Born to leisure and opulence, they owe the
exercise of their talents, and the expenditure of their wealth, to
their native country. They may be compared to the clouds; which, being
drawn up by the sun, and elevated in the heavens, reflect and magnify
his splendour; while they repay the earth, from which they derive
their sustenance, by returning their treasures to its bosom in
fertilizing showers.
A BACHELOR'S CONFESSIONS.
"I'll live a private, pensive single life."
--_The Collier of Croydon_.
I was sitting in my room, a morning or two since, reading, when some
one tapped at the door, and Master Simon entered. He had an unusually
fresh appearance; he had put on a bright green riding-coat, with a
bunch of violets in the button-hole, and had the air of an old
bachelor trying to rejuvenate himself. He had not, however, his usual
briskness and vivacity; but loitered about the room with somewhat of
absence of manner, humming the old song--"Go, lovely rose, tell her
that wastes her time and me;" and then, leaning against the window,
and looking upon the landscape, he uttered a very audible sigh. As I
had not been accustomed to see Master Simon in a pensive mood, I
thought there might be some vexation preying on his mind, and I
endeavoured to introduce a cheerful strain of conversation; but he was
not in the vein to follow it up, and proposed that we should take a
walk.
Pages:
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311