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2. It is said by some that this is the most delightful por. tion of the year. But I confess it is not so to me. There is a spirit of melancholy pervading its changes, which mars the impression of its beauty. We cannot look upon the general decay of vegetation, without feeling that the seeds of dissolution are sown in our own nature, and that a few repetitions of the season will bring us too down to the autumn of life.

3. The sear plant and the falling leaf are fit emblems of decay and death, and while we look upon the one, we are brought to reflect upon the other. The change, too, is so like our own-so gradual from spring to summer, from summer to autumn-so like that from youth to manhood, and from manhood to old age, that we feel the shortness of human life, and the certainty with which our own end will

come.

4. A little while ago and the earth was full of glory, and beauty, and loveliness; but the spoiler has been with us→ his footsteps are on the forests, fields, and gardens—on the valleys, hills, and plains. The luxuriance of summer is gone the bright green carpeting of the earth has changed its hue-the frost has blanched the tender leaf-death has been among the delicate flowers. The voice of the stream, too, has lost its cheerful music; its banks, once so shady and refreshing, and which rang with the wild notes of many a silvan songster, invite the contemplative wanderer no longer. All, all is changed-all is tinged with the gloom of autumn.

5. And such, too, is human life. We are informed that man "cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down." The spring-time of youth, the summer of manhood, pass away like the period of loveliness and beauty, which has but just now departed, and we find ourselves in the autumn of life, our sands almost run out, and bearing in our bodies the evidences of an approaching dissolution.

6. But if autumn is the season of decay, so it is also the season of abundance. The forest, while it sheds its discolored leaves, furnishes also a rich variety of nuts. The orchard bends beneath its load of luscious fruits. The ten drils of the vine have strengthened their grasp to sustain the thick clusters of the juicy grape, and the earth opens the store-houses of her hidden treasures. It will be well if the autumn of life shall prove equally productive-if, during the spring-time and summer of our pilgrimage, our time and

opportunities shall have been so improved, and our virtues so cultivated, that when, at the last, the Master of the vineyard shall come, he may find us "bearing much fruit," and fit to "abide in the vine," for ever.

QUESTIONS.-1. How docs every thing appear in autumn? 2. What is said of this season by some? 3. What does the writer say in regard to it? 4. Of what do various things remind us? 5. What changes are mentioned in the third verse? 6. How do the seasons of the year, in their changes, resemble human life? 7. What fruits does autumn afford? 8. What should the autumn of our life be?

Which are the most emphatic words in the first sentence? Why are they emphatic? (Les. VIII. Note VII.) What rule can you give for the change of inflection on all at the end of fourth verse?

LESSON XII.

SPELL AND DEFINE-1. Arranged, placed in order. 2. Diffident, distrustful of one's self. 3. Develop, to make appear. 4. Mental, belonging to the mind. 5. Augments, increases. 6. Affectionate, prompted by love. 7. Infallible, not liable to error.

What is Education ?-MISS SEDGWICK.

1. "WHAT is education ?" asked a teacher of a class of girls. Young persons, when asked such general questions, do not reply promptly. They have no thoughts on the subject, and therefore have nothing to say; or, their thoughts not being arranged, they are not ready to answer; or they may be too diffident to answer at all. On this occasion, half the girls were silent, and the rest replied, "I don't know, sir."

2. "Oblige me, girls, by saying something," urged the teacher. "The word is not Greek-surely you have some ideas about it. What is your notion of education, Mary Blíss?" "Does it not mean, sir, learning to read and write?" Mary Bliss paused, and the girl next to her added, "and ciphering, sir, and grammar, and geography ?"

3. "Yes, it means this, and something more. What is your idea of education, Sarah Jóhnson ?" "I did not suppose education meant much more than the girls have mentioned, sir. Mr. Smith said, at the Lyceum Lecture, that the great mass of the people received their education at the common schools; and the girls have named nearly all that we learn at the common schools."

4. "Does not education mean," asked Maria Jarvis, “the learning which young men get at colleges? I often hear

people say of a man that he has had an education,' when they mean merely that he has been through college.'

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5. "You are right, Maria, in believing this to be a com. monly received meaning of the term 'education;' but it means much more; and as it is important to you to have right and fixed ideas on this subject, I earnestly beg you all to give me your attention, while I attempt to explain to you its fi'l meaning.

6. "A great man, Mr. Locke, said, 'that the difference to be found in the manners and abilities of men, is owing more to their education than any thing else.' Now, as you are all acquainted with men who have never seen the inside of a college, and yet who are superior, in 'manners and abilities,' to some others who have passed four of the best years of their lives there, you must conclude that education is not confined to college walls.

7. "You are born with certain faculties. Whatever tends to develop and improve these, is education. What ever trains your mental powers, your affections, manners. and habits, is education. Your education is not limited to any period of your life, but is going on as long as you live.

