and holidays. In our own country, Easter Monday and Whit-Monday are the two great holidays of the people. On the continent, the Carnival begins; and everywhere are signs of rejoicing and glee. In the Easter week, indeed, we obtain a glimpse of "Merrie England." following days, are kept as high festivals | lark, the cornerake, and the stone curlew, are among the birds of passage that make their appearance about this time. In our woods and gardens the anemone blows, and the daffodil, the yellow rose, the star-eyel daisy, and the violet gladden our eyes. The gorse is full of golden blossoms, and cowslips and primroses deck the fieids The hyacinth spangles the green earth; and tulips, and jonquils, and kingcupsthousands of nature's own lovely children rise up from the brown earth and show their modest faces to the sun. On Easter Monday and Tuesday the Spital Sermons are preached in Christchurch, Newgate Street, London. The word Spital is a contraction of Hospital, and the sermons are preached for the benefit of the charities connected with the five royal hospitals of the metropolis-Christ's, St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas's, Bridewell, and Bethlehem. The boys of Christ's Hospital-the Blue-coat School-go in procession to the Mansion House, where they are received by the Lord Mayor, and each presented with a glass of wine, a bun, and a new shilling. The civic functionaries then proceed to Christchurch and hear the sermon, which is usually preached by one of the bishops or by the Lord Mayor's chaplain. Easter-day is always the first Sunday after the full moon which happens upon, or next after, the 21st day of March. If the moon is full on a Sunday, Easter-day is the Sunday after. The 23rd of April is St. George's day. St. George is equally the patron of England and Russia; and, in both countries, his fabulous encounter with the dragon is the subject of legend, tale, and song. Low Sunday is the next following Easter Sunday, and this year fell on the 25th of the month. The primitive Christians kept this day as a festival, and respected the ceremonials of Easter Sunday in a lower degree. Hence the name. So much for the days in the Calendar. In other respects April is almost as attractive as May. Though true to its old characteristics of wind and rain, it has many lovely days, especially towards its close. The bursting blossoms and the bright green grass, the opening leaves, and the twittering of the numerous birds of passage that now return to dwell for a while in our fields and orchards, all give pleasant promise of the summer-80on to come in sunshine and loveliness. The cuckoo, with her well-known note, is heard among the yet scanty leaves of the beech and ash; and the nightingale sings amid the flowering hawthorn and delicate sycamore. The house swallow, the martin, the blackcap, the whitethroat, the yellow willow wren, the redstart, the grasshopper The ploughman is out in the fields, and the shepherd is busy with his flock; the cottager finds plenty to do in his garden; and, amid the intervals of light variable showers, the early May sun comes out bright and warm. The wild creatures of the forest-the hare and the squirrel, the hedgehog and the rook, and many others, are roused to new activity. The rivers are alive with fish, and the woods abound with nests, and, amid all, the schoolboy is certainly not dozing. In the Easter holidays the playgroundgames are carried home, and the garden and forecourt resound with merriment and noise. The shuttlecock and the top are now the popular toys for lads. The top is a very ancient toy. Virgil, in the seventh Eneid, says: "The wooden engine flies and whirls about, Admired with clamour by the beardless lout; They lash aloud, each other they provoke, And lend their little souls to every stroke." Does not this description apply as well to English boys in the nineteenth century as to young Roman scapegraces in the day's of Augustus? Tipcat, rounders, feed the chickens, and race running, are also favourites with the boys just now, and in some parts of the country the exciting games of cricket, steeplechase, and follow-my-leader make the welkin ring. All nature is gay and merry. The bees that wakened in early hour We do not measure love by words, and the simple "I love you" from one we trust, conveys more to the heart than the most fervent protestations from those we have reason to doubt. Love is felt rather than heard. DAISY H. THE SECRET OF SUCCESS. 