MORAL. 35 



issued from perhaps a horse-pond, where it dwelt an hour ago 

 a miniature monster of the mimic deep. 



Thus by plain and pleasant symbols is Nature for ever 



teaching us entreating us to come out and sit with her at 





 the feet of her Great Author. Her " tongues in the running 



brooks" are always tuneful; her "sermons in stones!' never 

 rugged ; her " good in everything " is always easy of ex- 

 traction ; and her moralities are not adorned merely but 

 wholly conveyed by picture and parabolic story. The French 

 Fabulist observes with -truth, that 



" La morale nue apporte de 1' ennui, 

 La conte fait passer le precepte aveclui." 



But though Nature deals with us, her children, on this very 

 principle, we turn a deaf ear to "the voice of the charmer," 

 and while the Thousand and One Nights of the far-famed 

 Scherezade are in everybody 's memory, the 365 days of the 

 year, each with its tale within tale of wonders ever new, go 

 round unheeded or unheard. 



