swiftness, vivacity, courage, fidelity, docility, and watchfulness, render him most endearing

o man.

2. When in his domestic state, his first ambition and great satisfaction is to please; he is more humble through affection than servility; he awaits his orders, and most implicitly obeys them. Friendly without interest, and grateful for the slightest favors, he sooner forgets injuries than benefits; his only aim is to serve, never to displease.

3. A shepherd who inhabited one of those valleys, or glens, which intersect the Grampian Mountains in Scotland, in one of his excursions to look after his flocks, took with him one of his children, a boy three years old. This is not an unusual practice among the Highlanders, who accustom their children, from early infancy, to endure the rigors of the climate.

4. After traversing his pastures for some time, attended by his dog, the shepherd found himself under the necessity of ascending a summit at some distance, to have a more extensive view of his range.

5. As the ascent was too fatiguing for the child, he left him on a small plain at the bottom, with strict injunctions not to stir till his return; scarcely, however, had he gained the summit, when the horizon was darkened by one of those impenetrable mists which frequently descend so rapidly amid these mount

ains, as in the space of a few minutes, almost to turn day into night.

6. The anxious father instantly hastened back to find his child; but owing to the unusual darkness, and his own fear, he unfortunately missed his way in the descent. After a fruitless search of many hours, he discovered that he had reached the bottom of the valley, and was near his own cottage.

7. To renew the search that night was equally unavailing and dangerous; he was therefore compelled to go home, although he had lost both his child and his dog which had attended him faithfully for many years.

8. Next morning, by break of day, the shepherd, accompanied by a band of his neighbors, set out in search of his child; but after a day spent in anxiety and fatigue, he was at last compelled, by the approach of night, to descend from the mountain.

9. On returning to his cottage, he found that the dog which he had lost the day before, had been home, and, on receiving a piece of bread, had instantly gone off again.

10. For several successive days, the shepherd renewed the search for his child, and still on returning to his house, disappointed in the evening, he found that the dog had been home, and, on receiving his usual allowance of bread, had instantly disappeared.

11. Struck with this singular circumstance, he remained at home one day, and when the

dog as usual departed with his piece of bread, he resolved to follow him, and find out the cause of his strange procedure.

12. The dog led the way to a cataract, at some distance from the spot where the shepherd had left the child. The banks of the cataract almost joined at the top, yet separated by an abyss of immense depth, presented that appearance which so often astonishes and appalls the travelers that frequent the Grampian Mountains.

13. Down one of these rugged descents, the dog began without hesitation to make his way, and at last disappeared by entering into a cave, the mouth of which was almost level with the torrent.

14. The shepherd with difficulty followed; but on entering the cave, what were his emotions, when he beheld his child eating, with much satisfaction, the bread which the dog had just brought him, while the faithful animal stood by, eying his young charge with the utmost complacency!

15. From the situation, in which the child was found, it appeared that he had wandered to the brink of the precipice, and then, fallen or scrambled down, till he reached the cave.

16. The dog, by means of his scent, had traced him to the spot; and afterward prevented him from starving, by giving up to him his own daily allowance. He appears never to have quitted the child by night or

day, except when it was necessary to go for food; and then he was seen running at full speed to and from the cottage.

QUESTIONS.-1 What is said of the dog, in the first two verses? 2. Wil. you relate the story of the shepherd's dog and his lost child?

LESSON LXXVIII.

Spell and Define.-1 VIV' ID, bright; lively. 2. REFRACT ED, turned from a direct course. 3. PHE NOM' ENON, a remarkable appearance. 4. IM AG' IN A BLE, possible to be conceived. 5. DEL' UGE, an overflowing of water; a flood. 6. SE RENE', clear; calm. 7. ED' I FY ING, literally, building up; here means, instructing.

THE RAINBOW.

1. WHEN the rays of the sun strike upon the drops of water, falling from the clouds, and when we are so placed that our backs are toward the sun, and the clouds are before us, than we see a rainbow.

2. The drops of rain may be considered as small transparent globes, on which the rays fall, and are twice refracted, and once reflected. Hence proceed the different colors of the rainbow, which are seven in number, and are arranged in the following order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

3. These colors appear the most vivid when the cloud behind the rainbow, is dark, and the drops of rain fall thick and fast. The drops falling continually produce a new rainbow every moment, and as each spectator has his particular situation, from which he observes this phenomenon, it so happens that

no two men, strictly speaking, can see the same rainbow, which can last no longer than the drops of rain continue to fall.

4. If we consider the rainbow merely as a phenomenon of nature, it is one of the finest sights imaginable. It is the most beautifully colored picture which the Creator has placed before our eyes.

5. But, when we recollect that God has appointed it a sign of His mercy, and of the covenant which He has made with man; then we shall find matter in it for the most edifying reflection.

6. When the rain is general, there can be no rainbow; as often, therefore, as we see this beautiful symbol of peace, we may conclude with certainty, that we need fear no deluge; for to effect this, there must be a violent rain from all parts of the heavens at once.

7. Thus, when the sky is only covered on one side with clouds, and the sun is seen on the other, it is a sign that these gloomy clouds will soon disperse, and the sky will become clear and serene.

8. This is the reason why a rainbow can not be seen, unless the sun be behind, and the rain before us. In order to form the rainbow, then, it is necessary that the sun and the rain should be seen at the same time.

QUESTIONS.-1. How is the rainbow formed? 2. How many colors has the rainbow, and what are they? 3. When do the colors appear the most vivid? 4. Of what is the