to possess one bright day without a cloud.

Let us examine the matter with sincerity, and we shall agree that our distresses chiefly arise from ourselves. It is Virtue alone that can render us superior to Fortune: we quit her standard, and the combat is no longer equal. Fortune mocks us; she turns us on her wheel; she raises and abases us at her pleasure, but her power is

founded on our weakness. This is an old rooted evil, but it is not incurable; there is not anything which a firm and elevated mind cannot accomplish. The discourse of the wise, and the study of good books, are the best remedies that I know; but to these we must join

the consent of the soul, without which the best advice will be useless. What gratitude do we not owe to those great men who, though dead many ages before us, live with us by their works, discourse with us, are our masters and guides, and serve us as pilots in the navigation of life, where our vessel is agitated without ceasing, by the storms of our passions! It is here that true philosophy brings us to a safe port, by a sure and easy passage; not like that of the schools, which raising us on its airy and deceitful wings, and causing us to hover on the clouds of frivolous disputes, lets us fall without any light or instruction in the same place where it took us up."

SLEEPING INFANTS.

"Hard is the heart of him who is not touched by sweet and interesting infancy!"

With stilly step, I stole to the couch

Where my two sweet infant buds lay sleeping, The lip of the one was glowing with smiles, But the cheek of the other was stain'd with

weeping.

Yet their dear little dimpled arms were twin'd

Around each neck,-and they closer press'd, As if a sweet sympathy even in dreams

Had bound

up their souls in bonds of the blest!

Perhaps 'twas a fond and foolish thought

But I held it an omen of future days:Poor girl! quoth I, thou art born to tears,

But thy brother shall bask in Fortune's rays; Yet thy delicate spirit shall not be crush'd,

For this is an earnest when dark griefs lower, His arm will support thy drooping frame,

And raise thy head from the bending shower!

PETRARCH

TO NICHOLAS ACCIAJOLI,

ON HIS PUPIL LEWIS DE TARENTUM BEING ACKNOWLEDGED KING OF NAPLES.

Illustrious man! At last victory is yours! Thanks to your zeal, your prince shall be enthroned, notwithstanding the efforts of envy. The lustre of his crown, and the serenity of his countenance, are going to dissipate the clouds with which Italy is covered. After so