5. The roots act in a wonderful manner also. If you put the rose-bush into soil with dry, poor earth on one side, and rich earth on the other, the roots will start out, as usual, in all directions, but they will not be long in the dark about the trick that has been played them; for very soon they will all be found traveling off to the good rich earth.

6. Here is an experiment which you can try. If you confine a rose-bush by sinking a tight box close around it farther down than the roots ordinarily go, the roots will then go down under the edges of the box, and come up on the other side until they find the proper level and the soil that best pleases them. Is not the rose-bush, then, a very sensible plant? But all other plants are just as sensible.

7. Some plants seem to know more about the weather than we do, for they roll up their leaves when the rain is coming, and spread them out wide when the storm has passed by. Who gave them this knowledge'?

8. Other plants fold up their leaves and close their flowers at night, and seem to go to sleep; and they only open them on the morrow if it promises fine weather; but if it is cloudy and rainy, they remain dozing all day. Plant life is full of wonders.

[This lesson is a plain prose description of some of the wonders of plant life. Let the pupils see if they can detect any figurative language in this lesson.]

THE OCEAN PEARL.

1. A LITTLE particle of rain,

That from a passing cloud descended,
Was heard thus idly to complain :

"My brief existence now is ended:

Outcast alike of earth and sky,
Useless to live, unknown to die!"

2. It chanced to fall into the sea,

And there an open shell received it.

In after years how rich was he

Who from its prison-house relieved it!

The drop of rain had formed a gem
To deck a monarch's diadem.

1. WHEN the mist of the morning rose on high, A lark went singing up the sky,

Singing and shining in the sun,

Bright with the day, ere the day begun.

2. "I am the bird of morn," sang he,

"And the morn, I think, is made for me;
Its earliest light caresses my wing,
And it always rises when I sing!"

II. THE MAN.

3. The mist rose higher in the sky,

As a noble poet wandered by;

He saw the bird, and he heard its song,

And he smiled, for his faith in himself was strong.

4. "Sing on, little bird, and soar and shine;

You can never o'ertake these thoughts of mine;
And for my songs, when the songs do come,
Let the whole world hear them, and be dumb."

III. THE SUN.

5. But now the sun arose, as of old,

In all his pomp of purple and gold:
The lark was drowned in a sea of light,
And the poet dropped from his giddy height.
6. "There is no poet," the poet said,

Like the beautiful, bright old Sun overhead:
Never a word does he sing or say,

But his smile is the golden poein-DAY!"

Harper's Weekly.

What sce e
What did

[This poem is irregular in measure, but the sentiment is highly poetical. is first described? What did the lark sing? What scene is next described? the poet sing? What is the third scene described? What is meant by "the poet dropped from his giddy height?" What is the tribute paid by the poet to the sun?

What figure of speech in the 3d line of the 2d verse? Why is the last line in the lesson a metaphor? (As the term "poetry" is often applied to the language of excited imagination and feeling, so that which is calculated to excite the imagination may be called, metaphorically, a "poem.")]

LESSON LXXXVIII.

THE VICE OF LYING.

1. To warn us from lying, we should do well to consider the folly, the meanness, and the wickedness of it.

2. The FOLLY of lying consists in its defeating its own purpose. A habit of lying is generally detected in the end; and after detection, the liar, instead of deceiving, will not be believed when he speaks the truth. Nay, every single lie is attended with such a variety of circumstances, which lead to a detection, that it is usually discovered.

3. The object of a lie is, generally, to conceal a fault; but as this end is seldom attained, the liar not only makes the fault worse, but adds another to it. In point even of prudence, an honest confession would serve him better.

4. The MEANNESS of lying arises from its cowardice. He who dare not boldly and nobly speak the truth, must be a coward. Hence it is, that in the fashionable world, the word liar is always considered a term of peculiar reproach.

5. The WICKEDNESS of lying consists in its perverting

one of the greatest blessings of God, the use of speech; in making that a mischief to mankind, which was intended for a benefit. "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord," but "the lip of truth shall be established forever." Truth is the greatest bond of society. If one man lies', why may not another'? and if there is no truth', no one can be trusted'.

6. An equivocation is nearly related to a lie. It is an intention to deceive by the use of words of a double meaning, or words which, in one sense, are true, but not in the sense intended by the speaker. It is equally criminal with the most downright falsehood. A nod, or sign, may convey a lie as effectually as the most deceitful language. An acted lie is as wicked as a spoken lie.

7. Every engagement, every promise, though of the slightest kind, should be punctually observed, if possible; and he who does not think himself bound by his word, is neither an honest man, nor a gentleman.

PER-VERT'-ING, turning from good to bad. A-BOM-IN-A'-TION, object of loathing, or disgust.

CE-QUIV-O-CA'-TION, the use of words of double signification.

d DOWN'-RIGHT, absolute; positive.

[This lesson is didactic in character, as it is intended for instruction in morals. It sets forth the folly, meanness, and wickedness of lying, and the duty of truthfulness. ]

LESSON LXXXIX.

THE SONG OF AUTUMN.

1. I HAVE painted the woods, 1 have kindled the sky,
I have brightened the hills with a glance of mine eye;
I have scattered the fruits, I have gathered the corn,
And now from the earth must her verdurea be torn.
Ye lingering flowers, ye leaves of the spray,
I summon ye all-away! away!

2. No more from the depth of the grove may be heard
The joy-burdened song of the fluttering bird;

I have passed o'er the branches that sheltered him there, And their quivering drapery is shaken to air.

Ye lingering flowers, ye leaves of the spray,

I summon ye all-away! away!

3. Plead not the days are yet sunny and long,

That your hues are still bright'ning, your fibres still

strong;

To vigor and beauty relentless am I

There is nothing too young or too lovely to die.
Ye lingering flowers, ye leaves of the spray,
I summon ye all-away! away!

4. And I call on the winds that repose in the north,
To send their wild voices in unison' forth;

Let the harp of the tempest be dolefully strungs-
There's a wail to be made, there's a dirge to be sung;
For the lingering flowers, the leaves of the spray-
They are doomed-they are dying-away! away!

VERD'-URE (yur) greenness; freshness.
SPRAY, twigs and small branches of the

trees.

DRA-PER-Y, the dress which clothes the

trees.

d Fi'-BRES, or FI'-BERS, thread-like frame-
work of leaves, etc.

e RE-LENT'-LESS, stern; unyielding.
U-NI-SON, in agreement; in harmony.
STRUNG, tuned.

h DIRGE, a funeral hymn.

[To what kind or class of poetry does this song belong? Why? What one figure of speech is embraced in the whole poem? Why? What figure of speech in each of the first four lines of the 4th verse?

Explain what is meant by "painting the woods," and "kindling the sky," 1st verse. How has autumn "brightened the hills?" How "scattered the fruits," etc.? In this manner explain the entire lesson.]

LESSON XC.

AUTUMN.

1. Is not autumn the manhood of the year? Is it not the ripest of the seasons? Do not proud flowers blossom-the goldenrod, the orchis, the dahlia, and the bloody cardinal of the swamp lands?

2. Golden fruits hang heavy from the trees, and purple clus

ters cumbera the vines. The

fields of maize show weeping spindles, and broad, rustling leaves, and ears half glowing with the crowded corn; the September wind whistles over their thick-set ranks with whispers of plenty.