in the mire, and the poor animal was exerting all his strength to drag the heavy load, while the cruel driver was mercilessly beating the unfortunate creature because he could not proceed. Exercises. In a similar manner, the learner may describe the following events The meeting of a beggar in the street. The overturn of a carriage. The passing of a procession. The sailing of a ship. The catching of a fish. The capture of a bird. The raising of a building. V. OBJECTS AND EVENTS. The object of this lesson is to accustom the learner to com. bine the results of the preceding lessons. The same directions should be given to him as are presented in the last lesson; and it will be proper to enforce the directions with regard to the spelling, and the proper use of words, in every exercise. Example. As my brother was riding in the country, he saw a beauti ful, large house, painted white, with green blinds. In the front of the house was a small flower-garden, and the bright tulips, all in full bloom, presented a brilliant show. The rose bushes were not yet in flower; but the lily of the valley was dropping its modest head, while it perfumed the air with its delicious fragrance. At the back of the house were a number of fruit trees, in full blossom, among which was the peach tree, with its beautiful pink flowers. Some boys were seen clustering around a willow near the brook, busily engaged with their knives. One was cutting the small leaves and scions from a large branch, which he had just taken from the tree for a whip, while another was busily engaged in making a whistle. As my brother approached the house, the boys, mistaking him for the owner, immediately scampered away; some hiding themselves among the bushes, while the more ac tive leaped over the high stone wall, to escape being caught, It appeared that these boys were truants from a neighboring school-house, and the little rogues were fearful, not only of being caught in trespassing upon private ground, but likewise lest they should be carried into the presence of their master, to be corrected for playing the truant. Exercises. In the same manner the learner may describe the following objects and events; Boys fishing from a bridge. Girls dressing their dolls. A tree blown down by a tempest. Boy driving cows or sheep to pasture. Horses running at large. A dog, in a state of madness, biting passengers in the street. A lion, elephant, or tiger broken loose from its cage. A menagerie, with the postures and employments of the wild animals. A museum, with dancing puppets. A public concert. An exhibition of paintings and statuary. VI. NAMES. The object of this exercise on names, is to prepare the student for a fi.ture exercise on definitions. How it is to be performed will be readily seen from the following Examples. What is the name which is applied to false or undeserved praise? By what name do we call the delaying of that which we know cannot be finally escaped or avoided? Answer. Procrastination. By what name do we designate that animal which has two horns, a long tail, and cloven feet, and that affords beef, butter, and cheese? Answer. The Cow. By what name do we designate the restraint of appetite and passion? Answer. Temperance. Exercises. What name is given to the reverence of God? What name is applied to an effort of genius and art, producing an association of exalted and brilliant ideas in language harmoniously arranged? A general coincident feeling between two persons? Habitual inactivity both of mind and body? That tranquil state of mind in which the agitations of anxiety and dis. appointment are no longer felt? That state of mind which suffers no dismay from danger? The dissolution of corporeal existence? The resolution to persist in any undertaking that has been commenced That God is present every where, and that he knows all things? VII. SIMPLE DIALOGUE, OR CONVERSATION. Young persons are seldom at a loss for topics of conversation, when left unrestrained to themselves. But as soon as they are required to write what is called a composition, they feel at a loss what to say. This arises from no inability to form ideas, nor from want of words to express them; but rather from a vague apprehension that something is required of them, which they have never done before; and to which they know not how to address themselves. The cultivation of the habits of observation, to which allusion has already been made in the first exercise, will help them wholly out of the difficulty; especially, if they be informed, that the art of writing is nothing more than the art of expressing with the hand, in signs which present themselves to the eye, that, which with their voice, they convey to the ears of others. In other words, that in their early attempts at writing composition, they may write down in letters, what they would say to their companions in their common conversations. To cultivate the habits of observation, the following dialogue, from the pen of Dr. Aikin, is presented; with the recommendation that it be read to the young student, or that he be required to read it carefully, in