the sunshine, every moment produces a thousand shades of colouring, which are beautiful and ever varying. These fine colours exceed the lustre of the finest flowers of the fields and gardens. But, like the flowers, they fade every year, and the feathers drop from their bodies, and are again renewed every spring. The length of the peacock, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, is about three feet eight inches. Some of its longest feathers are four feet long. This bird appears haughty and proud, and loves to display its fine colours to those who are looking on, like those little boys and girls who are proud of their fine clothes. The peacock perches upon high places, and lives upon barley and other kinds of grain. Its beautiful plumage does not appear before it is nearly three years old. When it drops its fine feathers in the time of harvest, it does not like to be seen, but seeks to hide itself in some gloomy place. Though the peacock is very beautiful, it utters a very harsh and disgusting cry. For whole hours it will repeat the cry of Eko, eko, eko, with the most hideous noise. It cannot sing a pleasant song, like the linnet and the blackbird. It is so wicked that it will scarcely live with any ⚫ other bird, except the pigeon; and it tears and spoils every thing it gets a hold of with its bill. This bird was first brought from a far distant country, from the East Indies, and it lives to the age of twenty-five years. Little boys and girls, be not like the peacock, proud and vain, on account of your beauty and your fine clothes; for humility and goodness are always to be preferred to beauty. In teaching this and similar lessons, a stuffed specimen of the animal described should be placed on a table opposite the class, and its different parts and colours pointed out; but if a specimen is not at hand, a coloured engraving should be exhibited, either in the class-book, or on a large sheet pasted on a pasteboard. The terms, tuft, plumage, bill, perching, &c. should be explained by a reference to the figure or specimen, and the length of a yard, foot, and inch, or any number of these combined, should be distinctly explained and exhibited, by means of rods of different lengths. There is another class of lessons for the juvenile classes, which might consist chiefly of descriptions and exhibitions of entertaining experiments. For example The Sagacious Swan. There is a nice little amusing toy which is sold in some toy-shops, called the Sagacious Swan. This swan is made of very thin tinplate, or other light substance, and is hollow within. Near its mouth, in the inside, is fixed a small magnet or loadstone. The swan is placed in a large basin full of water, in which it swims. A small rod of metal about five or six inches long, with a piece of bread fastened to one end of it, is held out to the swan, at the distance of an inch or two from its mouth. The swan then moves forward after the rod, as if it wished to take hold of the piece of bread. If you move the rod gently from the swan, it will swim after it all round the basin, and from one side of it to another, as if it were a living swan swimming after its food. But if you present the other end of the rod to the swan, it will swim backwards, and try to avoid it, as if you were wishing to mock or insult it.—The rod on which the piece of bread is fastened is also a loadstone. A loadstone attracts or draws to it needles, and any small bits of iron or steel that are near it. Every loadstone has two ends, which are called its north and south poles. When the north pole of one loadstone is brought near to the south pole of another, they will attract each other. But when the north pole of one is brought near to the north pole of another, they will repel or move from each other. When a small loadstone is placed on a piece of cork or light wood, and made to swim in a basin of water, it will turn itself round, till it point nearly north and south.The compass which directs sailors in their course along the sea, consists of a small loadstone, which moves upon a pivot. It shows them how to steer to the East and the West, to the North and the South. By means of this small bit of loadstone, they can find their way over great scas and oceans, to the East Indies and America, and round the whole world. God created the loadstone for this pur pose; and if we had never known its propertics, we should never have been able to bring tea from China, or sugar from the West Indies, or to send Bibles to the people that dwell in the far-distant isles of the sea. This lesson would of course require to be illustrated by the philosophical toy which it describes. This toy could be easily constructed by any ingenious mechanic, or it may le purchased for about five or six shillings. The experiment of placing a small magnet upon a piece of cork, and suspending it on the water, to show how it fixes itself north and south, might also be exhibited; and by taking another magnet, and suspending it in the same manner opposite to the first, the attraction and repulsion of