s that practice moral or immoral? And if exactly in
proportion as human beings raise their heads out of the slough of
selfishness, they do not answer "immoral," let the morality of the
principle of utility be forever condemned.

JOHN STUART MILL.

* * * * *

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

It might have been that the sky was green, and the grass serenely blue;
It might have been that grapes on thorns and figs on thistles grew;
It might have been that rainbows gleamed before the showers came;
It might have been that lambs were fierce and bears and tigers tame;
It might have been that cold would melt and summer heat would freeze;
It might have been that ships at sea would sail against the breeze--
And there may be worlds unknown, dear, where we would find the change
From all that we have seen or heard, to others just as strange--
But it never could be wise, dear, in haste to act or speak;
It never could be noble to harm the poor and weak;
It never could be kind, dear, to give a needless pain;
It never could be honest, dear, to sin for greed or gain;
And there could not be a world, dear, while God is true above,
Where right and wrong were governed by any law but love.

KATE LAWRENCE.

* * * * *

VILLAGE SOUNDS.

Sweet was the sound, when oft at evening's close,
Up yonder hill the village murmur rose;
There as I passed with careless steps and slow,
The mingling notes came softening from below;
The swain responsive to the milkmaid sung:
_The sober herd that lowed to meet their young;
The noisy geese that gabbled o'er the pool:_
The playful children just let loose from school;
_The watch-dog's voice that bayed the whispering wind_,
And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind,--
These all in sweet confusion sought the shade,
And filled each pause the nightingale had made.

GOLDSMITH.

* * * * *

BUDDHISM.

The Buddhist duty of universal love enfolds in its embraces not only the
brethren and sisters of the new faith, not only our neighbors, _but every
thing that has life_.

T. W. RHYS DAVIDS.

* * * * *

As a mother, even at the risk of her own life, protects her son, her only
son, so let a man _cultivate good-will without measure toward all beings_.
Let him cultivate good-will witho