ON THE INDIAN-JASMINE FLOWER. BY RYAN. How lovelily the jasmine flower Blooms far from man's observing eyes; And having lived its little hour, There withers, there sequester'd dies! Though faded, yet 'tis not forgot; And decks the jasmine's grave for ever. Thus, thus should man, who seeks to soar On learning's wings to fame's bright sky, Far from his fellows seek that lore, Unheeded live, sequester'd die. Thus, like the jasmine, when he's fled, As saints that watch some infant's sleep. THE EVENING PRIMROSE. BY BERNARD BARTON. FAIR flower, that shunn'st the glare of day, Yet lovest to open, meekly bold, To evening hues of sober gray, Thy cup of paly gold; Be thine the offering, owing long, I love to watch at silent eve Thy scatter'd blossoms' lonely light: I love, at such an hour, to mark, Their beauty greet the light breeze chill, And shine, 'mid shadows gathering dark, The garden's glory still. For such, 'tis sweet to think the while, When cares and griefs the breast invade, In friendship's animating smile, In sorrow's dark'ning shade. Thus it bursts forth like thy pale cup, But still more animating far, If meek religion's eye may trace, Even in thy glimm'ring earth-born star The holier hope of grace! The hope that, as thy beauteous bloom TO AN EARLY PRIMROSE BY H. K. WHITE. MILD offspring of a dark and sullen sire! Thee, when young Spring first question'd And dared the sturdy blusterer to the fight- To mark his victory. In this low vale, the promise of the year, Thy tender elegance. So virtue blooms, brought forth amid the storms Of chill adversity, in some lone walk Of life she rears her head, Obscure and unobserved; While every bleaching breeze that on her blows, Chastens her spotless purity of breast, And hardens her to bear Serene the ills of life. THE ROSE BUD. BY KEBLE. WHEN nature tries her finest touch, Mark ye how close she veils her round, Whoever saw the earliest rose Fondly we seek the dawning bloom The gazing eye no change can trace, Then turn, and lo! 'tis there. But there's a sweeter flower than e'er A brighter star, a richer bloom, |