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18.

And while the moldering ashes sleep,
Low in the ground';

"The soul', of origin divine,
God's glorious image freed from clay,
In heaven's eternal sphere shall shine',
A star of day!

19. "The sun is but a spark of fire,
A transient meteor in the sky,
The soul, immortal as its sire,

QUESTIONS.

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Who is represented as speaking in verse 8th, and onward? What is a " figure of speech?" What is that figure of speech called, which represents the grave, or any inanimate object, as speaking? With what sentiments should thoughts of death inspire us? Why is death ever desirable? To what will it introduce us? Is it wise to make no preparation for death? Should not our eternal welfare be our chief concern in this world? PRONUNCIATION. -Soft-ly, not sof'ly (in softly each letter is sounded, while in soften the t and e are silent, and it is pronounced sof'n) : listen, pro. lis'n chast-en-ing, pro. chas'ning: sor-rows, not sor-rers: Prov-idence, not Prov-i-dunce: pur-sue, not pur-shoo.

SPELL AND DEFINE.-3. Dreamless: 5. reclined, molder: 6. affrights: 8. victim, conscience: 10. vengeance: 11. terrors: 12. deplore: 14. bruised: 16. realms 18. eternal: 19. transient.

RULE.

LESSON XXVI.

Be careful to speak such little words as the, of, a, in, from, at, by, and, to, with, as, for, very distinctly; and yet not dwell on them so long as on other more important words.

Words to be Spelled and Defined.

1. In'-tri-ca-cy, n. the state of being entangled.

2. Ap-pre-hen' sion, n. the power of thinking and understanding.

5.

As'-pen, n. a species of poplar, whose leaves are always in motion.

9. State-li-ness, n. majestic appearance. Domes, . buildings, houses.

8. Va'-cant-ly, adv. without thinking of 10. Rev'-el-ry, n. noisy gayety and fesor noticing.

tivity.

AN END OF ALL PERFECTION.

1. I HAVE seen man in the glory of his days, and the pride of his strength. He was built like the tall cedar that lifts its head

above the forest trees'; like the strong oak that strikes its root deeply into the earth'. He feared no danger'; he felt no sickness'; he wondered that any should groan or sigh at p. His mind was vigorous, like his body'; he was perplexed at no intricacy; he was daunted at no difficulty'; into hidden things he searched', and what was crooked he made straight'.

2. He went forth fearlessly upon the face of the mighty deep; he surveyed the nations of the earth; he measured the distances of the stars, and called them by their names; he gloried in the extent of his knowledge, in the vigor of his understanding, and strove to search even into what the Almighty had concealed. And when I looked on him I said, "What a piece of work is man'! how noble in reason'! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a God!"

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3. I returned; his look was no more lofty, nor his step proud; his broken frame was like some ruined tower; his hairs were white and scattered; and his eye gazed vacantly upon what was passing around him. The vigor of his intellect was wasted, and of all that he had gained by study, nothing remained. He feared when there was no danger, and when there was no sorrow he wept. His memory was decayed and treacherous, and showed him only broken images of the glory that was departed.

4. His house to him was like a strange land, and his friends were counted as his enemies; and he thought himself strong and healthful, while his foot tottered on the verge of the grave. He said of his son', "He is my brother';" of his daughter', “I know her not'; "and he inquired what was his own name. And one, who supported his last steps, and ministered to his many wants, said to me, as I looked on the melancholy scene, Let thine heart receive instruction, for thou hast seen an end of all earthly perfection."

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5. I have seen a beautiful female treading the first stages of youth, and entering joyfully into the pleasures of life. The glance of her eye was variable and sweet, and on her cheek trembled something like the first blush of the morning; her lips moved, and there was harmony; and when she floated in the dance, her light form, like the aspen, seemed to move with every breeze. I returned, but she was not in the dance; I sought her in the gay circle of her companions, but I found her not.

6. Her eye sparkled not there; the music of her voice was silent; she rejoiced on earth no more. I saw a train, sable and slow-paced, who bore sadly to an open grave what once was

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animated and beautiful. They paused as they approached, and a voice broke the awful silence: " Mingle ashes with ashes, and dust with its original dust. To the earth whence it was taken, consign we the body of our sister." They covered her with the damp soil and the clods of the valley; and the worms crowded into her silent abode. Yet one sad mourner lingered, to cast himself upon the grave; and as he wept, he said, "There is no beauty, or grace, or loveliness, that continueth in man; for this is the end of all his glory and perfection."

7. I have seen an infant with a fair brow, and a frame like polished ivory. Its limbs were pliant in its sports; it rejoiced, and again it wept; but whether its glowing cheek dimpled with smiles, or its blue eye was brilliant with tears, still I said to my heart, "It is beautiful." It was like the first pure blossom, which some cherished plant had shot forth, whose cup is-filled with a dewdrop, and whose head reclines upon its parent stem.