9. "

8. "Whatever prepares you to be profitable servants of God, and faithful disciples of Christ; whatever increases your reverence, and love of your Maker; all that in Scripture is called the 'nurture and admonition of the Lord,'—is a part of your religious education. Whatever you do to promote your health, to develop and improve the strength and powers of your body, is a part of your physical education." What, sir!" interrupted little Mary Lewis, "do you mean that running, and jumping rope, and trundling hoops, and clambering over rocks, is a part of education?" "I cer tainly do; but why do you laugh, my dear child?” cause, sir, I never knew that education meant any thing so pleasant as that. I wish my mother could hear you, sir; she would let me play more, instead of studying all the time, if she only knew that driving hoop was called education."

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10. The teacher smiled, and proceeded ;- -"Whatever calls forth your affections, and strengthens them; whatever directs and subdues your passions; whatever cultivates your virtues ; and whatever improves your manners,-is a part of your moral education."

11. " Then," said a lively little girl, "that is what my mother means when she says, There is a lesson for you

Anne' every time any one of the family does any good thing. It seems to me, I am educating all the time.”

12. "You are, Anne-the world is your school, and good examples are your very best lessons. Whatever unfolds the faculties of your mind, improves your talents, and augments your stores of knowledge, is a part of your intellectual education.

13. "Whatever improves your capacity for domestic affairs, or for business of any sort, is a part of your economical education. Now, you will perceive, from what I have said, that education is not confined to schools and colleges, but that, as Anne has very well remarked, we are 'educating all the time.' Nor is the conduct of education confined to professed teachers; we are educating one another.

14. “While I am teaching you geography and arithmetic, you are perhaps trying my patience, or, by your own patience, calling forth my gratitude. If I make progress in these virtues, you are helping on my moral education.

15. "The knowledge you impart to one another, the kindnesses you receive, the loves you exchange, are all a part of your education. When you learn to sweep a room, to make a bed, a cup of tea, or a loaf of bread, you are advancing in your education.

16. "Every thing around us may help forward this great work. The sun, the moon, and the stars, teach their sublime lessons. Day unto day uttereth knowledge.' The seasons make their revelations. The rain and snow, dews and frost, the trees and rocks, fruits and flowers, plants, herbs, the very stones and grass we tread upon, are full of instruction to those who study them.

17. "All the events and circumstances of your lives are contributing to your education. Your class-mate, Lucy Davis, has been absent from school the last two months. Reflect on what I have been saying to you, and then tell me whether Lucy, during this time, though she has not looked into a school-book, has made any progress in her education."

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18. The girls were silent and thoughtful for a few moments. Maria Jarvis spoke first. Lucy's economical education,' as you call it, sir," she said, "has been going on, for she has had the care of the family, and every thing to do, through all her mother's illness." "And I guess she has been going forward in her moral education,'

" said little

Mary Lewis," for I never saw any body so patient as she was with her little brother who was sometimes very cross."

19. "And she has not lost this opportunity for improving in her 'religious education,'" resumed the teacher." You all saw her last week, at her mother's funeral, subduing the grief of her little sisters, by her quiet resignation, and affectionate devotion to them. Ah, she has been taking lessons in more important branches of education, than are taught in schools.

20. "So you see, my young friends, that life is a schoola primary school; and that we are all scholars, and are all preparing for a day of examination, when the infallible, allseeing Judge will decide how we have profited by our means of education."

QUESTIONS.-1. What question did the teacher ask? 2. What did Mary Bliss answer? 3. Why did Sarah Johnson think this answer right? 4. What did Maria Jarvis ask? 5. What did the teacher say was a religious education? 6. A physical education? 7. What said Mary Lewis? 8. What is moral education? 9. What said Anne? 10. What is intellectual education? 11. Economical education? 12. How are we assisting each other? 13. What was said of Lucy Davis? 14. What important lessons had she been learning at home?

When different persons are introduced as speaking, how should their remarks be read? (See Les. X.) How do the questions beginning the first and fourth verses differ, and what inflections does each require? Is the first question in the second verse, direct or indirect? Why is the proper name in that question read with the rising inflection? (See Rule IV. Note I.) Is this lesson didactic or conversational ?

LESSON XIII.

SPELL AND DEFINE-1. Duffel, thick woolen cloth. Auld, old. 3. Canty, cheerful. 4. Tres'pass, the act of entering upon another's land and doing offense or injury. 5. Detected, found out. 6. Crisp, stiffened so as to be brittle. 7. Casement, movable window; a part of a window. 8. Allu 'ring, tempting.

[The following exquisitely fine ballad, in the genuine spirit of the old English song Is founded on a well authenticated fact, mentioned by Dr. Darwin, as an instance of maniacal hallucination, or mental delusion.]

Goody Blake and Harry Gill.-WORDSWORTH.

1. OH! what's the matter? what's the matter?
What is't that ails young Harry Gill?

That evermore his teeth they chatter,
Chatter, chatter, chatter still.

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