2. In the north-western part of Asia there is a famous city, called Bagdad. The people there believe in the existence of certain spiritual beings, whom they call genii.

3. Like fairies, these beings are supposed to have great power, and to hold intercourse with mankind. All this is, of course, mere fancy; but it will answer our purpose as well as if it were true. 4. There was once in this city of Bagdad a little boy, who was poor, and obliged to earn his daily bread by rearing flowers for sale. 5. As the price of flowers in that luxuriant climate is exceedingly low, the boy was compelled to be very industrious, in order to obtain food and clothing.

6. But still he had good health, and he ate his coarse meal with high relish and satisfaction. But this was not his greatest pleasure; his flowers were a perpetual source of enjoyment.

7. They were his flowers; he planted them; he watered, pruned, and nurtured them. Besides all this, they were the source of his livelihood. They gave him bread, shelter, and clothing.

8. He therefore loved them as if they had been his companions. With pleasure he saw them spring out of the ground; with delight he watched the budding leaves and unfolding flowers.

9. But, at length, discontent sprang up in his mind; and, in the evening of a hot dạy, he sat down in his garden, and began to mourn. "I wish," said he, "that flowers would plant and prune and water themselves. I am tired of this incessant toil.

10. "I wish some good genius would step in and bring me flowers already made, so that I might be saved all this trouble!" Scarcely had he uttered this thought when a beautiful being, in bright colors, stood before him, and said, "You call me, boy; what do you desire?"

11. "I am weary of my employment," said the boy. "I live by cultivating flowers. I am obliged to toil day by day, and I am able to obtain only my daily bread. If I mistake not, you are a kind and powerful genius, who can give me flowers if you will, and save me all this toil."

12. "Here," said the genius, holding forth a beautiful fan of feathers, "take this; waye it over the earth in your flower-pots, and the brightest blossoms of Cashmere will spring up at your bidding."

13. The little boy received the charmed fan with great delight, and waved it over one of his flower-pots. A bud immediately shot up through the soil, and gradually unfolded itself. In a few minutes a beautiful moss-rose, blooming and fragrant, stood before him.

14. I need not describe the delight of the little gardener. He found his charmed fan to be just the thing he had desired. He had now no labor to perform; a few sweeps of his fan brought him all the flowers he needed. He therefore spent his time in luxurious idleness.

15. Things went on very well for a fortnight. But now a different kind of weariness began to creep over him. His appetite, too, failed by degrees, and he no longer enjoyed his meals. He lost his interest, likewise, in the flowers. He saw no beauty in their bloom; their very odor became sickening.

16. The poor boy was unhappy, and again began to murmur. "I wish," said he, "the genius would come back and take away this foolish fan." In a moment a bright being was standing at his side. 17. "Here," said the boy, handing forth the fan, "take back the charm you gave me. Forgive me, sweet genius, but I was mistaken. The weariness of idleness is far worse than the weariness of industry. I loved the flowers which were produced by my own skill and care; but things which cost nothing are worth nothing.

18. "Take back the charm, and leave me to that humble happiness which my own industry can secure, but which your potent gift would chase away."

LESSON X.

AS PI-RA-TION, ardent longing for some. | DIMS, obscures, hides.

thing great and good.

WAR BLER, songster, singing-bird.

SHOOTS, flies quickly.

NE'ER (nare), contraction of never.

PAS'SION, evil feeling or desire.
LURE, enticement, or temptation.
FOND'LY, with great love.
BOUNDS, limits, restrains.

PRONUNCIATION.-East'ern 9, hast'en-ing 4d and 21, ne'er 33, nothing 12 and 33, shad'ows 6, earth'ly 9, ev'er-y 2b, vir'tue 16 and 17.

ASPIRATION.

1. THE dove let loose in eastern skies,
When hastening fondly home,
Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies
Where idle warblers roam;—

2. But high she shoots through air and light,
Above all low delay,

Where nothing earthly bounds her flight,
Nor shadows dim her way.

3. So grant me, God, from every care
And stain of passion free,
Aloft, through virtue's purer air,
To hold my course to thee;

4. No sin to cloud, no lure to stay
My soul, as home she springs,
Thy sunshine on her joyful way,
Thy freedom on her wings.

LESSON XI.

IN'DO-LENCE, habitual idleness. Indo- |
lence denotes a habit, and idleness
merely a state. Idie means not em-
ployed, indolent means habitually idle.
BURROW, a hole in the earth in which
small animals lodge.
LURK, to lie hid.

PAR'A-LYZE, to affect with palsy, to de-
stroy the power.

HAG GARD, lean, having sunken eyes.
PAU'PER, a poor person.
Vo-LUP'TU-A-RY, one given to luxury.
WOOD'CHUCK, a small animal, that
makes its nest in the ground.

