Enquire within upon everything

Some seeds of various kinds lay by-- I knew not what they were-- But, rudely turning o'er the soil, I strewed them thickly there; And day by day I watched them spring From out the fertile earth, And hoped for many a lovely thing Of beauty and of worth. But as I marked their leaves unfold As weeds before my view, And saw how stubbornly and bold The thorns and nettles grew-- I sighed to think that I had done, Unwittingly, a thing That, where a beauteous bower should thrive, But worthless weeds did spring. And thus I mused; the things we do, With little heed or ken, May prove of worthless growth, and strew With thorns the paths of men; For little deeds, like little seeds, May flowers prove, or noxious weeds! 291. Taking a House. Before taking a house, be careful to calculate that the rent is not too high in proportion to your means; for remember that the rent is a claim that must be paid with but little delay, and that the landlord has greater power over your property than any other creditor. It is difficult to assign any fixed proportion between income and rental to suit all cases, but a reasonable basis for the settlement of this point may be found in the assertion that while not less than one-tenth of a man's entire income need be set apart for rent, not more than a sixth, or at the very utmost a fifth should be devoted to this purpose, and this amount ought to include parochial rates and taxes.