THE IRON POT AND THE EARTHEN POT.

A VILLAGE Streamlet was swollen by the heavy spring showers to the size and fury of a torrent. An iron pot and one of earth, which had been left on its brink were carried away by the flood. The earthen pot, being brought, every few minutes, by the whirling violence of the waters, in contact with her neighbour, began to express her uneasiness and apprehension. The iron pot robustly bade her entertain no alarm, assuring her that he would take care of, and prevent her being dashed against the stones when they should come to a shallower spot. Nay, nay," replied the earthen vessel beseechingly, I entreat you to keep as far from me as possible. It is you that I am most afraid of; for, whether the stream dashes me against you, or you against me, I am sure to be the sufferer. All I crave, is, that we may be permitted not to come near each other."

A man of moderate fortune, who can live comfortably upon what he has, should take care not to hazard his happiness by consorting with the great and powerful. People of equal condition may float down the current of life without hurting each other, but it is a much more difficult point to steer one's course in the company of the great so as to es cape without injury. Who would choose to have his country-box situated in the neighbourhood of a very great man? since whether I ignorantly trespass upon him, or he knowingly encroach upon me, I only am likely to be the sufferer. I can neither entertain nor play with him upon his own terms; for that which is moderation and diversion to him, in me would be extravagance and ruin.

PYTHAGORAS AND THE CRITIC.

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PYTHAGORAS was very earnestly engaged in taking an exact measure of the Olympic course. One of those conceited critics who aim at everything, and are ready to interpose with their opinion upon all subjects, happened to be present; and could not help smiling to himself to see the philosopher so employed, and to observe what great attention and pains he bestowed upon such business. 'And pray," said he, accosting Pythagoras, "may I presume to ask with what design you have given yourself this trouble?"—" Of that," replied the philosopher, “I shall very readily inform you. We are assured that Hercules, when he instituted the Olympic games, himself laid out the course by measure, and determined it to the length of six hundred feet, measuring it by the standard of his own foot. Now, by taking an exact measure of this space, and seeing how much it exceeds the measure of the same number of feet now in use, we can find how much the foot of Hercules, and, in proportion, his whole stature exceeded that of the present generation."—" A very curious speculation," said the critic, "and of great use and importance, no doubt; and so you will demonstrate to us, that the bulk of this fabulous hero was equal to his extravagant enterprises and his marvellous exploits. And pray, sir, what may be the result of your enquiry at last? I suppose you can now tell me exactly to a hair's breadth, how tall Hercules was.' 'The result of my enquiry," replied the philosopher, "is this; and it is a conclusion. of greater use and importance than you seem to expect from it; that if you will always estimate the labours of the philosopher, the designs of the patriot, and the actions of the hero, by the standard of your own narrow conceptions, you will ever be greatly mistaken in your judgment concerning them."

THE DIAMOND AND THE LOADSTONE.

A DIAMOND, of great beauty and lustre, observing not only many other gems of a lower class ranged together with him in the same cabinet, but a loadstone likewise placed not far from him, began to question the latter how he came there, and what pretensions he had to be ranked among the precious stones-he, who appeared to be no better than a mere flint, a sorry, coarse, rusty-looking pebble, without the least shining quality to advance him to such an honour; and concluded with desiring him to keep his distance, and pay a proper respect to his superiors. "I find," said the loadstone, "you judge by external appearances; and it is your interest that others should form their judgment by the same rule. I must own I have nothing to boast of in that respect; but I may venture to say that I make amends for my outward defects, by my inward qualities. The great improvement of navigation in these latter ages is entirely owing to me. It is owing to me, that the distant parts of the world are known and accessible to each other, that the remotest nations are connected together, and all in a manner united into one common society; that by a mutual intercourse they relieve one another's wants, and all enjoy the several blessings peculiar to each. Great Britain is indebted to me for her wealth, her splendour, and her power; and the arts and sciences are in a great measure obliged to me for their late improvements, and their continual increase. I am willing to allow you your due praise in its full extent. You are a very pretty bauble. I am mightily delighted to see you glitter and sparkle. I look upon you with pleasure and surprise. But I must be convinced that you are of some sort of use, before I acknowledge that you have any real merit, or treat you with that respect you seem to demand."

THE LION, THE WOLF, AND THE FOX.

