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most manifest blessings communicated by the lights of education? With such chastened feelings, the educated man has fulfilled his destiny-is conscious that he has made the best of the talents which God has bounteously given him.

'Call now to mind what high capacious powers

Lie folded up in man; how far beyond

The praise of mortals may the eternal growth
Of Nature, to perfection half divine

Expand the blooming soul? What pity, then,
Should sloth's unkindly fogs depress to earth
Her tender blossom, choke the streams of life,
And blast her spring! Far otherwise designed
Almighty wisdom; Nature's happy cares
The obedient heart far otherwise incline.
Witness the sprightly joy when aught unknown
Strikes the quick sense, and wakes each active power
To brisker measures: witness the neglect

Of all familiar prospects, though beheld
With transport once; the fond attentive gaze

Of young astonishment; the sober zeal

Of age, commenting on prodigious things.

For such the bounteous providence of heaven,

In every breast implanting this desire

Of objects new and strange, to urge us on

With unremitted labour to pursue

Those sacred stores, that wait the ripening soul,
In Truth's exhaustless bosom.'

AKENSIDE.

THINGS LEARNED AT SCHOOL.

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HE courses of instruction at school vary considerably in character and extent, according to the means and wishes of parents, the station in life to be occupied by the pupil, and other circumstances. Schooling usually commences at about five years of age, and if carried only a moderate length, ends at twelve or fourteen. Such is considered to be sufficient for youths who are to pursue manual labour, or the more ordinary kinds of business, in which great learning is not required. The education received in a course of this moderate extent, is chiefly elementary. It will consist of instructions in Reading English, Spelling, the simple rules of Grammar, Writing or Penmanship, Arithmetic, with some outlines of Geography, History, Science, and General Knowledge. Likewise, less or more Religious Instruction. Let us now see how you are to make the most of this limited schooling.

Reading.-Written or printed words are composed of letters, the symbols of sounds. The sounds in the English language are numerous, but to express them all, there are only twenty-six letters; on this account, several letters represent two or more sounds, and to bear these in mind, so as on all occasions to pronounce words properly, requires attention and practice. Your teacher will probably shew that to read well, you must attend to Articulation and Pronunciation, speaking plainly and correctly out, not mumbling or slurring over the words. Next, you will attend to Inflection and Modulation, by which the reading is executed with ease,

a suitable variation of tone, and with pauses at the proper place.

It is not enough that you learn to read a book with satisfaction to yourself. You must acquire the art of reading aloud with fluency, accuracy, and taste; and for this purpose, I should recommend the practice of reading aloud at home among friends who will kindly set you right in case of error. For want of attention on this point, not to speak of natural defects, there are few really good readers. Young persons are for the most part too careless in trying to attain a habit of reading aloud with elegance and effect. Indifferent about what they imagine to be a humble accomplishment, they fall into slovenly methods of reading. A common error is reading too fast. Another common error is reading without regard to modulation. Of those who read prose with tolerable propriety, few are good readers of verse. They either make a pause at the end of every line, regardless of punctuation, or they lay undue force on such words as of and and. Thus, in reading the line

Turn, gentle Hermit of the dale,

the emphasis is sometimes improperly laid on of, whereas it should be placed on Turn. Errors of this kind are usually committed in compliance with the supposed exigencies of the rhythm; although, in point of fact, the emphasis should always depend upon the sense, which gives rise to a variety that is one of the great beauties of verse. It would be easy to enumerate other blunders in reading; for almost every district has some unpleasant peculiarity in reading and speaking the English language.

Elocution, or the art of reading and speaking according to the best rules, is a special branch of instruction, particularly in academies of a high class. The main rule, however, on the subject is this-Read distinctly, with the same regard to modulation of voice as if you were speaking in a natural

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manner, raising and lowering the tones according to the different meanings. The value of this expressive modulation of voice will be perceived in reading the opening lines of one of Campbell's poems.

'A chieftain, to the Highlands bound,
Cries: "Boatman, do not tarry!
And I'll give thee a silver pound,
To row us o'er the ferry."-

"Now, who be ye would cross Lochgyle,
This dark and stormy water?"
"Oh, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle,

And this, Lord Ullin's daughter."'

If these lines be read in a uniform tone of voice, they are cold and unimpassioned, and the poet has not justice done to his meaning; but if read with a regard to the sense, how different the effect produced! First, we have the simple announcement of the arrival of the chieftain; then, his hurried exclamation and promise to the boatman; next, the boatman's earnest remonstrance and inquiry; lastly, the chieftain's answer. In these eight lines, four different tones must be employed to give expression to the sense; and so on, with the rest of this beautiful piece of poetry, which may be despoiled of all proper effect by indifferent reading.

In attempting to read with a regard to modulation, take care not to exaggerate the different tones; for that would be as great a blunder as reading monotonously. Avoid all appearance of mouthing or ranting, such as is sometimes witnessed on the stage. Taking nature and good taste for your guide, read spiritedly according to the meaning of the author, and to do so, a requisite qualification is to understand what you are reading about. Should you not have the good-fortune to be taught by an elocutionist, find out, if possible, a model in any clergyman who is reputed to read with feeling and effect. Alison, the accomplished author of Sermons on the Seasons,

spoke the Lord's Prayer so impressively in the course of his ministerial duties, that all were affected by it, and many persons came from a great distance to hear this simple piece of pulpit eloquence. In such a manner, do men of genius and taste inspire feelings which an ordinary class of readers leave altogether unexcited.

Spelling, which is treated as a branch of grammar under the head Orthography, refers to the rules for combining letters into syllables and words. It is of much importance that you learn to spell words correctly; but this can be done only by practice, assisted by an accurate eye and ear. Bad spelling usually indicates a very defective education-neglect in youth; and when it is seen in a letter of business or friendship, it gives a certain shock to the feelings. I have known instances of young persons being rejected on applying for situations, only from their spelling a single word incorrectly.

Grammar treats of the principles on which language is constructed, and consists of certain rules which must be studied and committed to memory. Although grammar is

universal, every language has its own modification, in the same manner that although justice is universal, each nation has its own laws. The English grammar is simple, but the language abounds in irregularities, and these require attention. Instructions in grammar usually accompany reading lessons, in order to shew how, in each sentence, rules may be applied. You will probably learn the different parts of speech, while being taught how to parse your lessons. Whatever be the scheme of instruction, it is desirable that you should become an accomplished grammarian, whereby you will be able to speak and write correctly in all situations of life. Such acquirements will be much facilitated by the practice of speaking correctly from childhood, in imitation of well-instructed persons. Much trouble is often incurred at school, in trying to undo blunders which have become habitual by bad training at home.

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