Voltaire and Wilberforce................................... Wm. B. Sprague. xix. 94 Zeph Higgins' Confession...........................Harriet Beecher Stowe. xvii. 100 CHOICE SELECTIONS. No. 17. AMERICA.-W. C. BRYANT. Look now abroad,--another race has filled New colonies forth, that toward the western seas Here the free spirit of mankind, at length, Europe is given a prey to sterner fates, And writhes in shackles; strong the arms that chain To earth her struggling multitude of states; She too is strong and might not chafe in vain Against them, but shake off the vampire train That batten on her blood, and break their net. Yes, she shall look on brighter days, and gain The meed of worthier deeds; the moment set To rescue and raise up, draws near-but is not yet. 7 But thou, my country, thou shalt never fall, KING CANUTE.-W. M. THACKERAY. King Canute was weary-hearted; he had reigned for years a score, Battling, struggling, pushing, fighting, killing much and robbing more; And he thought upon his actions, walking by the wild seashore. "Twixt the Chancellor and Bishop walked the King with steps sedate, Chamberlains and grooms came after, silversticks and goldsticks great, Chaplains, aids-de-camp, and pages-all the officers of state, Sliding after like his shadow, pausing when he chose to pause, If a frown his face contracted, straight the courtiers dropped their jaws; If to laugh the King was minded, out they burst in loud hee-haws. But that day a something vexed him, that was clear to old and young: Thrice his Grace had yawned at table, when his favorite gleemen sung, Once the Queen would have consoled him, but he bade her hold her tongue. "Something ails my gracious master," cried the Keeper of the Seal. "Sure, my lord, it is the lampreys served at dinner, or the veal?" "Pshaw!" exclaimed the angry monarch. "Keeper, 'tis not that I feel. “"Tis the heart, and not the dinner, fool, that doth my rest impair: Can a king be great as I am, prithee, and yet know no care? Oh, I'm sick, and tired, and weary."-Some one cried, "The King's arm-chair!" |