His suppliant, as to earth he fell, Arous'd by Gelert's dying yell, Some slumberer waken'd nigh; Conceal'd beneath a mangled heap, Nor scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread— Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain, Vain, vain was all Llewellyn's woe, And now a gallant tomb they raise, Here never could the spearman pass, Here oft the tear-besprinkled grass And here he hung his horn and spear; In fancy's piercing sounds would hear SPENCER. The annual meetings of several institutions are held in London and Edinburgh alternately. This is found to be a beneficial arrangement, as it keeps up an interest in the institution in both parts of the island. Domestic comforts are of all others the most delightful. He who takes care to exclude all strife from his fireside is sure to be happy; and he who imbibes a taste for home-delights when young, runs littlerisk of being led astray by the giddy pleasures of the world when old.. Of all bodies the metals are the most durable. They are distin-. guished from other substances by their peculiar brilliancy and great weight. They are generally found at a considerable depth in the earth, deposited in veins of various thickness, and in a state of combination with other substances in which state they are called ores. They are got by making excavations in the earth, called mines; and after they are brought to the surface, they undergo various processes in order to separate the pure metal, from the baser substances. They are all fusible, and, when, polished, possess the power of reflecting objects like mirrors. Their many and important uses are well known. Labour is essential to man; and when he has liberty it is no hardship. But labour and slavery form together a grievous curse. It is disgraceful to our free country that slavery is allowed to exist, and held to be legal in our West India colonies. But the time is rapidly approaching when the negro-slaves shall be redeemed from their bondage, and their manual labour sweetened by the blessings of liberty! At some schools and colleges it is customary for the masters to prescribe to their pupils a subject for a literary theme or essay. A prize is adjudged to the author of the best theme; and if sufficient subscribers can be obtained to defray the expense, the essay is printed, and inscribed to the master. Many beautiful specimens of composition, written by boys of fifteen and sixteen years of age as prize-essays, exist in this country. Lo, o'er the blue expanse the steam-ship rides, No oar she plies, no sail doth e'er expand, She is a marvel-but the vessel slight Atmosphere is the name given to that vast mass of air that surrounds the earth. It is supposed to extend forty or fifty miles above the surface of the earth, and it becomes continually rarer or less dense as it recedes from the earth. The weight of the atmosphere at the surface of the earth is such that a man of middling stature is computed to sustain little less than fourteen tons. To discover means to find out a thing that previously existed though it was unknown; to invent means to find out a thing that had no previous existence. The finding out of America was a discovery; the finding out of a watch was an invention. Harvey discovered the circulation of the blood; the Marquis of Worcester invented the steam-engine.. Hallelujah, or Alleluia, signifies "Praise the Lord," and is an exclamation used in songs of thanksgiving. Hosanna is a form of blessing or wishing well. At our Saviour's entrance into Jerusalem, when the people cried Hosanna, their meaning was, Lord preserve this son of David, heap favours and blessings on him.. Ichneumon is the name of a small animal that breaks the eggs of the crocodile; but the word is applied to all animals of whatever sort that destroy the eggs of other animals. It is most commonly used to describe several species of destructive flies. They are also called' cuckoo-flies, because, like the cuckoo, they thrust their eggs into the nest of another species. Proper names have some meaning probably in all languages; but this is especially the case in the languages in which the Scriptures were written. Adam means, of the earth; Abraham, exalted father; Moses, taken out of the water; David, well-beloved; and Solomon, peaceable. The names of our Saviour are peculiarly significant and appropriate. Jesus means, saviour or deliverer, and he is so called because he saves or delivers his people from their sins; Christ and Messiah both mean anointed, and he is so called because he has been anointed or consecrated by God to his office. A mediator is one who mediates between two parties for the purpose of reconciling them ; and the Saviour is so called, because he mediates between God and man, and makes reconciliation. A redeemer is one who ransoms or buys back another from bondage; and the Saviour is so called, because he ransoms his people from the bondage of sin and Satan. Jesus Christ is our prophet or teacher, because he reveals to us by his word and Spirit the will of God; our priest, because he has atoned for our sins, and intercedes for our acceptance; and our king, because he subdues our hearts, and rules and defends us. Mercury is one of the metals. It is always fluid at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere; and its most remarkable property is, that, when it is divided into small parts, each of its parts assumes a globular form. Its name quicksilver must have been given it in ignorance of its true nature; for, though it is undoubtedly quick, yet it has no other alliance with silver than its white appearance. Natural objects are divided into three classes,-minerals, vegetables, and animals. The sciences that describe and classify these ob jects have various names. Mineralogy is the science of minerals; Botany, the science of plants; and Zoology the science of animals. These again, especially the last, admit of several subdivisions; each class of animals having a science specially relating to it. Natural History, or the History of Nature, is an appellation comprehending the whole, though it is sometimes applied in a restricted sense to the science of Zoology or animals. Septuagint means seventy; but the phrase," the Septuagint," is uniformly employed to describe a Greek version of the Old Testament, which was made at Alexandria before the time of our Saviour by seventy or seventy-two learned Jews. This version is that which was generally used and quoted by our Saviour and his apostles; and it ought to be considered as a wonderful providence in favour of the religion of Jesus, that such a translation was made and published previous to his coming. It not only prepared the way for his coming, but it afterwards greatly promoted the setting up of his kingdom in the world. The Hebrew language, in which the Scriptures had been hitherto locked up, was known only to the Jews; but the Greek language was understood by the whole civilized world. Every one knows what is meant by the volume of a book; but it should be remembered that the word strictly signifies something "rolled up." It is used in its literal acceptation when we say "a volume of smoke or vapour." Before the invention of printing all orks were written on parchment and rolled up. A roll of parch ment was called a volume; and hence the application of the word to books. Zephyr is a poetical name for the west wind, in the same manner as Boreas is a poetical name for the north wind, Eurus for the east, and Auster for the south wind. The ancient Greeks and Romans supposed the winds to be gods, and hence gave them these and similar names. 66 A philosopher means literally a lover of wisdom." It happened, while Pythagoras was on a visit to King Leon, that the latter was exceedingly charmed with the ingenuity and eloquence with which he discoursed upon various topics, and asked him in what art he principally excelled to which Pythagoras replied, that he did not profess himself master of any art, but that he was a philosopher." Leon, struck with the novelty of the term, asked Pythagoras who were philosophers? Pythagoras replied, that, as in the public games, while some are contending for glory, and others are buying and selling in pursuit of gain, there is always a third class of persons who attend merely as spectators; so in human life, amidst the various characters of men, there is a select number of those, who, despising all other pursuits, assiduously apply themselves to the study of nature, and to the search after wisdom. "These," added Pythagoras, persons whom I call philosophers." WORDS OF MORE THAN FOUR SYLLABLES. are the THE word BIBLE means book, and the sacred volume is so called because it is the book of books The word SCRIPTURE signifies writings. the best book. The Bible was not written at one time, or by one person; but consists |