MAY SIXTEENTH Sir William Patty born 1623. Honore de Balzac born 1799. William H. Seward born 1801. Felicia Hemans died 1835. Favored of Heaven! O Genius! are they thine, When round thy brow the wreaths of glory shine; While rapture gazes on thy radiant way, 'Midst the bright realms of clear mental day? No! sacred joys! 'tis yours to dwell enshrined, Most fondly cherished, in the purest mind. --Felicia Hemans. Genius is intensity. --Honore Balzac. But what if I fail of my purpose here? It is but to keep the nerves at strain, To dry one's eyes and laugh at a fall, And, baffled, get up and begin again-- So the chase takes up one's life, that's all. --Robert Browning. Be urgent in season, out of season. --2 Timothy 4. 2. My Lord, my life makes me conscious of weakness, and my memory brings regret; forgive me for the lost strength I neglected to develop. In thy compassion encourage me to be more watchful of my power, that I may usefully increase it, and not willfully deplete it. May I learn the need of constancy in well-doing. Amen. MAY SEVENTEENTH Heloise died 1163. Matthew Parker died 1575. Edwin Jenner born 1749. The weakest among us has a gift, however seemingly trivial, which is peculiar to him, and which worthily used, will be a gift to his race forever. --John Ruskin. Not in entire forgetfulness, And not in utter nakedness, But trailing clouds of glory do we come From God who is our home. --William Wordsworth. A weak mind sinks under prosperity as well as under adversity. A strong and deep mind has two highest tides--when the moon is at full, and when there is no moon. --Julius Hare. Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. --Job 10. 12. Almighty God, I pray that I may have a true appreciation of the quality of life. Reveal to me my responsibilities and help me to make them my opportunities. Keep me in search of thoughts and deeds that will increase the delight of my soul. Amen. MAY EIGHTEENTH Francis Mahony (Father Prout) died 1866. Mrs. Johnson (Stella) born 1735. John Wilson (Christopher North) born 1785. Longing is God's fresh heavenward will, With our poor earthly striving; We quench it, that we may be still Content with merely living. But would we learn that heart's full scope Which we are hourly wronging, Our lives must climb from hope to hope, And realize our longing. --James Russell Lowell. Pretexts are not wanted when one wishes a thing. --Goldoni. Friendship is for all aid and comfort through all the relations of life and death--for serene days and graceful gifts and country rambles; but also for rough roads, and hard fare, shipwreck, poverty, and persecution. --Ralph Waldo Emerson. Strive to enter in by the narrow door.