the different poles of the two magnets might be shown, which would explain the phenomena of the sagacious swan. The power of the magnet in attracting needles, small keys, penknives, &c. might at the same time be shown. A pocket-compass might likewise be exhibited, and its ase described; and the attractive and re- stream of melted minerals, begins to make its pulsive powers of the magnet shown, by appearance, either boiling over the top, or presenting it alternately to the north and forcing its way through the side of the mounsouth poles of the compass-needle. It might also be shown, that the magnetic power passes through interposing substances, by placing a board between the pocket-compass and the magnet, and causing the pupils to observe, that the needle is made to turn round, by the influence of the magnet transmitted through the board.-This is only one example out of a hundred that might be produced, of rendering entertaining experiments interesting and instructive to children; and when truths are, in this way, associated with sensible representations and experiments, they are seldom erased from their minds to the latest period of their existence. tain. This fiery deluge runs down the declivity of the mountain, forming a dismal flaming stream, sometimes 14 miles long, 6 miles broad, and 200 feet deep. In its course it destroys orchards, vineyards, corn-fields, and villages; and sometimes cities, containing 20,000 inhabitants, have been consumed and buried under the burning lava. There are reckoned about fourteen of these volcanoes in Europe; of which the principal are Mount Hecla in Iceland, Mount Vesuvius, near the city of Naples, Mount Etna in Sicily, and Stromboli in one of the Lipari islands. Etne and Vesuvius are often quiet for many months, and even years, without the appearance of In the next stage of English reading, the fire, though the smoke is always ascending pupil might enter on the perusal of a volume from their craters; but the mountain Stromcontaining lessons on subjects of a higher boli is ever at work, and appears to be the order, such as those formerly described only volcano that burns without ceasing; and which might be substituted in the place of our common school collections. The lessons in such a volume should be distinguished for the perspicuity and neatness of their style, although specimens of what is termed elegance and fine writing may be occasionally introduced. The following may serve as a specimen of the manner in which such lessons may be constructed : Description of Volcanoes. Volcanoes are mountains, generally of a large size, from the summits of which issue fire and smoke. On the top of these mountains, there is a vast opening called the Crater, sometimes two or three miles in circumference, reaching from their summits to an immeasurable depth in the bowels of the earth. From these dreadful openings are frequently thrown up to an immense height, tonents of fire and smoke, clouds of ashes and cinders, and red-hot stones, together with torrents of melted lava, which roll down the declivity of the mountain like an immense flaming river. These alarming appearances are frequently accompanied with thunders, lightnings, darkness, quakings of the earth, and horrid subterraneous sounds, producing the most terrible devastations through all the surrounding country.-Previous to an eruption, the smoke, which is continually ascending from the crater, increases, and shoots up to an immense height; forked lightning issues from the ascending column; showers of ashes are thrown to the distance of forty or fifty miles; volleys of red hot stones are discharged to a great height in the air; the sky appears thick and dark; the luminaries of heaven disappear. When these alarming phenomena have continued for some time, the lava, or for ages past, it has been looked upon as the great lighthouse of the surrounding seas. Several phenomena of awful sublimity and terrific grandeur frequently accompany the eruptions of these volcanoes. Hecla in Iceland, is a mountain nearly a mile in perpendicular elevation, and a considerable portion of it is covered with snow. In an eruption of this volcano in 1775, a stone weighing 290 pounds was thrown to the distance of 24 English miles. Not far from this mountain, in the year 1783, there happened a most dreadful and appalling eruption, which was preceded by a violent earthquake, which lasted for a fortnight; after which the lava broke out from the earth, in three different places, forming three dreadful Fire-Spouts. These fire-spouts, or streams of burning lava, after having risen a considerable height into the air, united into one, arriving at last at such an amazing altitude, as to be seen at the distance of more than 200 miles. The height to which this fiery stream ascended was reckoned to be not less than two miles above the surface of the earth. This fire first became visible on the 8th of June, and continued to produce devastation and terror till the 16th of August following. In one direction, it formed a lake of fire spreading out