have just read has no poetry
about it. Besides, if you should become a poet, it will not bring you
a fortune, as you seem to think."

"Perhaps not; but I am confident that a poet may easily win both
popularity and a livelihood. At any rate, I am determined to try it,
in spite of your decidedly poor opinion of my abilities."

"Well, I advise you to stick to the business to which you were bred,"
added Osborne, "if you would keep out of the poor-house. A good clerk
is better than a bad poet"--and he cast a particularly roguish glance
at Ralph as he said it.

"You need not set yourself up for a critic," said Benjamin to
Osborne, after hearing these remarks. "I think more of Ralph as a poet
than I do of you as a critic. You are not willing to grant that his
productions have any merit at all; but I think they have. Moreover, it
is a good practice for him to write poetry, to improve himself in the
use of language."

"Fiddlestick!" retorted Osborne; "it is wasting his time, that might
be profitably employed in reading."

"Not half so much as your empty criticisms are wasting your breath,"
said Benjamin, with a smile. "But, look here, I will tell you what we
better do. At our next meeting each one of us shall bring a piece of
poetry, of our own making, and we will compare notes, and criticise
each other."

"I will agree to that," replied Ralph.

"And so will I," added Osborne, "provided you will decide upon the
subject now, so that all shall have fair play."

"We will do that, of course," answered Benjamin. "Have you a subject
to suggest?"

"None, unless it is a paraphrase of the eighteenth Psalm, which
describes the descent of the Deity."

"A capital subject," said Benjamin; "what do you say to taking that,
Ralph?"

"I am satisfied with it," replied Ralph; "and more, too,--I rather
like it."

Thus it was agreed that each one should write a poetical paraphrase of
the eighteenth Psalm for their next meeting, and with this
understanding they separated.

Just before the time of their next meeting, Ralph called upon Benjamin
with his piece, and asked him to examine it.

"I have been so busy," said Benjamin, "that I have not been able to
write anything, and I shall be obliged to appear unprepared. But I
should like to read yours;" and he proceeded to examine it.

"That is excellent," said he, after reading it. "You have not written
anything that is equal to this."

"But," said Ralph, "Osborne never will allow t