Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE RAVEN AND THE SCULL. A FABLE. ' -' A Raven sat on a lonely yew, Shaking his plumes, still damp with dew, Above a fresh-dug grave: And many a glance he downward threw And snuff'd the breeze that round him blew, And a croak of pleasure gave. That Raven had not broken his fast Since twenty summer hours had past; Though he had flown both far and near, Through noonday bright, and evening clear. There lay a Scull, by the sexton found, As he whistling delv'd the thirsty ground, In the narrow home he made: And an earth-worm o'er the crumbling mound Its slimy progress slowly wound To the Scull's attractive shade. The Raven had seen that trailer go, And he was soon on the soil below, And stood prepar'd the prize to gain; When from the mouldy Scull, That seem'd so hollow, dark, and dull, Arose these accents of disdain. " Know you, before whom you stand ? " —I was a noble of the land: " One of pedigree and pow'r: " Lord of meadow, stream, and tow'r; "One, who robes of splendor wore; " One, whom vassals bow'd before!" " You may have been these, I freely allow." The Raven eroak?d hoarsely; ' but what are you now ? " You may have been handsome,—though I fear " Few would believe it, who look'd on you here. " Then vaunt not yourself, my empty friend, " For honours, like other things, will have an end. " For your pedigree,—peace to the whimsical term! " And as for your pow'r,—protect me this worm!" So saying, with his sturdy beak He roll'd the Scull aside; Eager his slimy prey to seek, That, writhing, died. THE LANDSCAPE. Clear is the air, and mild the breeze, That gently vaves these aged trees, And sweeps the verdant hills; Yon woodbine hedge that breeze supplies With perfume, rich as woman's sighs, When love sp...