itself in length and breadth more than 36 miles; and. having converted all this tract of land into a sea of fire, it stretched itself out in another direction, and rushed down the channel of a large river with violent impetuosity, tearing up the earth, and carrying on its surface flaming woods, and every thing it met with in its course, and forming other lakes of fire. The whole extent of ground covered by this fiery inundation, was no less than 90 miles long, by 42 in breadth, or 3780 square miles, the depth of the lava being from 96 to 120 feet. All the time of this great eruption, the whole atmosphere was loaded with smoke, steam, ashes, and sulphureous vapours. The sun was frequently invisible, or, when seen, was of a dismal reddish colour; and the rain which fell through the smoke and steam, was so impregnated with salt and sulphureous matter, that the hair and even the skin of the cattle were destroyed, and the grass of the fields rendered poisonous. Twelve rivers were dried up by reflected with awful grandeur from the sea. A gentleman, at Sorrento, twelve miles distant from Vesuvius, read the title page of a book by that volcanic light.-Mount Etna is the largest volcano in Europe. It is above 2 miles in perpendicular height; it is about 30 miles in a straight line along its declivity to the top, its circumference at its base is above 120 miles, and its crater above three miles in circumference. In 1669, burning rocks, 15 feet long, and 50 in circumference, were thrown to the distance of a mile, and showers of cinders and ashes to the distance of more than 60 miles. A fiery stream burst from the mountain, 14 miles long and 6 miles broad, which destroyed in its course the habitations of nearly 30,000 persons; and, meeting with a lake four miles in compass, not only filled it up, but made a mountain in its place. The quantity of materials thrown out by volcanoes is prodigious. It was calculated that, in this eruption, the matter thrown out amounted to 150,000,000 cubical yards; so that, had it been extended in length upon the surface of the earth, it would have reached nearly four times round the circumference of the globe. The noise emitted by volcanoes has been compared to a mixed sound made up of the raging of a tempest, the murmur of a troubled sea, and the roaring of thunder and artillery, confused altogether. The roarings of Cotopaxi in South America, one of the largest volcanoes in the world, have been heard at the distance of more than 200 miles. Volcanoes are found in every quarter of the world. Forty have been observed constantly burning between Cotopaxi and the Pacific ocean; 20 have been seen in the chain of mountains that stretches along Kamtschatka; and many of them are to be found in the Philippines, the Moluccas, the Cape de Verd, the Sandwich, the Ladrone, and other islands About 205 volcanoes this fiery inundation, many lakes were filled up, 20 villages were destroyed, many thousands of sheep and cattle perished, and more than 240 human beings were destroyed. After this eruption, two islands were thrown up from in the Pacific ocean. the bottom of the sea, 100 miles south-west are known to exist, of which 107 are in from Iceland-one of them 3 miles in circum- islands, and 98 on the great continents. All ference, and about a mile in height, which these grand and terrific phenomena of nature continued for some time to burn with great are under the direction and control of the Creator of the universe; and they afford presumptive proofs that man has fallen from his original rectitude, and is no longer in a state of innocence. violence. In an eruption of Vesuvius, in 1769, about midnight, a fountain of fire was shot up to an amazing height, casting so bright a light, that the smallest objects were clearly distinguishable at any place within six or seven miles of the mountain. On the next day a most violent report was heard, which shook the houses of the town of Portici to such a degree, that the windows were broken and the walls rent by the concussion of the air; and, in an instant, a fountain of liquid transparent fire began to rise, and, gradually increasing, arrived at length at the amazing height of 10,000 feet and upwards, when its blaze was Questions on the preceding Lesson. (1.) What is the nature of a volcano! What part of a volcano is its crater? What substances are thrown out from volcanoes? What appearances generally accompany their eruptions? What are the signs or forerunners of an eruption? What is meant by lava? What appearances does it present, and what effects does it produce? What are the prin cipal volcanoes in Europe? What is peculiar with respect to Stromboli? Describe the size and situation of Hecla. What preceded the eruption in Iceland in 1783? What extraordinary appearance did this eruption exhibit? Of what did the fire-spouts consist? at what distance were they seen? and to what height did they rise? How long did they continue to burn? How large a tract of country was covered by the burning materials? and what devastations did they produce? What was the depth of the burning stream? What was the appearance of the sun during this eruption? What effects were produced by the rain, and what was the state of the atmosphere-What striking appearance was beheld during an eruption of Vesuvius? At what time of the day or night was it seen? What happened before another awful appearance! Describe the size of Mount Etna, and state the circumference of its crater. What were the circumstances attending its eruption in 1669, and what effects did they produce?