countrymen in the same ruin, or venture one generous effort for the redemption of yourselves and your friends, is the point in question. Death is the same thing to the coward that it is to the man of valor, and as certain to one as the other; but there is a wide difference between them, in point of honor and everlasting fame. The gallant man, who falls in vindication of his religion, laws, and country, dies to be perpetuated with honor; the pusillanimous coward, at his exit, is consigned to infamy. Take these considerations into your thoughts, and make this use of the meditation. You have nothing to trust to but the providence of God, and your own concurring resolutions, and, at the worst, while we contend for victory, we can never fail of glory!

LESSON LXXXI.

THE BUTTERFLY BEAU.-ANONYMOUS.

I'm a volatile thing, with exquisite wing,
Sprinkled o'er with the tints of the rainbow;
All the butterflies swarm to behold my sweet form,
Though the grubs may all vote me a vain beau.

I

my toilet go through with rose-water dew,

And each blossom contributes its essence;

Then-all fragrance and grace, not a plume out of place,
I adorn the gay world with my presence—
In short, you must know,

I'm the butterfly beau.

At first I enchant a fair Sensitive plant,

Then I flirt with the Pink of perfection:

Then I seek a sweet Pea, and I whisper, "For thee
I have long felt a fond predilection:"

A Lily I kiss, and exult in my bliss,

But I very soon search for a new lip;

And I pause in my flight, to exclaim with delight
"O, how dearly I love you, my Tulip!"
In short, you must know,

I'm the butterfly beau.

Thus forever I rove, and the honey of love
From each delicate blossom I pilfer,-

But though many I see pale and pining for me,

I know none that are worth growing ill for;

And though I must own, there are some that I've known,
Whose external attractions are splendid;

On myself I must dote, for in my pretty coat,
All the tints of the garden are blended;-
In short, you must know,

I'm the butterfly beau!

LESSON LXXXII.

VIRTUE.-PRICE.

VIRTUE is the foundation of honor and esteem, and the source of all beauty, order, and happiness in nature. It is what confers value on all the other endowments and qualities of a reasonable being: it reaches through all the periods and circumstances of our being. Many of the endowments and talents we now possess, and of which we are too apt to be proud, will cease entirely with the present state; but this will be our ornament and dignity in every future state to which we may be removed. Beauty and wit will die; learning will vanish away, and all the arts of life be soon forgot; but virtue will remain forever. This unites us to the whole rational creation, and fits us for conversing with any order of superior natures, and for a place in any part of God's works. Superior beings of all ranks, are bound by it no less than ourselves. It has the same authority in all worlds that it has in this. 'Tis the law of the whole universe; it stands first in the estimation of the Deity; its original is his nature; and it is the very object that makes him lovely. Such is the importance of virtue. Of what consequence, therefore, is it that we practice it! There is no argument, or motive, which is at all fitted to influence a reasonable mind, which does not call us to this. One virtuous disposition of soul is of more value than all the treasures of the world. If you are wise, then, study virtue, and contemn every thing that can come into competition with it. Remember, that nothing else deserves our anxious thought, or wish. Remember, that this alone is honor, glory, wealth, and happiness. Secure this, and you secure everything; lose this, and all is lost.

LESSON LXXXIII.

FRIENDS SEPARATED BY DEATH.-MONTGOMERY.

FRIEND after friend departs;

Who has not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts,

That finds not here an end;
Were this frail world our final rest,
Living or dying none were blest.

Beyond the flight of time

Beyond the reign of death-
There surely is some blessed clime
Where life is not a breath;
Nor life's affections transient fire,
Whose sparks fly upward and expire.

There is a world above,

Where parting is unknown;
A long eternity of love,

Formed for the good alone;
And Faith beholds the dying here,
Translated to that glorious sphere

As morning high and higher shines,
To pure and perfect day:

Nor sink those stars in empty night,
But hide themselves in heaven's own light.

LESSON LXXXIV.

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.-MAXCY.

A FIRM belief in the existence of God, will heighten all the enjoyments of life, and, by conforming our hearts to his will, will secure the approbation of a good conscience, and inspire us with the hopes of a blessed immortality. Never be tempted to disbelieve the existence of God, when every thing around you proclaims it in a language too plain not to be understood. Never cast your eyes on creation, without having your souls expanded with this sentiment,-" There is a God." When you survey this globe of earth, with all its appendages; when you behold it inhabited by numberless ranks of creatures, all moving in their proper spheres; all verging to their proper ends, all animated by the same great source of life, all supported at the same great bounteous table; when you behold, not only the earth, but the ocean, and the air, swarming with living creatures, all happy in their situation; when you behold yonder sun darting an effulgent blaze of glory over the heavens, garnishing mighty worlds, and waking ten thousand songs of praise; when you behold unnumbered systems diffused through vast immensity, clothed in splendor, and rolling in majesty; when you behold these things, your affections will rise above all the vanities of time; your full souls will struggle with ecstacy, and your reason, passions, and feelings, all united, will rush up to the skies, with a devout acknowledgment of the existence, power, wisdom, and goodness of God. Let us behold Him, let us wonder, let us praise and adore. These things will make us happy.

LESSON LXXXV.

THE LOST BOY.-ANONYMOUS.

THE little boy wandered away,

Nor thought what might betide him;
For he loved to ramble and play,

With his faithful dog beside him:
The flowers were gay, the trees were green,
A pleasanter day was never seen,—
The birds were singing on every spray,
As if they would flatter the boy away,
When he'd none but his dog to guide him.

They rambled, rambled on,—

A

THIS Figure exhibits the first of another class of single gestures. gesture is said to be single when it is made with one hand only. This gesture may be called the first left hand gesture, index finger. The pupil will observe that the fore finger is extended, while the others are moderately curved inward, the thumb standing easily off from them. In the passage illustrated, the gesture begins at the word and, making its course in a curve, as seen in the dotted line;

The boy and dog, together,
In many) a pleasant path they run,
Nor knew, nor heeded whither ;-

the stroke comes upon the word dog, and the hand falls to rest at the word many. The reciter is in the first right position during the first nine lines; at the second word, rambled, he changes, obeying the idea of motion,—to the first left; at the word and he slides into the second left. The use of this class of gestures is, in noting, in expressing scorn, but particularly, in pointing out single objects, as in our example

But the sun is set, and a storm seems near,
And the poor little boy is pale with fear :
He thought the old trees grew dark and tall,
And as he ran, you might hear him call,—

66

Oh, mother, do come hither!"

His mother is all alone,

And sadly, sadly weeping;