1 How many a struggling tradesman civilization and refinement—one man was would give his ears to find it out: how rewarded munificently by public subscripmany a poor author, seeking for fame in tion for having made a railway fortune; the beaten paths of literature, and living, while another, the author of the railway literally, from hand to mouth, would be system, pined in poverty and gloom, and happy to discover it: how many a specu- no man thought of him: and yet of these lator dreams of, but never realises it: two men, George Hudson and Thomas how many a daring experimentalist woos Gray-whose name will be most honoured the goddess Fortune in every shape, and by posterity? The first is in disgrace, never arrives at the solution of the giant the last is in his grave. mystery: how many a student makes it, Again in the same building a great in one way or another, the subject of his genius exhibited the fruits of his mighty daily, aye, his nightly thoughts, without mind, and a charlatan abortion was ca once coming within sight of the envied ressed and petted by the rich and fair, goal which all men strive to reach. The who flocked in hundreds daily to kiss his story of unrequited toil-of patient, un- puny cheek. Haydon the painter died remitting labour, badly paid-of bold by his own hand; and the keeper of the hearts withering beneath the frown of manikin Tom Thumb retired upon a unsuccess of mighty intellects damped noble fortune. : and disappointed-of golden day-dreams While Thomas Chatterton pined and and glorious aspirations crushed beneath withered in a garret in Brownlow-street, the iron heel of want-is it not as common as life? and was laid in a pauper's grave in Shoelane-garret or churchyard, however, exist no longer-men were making for tunes by the sale of cheap poisons and quack medicines, and thieves and conju rors were living in luxury upon the fruits of their unholy callings. And yet some favoured few have, almost without an effort of their own, discovered the mighty secret. Some, the sons of toil, have achieved the great purpose. Some, by intuition, as it were, have mastered the riddle that the world Not to multiply instances, can we look -the great moral Edipus-has given them to solve, and guessed the Secret of Success. around without everywhere observing these inequalities of fortune-the many striving in vain, the few rewarded without desert? Some men, said Shakspeare, are born to greatness; some achieve greatness; and But is the grand secret unsolvable, exsome have greatness thrust upon them. cept by accident? Surely not. There There is yet another class, who seek for is a story told of a carpenter, who being greatness, and never find it. Of these observed carefully planing a bench that are the thousands to whom the Secret of was intended for the county magistrates, Success is never vouchsafed, puzzle and was asked why he took so much pains seek they never so hard. with the work. He answered, that he And why is this? Why is it that some was making it smooth and pleasant charlatan, with nothing but a face of against the time when he should himself brass to recommend him, takes the world take his seat upon it. That was the by storm, while patient merit is neg- purpose of his life, and he lived to achieve lected? Can no one answer the ques-it. Is there not a great moral in the tion-can no one solve the riddle-no anecdote? one guess the Secret of Success? It appears not; and yet the answer is patent to the world. Columbus, when he had satisfied himself that there must be a western world, was untiring in his applications to native In the nineteenth century-the age of and foreign princes for assistance. Fer dinand and Isabella rendered it, and And so we might go on. It is vain to America was the result. Wedgworth was say that with some men all things seem a barber's boy, and shaved for a penny. to prosper, and that beneath the touch of Doctor Johnson was the son of a poor others, all things seem to wither and to bookseller in Lichfield, and came to die. The Secret of Success is not so very London in search of fame with a single difficult to solve as some imagine: it lies guinea in his pocket; and yet both have in a word, and that word is-Perseverleft names that will never die. EDITOR. ance, LITTLE ELLEN'S FAULT. "DEAR Aunt Sara," exclaimed my to eradicate, and would necessarily carry nieces, surrounding me as I entered my in its train many other errors of a more sister's house, some few days back, we glaring character. Therefore, after a are so glad you have come!" pause, she said, gently and smilingly"And why?" I mischievously replied, although divining their reason. 66 "Oh," they all said, you promised next time you came to tell us a pretty story." "And I intend keeping my word, nieces mine." So, having disrobed, I seated myself to comply with their urgent re quest. 