(2.) What number of volcanoes has been ascertained? In what countries are they found? How many are in Europe? How many in the mountains of Kamtschatka? What size of stones have been thrown out of Etna and Hecla, and to what distance were they thrown? How many villages were destroyed by the eruption in Iceland? What effect did it produce on the lakes and rivers? and upon animated beings? Were any men and women destroyed? What were the length and breadth of one of the lakes of fire formed by this eruption? Describe the dimensions of the fiery stream which ran down Mount Etna in 1669. To what has the noise of volcanoes been compared? What effect did this noise produce in the town of Portici? At what distance was a gentleman enabled to read by the flame of a volcano? What was reckoned the height of the stream of fire which ascended from Vesuvius? How many habitations were destroyed by the eruption of Etna? and what effect did it produce on a lake? Have any volcanoes ever risen from the bottom of the sca? From what part of a volcanic mountain does the eruption of lava proceed? and does it always issue from the same part? What was the size of one of the islands thrown up from the sea near Iceland? To what distance have sand and ashes been thrown in the eruptions of volcanoes? What is generally the appearance of the sky, and of the luminaries of heaven, previous to an eruption, and during its continuance? At what distance have the sounds of the volcano Cotopaxi been heard?-What is the meaning of the word subterraneous? whence is it derived, and of what words is it cornpounded? Describe, likewise, the meaning of the words phenomena, summit, devasta tion, inundation, lava, &c. Point, on the map of Europe, to the situation of Hecla, Vesuvius, Stromboli, and Etna. Point, on the map of the World, to the situations of the other volcanoes mentioned in the lesson. How many volcanoes are situated in islands? What length of a journey is requisite in ascending to the top of Etna? Under whose superintendence are the operations of volcanoes? and what moral instructions may we learn from their terrific and destructive effects? The above lesson is compiled from five or six different sources, so as to condense as many interesting facts as possible in one description. The language of the original authors has been altered and simplified, and some original sentences interwoven. It is seldom that a mere extract will be found, in all its parts, sufficiently perspicuous and interesting to the young; and therefore it would require a considerable degree of labour and research to arrange and compile a volume or two on the plan proposed. The questions are intended to excite the attention and judgment of the pupil, and the answers are understood to be prepared by him, previous to his reading the lesson along with his class. At the same time, the teacher has it in his power to put to his pupils as many subordinate questions connected with the subject as he may deem expedient, and to illustrate, by familiar descriptions, any objects either directly or indirectly connected with the facts stated in the lesson.The first twenty-six questions are stated nearly in the order of the lesson; the remaining queries, beginning at No. 2, are intentionally arranged in a different order, to exercise the judgment of the pupil, and to prevent him getting his answers by rote. This arrangement would require to be adopted in almost every lesson. Each lesson should contain a perspicuous description of some well-defined scene or object, the knowledge of which would form a portion of the foundations of useful science. And, were all the ideas comprised in a lesson of this description to be impressed upon the mind of the pupil every day, it cannot be doubted, that in the course of a year, when above three hundred such lessons would be studied, a very considerable portion of useful information would be communicated-far superior in utility and extent to all that has hitherto been acquired by the perusal of Epilogues of stage-players, Speeches in the Roman Senate, Parliamentary debates, the encounters of knights and warriors, essays on criticism and oratory, and all the other prosing dissertations with which so many of our schoolcollections are occupied. Besides the questions referring to the descriptions contained in the lessons, a variety of miscellaneous questions, in reference to the common appearances of nature, and the different branches of popular science, might occasionally be proposed to the pupils to excite their curiosity, and exercise their