A LION, having surfeited himself with feasting too luxuriously on the carcase of a wild boar, was seized with a violent and dangerous disorder. The beasts of the forest flocked in great numbers to pay their respects to him upon the occasion, and scarcely one was absent but the fox. The wolf, an ill-natured and malicious beast, seized this opportunity to accuse the fox of pride, ingratitude, and disaffection to his majesty. In the midst of his invective the fox entered, and, having heard part of the wolf's accusation, and observing the lion's countenance to be kindling into wrath, thus adroitly excused himself, and retorted upon his accuser : "I see many here who with mere lip-service have pretended to shew you their loyalty; but for my part, from the moment I heard of your majesty's illness, neglecting useless compliments, I employed myself day and night to enquire among the most learned physicians an infallible remedy for your disease, and have at length been happily informed of one. It is a plaster made of part of a wolf's skin, taken warm from his back, and laid to your majesty's stomach." This remedy was no sooner proposed, than it was determined the experiment should be tried; and, while the operation was performing, the fox with a sarcastic smile, whispered this useful maxim in the wolf's ear;-"If you would be safe from harm yourself, learn for the future not to meditate mischief against others."

THE REDBREAST AND THE SPARROW.

As a redbreast was singing on a tree, by the side of a rural cottage, a sparrow, perched upon the thatch, took occasion thus to reprimand him. “And dost thou,” said he, with thy dull autumnal note, presume to emulate the birds of spring? Can thy weak warblings pretend to vie with the sprightly accents of the thrush and the blackbird? with the various melody of the lark and the nightingale, whom other birds, far thy superiors, have been long content to admire in silence?"— "Judge with candour, at least," replied the robin; nor impute those efforts to ambition solely, which may sometimes flow from love of the art. I reverence, indeed, but by no means envy the birds whose fame has stood the test of ages. Their songs have charmed both hill and dale; but their season has past, and their throats are silent. I feel not, however, the ambition to surpass or equal them; my efforts are of a much humbler nature, and I may surely hope for pardon, while I endeavour to cheer these forsaken vallies, by an attempt to imitate the strains I love."

THE FLY IN SAINT PAUL'S CUPOLA.

As a fly was crawling leisurely up one of the columns of Saint Paul's cupola, she often stopped, surveyed, examined, and at last broke forth into the following exclamation: “ Strange! that any one who pretends to be an artist, should ever leave so superb a structure with so many roughnesses unfinished!”—“Ah! my friend," said a very learned architect, who hung in his web under one of the capitals, "you should never decide of things beyond the extent of your capacity. This lofty building was not erected for such diminutive animals as you or I, but for a certain sort of creatures, who are at least ten thousand times as large. Το their eyes, it is very possible, these columns may seem as smooth as to you appear the wings of your favourite mistress."

THE CAT AND THE BAT.

A CAT, having devoured her master's favourite bullfinch, overheard him threatening to put her to death the moment he could find her. In this distress, she preferred a petition to Jupiter; vowing, if he would deliver her from her present danger, that never while she lived would she eat another bird. Not long afterwards, a bat most invitingly flew into the room where Puss was purring in the window. The question was, how to act upon so trying an occasion: her appetite pressed hard on one side, and her vow threw some scruples in her way on the other. At length she hit upon a most convenient distinction to remove all difficulties, by determining, that as a bird, indeed, it was an unlawful prize, but as a mouse she might very conscientiously eat it; and accordingly, without further debate fell to the repast.

Thus it is that men are apt to impose upon themselves by vain and groundless distinctions, when conscience and principle are at variance with interest and inclination.

DEATH AND CUPID.

ONE day, when Sol had well nigh set,
And evening fast was closing in,
Cupid and Death by hazard met
Together, at a country inn.

Death to the north, it seems, was bound,
Love to the south: at either's back
A quiver hung, wherein were found
Their fatal weapons of attack.

Each, as he entered, took his place

And fell to chatting and to quaffing. Till Love, beholding Death's grim face, Went almost in a fit for laughing.

At length, he managed to repress

His mirth, and frankly owned its cause;
Begged pardon, but he must confess
He never saw such lantern jaws.

Death fired at this; high words ensued,
And words had shortly turned to blows,
Had not the landlord stayed the feud,
At no small risk to his red nose.

This done, ere long the foes retired,

And soon forgot their wrath in sleep; But first, the landlord they desired

Under his charge their arms to keep.

It chanced, this worthy, half asleep,

The weapons changed; and so, next morning, Love's back was helped to Death's grim heap,

And Death's to darts of strange adorning.

Since then alas! it has been found,

That Love seems best with age to thrive;
When life runs low, he deals his wound,
And lights his flame at seventy-five.

Death, on the other hand, strikes those
Whose cheeks are rich with beauty's bloom;

And twenty. seems the destined close

Of hearts that least deserve the tomb.

The world is thus turned upside down ;

Love aims-and Death is in the blow; Death fain would kill-his shaft has flown,

And age grows young with Cupid's glow.