In the radiant islands of the East,
Where fragrant spices grow,

A thousand, thousand humming-birds
Go glancing to and fro.

Like living fires they flit about,
Scarce larger than a bee,
Among the broad palmetto leaves,
And through the fan-palm tree.

And in those wild and verdant woods,
Where stately mosses tower,
Where hangs from branching tree to tree
The scarlet passion flower-

Where, on the mighty river banks,

La Plate and Amazon,

The cayman, like an old tree trunk,
Lies basking in the sun;

There builds her nest the humming-bird,
Within the ancient wood-
Her nest of silken cotton down-
And rears her tiny brood.

She hangs it to a slender twig,
Where waves it light and free,
As the campanero tolls his song,
And rocks the mighty tree.

All crimson is her shining breast,
Like to the red, red rose;

Her wing is the changeful green and blue
That the neck of the peacock shows.

Thou happy, happy humming-bird,
No winter round thee lours;
Thou never saw'st a leafless tree,

Nor land without sweet flowers.

A reign of summer joyfulness
To thee for life is given;

Thy food, the honey from the flower,
Thy drink, the dew from heaven.

COMPOUND SUBTRACTION.

Alexander. What, art thou the Thracian robber, of whose exploits I have heard so much? Robber. I am a Thracian, and a soldier.

Alex. A soldier!-a thief, a plunderer, an assassin! the pest of the country! I could honour thy courage, but I must detest and punish thy crimes. Robber. What have I done, of which you can complain?

Alex. Hast thou not set at defiance my authority, violated the public peace, and passed thy life in injuring the persons and properties of thy fellowsubjects?

Robber. Alexander! I am your captive-I must hear what you please to say, and endure what you please to inflict. But my soul is unconquered! and if I reply at all to your reproaches, I will reply like

a free man.

Alex. Speak freely. Far be it from me to take advantage of my power, to silence those with whom I deign to converse.

Robber. I must then answer your question by another. How have you passed your life?

Alex. Like a hero. Ask Fame, and she will tell you. Among the brave, I have been the bravest: among sovereigns, the noblest: among conquerors, the mightiest.

Robber. And does not Fame speak of me too? Was there ever a bolder captain of a more valiant band? Was there ever-but I scorn to boast. You yourself know that I have not been easily subdued.

Alex. Still, what are you but a robber--a base, dishonest robber?

Robber. And what is a conqueror? Have not you, too, gone about the earth like an evil genius, blasting the fair fruits of peace and industry; plundering, ravaging, killing, without law, without

justice, merely to gratify an insatiable lust for dominion? All that I have done to a single district with a hundred followers, you have done to whole nations with a hundred thousand. If I have stripped individuals, you have ruined kings and princes. If I have burnt a few hamlets, you have desolated the most flourishing kingdoms and cities of the earth. What is, then, the difference, but that as you were born a king, and I a private man, you have been able to become a mightier robber than I?

Alex. But if I have taken like a king, I have given like a king. If I have subverted empires, I have founded greater. I have cherished arts, commerce, and philosophy.

Robber. I, too, have freely given to the poor what I took from the rich. I know, indeed, little of the philosophy you talk of, but I believe that neither you nor I shall ever atone to the world for half the mischief we have done it.

Alex. Leave me. Take off his chains, and use him well. Are we then so much alike? Alexander like a robber? Let me reflect.-Evenings at Home.

COMPOUND ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION.

(1) What is the sum of 16 cwt. 3 qrs. 11 lbs. 9 oz. + 14 cwt. 2 qrs. 27 lbs. 11 oz. +1 ton 19 cwt. 21 lbs. + 3 cwt. 15 oz. + 2 qrs. 12lbs. 1 oz. 13 dr.?

(2) What is the sum of 11 oz. 11 dwt. 17 gr. + 9 oz. 19 dwt. 11 gr. +8 dwt. 18 gr. + 10 cz. 14 dwt. 19 gr. + 9 oz. 17 gr. + 1 oz. 3 dwt. 4 gr.?

(3) Find the difference between 36 tons 17 cwt. 2 qrs. O lbs. 4 oz. and 5 tons 18 cwt. 1 qr. 17 lbs. 13 oz. (4) Find the difference between 9 oz.

13 dwt. 7 gr.

(5) Find the sum of 3 oz. 7 dr. 2 scr.

10 dwt. 14 gr. and 11 oz.

19 gr. + 14 oz. 6 dr. 1 scr. 17 gr. + 2 oz. 4 dr. 7 gr. + 11 oz. 2 scr. 8 gr. + 12 oz. 7 dr. 2 scr.

9 gr.

(6) Find the sum of 1 fur. 37 r. 54 yds. 2 ft. 7 in. + 3 fur. 19 r. 4 yds. 1 ft. 11 in. + 3 m. 17 r. 1 ft. 9 in. + 2r. 2 ft. 11 in. + 16m. 3 yds. 9 in. (7) Find the difference between 16 oz. 4 dr. 1 scr. 17 gr. and 12 oz. 5 dr. 2 scr. 19 gr.

(8) Find the difference between 11 fur. 29 r. 3 yds. 1 ft. 9 in. and 8 fur. 31 r. 4 yds. 2 ft. 11 in.

(9) Find the sum of 3 m. 7 fur. 16 r. 5 yds. 2 ft. 10 in. + 3 ft. 9 in. +16 m. 4 yds. 8 in. + 6 fur. 17 r. 4 yds. + 9 yds. 2 ft. 6 in.

(10) Find the difference between 29 m. 6 fur. 2 r. 8 in. and 16 m. 2 fur. 27 r. 4 yds. 2 ft. 11 in.

THE MAGPIE'S LECTURE.

A Fable.

ar'-chi-tec-ture, the art of building
court'-cous, polite

pro-fes'-sor, one who publicly prac-
tises, or teaches, an art
de-mure'-ly, with pretended mo-
desty
se-cure'-ly, safely

found-a'-tion, the bottom of a
building

o-ra'-tion, a set speech
slen'-der, thin
ex-claim', to call out
in-dig'-nant, offended
su-per'-flu-ous, more than enough
brood'-ing, sitting over a brood
self-con-ceit', a good opinion of
oneself

des-pise', to think little of

In early times, the story says,
When birds could talk and lecture,
A magpie called her feather'd friends,
To teach them architecture.

To build a nest, my courteous friends,'
They all began to chatter,-

No need to teach us that, good Mag;
'Tis such an easy matter!"

To build a nest,' professor Mag
Resumed her speech demurely,

First choose a well-forked bough, wherein

The nest may sit securely.'

'Of course,' said Jenny Wren. Now cross

Two sticks for the foundation.'

O, all know that,' quoth Mr. Rook,

• Without this long oration.'

Now bend some slender twigs, to form
The round sides of the dwelling.'