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humorous, pathetic way in which they interested you about your fellow-men, and made you acquainted with them?

11. Of this class Shakspere is the most remarkable specimen. He throws himself with the heartiest and most genial sympathy into the feelings of all, he understands their position and circumstances, he perceives how each must have been affected by them. He is so much of a man himself that he can enter into the manhood of people who are the farthest off from him, and with whom he has the least to do. And so I believe his books may become most valuable friends to us.

12. Every now and then, one discovers signs how Shakspere as an individual man had fought and suffered. His main work, however, is not to do this, but to help us in knowing ourselves-the past history of our land, the people we are continually meeting. And any book that does this is surely a friend.

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F. D. Maurice (1805-1872). man of wealth, returned to Stratford, where he died, 1616.

2. Doctors' Commons.-A place in London where wills are preserved. 3. Justice Shallow. One of Shakspere's characters.

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1. Thou art no lingerer in monarch's hall;

A joy thou art, and a wealth to all;
A bearer of hope unto land and sea-

Sunbeam! what gift has the world like thee?

2. Thou art walking the billows, and Ocean smiles— Thou hast touch'd with glory his thousand isles; Thou hast lit up the ships and the feathery foam, And gladden'd the sailor like words from home.

3. To the solemn depths of the forest shades,

Thou art streaming on through their green arcades,
And the quivering leaves that have caught thy glow,
Like fire-flies glance to the pools below.

4. I look'd on the mountains-a vapour lay,
Folding their heights in its dark array;
Thou brokest forth-and the mist became
A crown and a mantle of living flame.

5. I look'd on the peasant's lowly cotSomething of sadness had wrapped the spot; But a gleam of thee on its casement fell,

And it laugh'd into beauty at that bright spell. 6. To the earth's wild places a guest thou art, Flushing the waste like the rose's heart;

And thou scornest not, from thy pomp, to shed
A tender light on the ruin's head.

7. Thou takʼst through the dim church-aisle thy way, And its pillars from twilight flash forth to day,

And its high, pale tombs, with their trophies old,
Are bathed in a flood of burning gold.

8. And thou turnest not from the humblest grave,
Where a flower to the sighing winds may wave;
Thou scatter'st its gloom like the dreams of rest,
Thou sleepest in love on its grassy breast.

9. Sunbeam of summer! oh! what is like thee?

Hope of the wilderness, joy of the sea!

One thing is like thee, to mortals given,

The faith touching all things with hues of Heaven.

Mrs. Hemans.

LESSON XXXV.

CONTENTMENT.

1. This virtue does indeed produce, in some measure, all those effects which the alchymist1 usually ascribes to what he calls the philosopher's stone; and if it does not bring riches, it does the same thing, by banishing the desire for them. If it cannot remove the disquietudes arising out of a man's mind, body, or fortune, it makes him easy

under them. Among the many methods which might be made use of for the acquiring of this virtue, I shall only mention the two following. First of all, a man should always consider how much he has more than he wants; and then, secondly, how much more unhappy he might be than he really is.

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2. First of all, a man should always consider how much he has more than he wants. I am wonderfully pleased with the reply which a wise Greek made to one who condoled him3 upon the loss of a farm. Why," said he, "I have three farms still, and you have but one; so that I ought rather to be afflicted for you than you for me."

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3. On the contrary, foolish men are more apt to consider what they have lost than what they possess; and to fix their eyes upon those who are richer than themselves, rather than on those who are

under greater difficulties. All the real pleasures of life lie in a narrow compass; but it is the humour of mankind to be always looking forward, and straining after one who has got the start of them in wealth and honour.

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4. For this reason, as there are none can be properly called rich, who have not somewhat more than they want; there are few rich men in any of the politer nations but those who are among the middle sort of people, who keep their wishes always within their fortunes, and have more wealth than they know how to enjoy. Persons of a higher rank live at best in a kind of splendid poverty, and are perpetually wanting, because, instead of

resting content in the solid pleasures of life, they endeavour to outvie one another in shadows and

appearances.

5. Men of sense have at all times beheld with a great deal of mirth this silly game that is playing over their heads, and by contracting their desires, enjoy all that secret satisfaction which others are

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always in search of. The truth is, this ridiculous chase after imaginary pleasures cannot be sufficiently exposed, as it is the great source of those evils which generally undo a nation. Let a man's estate be what it will, he is a poor man if he does not live within it, and naturally sets himself to

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