LESSON XXV.

REMARK. When any thing very solemn or devotional is to be read, there should be a full, solemn tone of voice; the piece should be read slowly, and long pauses should be made at the commas.

PRONOUNCE Correctly.-Softly, not sof'ly (in softly each letter is sounded, while in soften the t and e are silent, and it is pronounced sof'n): list-en, pro. lis'n: chast-en-ing, pro. chas'ning: sor-rows, not sor-rers: Prov-i-dence, not Prov-i-dunce: pur-sue, not pur-shoo.

1. Pil'-grims, n. wandering travelers.
7. Chide, v. to reprove, to blame.
8, For-lorn', a, forsaken, destitute.
9. Mis-deeds', n. evil actions.

Re-morse', n. the pain of conscience
proceeding from guilt.

12. In'-fa-my, n. utter disgrace. [tion. 13. Chast'-en-ing, a. afflicting for correc

18. Or'-i-gin, n. that from which any thing proceeds, the cause.

Sphere, n. the vast expanse in which the heavenly bodies appear. The phrase heaven's eternal sphere, is used figuratively for heaven. 19. Me'-te-or, n. a fiery body passing through the air.

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A REST FOR THE WEARY.

THERE is a calm for those who weep,
A rest for weary pilgrims found,

They softly lie, and sweetly sleep,
Low in the ground.

The storm that wrecks the wint'ry sky
No more disturbs their deep +repose,
Than summer evening's latest sigh,
That shuts the rose.

I long to lay this painful head
And aching heart beneath the soil,
To slumber in that

From all my toil.

dreamless bed

For misery stole me at my birth,
And cast me helpless on the wild:
I perish; O my mother earth,
Take home thy child.

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On thy dear lap these limbs reclined,
Shall gently molder into thee;

Nor leave one wretched trace behind,
Resembling me.

Hark! a strange sound affrights mine ear;
My pulse, my brain runs wild; I rave;

Ah! who art thou whose voice I hear?
"I am the Grave!"

The Grave, that never spake before,
Hath found, at length, a tongue to chide:
Oh, listen! I will speak no more:
Be silent, Pride.

"Art thou a wretch, of hope forlorn,
The victim of consuming care?
Is thy distracted conscience torn
By fell despair?

"Do foul misdeeds of former times
Wring with remorse thy guilty breast?
And ghosts of unforgiven crimes
Murder thy rest?

"Lash'd by the furies of the mind,
From wrath and vengeance would'st thou flee?
Ah! think not, hope not, fool, to find
A friend in me.

"By all the terrors of the tomb,
Beyond the power of tongue to tell,
By the dread secrets of my womb,
By death and hell,

"I charge thee, live; repent and pray:
In dust thine infamy + deplore;

There yet is mercy; go thy way
And sin no more.

"Whate'er thy lot, whoe'er thou be,
Confess thy folly, kiss the rod,

And in thy chastening sorrows see
The hand of God.

14. "A bruised reed he will not break;
Afflictions all his children feel,

He wounds them for his mercy's sake,
He wounds to heal.

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"Humbled beneath his mighty hand,
Prostrate his Providence adore :

'Tis done! arise He bids thee stand
To fall no more.

"Now, traveler in the vale of tears!
To realms of everlasting light,

Through time's dark wilderness of years,
Pursue thy flight."

There is a calm for those that weep,
A rest for weary pilgrims found:
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'!

The sun is but a spark of fire,
A transient meteor in the sky,

The soul, immortal as its sire,
Shall never die.

MONTGOMERY.

LESSON XXVI.

REMARK.-Be careful to articulate such little words as the, of, a, in, from, at, by, and, to, with, as, or, very stinctly; and yet not dwell on them so long as on other more important words.

ARTICULATE distinctly, and PRONOUNCE correctly. And, not an: of, not uf: lifts, not lifs: dif-fi-cult-y, not dif"cult-y: hast, not hass: beau-ti-ful, not beau-ti-fl: 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.

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

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

3. Va'-cant-ly, adv. without thinking of or noticing.

5. As'-pen, n. a species of poplar, whose leaves are always in motion. [ance. 9. State'-li-ness, n. majestic appearDomes, n. buildings, houses. 10. Rev'-el-ry, n. noisy gayety, and festivity.

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 pain'. 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'.

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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!"

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. memory was decayed and treacherous, and showed him only broken images of the glory that was departed.

His

He

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. 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."

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 found her not.

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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 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 can not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

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