his angels he charged with folly`; 19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay', Whose foundation is in the dust', who are crushed before the moth^ ? 20 They are destroyed from morning to evening`; They perish for ever without any regarding it. 21 Doth their excellence which is in them depart? They die, even without wisdom. LESSON LIX. SINAI AT THE GIVING OF THE LAW.-Exodus xix. 16-25. 16 AND it came to pass on the third day in the morning', that there were thunders and lightnings', and a thick cloud upon the mount', and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud'; so 17 that all the people that were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp' to meet with 18 God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether in a smoke^, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke of it ascended as the smoke of a furnace', and the whole mount trembled 19 greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and grew louder and lōudēr', Moses spokè, and God an20 swered him by a voicè. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount; and the Lord called 21 Moses to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. And the Lord said to Moses', Go down`, charge the people lest they break through to the Lord to gaze^, and many of them 22 perish. And let the priests also who come near to the Lord' sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them. 23 And Moses said to the Lord', The people cannot come up to mount Sinaí; for thou chargest us saying', Set bounds 24 about the mount', and sanctify it`. And the Lord said to him', Away`, go down`, and thou shalt come up', thōu, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people' break through', to come up to the Lord', lest he break forth 25 upon them. So Moses went down to the people', and spoke to them. LESSON LX. THE SOUL'S DEFIANCE. Iambic verse. Eight lines in a stanza, alternating with lines of four and three feet, except the last line, which has but two;-but the last line of the last stanza has three feet. 1. I SAID to Sorrow's awful storm', Ragè on-thou may'st destroy this form', But still the spirit', that now brooks' Thy tempest raging high', Undaunted on its fury looks' With steadfast eye. 2. I said to Penury's meager train', Yet still the spirit, that endures', Shall mock your force the while^, 3. I said to cold Neglect and Scorn', Yè may pursue^ me till my form' Yet still the spirit', which you see Draws from its own nobility' 4. I said to Friendship's men'aced blow', Shall smile upon its keenest pains^, 5. I said to Death's uplifted dart', LESSON LXI. FABLE OF THE WOOD ROSE AND THE LAUREL. Iambic measure. The lines of various lengths, containing four, three, and two feet. 1 IN these deep shades a flowret blows', 15 "Thou worthless flower', Go leave my bower', And hide in humbler scenes thy head'; How dost thou dare', Where roses are', Thy scents to shed'? Gò, leave my bower', and live unknown; "And dost thou think""-the Laurel cried', And raised its head with modest pride', 25 While on its little trembling tongue' A drop of dew incumbent hung'"And dost thou think I'll leave this bower', The seat of many a friendly flower^, The scene where first I grew' ? 30 Thy haughty reign will soon be o'er', And thy frail form will bloom no more'; My flower will perish too'. 35 But know', proud rose', When winter's snows' Shall fall where once thy beauties stood', "Presuming fool!" the Wood Rose cried', 40 And strove in vain her shame to hide; But ah! no more the flower could say'; For', while she spoke', a transient breeze' Came rustling through the neighboring trees, And bore her boasted charms away`. 45 And such, said I', is beauty's power! 50 But in thy form', thou Laurel green', In life she cheers each different stage, 18 LESSON LXII. THE SOAP-BUBBLE. Iambic. Four feet in each line. 1. BRIGHT globe, upon the sunbeam tost', Our reckless youth', our manhood's strife', Its turrets crowned with frost-work bright', A breath of summer stirs the tree`;- 4. Behold, arrayed in robes of light', 5. Dilate once more thy proudest size', Love dazzles thus with borrowed rays^, 6. Again it swells`; that crystal round' Soars', shines', expands', and seeks the ground'; * Gaud is now obsolete; something showy. |