"
"Fiddlesticks! It is simply wasting time that might be spent in
profitable reading; and good reading will improve the mind more than
rhyming." Osborne spoke with much earnestness.
"Not half so much as your empty criticisms are wasting your breath,"
replied Benjamin, with a smile. "But, look here, I have just thought
of a good exercise that we better adopt. At our next meeting each one
of us shall bring in a piece of poetry of our own composition, and
we'll compare notes and criticise each other."
"I should like that," responded Ralph; "it is a capital proposition.
Perhaps Osborne may think it will be a waste of time and breath."
"Not at all," answered Osborne; "I agree to the plan, provided the
subject shall be selected now, so that all shall have fair play."
"We will do that, of course," said Benjamin. "Have you a subject to
suggest?"
"None whatever, unless it is a paraphrase of the Eighteenth Psalm,
which describes the descent of the Deity."
"That is a grand subject," responded Benjamin. "What do you say to
taking that, Ralph?"
"I think it is an excellent subject, and I am in favor of adopting
it."
Thus it was understood 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 paraphrase, and asked him to examine it.
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