right. I ought not to have been making pictures: I ought to have been getting my lesson."-Youth's Cabinet.

a O'-BAL, spoken; not written.
HARM'-LESS, doing no harm.
CON-VEN'-IENT, suitable; useful.

d PAS'-SION, violent anger.

e RE-FLECT', consider.
GRAVE, serious; sober.
A'-PRON, pronounced a'-purn.
h PROP'-ER, right; correct.

[LESSON XX. shows the folly of putting off any work that ought to be, and must be done. The best way is to set about it at once, with a determination to do it. It is a very true saying, that "Where there's a will, there's a way." See the principle of this lesson enforced in LESSONS XXI, XXXI., and XXXII.]

LESSON XXI.

BUSINESS FIRST, AND THEN PLEASURE.

1. A man who is very rich now, was poor when a boy. When asked how he became so wealthy, he replied, "My father taught me never to play till all my work for the day was done, and never to spend my money till I had earned it—that is, never to get into debt.

2. "If I had but half an hour's work to do in the day, I was told that I must do it the first thing, and in half an hour. After this was done I was allowed to play; and I am sure I could then play with much more pleasure than if I had the thought of an unfinished task before my mind.

3. "I early formed the habit of doing every thing in its time, and it is to this habit that I owe all my good fortune." Let every boy who reads this, form the same habit, and he may have a similar reward.

[LESSON XXI., like the preceding lesson, illustrates the importance of attending to business before pleasure, and of doing every thing in its time.]

LESSON XXII.
FICKLE WEATHER.

1. It shines', it rains',
Then shines again':

What does the weather mean`?
'Tis now in doubt';

Then sun comes out',

With drizzling mists between'.
2. Now dark', now light',
Like day', like night':

'Tis changing, fickle weather'.
It mists at times';

Then rains', then shines';

And sometimes, all together.

[LESSON XXII. is a somewhat fanciful description of fickle, changeable weather. It is suitable for declamation.]

LESSON XXIII.

THE LORD MADE THEM ALL.
1. All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small;
All things wise and wonderful-
The Lord hath made them all.
2. Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings-
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
3. The distant hazy mountain,
The river, running by,
The morning, and the sunset,
Which both light up the sky;

4. The tall trees in the greenwood,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden-
He made them, every one.

5. He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who doeth all things well.

[LESSON XXIII. sets forth God's creative power, as shown in an enumeration of some of his works. We are given eyes to see God's works, and lips that we may praise him for them.]

1. Can you tell me what this man is doing? Why does he sit in that position, with his forehead resting on his hand'? Is he sick'? Is he asleep'?'

2. He is not sick', nor is he asleep'; although perhaps he is half dreaming. He is in deep medi

tation.

3. And what does meditation mean? And why do you say this man is in deep meditation'?"

4. I will explain to you. This man is medita

ting': that is', he is thinking upon some subject'. He is only thinking'; he is not talking'. We say this man is in deep meditation', because he seems to be engaged in earnest', quiet', and deep" thought`.

5. We might say', he is absorbed in thought, or absorbed in meditation'; and we should mean', that he is so fully occupied with thinking, or meditating, that he gives no attention to any thing else'. If some one should pass through the room, perhaps he would neither see him', nor hear him'.

6. Do you never meditate? Do you not sometimes think about what you have seen', or heard', or done'? Do you not sometimes think deeplyearnestly? If you have done wrong—if you have been wicked'-do you not sometimes reflect upon your conduct, and resolve to do better?1

t

7. If you do, as I hope you do', then you meditate'. The picture at the head of this lesson will aid you in remembering what meditation means.

a EN GAG ED, earnestly employed.

EARN'-EST, deep; serious.

AB-80RB ED, fully occupied.

d RE-FLECT, Consider attentively.
• RE-SOLVE', determine.

[LESSON XXIV., besides furnishing a variety of useful exercises in emphasis and inflection, explains the subject of Meditation—illustrates it by the aid of the picture—and amply defines the meaning of the word.]

LESSON XXV.

THE ANT AND THE CRICKET.-A Fable, in Prose. 1. On the approach of winter a company of ants were busily employed" in collecting a supply of food, which they kept, for a time, at the doors of their country dwelling, and then stored away in chambers below ground.

2. A cricket, who had chanced to outlive the summer, and was now, wet, and shivering with cold, ready to starve with hunger, approached the ants with great humility, and begged that they would relieve her wants with one mouthful of food, and give her shelter from the storm.

3. "But how is it," said one of the ants', "that you have not taken pains to provide yourself a house', and to lay in a supply of food for the winter, as we have done'?"

4. "Alas, friends," said she, "I needed no house to live in in the summer; and I passed away the time merrily and pleasantly, in drinking, singing, and dancing, and never once thought of winter."

5. "If that be the case," replied the ant, laughing, "all I have to say, is, that they who drink, sing, and dance all summer, must starve in winter. We ants never borrow, and we never lend."

6. MORAL.-Do not, like the silly cricket, waste all your time in play and idle amusement, but store your mind with knowledge, which, like the hoard" of the industrious ants, will be of use to you in the winter of adversity.

7.

"Go to the ant,* thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise; which, having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the

* Many suppose that the word "ant" is here a mistranslation, and that Solomon spoke of some other animal, because, they say, the ants do not lay up a store of grain for winter use, as they are torpid during winter. This is, indeed, true of the ants in cold climates. But it is asserted, on good authority, that a species of ants in India stores up the seeds of a kind of grass against the wet or cold season of the year. Even in cold climates the ants carry worms, living insects, etc., into their nests, for food.