Not all the charms that superstition gave To plants in lonely forests found, Could work such magic in Love’s doting slave, As the voice which his wishes crowned. _Anon._ * * * * * A voice of laughter--a voice of glee! Among the maidens, who happy as she? By love’s enchantment her thrilling breast Is wildly, witchingly, over-blest: And gushing joys, like the sun in May, Enliven the noon of her bridal-day. _MacKellar._ * * * * * Mysterious plant! whose golden tresses wave With a sad beauty in the dying year, Blooming amid November’s frost severe, Like a pale corpse-light o’er the recent grave. If shepherds tell us true, thy wand hath power, With gracious influence, to avert the harm Of ominous planets. _Token, 1831._ CORN.... _Riches_. Ceres, the goddess of Corn and harvest, was represented with a garland of ears of Corn on her head. The commemoration of the loss of her daughter Proserpine, was celebrated about the beginning of harvest; that of her search after her, at the time of sowing Corn. A whole straw has been made the emblem of union; and a broken straw, of rupture. The custom of breaking a straw, to express the rupture of a contract, may be traced back to an early period of French history, and may be said to have had a royal origin. When Charles the Simple, of France, was abandoned by his principal lords, they broke a straw to express that they would no longer acknowledge him as their king. Corn may be regarded as an appropriate emblem of wealth; since, wherever it grows, it leads us to infer plenty and comfort. * * * * * Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive, Get riches first, get wealth. _Milton._ * * * * * Then let us get money, like bees lay up honey; We’ll build us new hives and store each cell; The sight of our treasure shall yield us great pleasure, We’ll count it, and chink it, and jingle it well. _Dr. Franklin._ * * * * * Much learning shows how little mortals know; Much wealth, how little worldlings can enjoy: At best, it babies us with endless toys, And keeps us children till we drop to dust. As monkeys at a mirror stand amazed, They fail to find what they so plainly see; Thus men, in shining riches, see the face Of happiness, nor know it as a shade; But gaze, and touch, and peep, and peep again, And wish, and wonder it is absent still. _Young._ * * * * * Oh, blessed lot To be possessed of wealth and of a heart So heavenly made that it refuses not Of its abundance freely to impart! _MacKellar._ * * * * *