LA PLATA is the name of a very great river in South America, running through the province of Paraguay.; on which account the whole country is sometimes called Plata, though this name is usually given only to a part of Paraguay. In the latter sense it comprehends all that country which is bounded on the east and southeast by the Atlantic ocean; on the south by Terra Magellanica; on the west by Tucuman; and on the north by the provinces of Paraguay proper and Parana. The great river La Plata, from which the country has its name, was first discovered in the year 1515, by Juan Diaz de Solis, but denominated La Plata by Sebastian Gabato, from the great quantity of precious metals he procured from the adjacent inhabitants, imagining that they were the produce of the country, though, in fact, they were brought from Peru. The climate is pleasant and healthy. The winter is in May, June, and July, when the nights are very cold, but the days are moderately warm. The frost is neither violent nor lasting, and the snows are very inconsiderable. The country consists mostly of plains of a vast extent, and exceeding rich soil, producing all sorts of European and American fruits. The river La Plata rises in Peru, and receives many others in its course, the chief of which is the Paraguay. The water of it is said to be very clear and sweet, and to petrify wood. It contains such plenty and variety of fish, that the people catch large quantities of them without any other instrument than their hands. It runs mostly to the south and southeast, and is navigable the greatest part of its course by the largest vessels, and is full of delightful islands. All along its banks are seen the most beautiful birds, of all kinds; but it sometimes overflows the adjacent country to a great extent, and is infested with serpents of a prodigious size. From its junction with the Paraguay to its mouth, the distance. is above two hundred leagues. Some judgment may be formed of its magnitude, when it is said that its mouth is about seventy leagues in width. The manner in which individuals are conveyed across some parts of this majestic river, is curious, aud to those who are accustomed to bridges and boats, somewhat alarming. Of this subject, the following account is given by Mollien, in his travels in Colombia. "The following day, leaving the banks of the Pai, I proceeded along those of the Rio de la Plata, which falls into it, and before two o'clock in the afternoon, arrived in sight of the town of that name. We could not immediately enter it, on account of the bridge of communication not being sufficiently commodious for the number of persons going to and from La Plata. On each side of the river, leather bands are made fast to stakes, driven into the ground, and upon this tarabita, (for thus they call this singular sort of a bridge,) is placed a piece of wood, furnished with leather straps, by which the traveller is fastened, and according to whichever side he wishes to go, he is drawn across. passage, at first, seems rather alarming; and one cannot, without shuddering, find himself suspended over an abyss by a few hide-ropes, which are very liable to be injured by the rain, and consequently, to break. Accidents, however, seldom happen. Animals are made to swim across." The Ambition travels on a road too narrow for friendship,-too steep for safety. For the Repository and Library of Entertaining Knowledge. BOOKS FOR CHILDREN. EARLY impressions made upo the mind of a child are like characters written upon moistened clay. While in this state it will receive almost any impression, which, if permitted to remain until it has become hardened, it will be very difficult to erase. It is therefore highly important that these impressions be good. Muck depends upon the character of the books that are put into the hands of the child to read. What impressions would it be like to receive from reading some of the popular novels of the day, where the hero of the tale is represented as a deceiver, and perhaps a murderer-where the most vicious and malignant principles of depraved nature are applauded and extolled as the greatest of virtues? It is certain that a bad impression is more easily made than a virtuous one. Hence the importance of furnishing children with such books as will be calculated to instill into their minds pure and virtuous principles. When the mind is just beginning to expand, instead of having presented to its intellect a groupe of distorted and unsubstantial images as the groundwork of its future progress in wisdom and knowledge, it should be irradiated with the beams of unadulterated truth. But what is the general tendency of most of the novels and popular romances that are so eagerly sought after and read, especially by the younger part of the community?" To distort and carricature the facts of real history; to gratify a romantic imagination; to pamper a depraved mental appetite; to excite a disrelish for the existing scenes of nature, and for the authenticated facts that have occurred in the history of mankind; to hold up venerable characters to derision and contempt; to excite admiration of the exploits and malignant principles of those rude chieftains and barbarous heroes, whose names ought to descend into everlasting oblivion; to revive the revengeful spirit of the dark ages; to undermine that sacred regard for truth and moral principle, which forms the basis of the |