Home › Contents › Sports of Childhood

Sports of Childhood

And so the active breath of life Should stir our dull and sluggard wills; For are we not created rife With health that stagnant torpor kills?

I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread, As those who earn the meals they eat.

And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent, So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content. of my sweet companion was communicated to me; otherwise I should only be a bit of clay, as I appear to be."

E Filial Affection.

SAADI.

PAMINONDAS was one of the greatest generals of Greece. When he had conquered Sparta and delivered Greece, in the midst of universal applause, he was heard to say, "My joy arises from. my sense of that which the news of my victory will give my father and mother."

Cyaxares, uncle of Cyrus the Great, having been an eye-witness of the courage, conduct and many amiable qualities of his nephew, was desirous of giving a signal testimony of the value he had for his merit. Cyaxares had no son, and but one daughter. This favorite princess he offered in marriage to Cyrus, with an assurance of the kingdom of Media for her portion. Cyrus, who loved the princess, had a grateful sense of it; but nevertheless did not think himself at liberty to accept it until he had first obtained the consent of his father and mother; thus leaving a noble example to all future ages of the respectful submission and dependence which all children ought to show their parents on the like occasion, of what age soever they may be, or to whatever degree of power and greatness they may have arrived.

Olympias, Alexander's own mother, was of such an unhappy disposition, that he would never let her have any concern in the affairs of the government. She used frequently to make very severe complaints on that account; but he always submitted to her ill humor with great mildness and patience. Antipater, one of his friends, having one day written a long letter against her, the king, after reading it, replied, "Antipater does not know that one single tear shed by a mother will obliterate ten thousand such letters as this." A behavior like this, and such an answer, show at one and the same time that Alexander was both an affectionate son and an able politician.

Ancient history records that a certain city was besieged, and at length obliged to surrender. In the city there were two brothers, who had, in some way, obliged the conquering general; and in consequence of this, received permission to leave the city before it was set on fire, taking with them as much of their property as each could carry about his person.

Accordingly, the two generous youths appeared at the gates of the city, one of them carrying their father, the other their mother.

L Dwelleth many a little child!

In the baron's hall of pride; By the poor man's dull fireside; 'Mid the mighty, 'mid the mean, Little children may be seen, Like the flowers that spring up fair, Bright and countless everywhere!

In the fair isles of the main; In the desert's lone domain ; In the savage mountain-glen, 'Mong the tribes of swarthy men; Wheresoe'er a foot hath gone; Wheresoe'er the sun hath shone On a league of peopled ground, Little children may be found!

Blessings on them! they in me Move a kindly sympathy With their wishes, hopes, and fears i With their laughter and their tears; With their wonder so intense, And their small experience!

Little children, not alone On the wide earth are ye known, 'Mid its labors and its cares, 'Mid its sufferings and its snares; Free from sorrow, free from strife, In the world of love and life, Where no sinful thing hath trod- In the presence of your God, Spotless, blameless, glorified- Little children, ye abide!