SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S DEATH.

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never hurt any one; but the want of thought has ruined thousands.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Pursuits-what is pursued, generally to obtain a living. Give the meaning of think, prevail, hasty, spoke, caught, blaze, subject, rejoined, rogue. What is the difference between rejoined and replied: any? What is to be supplied after the word should, in sentence 9th, to make out the sense? What do we learn from this section?

1

SECT. LVI.—SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S DEATH.

No man ever died a violent death in a more becoming manner than Sir Walter Raleigh. As the morning was cold, the 2 sheriff offered to delay the execution a little, to give him time to warm himself. This he refused: saying, that his fever and ague would come on, in about a quarter of an 3 hour; (for he appears to have had, at this time, the ague and fever;) and if he should not be dead before it came on, his enemies would see him shiver, and would say he trembled for fear.

4

After praying on the scaffold most fervently, he rose, clasped his hands, and said, "Now I am going to God!" 5 When all was nearly ready, he begged the executioner to 6 show him the axe. It was at first refused; but upon his 7 urgent request, he was permitted to see it. He examined it,

and made some remarks on the keenness of its edge, &c. 8 Having done this, and once more concluded a silent prayer, he rose, examined the block, and laid himself down to it, in a proper manner, to see that it was so arranged as to fit him. When he saw that all was right, he once more rose, and 9 told the sheriff he was ready: only insisting that the executioner should not strike the blow till he had first given the signal; and that then he should strike fearlessly. 10 He now proceeded to lay himself down on the block to receive the fatal stroke. On being requested to place Lim11 self so that his face should be toward the east, he replied,

"So that the heart be right, it is no matter which way the 12 head lies." Memorable words! and we wish they might sink deep into the hearts of our readers.

13 After he had placed himself, he seemed to be, for a time, engaged in prayer; but presently he gave the signal. The 14 executioner delayed a few moments"; nobody knew why";

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THE WASTEFUL AND WICKED son.

upon which Sir Walter cried out, "What dost thou fear? 15 Strike: strike!" 16 The executioner then, with two strokes 17 of the axe, finished the work assigned him. Sir Walter died in the 66th year of his age.

DEFINITIONS, &C.-Sir Walter Raleigh, a nobleman of England who lived somewhat more than two hundred years ago. What is a violent death? by a sheriff? by an execution? What is the difference between shiver and tremble? What is a scaffold? a signal? What are memorable words?

SECT. LVII.-FIRST PRINTING IN NEW ENGLAND.

1 THE first printing press in New England, was established at Cambridge, in March, 1639, by one Day: the proprietor's name was Glover; who died on his passage to America. 2 The first thing printed was the Freeman's oath; the second an Almanac; and the third a version of the Psalms. No 3 press was set up in Connecticut until the year 1709; when printing was begun at New London, by one Short. The first 4 code of Connecticut laws was revised by the general court held at Hartford, in October, 1672, and printed by Samuel 5 Green, at Cambridge in Massachusetts, in 1675. The first Gazette published in New England, was the News Letter, printed in Boston in 1704. The first newspaper in Con6 necticut, was the Connecticut Gazette, begun at New Haven by James Parker, in January, 1755, but discontinued in 1767: the printer removing to New York.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define printing, New England, established, Cambridge, March, proprietor, passage, Almanac, version, Psalms, Connecticut, code, laws, revised, court, Hartford, October, Massachusetts, Gazette, (this name comes from an Italian piece of money; which was the price of it,) published, January, discontinued, removing, New York.

SECT. LVIII.-THE WASTEFUL AND WICKED SON.

Ar last, this wasteful and wicked son, having spent all his property in riotous living, having no money, nor means of -1 getting any, having sunk to the shame and misery of keeping swine, and of eating their food, came to himself, and began to think of his happy home, and of his folly in leaving it. He thought again and again what he should do. Would 3 his father receive him? would his brother, if he still remained

2

CAN A MOTHER FORGET HER CHILD?

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on the farm, be willing to have him come? should he not 4 himself feel meanly and dispirited? These, probably, and a thousand other questions agitated his guilty mind. At last, 5 however, he came to a conclusion: he resolved to go, guilty as he was, and throw himself upon the mercy of his father.

He was finally in sight of home: his father sees him at a 6 distance, knows him, and runs to meet him: he forgives him at once, and takes him into his family.

7

Some of you, I suppose, have read this story"; perhaps 8 a dozen times each. Whether you have or not, I should like to ask you a few questions respecting it.

10

If this young man was not contented at home, why did he not go away a little distance only? why so far, that he could not even be heard from? why not go to work? why waste what property he had? why waste it in bad company? why show such a want of respect for his father and mother and other relatives? why, when he got away, did he not attempt to improve his mind, and thus secure real happiness? why think there was no happiness except in, extravagant eating and drinking?

What other sins did this young man probably commit, over and above those I have alluded to in these questions?

DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define wasteful, wicked, property, riotous, meanly, dispirited, conclusion, resolved, go, guilty, finally, (at last, at length,) dozen, respecting, (concerning,) relatives, attempt, improve, secure, except, extravagant, commit, alluded.

SECT. LIX.-CAN A MOTHER FORGET HER CHILD ?

1 A MOTHER in parting with her daughters,—how many things has she to think of! If they are only going to see their friends, how many accidents will befall them! if they 2 are going away to school, how many unforeseen events may occur before they return! or if the mother herself is going away to leave her daughters at home, what dangers seen and unseen, are to betide her!

3

Suppose it is only a child that a mother parts with: Julia; who is going to live with her aunt, fifty miles off. 4 This distance is not much in this age of travelling; still it is something; and the absence to a fond mother's heart is more 5 or less painful; and at times almost insupportable. Where

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FILIAL PIETY REWARDED.

6 is she? with whom? Is she in the stage, speeding her 7 way along to her new home? Think you a mother can 8 forget her? Forget her! 9 Do you think a mother ever forgot her daughter?

DEFINITIONS, &C.-Define parting, (separating?) befall, unforeseen, events, occur, dangers, betide, aunt, miles, off, absence, painful, new, mother.

SECT. LX.-FILIAL PIETY REWARDED.

THE King of Prussia once rang the bell of his cabinet; 1 but, as nobody answered, he opened the door of the antechamber, and found his page fast asleep upon a chair. He 2 went up to awake him; but on coming near, he observed a paper in his pocket upon which something was written. This excited his curiosity: he pulled it out, and found that it 3 was a letter from the page's mother; and the contents were nearly as follows: She returned her son thanks for the money he had saved out of his salary, and sent to her; it had proved a very timely assistance. God would certainly re4 ward him for it"; and, if he continued to serve God and his king faithfully and conscientiously, he would not fail of success and prosperity in the world.

Upon reading this, the king stepped softly into his closet, fetched a roll of ducats, and put it, with the letter, into the 6 page's pocket. He then rang the bell so loud that the page 7 awoke and came into the cabinet. "You have been asleep, I suppose," said the king. The page could not deny it, 8 stammered out an excuse, put his hand (in his embarrassment) into his pocket, and felt the roll of ducats. He im9 mediately pulled it out, turned pale, and looked at the king 10 with tears in his eyes. "What is the matter with you?" 11 said the king. "Oh," replied the page, "somebody has 12 contrived my ruin: I know nothing of this money'." "God

has given it to you," said the king. "Send it to your mother: 13 give my respects to her, and inform her that I will take care both of her ard you."

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Where is Prussia? Cabinet—a private room for consultation; where the king met his ministers or officers to consult, to deliberate on the affairs of the kingdom; and hence these ministers themselves are called a cabinet; as the cabinet of Washington, cabinet of England, &c., &c. Antechamber-a chamber before another to which it leads. What is meant by conscientiously? What is a ducat?

SERVED HIM RIGHT.

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1

4

SECTION LXI.-COLONEL B. AND RUM.

COLONEL B. was a man of amiable manners and well-informed mind. Being much employed in public business 2 which called him from place to place, ardent spirits were often set before him with an invitation to drink. At first he 3 took a social glass for the sake of civility: at length a habit was formed"; and appetite began to crave its usual indulgence. He drank more and more; and once or twice he 5 was quite overcome. His friends were alarmed. He was 6 on the brink of a precipice from which many had fallen to 7 the lowest pitch of misery. In his sober hours, he saw his danger; and one day said he to himself when alone, "Shall Colonel B. rule, or shall rum rule? If Colonel B. rule, he 8 and his family may be respectable and happy; but if rum rule, Colonel B. is ruined, his property wasted, and his family 9 made wretched." At length said he, setting down his foot, "Colonel B. shall rule, and rum obey ;" and from that day Colonel B. did rule. He immediately broke off his intem10 perate habits, and lived to a good old age, virtuous, respected, and happy.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-What is the difference between a captain, major, colonel, and general? Social glass-one of a number of glasses drunk by a company at the same time. Define civility. What is the difference in the meaning of the words, virtuous, respected, and happy?

SECT. LXII.-SERVED HIM RIGHT.

To be accommodating, and perform friendly offices to those 1 who may need them, is equally our interest and duty; but there are occasions when different conduct may teach a salutary lesson.

A very important stripling, whom favoritism had raised to the dignity of quartermaster of a regiment of infantry, wish2 ing one parade-day to dismount from his charger for the purpose of arranging his spurs and getting a glass of grog, called out in a very commanding tone to a spectator who was near him, "Here, fellow: hold my horse."

"Does he kick?" bawled out the person addressed.
"Kick? 5 No! take hold of him.'

3

4

7 "Bite? 8 No! take hold of the bridle, I say."