'Now, what shall the subject be?" I queried. "Please, something true, from real life." To which I willingly assented, and forthwith commenced. CHAPTER I. Mamma," said little Ellen Graham, as sitting at work on a stool at her mother's knee, "I have promised to spend the afternoon with cousin Jane. May I go?" A shadow of surprise flitted across Mrs. Graham's face; and the elevation of her eyebrows, as her daughter looked up, anticipating a prompt consent, caused her speedily to bend all attention on the work she had in hand. Silence reigned for a few minutes. Mrs. Graham was naturally a good and indulgent parent, but she thought the above request worded in much too consequential a manner, proceeding from the lips of such a child, so determined to check that tendency to superiority, which would, as she grew older, become stronger and more difficult "I cannot permit you to leave me to-day, as you did not consult me before giving your word; and I feel deeply grieved that my Ellen should take so much authority on her own shoulders; so my child must rest content with her mother's society for this day," she playfully added. In the meantime Ellen's humour was becoming every minute more irritable. At length she burst forth, passionately throwing her work from her "I must go; I won't stay at home for any one!" Then her mother rose calmly from her chair, but with a look of great displeasure; and, taking Ellen by the hand, led her to her room, where she bade her pass the rest of the day, to think over, and combat with, her wicked passion, so that it might be conquered in youth. "When you feel in a better frame of mind, and quite repentant, I shall be, as you know, ready to pardon you." So, after she had finished speaking, her mamma locked the door, and left her in quiet meditation. CHAPTER II. When quite alone Ellen began to consider how wrong had been her sudden passion, causing others unhappiness besides herself; she sobbed for a long time in grief and sorrow, till worn out, gradually sleep for a time brought forgetfulness While in this state she dreamed, and saw her mother watching at her bedside, to an angel, clothed in pure and spotless whom she related her dream and begged white; her face was radiant with smiles, forgiveness, further adding: and a halo of light cast itself round her head, while her hair shone in rich golden waves. Holding out her hand, she said, entreatingly, in a sweet beseeching voice, her look giving double weight to her "O dear mamma! save me from that wicked man who called himself Pride! He frightens me so much!" "My dear one!" her parent said, "'tis yourself who must endeavour to elude his grasp, and you may be sure I will do all in my weak power to assist you. Wheu you feel any sinful thoughts or feelings intruding, prostrate, at the throne of your loving and heavenly Father, must you engage in earnest prayer, in order to banish them. We are all prone to err from very weakness. I can only further advise you to watch yourself, and pray for strength." But, as she endeavoured to grasp the child, she disappeared, leaving in her Thus she counselled, and nobly in after stead one who caused a shudder to pass years was she repaid, when her child be through the slight frame. He was en- came a good and worthy member of veloped in a long and flowing robe of society; and, finding how much selfblack, a crown of the same colour en- control was needed, she blessed that circled his haughty brows, and, bending mother, who had punished her when them frowningly on the child, commanded young, and afterwards gave her such her to rise and follow him. loving advice. "My name is one of glory and renown, and well known to all mankindit is Pride. There is no man living but whom has learnt a lesson from me. I teach them well." And once more he extended his hand, with a hoarse and fearful chuckle, saying: "So come, you must not be exempt." "No, no!" screamed little Ellen, and, in her fright, awoke to find all a dream, | "Are you satisfied with my story, children?" "Quite! quite!" they instantly replied. 66 'Then to bed with you, and another tale, if you are all good, next time I come." "Thanks! thanks!" was the universal cry, and, with a kiss of satisfaction, they all departed. MIGNONETTE LINES TO A SNOWDROP. WELCOME, Sweet harbinger of opening spring; Thy pensive beauties caught my wondering eye; I've plucked thee, solitary flower, to bring Thy tender frame where no rude blasts are nigh. I see thee! Thou scarce can'st rear thy drooping! head, For frosts inclement pierce thy lovely form; THE FAREWELL. "NEATH the bright waters the sun is sinking, Round me once more let your arms entwine; Pass from your brow-see, there's none on mine. Though short the time that we've loved and revell'd, Lift me up, for my life is ebbing; Let my head on your bosom rest. BLANCHE ALSINGTON. THE most important political event in Europe since the downfall of Napoleon the Great, is, undoubtedly, the present struggle of the Poles against the brutal tyranny and unjust subjugation of the Russians. To Langiewicz, the late dictator, is certainly due the permanence achieved by the Polish insurrection of 1863. Beyond all question the deeds of General Langiewicz have absorbed the attention of Europe, and the stranger of yesterday has become the soldier of to-day. To him, more than to any other of the Polish patriots, liberty is indebted for having converted an unpremeditated and undirected effort of resistance into a great national and patriotic movement against Russian despotism. The Garibaldi of Poland has, it is true, suffered a check in his career, but everything leads us to believe that to him will be owing, if to any man, the liberation of the kingdom of Poland. VOL. III.-NEW SERIES. D D |