to keep the melancholy and timorous in perpetual torments, and hinder them from any enjoyment of the varieties and gratifications which nature offered them as a solace of their labors; yet in effect none seemed less to expect destruction than those to whom it was most dreadful; they all had the art of concealing their danger from themselves; and those who knew their inability to bear the sight of the terrors that embarrassed their way, took care never to look forward; but found some amusement of the present moment, and generally entertained themselves by playing with Hope, who was the constant associate of the voyage of Life. Yet all that hope ventured to promise, even to those whom she favored most, was, not that they should escape, but that they should sink at last; and with this promise every one was satisfied, though he laughed at the rest for seeming to believe it. Hope, indeed, apparently mocked the credulity of her companions; for, in proportion as their vessels grew leaky, she redoubled her assurances of safety; and none were more busy in making preparation for a long voyage, than they whom all but themselves saw likely to perish soon by irreparable decay. In the midst of the current of Life, was the gulf of Intemperance, a dreadful whirlpool, interspersed with rocks, of which the pointed crags were concealed under water, and the tops covered with herbage, on which, Ease spread couches of repose; and with shades where pleasure warbled the song of invitation. Within sight of these rocks, all who sail on the ocean of life must necessarily pass. Reason, indeed, was always at hand, to steer the passengers through the narrow outlet by which they might escape; but very few could, by her entreaties or remonstrances, be induced to put the rudder into her hand, without stipulating that she should approach so near the rocks of Pleasure, that they might solace themselves with a short enjoyment of that delicious region; after which they determined to pursue their course without any deviation. Reason was too often prevailed upon so far by these promises, as to venture her charge without the eddy of the gulf of Intemperance where, indeed, the circumvo Timorous, fearful, cowardly. Spell melancholy, perpetual, varieties. Nature. What is meant by this term? Art of concealing. What was it? Embarrassed, hindered, perplexed. Amusement. Change it into a verb. Which is the primitive ? Playing with hope. What is this sport? -Associate, attendant, companion, unite. Escape. From what? Promise. What is a promise? -Apparently, áp-på'rênt-lè, openly, not really. Credulity, easiness of belief, foolish confidence. Leaky. In what period of life does this take place? Spell satisfied, redoubled, voyage. More busy. Was this an act of wisdom? .Interspersed, scattered among, abounding. .Herbage, er bidje, grass, plants. Ease. What is a personification? See App. Warbled the song. Whence is the figure deriv ed? Necessarily, of inevitable consequence, unavoida bly. Reason. Is this an important faculty of the mind? Outlet. Why is this outlet called narrow? Remonstrances, strong reasons, pleadings against. Stipulating, agreeing, bargaining. Rocks of pleasure. Why is this image used? Eddy, a whirling in the water. Gulf of intemperance. Are many lost in this gulf? Circumvolution, rolling round. lution was weak, but yet interrupted the course of the vessel, and drew it by insensible rotations, towards the centre. She then repented her temerity, and with all her force endeavored to retreat; but the draught of the gulf was generally too strong to be overcome; and the passenger having danced in circles with a pleasing and giddy velocity, was at last overwhelmed and lost. Those few whom Reason was able to extricate, generally suffered so many shocks upon the points which shot out from the rocks of pleasure, that they were unable to continue their course with the same strength and facility as before; but floated along timorously and feebly, endangered by every breeze, and shattered by every ruffle of the water, till they sunk, by slow degrees, after long struggles, and innumerable expedients, always repining at their own folly, and warning others against the first approach towards the gulf of Intemperance. There were artists who professed to repair the breaches and stop the leaks, of the vessels which had been shattered on the rocks of Pleasure. Many appeared to have great confidence in their skill; and some, indeed, were preserved by it from sinking, who had received only a single blow; but I remarked that few vessels lasted long which had been much repaired; nor was it found that the artists themselves continued afloat longer than those who had least of their assistance. The only advantage which, in the voyage of Life, the cautious had above the negligent, was that they sunk later, and more suddenly; for they had passed forward till they had sometimes seen all those in whose company they had issued from the straits of infancy, perish in the way; and were at last overset by a cross-breeze, without the toil of resistance, or the anguish of expectation. But such as had often fallen against the rocks of Pleasure, commonly subsided by sensible degrees; contended long with the encroaching waters; and harassed themselves by labors that scarcely Hope herself could flatter with success. As I was looking upon the various fates of the multitude about me, I was suddenly alarmed by some unknown power: "Gaze not idly upon others, when thou thyself art sinking. Whence is this thoughtless tran Interrupted, stopped, impeded, hindered. Temerity, rashness, inconsiderate boldness. -Draught, rough sketch, drawing in, quantity of liquor to be taken at once. Endeavored, made an effort. Danced, dânsd. Velocity, swiftness, rapidity. Overwhelmed, covered over, buried. Extricate, set free, disembarrass, recover. Shocks. What is to be understood by shocks? -Innumerable, numberless, without number. They sunk. First, fürst. What persons are these? Artists, skilful workmen. Who are these artists ? -Gulf, pit, abyss. -Remarked, observed, said, made a saying. Repaired, mended, went to. Afloat. What is meant by being afloat ? Advantage, åd-vân'tâdje, superiority, gain, profit. -.Issued, ish'shůd, came out, proceeded, descended. Cross-breeze, counter wind. What does it represent ? Expectation. Does it differ from hope? Subsided, sunk, calmed down. -.Sensible, visible, reasonable, judicious. -Scarcely, skårse'lè. Hope. Why of the feminine gender? Endangered, derived from danger, exposed. quillity, when thou and they are equally endangered?” I looked, and seeing the gulf of Intemperance before me, started and awaked. LESSON XVIII. Montpelier THE TOKEN. How fair, beneath Virginian skies, |