and one can not think that all whose lot fell in the city, were born with different parts from those who were bred at the university or inns of court.

8. To what purpose all this, but to show that the difference so observable in men's understandings and parts, does not arise so much from the natural faculties as acquired habits? He would be laughed at that should go about to make a fine dancer out of a country hedger, at past fifty. And he will not have much better success who shall endeavor at that age to make a man reason well, or speak handsomely, who has never been used to it, though you should lay before him a collection of all the best precepts of logic or oratory.

9. Nobody is made anything by hearing rules, or laying them up in his memory; practice must settle the habit of doing without reflecting on the rule; and you may as well hope to make a good painter or musician, extempore, by a lecture and instruction in the arts of music and painting, as a coherent thinker, or strict reasoner, by a set of rules, showing him wherein right reasoning consists.

QUESTIONS.-1. What is necessary to lead our minds towards per fection? 2. What instances of expertness and grace are cited as the results of practice? 3. What qualities or traits of character, which are the mere effect of use and practice, are often accounted natural gifts? 4. Does the writer allow nature any share in the production of these traits? 5. Does any one ever become great in any calling by merely hearing or learning rules?

LESSON LIV.

SPELL AND DEFINE-1. FRU GAL' I TY, economy; saving. 2. DISCHARGE', pay. 3. GRIEVOUS, heavy; oppressive. 4. COM MIS' SIONERS, officers or agents. 5. A BATE MENT, deduction. 6. AB' SO LUTELY, positively; really. 7. SQUAN' DER, waste; spend lavishly. 8. PROD I GAL' I TY, wastefulness. 9. PER PLEX' I TY, vexation; harassment. 10. BAIL' IFF, under-sheriff. 11. LEG' A OY, bequest; property left by will. 12. CA' BLE, a rope or chain to hold a vessel at

rest.

Avoid saying governmunt for government, sence for since, &c.

HONESTY AND FRUGALITY LEAD TO WEALTH.

DR. FRANKLIN.

1. I stopped my horse lately, where a great number of people were collected at an auction of merchant's goods. The hour of the sale not being come, they were conversing on the badness of the times; and one of the company called to a plain, clean, old man, with white locks: "Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the tìmes? Will not these heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we ever be able to pay thèm? What would you advise us to dò ?"

2. Father Abraham stood up and replied: "If you would have my advice, I will give it you in short; for, A word to the wise is sufficient, as Poor Richard says.' They joined in desiring him to speak his mind, and gathering around him, he proceeded as follows:

3. "Friends," said he, "the taxes are indeed very heavy, and, if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners can not ease or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and something may be done for us; God helps them that help themselves, as Poor Richard says.

4. "It would be thought a hard government, that should tax its people one-tenth part of their time to be employed in its service; but idleness taxes many of us much more; sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life. Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears; while the used key is always bright, as Poor Richard says. But dost thou love life? then do not squander time; for that is the stuff life is made of, as Poor Richard says. How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep; forgetting, that The sleeping fox catches no poultry; and that There will be sleeping enɔugh in the grave, as Poor Richard says.

5. "If time be of all things the most precious, wasting

time must be, as Poor Richard says, the greatest prodigality; since, as he elsewhere tells us, Lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough, always proves little enough. Let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so, by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity.

6. "Sloth makes all things difficult; but industry all easy; and he that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him. Drive thy business, and let not that drive thee, as Poor Richard

says.

7. "So, what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better, if we bestir ourselves. Industry need not wish; and he that lives upon hopes, will die fasting. There are no gains without pains: then help hands, for I have no lands; or if I have, they are smartly taxed. He that hath a trade, hath an estate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honor, as Poor Richard says; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes.

8. "If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, At the working man's house, hunger looks in; but dares not enter. Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter; for Industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them. What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy: Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry.

Then plow deep while sluggards sleep,
And you shall have corn to sell and keep.

One

9. "Work while it is called to-day; for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow. to-day is worth two to-morrow, as Poor Richard says; and further: Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day.

10. "If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? Are you then your own máster? Be ashamed to

catch yourself idle, when there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, and your country. Handle your tools without mittens: remember, that The cat in gloves catches no mice, as Poor Richard says. It is true there is much to be done, and perhaps you are weakhanded; but stick to it steadily, and you will see great effects; for, Constant dropping wears away stones; and, By diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable. 11. 66 Methinks I hear some of you say: Must a man afford himself no leisure?' I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says: Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure; and since thou art not sure of a moment, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful: this leisure the dili gent man will obtain; but the lazy man, never; for, A life of leisure and a life of laziness, are two things. Many, without labor, would live by their wit only; but they break for want of stock; whereas, industry gives comfort, plenty, and respect. Fly pleasures, and they will follow you.

QUESTIONS.-1. What questions did one of the company at the auction, put to Father Abraham? 2. What was his reply? 3. Can you repeat some of the precepts given

What rules for the different inflections in the first paragraph What, for those in the 10th paragraph ?

LESSON LV.

5. KNICK

SPELL AND DEFINE.-1. DI' ET, food. 2. MICK' LE, much. 3. MORE'VER, also. 4. FIN' ER IES, showy articles of dress. KNACKS, trifles; toys. 6. NEO ES SA RIES, things necessary." 7 AP PA RENT, seeming. 8. STRAIT EN ING, cramping; distressing. 9. CON VENIEN CES, things fit or suitable. 10. EX TRAVA GAN CIES, things beyond one's need. 11. CON SULT', take counsel of; consider. 12. SUP PRESS', subdue. 13. IN' FA MY, disgrace. 14. SU PEK FLU' 1 TIES, things above or beyond one's wants. 15. VE RAC' I TY truth. fulness.

Avoid saying hoss for horse, yit for yet, s'press for suppress.

INDUSTRY AND FRUGALITY LEAD TO WEALTH.-CON

TINUED.

1. "But with our industry we must likewise be steady, and careful, and oversee our own affairs with our own eyes, and not trust too much to others; for, as Poor Richard says:

I never saw an oft-removed tree,
Nor yet an oft-removed family,

That throve so well as those that settled be.

2. "And again: Three removes are as bad as a fire; and again: Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee, and again: If you would have your business done, go; if not, send. And again:

He that by the plow would thrive,

Himself must either hold or drive.

3. "And again: The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands; and again: Want of care does us more harm than want of knowledge; and again: Not to oversee workmen, is to leave them your purse open. Trusting too much to the care of others, is the ruin of many; for, In the affairs of this world, men are saved, not by faith, but by the want of it; but a man's own care is profitable; for, If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.

4. "A little neglect may breed great mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all for want of a little care about a horse-shoe nail.

5. "So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to these we may add frugality, if we would make our industry more certainly successful.

Many estates are spent in the getting,

Since women for tea, forsook spinning and knitting,
And men for punch. forsook hewing and splitting.

If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as of