Expiring, lays the warbling world asleep, Sweetest of birds! sweet Philomela,' charm 8. Ye chief, for whom the whole creation smiles, The long-resounding voice, oft breaking clear, 9. For me, when I forget the darling theme, In the void waste as in the city full; And where He vital breathes, there must be joy. 10. When even at last the solemn hour shall come, And wing my mystic flight to future worlds, Phil o mè la, from Philomela, daughter of Pandion, king of Athens, who was supposed to have been changed into a nightingale; hence, the nightingale.- Eural (rỏ ral). --a Sér ́aph, an angel of the highest order. -Com månd'. Låst.- Mys' tic, obscure; involving some hidden meaning. I cheerful will obey; there, with new powers, Come then, expressive Silence, muse His praise. JAMES THOMSON. JAMES THOMSON was born at Ednam, near Kelso, Roxburgh county, England, September 11th, 1700, and died August 27th, 1748. He was the author of the "Seasons," a work which alone would have perpetuated his name. Though born a poet, he seems to have advanced but slowly, and by reiterated efforts, tc refinement of taste. The first edition of the "Seasons" differs materially from the second, and the second still more from the third. Every alteration was an improvement in delicacy of thought and language. That the genius of Thomson was purifying and working off its alloys up to the termination of his existence, may be seen from the superiority in style and diction of his last poem, the "Castle of Indolence," to which he brought not only the full nature, but the perfect art of a poet. As a dramatic writer he was unsuccessful. He was in poverty in early life, but through the influence of Lord Lyttleton, he obtained a pension of £100 a year, from the Prince of Wales, and an office which brought him £300 per annum. He was now in comparative opulence, and his residence at Kew-lane, near Richmond, was the scene of social enjoyment and lettered ease. He was friendly, shy, and indolent. His noted lines in favor of early rising, commencing were written in bed. Falsely luxurious, will not man awake, 3. ON READING. READING is the nourishment of the mind; for, by reading, we know our Creator, his works, ourselves chiefly, and our fellow-creatures. But this nourishment is easily converted into poison. Salmasius had read as much as Grotius,'-perhaps In ef fa ble, untold; unspeakable; that can not be expressed in words. SALMASIUS, an eminent French scholar. When only ten years of age he composed Latin and Greek verses. He was born in 1588, and died in 1653.-3 GROTIUS, Hugh de Groot, or Hugo Grotius, an eminent scholar, born at Delft, in Holland, 1583, and died in 1645. He adopted the profession of law, but is better known as the author of an often quoted work, "On the Truth of the Christian Religion."' more; but ther different modes of reading made the one an enlightened philosopher, and the other, to speak plainly, a pedant,' puffed up with a useless erudition.' 2. Let us read with method, and propose to ourselves an end to which all our studies may point. Through neglect of this rule, gross ignorance often disgraces great readers, who, by skipping hastily and irregularly from one subject to another, render themselves incapable of combining their ideas. So many detached parcels of knowledge can not form a whole. 3. But what ought we to read? Each individual must answer this question for himself, agreeably to the object of his studies. The only general precept that I would venture to give is that of Pliny," to read much, rather than many things;" to make a careful selection of the best works, and to render them familiar to us by attentive and repeated perusals. 4. Without expatiating on the authors so generally known and approved, I would simply observe, that in matters of reasoning, the best are those who have augmented the number of useful truths; who have discovered truths, of whatever nature they may be; in one word, those bold spirits, who, quitting the beaten track, prefer being in the wrong alone, to being in the right with the multitude. 5. Such authors increase the number of our ideas, and even their mistakes are useful to their successors. With all the respect due to Mr. Locke, I would not, however, neglect the works of those academicians who destroy errors without hoping to substitute truth in their stead. 1 Ped' ant, one who makes a vain display of learning.- Erudition (er u dish' un), learning; knowledge gained by study. Rule (rål).— 4 PLINY, the Elder, a distinguished Roman writer on natural history and botany, was born A. D. 23, and died in 79. PLINY, the Younger, nephew of the preceding, a distinguished writer, orator, and statesman, was born A. D. 61 or 62.