60

And beside this broad belt of silvery light,
Eight moons with pale lustre illumine his night.
Thirty years-little less, of our times are expended,
Before a course round his wide orbit is ended.
Uranus comes next, and 'twas fancied that he
Was the last, with his moons,-perhaps six, perhaps
three,-

For his orbit employs him, so vast is its span,

All the years that are granted, at longest, to man :
But since-O the wonders that science has done! 65
We have found a new planet, so far from the sun,
That but for our glasses and long calculation,
We surely should not have discovered his station.
His name we call Neptune, and distant so far,
The sun can appear little more than a star.
Such then is the system in which we revolve,
But who to pass onward through space shall resolve?
Or what wing of fancy can soar to the height
Where stars keep their stations-a phalanx of light?
Nor reason, nor fancy, that field can explore;
We pause in mute wonder, and GOD we adore.

JANE AND ANN TAYLOR.

70

75

THE KITTEN AND THE FALLING

LEAVES.

SEE the Kitten on the wall

Sporting with the leaves that fall,

Withered leaves-one-two-and three

From the lofty elder tree!

Through the calm and frosty air
Of this morning bright and fair,

Eddying round and round they sink.

6

-But the Kitten, how she starts,
Crouches, stretches, paws, and darts!
First at one, and then its fellow,
Just as light and just as yellow;
There are many now-now one—
Now they stop and there are none:
What intenseness of desire

In her upward eye of fire!
With a tiger-leap half-way

12

Of a thousand standers-by,

Clapping hands with shouts and stare,

What would little Tabby care

For the plaudits of the crowd?

Over happy to be proud,

24

He is sailing o'er the sea-
He is coming back to thee,

He is coming home to me,

Baby mine!

8

II.

He's been parted from us long,

Baby mine, Baby mine!

But if hearts be true and strong,

Baby mine!

They shall brave Misfortune's blast,

And be overpaid at last

For all pain and sorrow pass'd,

Oh, I long to see his face,

Baby mine, Baby mine!

In his old accustom❜d place,

Baby mine!

Like the rose of May in bloom,

Like a star amid the gloom,
Like the sunshine in the room,

IV.

Baby mine!

24

Thou wilt see him and rejoice,

Baby mine, Baby mine!

Thou wilt know him by his voice,

Baby mine!

By his love-looks that endear,

By his laughter ringing clear,
By his eyes that know not fear,

Baby mine!

32

V.

I'm so glad I cannot sleep,

Baby mine, Baby mine!

THE Frost looked forth, one still clear night,
And whispered, "Now I shall be out of sight;
So through the valley and over the height,
In silence I'll take my way:

I will not go on like that blustering train,
The wind and the snow, the hail and the rain,
Who make so much bustle and noise in vain,
But I'll be as busy as they."

8

Then he flew to the mountain and powdered its crest; He lit on the trees, and their boughs he dressed

In diamond beads-and over the breast

Of the quivering lake he spread

A coat of mail, that it need not fear
The downward point of many a spear
That he hung on its margin, far and near,

Where a rock could rear its head.

1 By permission of F. Warne and Co., Publishers.

16

He went to the windows of those who slept,
And over each pane, like a fairy, crept;
Wherever he breathed, wherever he stept,

By the light of the moon were seen

Most beautiful things :-there were flowers and trees;
There were bevies of birds, and swarms of bees:
There were cities with temples and towers; and these
All pictured in silver sheen.

But he did one thing that was hardly fair;

He peeped in the cupboard, and finding there
That all had forgotten for him to prepare-
"Now just to set them a thinking,

24

I'll bite this basket of fruit," said he,
"This costly pitcher I'll burst in three,

And the glass of water they've left for me
Shall 'tchick!' to tell them I'm drinking."

WILLIAM TELL.

COME list to me, and you shall hear

A tale of what befel

A famous man of Switzerland;

His name was WILLIAM TELL,

32

GOULD.

4

To track the rock-frequenting herd
With eye so true and keen.

12

Uri, one of the cantons, or divisions, of Switzerland.