1 6 WINTER SKETCHES. 



one of those wise men (of whom there are few) 

 who know that the grasshopper is likely soon 

 to become a burden, and so contrive to make 

 his weight light by husbanding their strength. 

 How few among men know when to leave off 

 business, and how few there are of these who 

 can leave it off and be happy ! He is one of 

 this small number to be envied. Twenty years 

 ago he relinquished his practice in the city, and 

 retired to this healthy spot. Here, with his 

 charming family around him, his comfortable 

 house, his elegant library, his pair of fine 

 horses, his robust health, he is as happy as 

 man can wish to be. 



After our dinner we two old fellows sat up 

 far into the still hours of the night, and over a 

 bowl of punch, such as we used clandestinely 

 to quaff, talked of our school-boy days and 

 playmates. We were at school at Amherst in 

 the year 1829, and every five years we meet 

 again on the old playground, for the school is 

 still maintained. There the present genera- 

 tion of boys look with wonder on the old gray- 

 beards who fall into ranks — thinner ranks, alas, 

 at every meeting ; and when they see us after 

 roll-call at our regular game of foot-ball, their 

 astonishment knows no bounds. And I will 