- JOHN LOCKE, one of the greatest philosophers and metaphysicians that England ever produced, was born 1632, and died 1704. His "Essay on the Human Understanding" was for a long time a text-book in our colleges. But he is perhaps entitled to greater respect for his powerful defense of civil and religious liberty. Academician (ak a de mish' an), a member of an association of scholars or artists. The term originated in Athens (åth' enz), from the place where Plato gave instruction to his followers. There 6. Ia works of fancy, invention ought to bear away the palm: chiefly that invention which creates a new kind of writing; and next, that which displays the charms of novelty in its subject, characters, situation, pictures, thoughts, and sentiments. Yet this invention will miss its effect, unless it be accompanied with a genius capable of adapting itself to every variety of the subject, -successively sublime, pathetic, flowery, majestic, and playful; and with a judgment which admits nothing indecō'rous,' and a style which expresses well whatever ought to be said. 7. As to compilations which are intended merely to treasure up the thoughts of others, I ask whether they are written with perspicuity whether superfluities are lopped off, and dispersed observations skillfully collected; and agreeably to my answers to those questions, I estimate the merit of such performances. EDWARD GIBBON. EDWARD GIBBON, one of the most celebrated historians of any age or country, was born at Putney, Surrey, England, 27th of April, 1737, and died January 16th, 1794. His reputation as a writer and scholar is founded on the celebrated "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." The design of this great work he conceived in 1765, published the first volume in February, 1776, and completed it on the 27th of June, 1787. They who have read it, so far from wondering at the time consumed in its preparation, a period of twenty-one years, are amazed at the indefatigable industry, which, in a lifetime, could execute a work of such vast erudition. The style of Gibbon has great merits, mixed with some not trivial defects. His diction is precise, energetic, massive-splendid where the pictorial demands of the narrative require it-and sometimes, where profound reflections are to be concisely expressed, remarkably sententious and graphic. Yet, the value of his learned work is much depreciated by the insidious attacks he so frequently made on every thing sacred. This is the more to be regretted, as he was one of the most strikingly eloquent writers of the English language. 4. NEVER DESPAIR. HERE is no trait of human character so potential3 for wea THERE or woe as firmness. To the business man it is all-important. Before its irresistible energy the most formidable obstacles be were different academies in the various countries of Europe, as in France, Sweden, and Russia. They who embraced the principles of these academies were called academicians.-' In de cò' rous, indecent; contrary to good-breeding or established rules. Per spi cù'i ty, in writing, is writing in such a style that the meaning may easily be understood or Been through.-' Potential (po tên' shal), efficacious; powerful. come as cobweb barriers in its path. Difficulties, the terror of which causes the pampered' sons of luxury to shrink back with dismay, provoke from the man of lofty determination only a smile. The whole history of our race-all nature, indeed— teems with examples to show what wonders may be accomplished by resolute perseverance and patient toil. 2. It is related of Tamerlane, the celebrated warrior, the terror of whose arms spread through all the Eastern nations, and whoi victory attended at almost every step, that he once learned from an insect a lesson of perseverance, which had a striking effect on his future character and success. 3. When closely pursued by his enemies-as a contemporary tells the anecdote-he took refuge in some old ruins, where, left to his solitary musings, he espied an ant tugging and striving to carry a single grain of corn. His unavailing efforts were repeated sixty-nine times, and at each several time, so soon as he reached a certain point of projection, he fell back with his burden, unable to surmount it; but the seventieth time he bore away his spoil in triumph, and left the wondering hero reänimated and exulting in the hope of future victory. 4. How pregnant the lesson this incident conveys! How many thousand instances there are in which inglorious defeat ends the career of the timid and desponding, when the same tenacity of purpose would crown it with triumphant success! Resolution is almost omnipotent. Sheridan3 was at first timid, and obliged to sit down in the midst of a speech. Convinced of, and mortified at, the cause of his failure, he said one day to a friend, "It is in me, and it shall come out." From that 1 Påm' pered, highly fed.-TAMERLANE, called also Timour the Tartar, was born 1335. He became sovereign of Tartary, and subdued Persia, India, and Syria. With an army of 200,000 men, in a battle fought at Angora, on the 20th July, 1402, he defeated the Turkish army, composed of 300,000 men, and made their emperor, Bajazet, pri-oner. He was on the point of invading China, when he was seized with a violent fever, and died soon after taking the field, 18th February, 1405.- RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN was born at Dublin, ia 1751. He was unrivaled in wit and had few equals as an orator. he was a member of the British parliament for thirty-two years. In the latter part of his life he was dissipated, involved in debt, and drank deeply of the cup of bitterness. He died in 1816. |