order that he may learn to use his eyes aright, and attentively observe what passes before them. THE TUTOR AND HIS PUPILS. Eyes and no Eyes; or, the Art of Seeing. "Well, Robert, where have you been walking this afternoon?" said a tutor to one of his pupils, at the close of a holiday. Robert. I have been to Broom-heath, and so round by the windmil! upon Camp-mount, and home through the meadows by the river side. Tutor. Well, that is a pleasant round. Robert. I thought it very dull, Sir; I scarcely met with a single per son. I would much rather have gone along the turnpike road. Tutor. Why, if seeing men and horses was your object, you would, indeed, have been better entertained on the high-road. But did you see William ? Robert. We set out together, but he lagged behind in the lane, so I walked on and left him. Tutor. That was a pity. He would have been company for you. Robert. O, he is so tedious, always stopping to look at this thing an that! I would rather walk alone. I dare say he is not got home yet. Tutor. Here he comes. Well, William, where have you been? William. O, the pleasantest walk! I went all over Broom-heath, and so up to the mill at the top of the hill, and then down among the green meadows by the side of the river. Tutor. Why, that is just the round Robert has been taking, and he complains of its dulness, and prefers the high-road. William. I wonder at that. I am sure I hardly took a step that did not delight me, and I have brought home my handkerchief full of curiosities Tutor. Suppose, then, you give us an account of what amused you so much. I fancy it will be as new to Robert as to me. William. I will do it readily. The lane leading to the heath, you know, is close and sandy, so I did not mind it much, but made the best of my way. However, I spied a curious thing enough in the hedge. It was an old crab-tree, out of which grew a great bunch of something green q'ute different from the tree itself. Here is a branch of it. Tutor. Ah! this is a mis letoe, a plant of great fame for the use made of it by the Druids of old in their religious rites and incantations. It bears a very slimy white berry, of which birdlime may be made, wnence the Latin name, Viscus. It is one of those plants which do not grow in the ground by a root of their own, but fix themselves upon other plants; whence they have been humorously styled parasitical, as being hangers on, or dependents. It was the mistletoe of the oak that the Druids particularly honored. William. A little farther on, I saw a green woodpecker fly to a tree and run up the trunk like a cat. Tutor. That was to seek for insects in the bark, on which they live. They bore holes with their strong bills for that purpose, and do much damage to the trees by it. William. What beautiful birds they are! Tutor. Yes; they have been called, from their color and size, the English parrot. William. When I got upon the open heath, how charming it was! The air seemed so fresh, and the prospect on every side so free and un bounded! Then it was all covered with gay flowers, many of which I had never observed before. There were at least three kinds of heath, (I have got them in my handkerchief here,) and gorse, and broom, and bell-flower, and many others of all colors, of which I will beg you pre sently to tell me the names. Tutor. That I will, readily. William. I saw, too, several birds that were new to me. There was a pretty grayish one, of the size of a lark, that was hopping about some great stones; and when he flew, he showed a great deal of white above his tail. Tutor. That was a wheat-ear. They are reckoned very delicious birds to eat, and frequent the open downs in Sussex, and some other counties, in great numbers. William. There was a flock of lapwings upon a marshy part of the heath, that amused me much. As I came near them, some of them kept flying round and round, just over my head, and crying pevit so distinctly, one might almost fancy they spoke. I thought should have caught one of them, for he flew as if one of his wings was broken, and often tumbled close to the ground; but, as I came near, he always contrived to get away. Tutor. Ha, ha! you were finely taken in, then! This was all an artifice of the bird's, to entice you away from its nest; for they build upon the bare ground, and their nests would easily be observed, did they not draw off the attention of intruders, by their loud cries and counterfeit lameness. William. I wish I had known that, for he led me a long chase, often over shoes in water. However, it was the cause of my falling in with an old man and a boy, who were cutting and piling up turf for fuel; and I had a good deal of talk with them, about the manner of preparing the turf, and the price it sells at. They gave me, too, a creature I never saw before -a young viper, which they had just killed, together with its dam. I have seen several common snakes, but this is thicker in proportion, and of a darker color than they are. Tutor. True. Vipers frequent those turfy, boggy grounds pretty much, and I have known several turf-cutters bitten by them. |