reasoning powers. For example seen? press your thumb hard upon the top of it, what is the reason that the water will not run out at the bottom of the tube, although it is open? When a boy's sucker is moistened with water, and pressed upon a smooth stone, what is the reason why it is able to lift up a stone of a pretty large size? Would the sucker produce the effect if it were not moistened with water? Many thousands of queries of this descrip tion might be proposed to the young, which, if judiciously selected, explained, and illus trated, could not fail of gratifying their curiosity, and of imparting the elements of useful knowledge, and, above all, of exciting a spirit of observation, of fixing the attention, and of promoting a habit of reasoning on the various objects and operations they perceive around them. An hour or more, during two or three days in the week, might be profitably spent in such exercises, which should always be accompanied with familiar and minute explanations, and, where the subject admits of it, with amusing and illustrative experiments.* How many miles should we require to travel before we could go quite round the world? What proofs can you give that the earth is round like a globe? Is there more land or water on the surface of the earth? What is meant by the atmosphere? Has the air any weight? By what experiments can you prove that the air presses upon our bodies, and upon all parts of the earth? How do you prove that air exists, since it cannot be What is the appearance of the sky during a thunder-storm? Whether is the lightning seen before or after a peal of thunder? By what means could you measure the distance between the earth and a thundercloud? What effects does lightning sometimes produce?-How many senses has man? What is the organ of vision? What part of Another occasional exercise might consist the eye lets in the light? Is the opening in exhibiting to a class a variety of objects, which lets in the light always of the same both natural and artificial,-such as, the model size? What knowledge do we derive by of a ship, a pair of bellows, a mineral submeans of the sense of seeing? Have all stance, a shrub, a flower, a leaf, a bird, an inanimals the same number of eyes? What is sect, or any other object and causing the peculiar in the eyes of flies and other insects? pupils to describe the parts or qualities of the -What are some of the different kinds of object exhibited, and the characteristics by animals that live in the air, the waters, and which it is distinguished from every other the earth? What is the difference between class of objects. If it be a ship, the masts, a beast, a bird, and a fish? between a reptile the yard-arms, the bow, the poop, the keel, and an insect? &c. Is a lobster a beast, a the different kinds of sails, &c., their uses, reptile, or a fish? What are the different properties, and the terms by which they are parts of a plant? What part of a plant is distinguished, may be pointed out and dethe stem or trunk? What enables plants to scribed. If it be a flower, the calyx, corolla, stand upright, although they are tossed with stamina and pistil, may be pointed out, the the wind? Do all plants grow upright? class to which it belongs described, and the What plants are useful for food? for build- characteristics by which it may be known ing for clothing? &c. What parts of our from every other flower distinguished. After clothing are made from plants? Could we having several times exhibited and described have clothing from animals, if no plants such objects, they may afterwards be held up existed? What would be the appearance to the view of a class, or handed round among of fields and mountains, if there were no the pupils for their inspection, and each of plants? What are the tides? How often them, or at least a few of the more intelligent, do they ebb and flow in the course of a day? interrogated respecting the parts, qualities, At what periods of the moon are the tides uses, or circumstances connected with the ob highest? Does the sun appear round? Does ject exhibited. The objects which may be the moon always appear round? What other thus described are almost innumerable; and phases or shapes does she assume? At what hence the necessity, in such a system of inperiod of the day or night does the moon rise struction, of collecting for every school an exwhen she appears with a round full face? In tensive museum of natural and artificial objects, what direction does she appear after sunset, of having an extensive plot of ground conwhen she assumes the form of a slender cres- nected with the seminary, for rearing trees, cent?-If you take a wine-glass, fill it with water, and press a piece of paper upon the mouth of it, and then turn it upside-down, will the water run out of the glass? If you take a glass tube, and fill it with water, and A considerable variety of such questions as those to which I allude, will be found in an excelMount Vernon School, entitled, "The Little Phílent little work, by Mr. Jacob Abbot, Principal of losopher." |