8. I again saw this child when the lamp of reason first dawned in its mind. Its soul was gentle and peaceful; its eye sparkled with joy, as it looked round on this good and pleasant world. It ran swiftly in the ways of knowledge; it bowed its ear to instruction; it stood like a lamb before its teachers. It was not proud, nor envious, nor stubborn; and it had never heard of the vices and vanities of the world. And when I looked upon it, I remembered that our Savior had said, "Except ye become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

9. But the scene was changed, and I saw a man whom the world called honorable, and many waited for his smile. They pointed out the fields that were his, and talked of the silver and gold that he had gathered; they admired the stateliness of his domes, and extolled the honor of his family. And his heart answered secretly, "By my wisdom have I gotten all this ;" so he returned no thanks to God, neither did he fear or serve him.

10. And as I passed along, I heard the complaints of the laborers who had reaped down his fields, and the cries of the poor, whose covering he had taken away; but the sound of feasting and revelry was in his apartments, and the unfed beggar came tottering from his door. But he considered not, that the cries of the oppressed were continually entering into the ears of the Most High. And when I knew that this man was once the teachable child that I had loved, the beautiful infant that I had gazed upon with delight, I said in my bitterness, "I have seen an end of all perfection; " and I laid my mouth in the dust.

MRS. SIGOURNEY

What takes the place of childhood time flies past? What become What does all this teach us?

QUESTIONS.— What changes pass upon the proudest forms, and the most undaunted intellects, from the lapse of time? and manhood? What becomes of beauty, as of the docility and loveliness of childhood? Where shall we find unchangeable perfection?

Explain the inflections marked, and those of the 6th, 7th, and 8th paragraphs. ARTICULATION AND PRONUNCIATION. And, not an : of, not uf: lifts, not lifs: dif-fi-cult-y, not dif' cult-y: hast, not hass: beau-tiful, not beau-ti-f ̈'l: joy-ful-ly, not joy-f'ly: va-ri-a-ble, not va-r'a-ble: fields, not fiels: com-plaints, not com-plaince: end, not en: dust, not duss.

SPELL AND DEFINE.-1. Perplexed, daunted: 2. surveyed, faculties: 3. vigor: 4. verge: 5. variable, floated: 6. consign: 7. ivory: 8. vanities: 9. extolled: 10. oppressed, teachable, perfection.

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LESSON XXVII.

RULE. In reading poetry, be careful to avoid the sing-song tone, which is made by marking too strongly with the voice, those syllables which receive the poetic accent, as in the following lines.

Sweet is the work, my God and King,

To praise thy name, give thanks and sing.

Words to be Spelled and Defined.

3. Pre-des'-tin-ed, p. appointed or deter- 4. Con'-flict, n. a struggle, a contest

mined beforehand.

LIFE AND DEATH.

1. FEAR not thou to de'!

But rather fear to live'; for life

Has thousand snares thy feet to try,
By peril', pain', and strife'.

Brief is the work of death';

But life-the spirit shrinks to see
How full, ere heaven recalls the breath,
The cup of woe may be.

2. O fear not thou to die!

No more to suffer or to sin;

No snares without', thy faith to try,
No traitor heart within':

But fear, O! rather fear,

The gay, the light, the changeful scene,
The flattering smiles that greet thee here,
From heaven thy heart to wean.

3. Fear, lest, in evil hour,

Thy pure and holy hope o'ercome,
By clouds that in the horizon lower,
Thy spirit feel that gloom,
Which, over earth and heaven,

The covering throws of fell despair;
And deem itself the unforgiven,
Predestined child of care.

4. O fear not thou to die!

To die, and be that blessed one',
Who', in the bright and beauteous sky,
May feel his conflict done';

May feel, that, never more,

The tear of grief or shame shall come,
For thousand wanderings from the Power
Who loved, and called him home!

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

QUESTIONS. Why should we not fear to die? What are the dangers to which we are exposed in life? What should be the great object of life? To whom must we look for aid in the conflicts of life? Where is our home?

What

Why does the 1st line end with the rising inflection? (Rule VI.) With what is "to die" contrasted? Give the reasons for the other inflections. examples are there, in the 1st and 2d stanzas, of relative emphasis ?

Which are the interjections in this lesson? Parse" to die" in the second line of the laststanza. Parse "who" in the 3d line. Parse "him" in the last line. Parse the last word in the lesson.

PRONUNCIATION.-Heav-en, pro. heav'n: beaute-ous, not beauche-ous home, not hum.

:

SPELL AND DEFINE.— 1. Snares, peril, strife: 2. traitor, wean: 3. horizon, deem, despair: 4. wanderings.

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