Cast not away the nut for the bitterness of the rind.
S. THOMAS AQUINAS. |
A heart made glad with God's own wealth of gladness,
Calm to the core;

A heart made full as human love could fill it,

And love divine.

Songs of Many Seasons: MRS. CHARLES. !

My life with thee

Is like a song, and the sweet music thou
Which doth accompany it.

BAILEY.

Thou charmer of life, ever tender and true.

CAMPBELL.

Sorrow was not given us for sorrow's sake, but always and infallibly as a lesson to us, from which we are to learn somewhat, of which the somewhat once learned ceases to be sorrow. Life of CARLYLE.

December 24.

Old wood to burn, old wine to drink,
Old friends to trust, old authors to read!

ALPHONSO OF ARAGON.

Courage consists not in blindly overlooking danger, but in seeing it, and conquering it.

RICHTER.

A cheerful temper, not occasionally but habitually cheerful, is a quality which no wise man would be willing to dispense with in choosing a wife. It is like a good fire in winter, diffusive and genial in its influence, and always approached with a confidence that it will comfort and do good. MRS. ELLIS.

Alas! for them, though not for thee;
They cannot choose, but weep the more :
Deep for the dead the grief must be,
Who ne'er gave cause to mourn before.

BYRON.

December 24.

Christ though as yet He cannot speak, yet out of His crib as a pulpit, this day preaches to us, and His theme is, 'Learn of Me, for I am humble.'

BISHOP ANDREWES.

I love to see this day well kept by rich and poor.

WASHINGTON IRVING.

Your lowly cheare and gentle companie
Reioysed my harte with fode most delicate.

STEPHEN HAWES, 1530.

Let not the heart, whose sorrow cannot call
This Christmas merry, slight the festival.
Let us be merry that may merry be,
But let us not forget that many mourn.
The smiling Baby came to give us glee,
But for the weepers was the Saviour born.

December 26.

H. COLERIDGE.

Those things alone

Are to be feared whence evil may proceed;
None else, for none are terrible beside.

DANTE.

He that is curious of his time will not easily be unready or unfurnished.

JEREMY TAYLOR.

His heart's best joy where'er he roves
That dream of home, that dream of home!

I shall love thee to the last,

T. MOORE.

And bear thy memory with me to the grave.

WORDSWORTH.

For God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them and received them. Wisdom, iii. 5, 6.

December 26.

The noblest minds their virtue prove

By pity, sympathy, and love.

Cowper.

God takes man's hearty desires and will instead of the deed, where they have not power to fulfil it, but He never took the bare deed for the will. BAXTER.

My fate hath shown me him to whom behoves it That I should offer up myself. In gladness Him will I follow.

COLERIDGE.

Let good or ill betide, thou'rt mine till death.

Suddenly to ope mine eyes
And find myself in Paradise;
The Gates of Death for ever past,
To find myself with Christ at last;
To see that look of welcome giv'n,
Which is the very Gate of Heaven.

December 28.

T. MOORE.

J. S. B. MONsell.

Hope on! The fight

Is never lost while fight we may.
At home the hearth is shining bright,
Though yet unseen along the way;
And the darkest hour of all the night
Is that which brings the day.

ANON.

Love sees what no eye sees. Love hears what no ear hears; and what never rose in the heart of man Love prepares for its object.

Lavater.

One soul dwelling in two bodies. S. GREGORY.

Yet all rejoicing is not gone,
For in my sorrows comforts be,
Because the soul which I bemoan
Is found of God, tho' lost to me.

GEO. WITHER.