PRONUNCIATION.-In'do-lence 16, il-lus'tra-ted 26c,, in'dus-try 26d, burrow 6, poor 33, approached′ lf, re-lieve' 1, list'en 21, sin'ews 16, pro-vi'ded 16 and g.

THE CURSE OF INDOLENCE.

1. THE excellence of industry may be illustrated by contrasting it with indolence. There is no person more truly unhappy than one who is given up to indolence. Whether rich or poor, he who is wedded to indolence is wretched. It was the design of Him who made us that we should be active; and He has always laid happiness in the path of effort and exertion.

2. He, then, who travels in the ways of indolence in search of happiness always misses it. He is like a lazy fellow whom I once knew, who sat waiting at a woodchuck's burrow a whole day, expecting the animal to come out and be caught; but the brute was the wiser of the two, and went out by another way.

66

3. Indolence may become a disease. A man, dressed in rags, haggard, and marked with misery, once approached a gentleman, and begged for a few pence. But why do you beg?" said the gentleman. "I am afflicted with a disease," said the beggar; "and shame prevents my naming it to you."

4. "Step aside," said the gentleman, "and tell me your disease; if it is in my power, I will relieve you." They stepped aside, and the pauper opened his robe. But the gentleman could discover no evidence of disease.

5. "Listen," said the beggar. "My disease does not show itself on the skin;-it lurks in my bones,-it infects my blood,-it reigns over my nerves and sinews,-it restrains my efforts,-it paralyzes my body and mind,—it makes me weak and useless,-it makes me a wretch, it makes me what you see me, a beggar!"

6. "What is this horrid disease?" said the gentleman. "It is INDOLENCE!" said the pauper. Indolence not only creates disease, but it is a disease itself. It even destroys the power of enjoying the blessings which surround us.

7. "I pray you," said a poor man, who was starving, to one who was fat and bloated with indulgence, "I pray you to give me some bread, for my hunger is past endurance." "I would give all my wealth," said the voluptuary, "for your good appetite."

LESSON XII.

continued through long works, such as Spenser's FairyQueen and Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. A-MAIN', with force. Ec'STA-SY, rapture, transport. GLASS, to cause to be reflected. HoI'DEN, bold, romping. MARGE, edge, brink, a poetical word for margin.

AL'LE GO-RY, (from the Greek allo, ano-
ther thing, and agoreuo, to tell), a
figure of speech by which, while one
thing is described, another more im-
portant thing having a resemblance to
it is indicated. The speaker while he
seems to tell one thing really tells
another. Thus, in the following poem
the bubbles signify the pleasures which
man pursues through life, most of
which are glittering and unsubstantial
as bubbles. Allegories are sometimes | WEND, go.

SURGE, a large wave; a great, rolling swell of water.

PRONUNCIATION.-Ad-ven'tu-rous 18, re-mained' 1 and 29, tears 22, pur-sue' 16, eat'a-ract lf and 29, tot'ter-ing 36, slip'per-y 3b, with 15, dis-con'so-late 2a.

THE BUBBLE-CHASE. AN ALLEGORY.

1. 'Twas morn, and, wending on its way,
Beside my path a stream was playing;
And down its banks, in humor gay,

A thoughtless, hoiden boy was straying.

2. Light as the breeze they onward flew,-
That joyous youth and laughing tide,-
And each the other seemed to woo;
For long they bounded side by side.

3. And now the dimpling water staid,
And glassed its ripples in a nook;

And on its breast a bubble played,
Which won the boy's admiring look.

4. With beating heart and trembling finger,
He stooped the wondrous gem to clasp,
But, spell-bound, seemed a while to linger,
Ere yet he made the adventurous grasp.

5. Round and around, with heedful eyes,
He chased it o'er the wavy river;
He marked his time, and seized his prize;
But in his hand it burst forever!

cheek gushing;

6. Upon the river's marge he sat, The tears adown his young And long remained disconsolate,

And heeded not the river's rushing.

7. But tears will cease. And now the boy Once more looked forth upon the stream; 'Twas morning still; and lo! a toy, Bright as the lost one, in the beam.

8. He rose-pursued — the bubble caught; It burst he sighed - then others chased; And as I left him still he sought

New bubbles in their downward haste.

9. My onward path I still pursued,

Till the high noon-tide sun was o'er me;
And now, though changed in form and mood,
That youth and river seemed before me.

10. The deepened stream more proudly swept,
Though chafed by many a vessel's prow;
The youth in manhood's vigor stepped,
But care was chiseled on his brow.

11. Still on the stream he kept his eye,

And wooed the bubbles to the shore,
And snatched them, as they circled by,
Though bursting as they burst before.

12. Once more we parted. Yet again

We met- though now t'was evening dim; Onward the waters rushed amain,

And vanished o'er a cataract's brim.

13. Though fierce and wild the raging surge,
The bubble-chaser still was there;
And, bending o'er the cataract's verge,
Clutched at the gaudy things of air.