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THE LITTLE HAND.

SEE, with a smile of gladness meek,
The infant's brow is drest;
While fondly on his mother's cheek
His little hand is pressed.

O may the same Almighty Friend,
From whom existence came,
That little, powerless hand defend,
From deeds of guilt and shame!

Grant it to dry the tear of woe,
Bold folly's course restrain,
The alms of sympathy bestow,
The righteous cause maintain.

Write wisdom on the wing of time,
E'en in the morn of youth,
And, with benevolence sublime,
Dispense the light of truth.

Discharge a just, an useful part,
Through life's uncertain maze,
Till coupled with an angel's heart,
It strikes the lyre of praise.

MRS. SIGOURNEY.

THE BIBLE.

WHEN evening shades succeed the sun,
And all my earthly work is done,
Shall I the precious hours amuse
In foolish jests, or trifling news?

Far nobler themes demand my care!
Souls cannot feed on empty air;
One BOOK my leisure shall employ;
My richest food-my purest joy.

Ask you, what merit can it claim
Above the books of wit and fame?
It tells me all I want to know,
To make me wise and blest below.

It shows the road to thrones above,
Where saints and angels dwell in love;
It marks the peaceful path they trod;
Its theme, is heaven-its author, GOD.

There I behold Creation's plan,
How earth received her tenant, man:-
How bright he rose-how soon he fell ;
And, born for heaven, was doom'd to hell.

Here, I survey, with deepest awe,
Heaven's holy, good, and righteous law;
Compared with this, myself I see
Cover'd with guilt and misery.

Far above men, or angels' thought,
I see my great salvation wrought;
For God's own Son from heaven came down,
To purchase my immortal crown.

O let mine eyes with sorrow flow,
My heart with thankful wonder glow!
For sinners doomed to endless pain
My Saviour died, and rose again.

Soon the archangel's trump shall blow,
The earth shall melt-the skies shall glow;
Then shall these leaves with piercing light,
Open to men and angels' sight.

Then shall the Judge, with solemn awe,
Proclaim the great eternal law;

Tried by this rule we then must go

To endless bliss or endless woe.

Sweet BOOK! with thee, my guide and friend,
My days begin, and sweetly end;
In life my hope-in death my stay,
My triumph in the judgment day.

THE PEN AND THE PRESS.

NOT to a few and favoured nooks,
Is learning in our day confined;
Schools, teachers, education, books,
Are free to each enquiring mind;
Yea, to the children of the poor
Wide open stands Instruction's door.

The mightiest stores of ancient thought
The labours of the good and wise,
All that the Church, the world hath taught,
Are now unfolded to our eyes :

May power divine direct and bless
The active Pen, the wondrous Press!

May countless thousands crowd the brink
Of Wisdom's life-inspiring flood;
May all in earnest seek to drink

From the pure fount of heavenly good; That fount divine, from which alone, Faith, Hope, and Charity, come down!

DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
LIKE summer eve, when sunlight throws
A beauteous parting ray around;
And silent shades in peace repose
Upon the soft and dewy ground.
As still, as peaceful, and serene,

Is the last ray when life is done;
When Hope's bright beam smiles o'er the scene
Which saw a glorious race begun.

What, though around his couch may fall
The dewdrops from kind pity's eye;
The happy spirit smiles on all,

And shines upon another sky.

Oh! such is life, whose parting ray
Throws lustre on a world of sorrow;

For as its brightness dies away,

There's promise of a glorious morrow.

FRIENDSHIP.

MYSTERIOUS are his ways, whose power
Brings forth that unexpected hour,
When minds, that never met before,
Shall meet, unite, and part no more:
It is th' allotment of the skies,
The hand of the supremely wise,
That guides and governs our affections,
And plans, and orders our connexions;
Directs us in our distant road,

And marks the bounds of our abode.
COWPER.

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