“For O! my friends, if this were all indeed; Could we believe that nothing would succeed; If all were but this daily dose of life, Without a care or comfort, child or wife; These walks for health with nothing more in view; This doing nothing, and with labour too; This frequent asking when ’tis time to dine; 750 This daily dosing o’er the news and wine; This age’s riddle, when each day appears So very long, so very short the years; If this were all--but let me not suppose-- } What then were life! whose virtues, trials, woes, } Would sleep th’ eternal sleep, and there the scene would close. } “This cannot be--but why has Time a pace That seems unequal in our mortal race? Quick is that pace in early life, but slow, Tedious and heavy, as we older grow; 760 But yet, though slow, the movements are alike, And with no force upon the memory strike, And therefore tedious as we find them all, They leave us nothing we in view recal; But days that we so dull and heavy knew Are now as moments passing in review, And hence arises ancient men’s report, That days are tedious, and yet years are short.” TALES OF THE HALL. BOOK XI. _THE MAID’S STORY._ A Mother’s Advice--Trials for a young Lady--Ancient Lovers--The Mother a Wife--Grandmamma--Genteel Economy--Frederick, a young Collegian--Grandmamma dies--Retreat with Biddy--Comforts of the Poor--Return Home--Death of the Husband--Nervous Disorders--Conversion--Frederick a Teacher--Retreat to Sidmouth--Self-examination--The Mother dies--Frederick a Soldier--Retirement with a Friend--Their Happiness how interrupted--Frederick an Actor--Is dismissed and supported--A last Adventure. TALES OF THE HALL. BOOK XI. _THE MAID’S STORY._