Francis Parkman born 1823.

    Yes, to this thought I hold with firm persistence—­
      The last result of wisdom stamps it true: 
    He only earns his freedom and existence
      Who daily conquers them anew.

    —­Goethe.

    For thee hath been dawning
      Another blue day;
    Look how thou let it
      Slip empty away.

    —­Goethe.

    Happy the man, and happy he alone,
    Who can call to-day his own: 
    He who, secure within, can say,
    “To-morrow, do thy worst, for I have lived to-day.”

    —­John Dryden.

    Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is
    risen upon thee.

    —­Isaiah 60. 1.

Gracious Father, help me to be alert this morning and select the noblest that is in to-day.  May I be diligent and not find in the evening that I have been unworthy of the day.  Amen.

SEPTEMBER SEVENTEENTH

Samuel Prout born 1783.

Dr. John Kidd died 1851.

Walter Savage Landor died 1864.

In the hour of distress and misery the eye of every mortal turns to friendship; in the hour of gladness and conviviality, what is your want?  It is friendship.  When the heart overflows with gratitude or with other sweet and sacred sentiment, what is the word to which it would give utterance?  A friend.

    —­Walter Savage Landor.

    The hurried quest of some people to get hold of new friends is so
    perpetual that they never have time to get acquainted with anyone.

    —­M.B.S.

    Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not;
    And go not to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: 
    Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

    —­Proverbs 27. 10.

My Lord and my Friend, I pray that my sympathy may be sincere and comforting, and with a glad heart I may bring rejoicing to my friends.  May I learn from thee how I may be a permanent friend.  Amen.

SEPTEMBER EIGHTEENTH

Trajan, Roman emperor, born 1584.

James Shirley born 1596.

Samuel Johnson born 1709.

Joseph Story born 1779.

    There is no greater happiness than to be able to look on a life
    usefully and virtuously employed:  to trace our own purposes in
    existence by such tokens that excite neither shame nor sorrow.

    —­Dr. Johnson.

    The perfect poise that comes-from self-control,
      The poetry of action, rhythmic, sweet—­
    The unvexed music of the body and soul
      That the Greeks dreamed of, made at last complete. 
    Our stumbling lives attain not such a bliss;
      Too often, while the air we vainly beat,
    Love’s perfect law of liberty we miss.