Overthrow of the Rebel Angels.

So spake the Son: and into terror chang'd
His countenance, too severe to be beheld,
And full of wrath bent on his enemies.
At once the four spread out their starry wings,
With dreadful shade contiguous, and the orbs.
Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the sound
Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host.
He on his impious foes, right onward drove,
Gloomy as night. Under his burning heels
The stedfast empyrcan shook throughout,
All but the throne itself of God.

Full soon

☑ Among them he arriv'd; in his right hand

Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent
Before him, such as in their souls infix'd
Plagues. They, astonish'd, all resistance lost,
All courage, down their idle weapons dropt:
O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads, he

rode,

Of thrones and mighty seraphim prostrate,
'That wish'd the mountains, now, might be again
Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire.
Nor less on either side, tempestuous fell
His arrows, from the four-fold visag'd four
Distant with ages, and from the living wheels
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes.-
One spirit in them rul'd; and every eye

Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among the accurs'd, that wither'd all their

strength,

A

And, of their wonted vigor, left them drain'd,
Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen.
Yet half his strength he put not forth; but check
His thunder in mid volley: for he meant,

Not to destroy, but root them out of heaven
The overthrow he rais'd; and, as a herd
Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd,
Drove them before him, thunder-struck, pursu'd
With terrors, and with furies, to the bounds
And crystal wall of heav'n; which, opening wide
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap disclos'd
Into the wasteful deep. The monstrous sight
Struck them with horror backward; but far worse
Urg'd them behind. Headlong themselves they

threw

Down from the verge of heav'n: eternal wrath
Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

On the Importance of studying the
English Language Grammatically.

† Legislators, a those whomake laws for any community.

1. A right education of children has ever been esteemed by the best philosophers and wisest legislatorst as the most certain source of happiness, not only to families, but to states and kingdoms; 2 and is, on all moral and Civil considerations, the first blessing in order and necessity by a king.

2 Kingdoms, 8 states governed

the highest in value and importance and, in these united republics, the grand basis on which their future happiness and prosperity depend.

2 Of such inestimables worth was right educated held by the ancients, that when they were in all their glory, and long after, the

tu

terage 5 of youth was accounted the most honourable employment; and many of noble birth and easy fortunes became preceptors, 6 and took youth under their tuition.

3. It is well known that the Romans2 as well as Greeks, 3 carefully applied themselves to the study of their own language, and were early able to speak and write it in the greatest perfection. Masters taught them, betimes, 4 the principles, the difficulties, the subtilties, and the depths of it. And to that it was chiefly owing, that they made more early advances in the most useful sciences, than any youth have since done.

4. The French5 have been beforehand with us in this important particular. They have long imitated the Greeks and Romans, and have had the good policy to prefer their own language to every other; disdaining the study of any foreign tongues, unless driven by necessity into other countries. - And the political6 advantages they have derived from such a conduct are visible all over Europe.

5. Policy, then, were there nothing else, cries aloud for ourexer ting ourselves in the cause of a too long neglected English education; and for wiping off that charge of

barbarity, 8 with which not only we, but those of England have been, on that account, so long stigmatized9 by the very nation whom we so much venerate, and whose language we are so ridiculously fond of, to the reproach and degradation of a better, even our own.

6. There is, perhaps, no language the grammatical2 knowledge of which can be learned with so much ease, or with less difficulty than ours. And as the freedom, the liberty, and the life of our country depend upon it, shall America3 deprive her sons of this most valuable birthright, the right of nature?

8 Barbarity, a savageness, im. purity of speech.

9 Stigmatised, patmarked with infamy,

2 Grammatical a belonging to grammar.

3 America, 8 the continent we inhabit,

vto oversee

7. It appears to me a thing very unaccountable, that masters, and those who superintend4 public 4 Superintend schools, should neglect this impora nt part of an education, and suffer youth, to trifle away their time, when it might be employed to so much advantage to themselves and to future generations. And what is still more so, is, that parents, who love their children, should connive5 at this unpardonable neglect.

5 Connive to wink at a fault.

6 Anchor, s of a ship, best de

8. Without a common school education, which is the anchor6 of liberty, the supporter of our rights, we can be compared to nothing but pendence.

a ship at sca, deprived of sails, rudder, compass, and exposed to the

Lillows7 and hurricaness of the 7 Billows s

boisterous deep.

9 With it, we have a most substantial foundationg laid, on which we can erect a supurbt building, for public and private utility:2 with it, we can conduct the ship of state, and regale ourselves under the tree of liberty, and unshackle ourselves from ignorance, wliich is the origin of feuds and animosities in free states,

10. Do not the arts and sciences, in every kingdom, participate to a. great degree the fate of its language? rise and florish, or sink into disrepute,4 as the latter is cultivated or neglected? How dear then ought the honor of the English language to be to every American! (

wav s, swollen
8 Hurricanes, s

violent winds,

3 Foundation,
basis, estab-

lishment..

† Superb, a grand.pompous 2 Utility sconvenience, profit

3 Animosity, extreme hatred

4 Disrepute, 8 want of reputation

* Neglected, part omitted,

5 Didactic,

11. And as grammar is the solid disregarded, foundation on which all other sci- slighted. ence rests, and all human inquiry.. is divided into science and language; and further, as under the latter, fall the ideas and subjects of the didactic style, oratory, poetry, painting, and sculpture, 6 judge ye, if it ougiat to be left to young gentlemen to form their style by chance, or to begin the study of their mother tongue, at a time of life which calls them forth to action.

12. You, who are intrusted with the education of our youth, and you,

doctrinal. pre-
ceptive

6 Sculpture, a
carved work.

:

:

1