A very careful dame, of busy way, Kept maids at home, and these, ere break of day, She used to raise as early as cock-crow. They thought 'twas hard to be awakened so, And o'er wool-spinning be at work so long; Hence grew within them all a purpose strong To kill the house-cock, whom they thought to blame For all their wrongs. But no advantage came; Worse treatment than the former them befell: For when the hour their mistress could not tell At which by night the cock was wont to crow, She roused them earlier, to their work to go. A harder lot the wretched maids endured. Bad judgment oft hath such results procured. THE LAMP A lamp that swam with oil, began to boast At eve, that it outshone the starry host, And gave more light to all. Her boast was heard: Soon the wind whistled; soon the breezes stirred, And quenched its light. A man rekindled it, And said, "Brief is the faint lamp's boasting fit, But the starlight ne'er needs to be re-lit." THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE To the shy hare the tortoise smiling spoke, When he about her feet began to joke: "I'll pass thee by, though fleeter than the gale." "Pooh!" said the hare, "I don't believe thy tale. Try but one course, and thou my speed shalt know." "Who'll fix the prize, and whither we shall go?" Of the fleet-footed hare the tortoise asked. To whom he answered, "Reynard shall be tasked With this; that subtle fox, whom thou dost see." The tortoise then (no hesitater she!) Kept jogging on, but earliest reached the post; The hare, relying on his fleetness, lost Space, during sleep, he thought he could recover When he awoke. But then the race was over; The tortoise gained her aim, and slept _her_ sleep. From negligence doth care the vantage reap. FRANCIS BACON (1561-1626) BY CHARLTON T. LEWIS