e cool summer breeze,
laden with grateful perfume, fans the hot brow of the slave, weary and
fainting beneath his task, as freely as it does that of his pompous
and lordly master. Our souls seem to be united by a bond of sympathy,
with the inanimate objects of creation. There are many poor beings who
are obliged to toil from early dawn far into the hours of night, to
obtain bread for themselves and those who are dearer to them than
life, and who have never been instructed, even in the first rudiments
of science. Yet, are they conscious of possessing bright gems of
thought, which they find it impossible to detach from the dust and
rubbish and cobwebs of ignorance, with which their minds are filled.
There are many such, who, bound down by the grinding hand of
oppression, which would, if it were possible, crush out all
aspirations of the mind for something higher, nobler, more exalted in
the scale of being, are obliged to suppress that longing of the soul
that will at times arise to explore the mysterious labyrinths of
knowledge, yet, even such, can hold sweet communion with the works
of creation. The great volume of nature lies open before them, and
though, in studying its pages, they often make wild mistakes, yet they
fear no ridicule.

When they gaze upon the blue vault of heaven, bespangled with all its
countless gems, though the conclusions they arrive at are far--very
far from truth, yet the placid moon looks down upon them as queenly as
though they understood all the laws by which she is governed. As they
contemplate, with wonder and admiration, the shining stars with which
the brow of night is studded, though they understood not all the
principles that astronomy unfolds, concerning those heavenly bodies,
yet, no scornful light flashes from those brilliant orbs, as they look
down from their high estate; and although they do sometimes emit a
merry twinkle, yet, there is nothing of ridicule in the expression:
but it seems rather to woo the beholder, to gaze upon their wondrous
beauty.

The sweet flowers look up to them as lovingly inviting them to partake
of their precious sweets, as though they understood all their several
properties, and knew how to assign to each its place in the vegetable
kingdom. It is true, the poor possess not all the means of the rich
for exploring what is rare and curious in the works of nature. They
are obliged to confine themselves to what is presented to their view
in their own immediat