SONGS FOR THE SEASONS.-SPRING. (FROM "SONGS FOR THE WILDERNESS.") Words and Music by Miss C. A. HOWELL-Arranged for three voices by G. CHALONER. How sweet the early breath of Spring, When birds above are singing, And How sweet the early breath of Spring, When birds above are singing, And Where can ye go, ye little ones, Oh! come to Jesus, come and lean In every storm of future life, A refuge there is found, A JOURNAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR THE FAMILY AND THE SCHOOL. 14th Week. MONDAY. Moral Biography. INDUSTRY. ANOTHER MAN WHO INVENTED A LOOM (Continued). P. THE death of Josephine made a deep impression on the mind of the young Jacquard. "I think," he said to his father, the next time he spoke, "I cannot be a canut." He told his father that no one ought to work at the loom unless a better one were invented, because it killed the workmen. Young Jacquard's father shook his head, and told his son that it could not be improved,-just as the manufacturers of Manchester had told Dr. Cartwright. The boy, however, persisted in his idea, and persuaded his father to let him leave the business of a weaver, and become a bookbinder. ing a newspaper, when he saw that the Royal Society of London offered a large sum of money to any one who would invent a machine which they wanted. This machine was to be useful for a very peculiar process of thread-making. As soon as Jacquard saw this, he set his wits to work, and after many fruitless attempts, he found out the plan of weaving that was wanted. He then made a model of a machine to weave the thread according to that plan. The whole invention, however, was so simple, that he thought, of course, somebody must have discovered it before him; so he put the model away, and forgot all about it. The model might have been quite forgotten, but that a friend was one day talking with Jacquard about the difficulty in making the thread-machine that was wanted. As a bookbinder's apprentice, Jacquard showed a great taste for mechanics. He improved his knowledge, and before he became a man no doubt he had thought much about the bad loom which had caused the death of Josephine, When Jacquard heard this, and so many others. I dare he showed his friend the model say that he thought of many that he had made. "Of course," plans for making a new ma- he said, "I am not the only chine, but he did not carry person who has discovered it." them out. Jacquard's friend examined At last a circumstance hap-his model, and asked to be pened which induced him to trusted with it that he might try his abilities. He was read show it to some one else. Jacquard consented; and soon he again forgot all about the matter, while his friend took the treasure which was lent him to the proper authorities. The model, however, was not forgotten by others who saw it; and before long Jacquard received a summons to attend before the magistrate (called the prefect) of the city of Lyons. Jacquard could not imagine why he was sent for, but he immediately obeyed the order, and soon stood before the magistrate. 666 Monsieur,' said the magistrate, I have heard of your ability as a mechanic, and have therefore sent for you.' "It must be some person who wishes to pass off a joke at my expense, Monsieur le Prefect,' said Jacquard, confused. "I assure you that it is not: have you not lately made an admirable discovery?' "Very simple, sir-very simple.' "But very useful to humanity.' The magistrate then told him that no one else who had seen it had forgotten it. He told Jacquard to go home and make a similar machine. He did so, and at the end of three weeks he brought it back to the prefect, who sent it at once to the First Consul of France, M. Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte was, you know, a man of war, yet he knew how important were all improvements in the arts of peace. He did not, however, show much respect for the inventor, but sent an order from Paris for his arrest. It therefore happened that a few weeks after Jacquard's visit to the prefect he was again sent for. "Monsieur,' said the prefect to him, 'you must immediately set out for Paris.' "Set out for Paris, sir!' replied Jacquard! And by whose orders, may I ask?' 666 "Those of the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte." "It is impossible: there must be some mistake as to the "I have not been so vain as name, sir. What have I done? to suppose so, sir.' "The mechanism is most ingenious you are indeed a clever workman, M. Jacquard!' 666 "Monsieur is very good to What can the First Consul want of me-a poor, unknown workman?' "The orders of the First Consul admit of no delay, my dear M. Jacquard: they must be obeyed. A postchaise waits for you at the door; and further, this man (the prefect pointed to a gendarme) has orders to accompany you, and not lose sight of you.' "But I am neither a robber nor a criminal, sir; there must be some error as to the name, said Jacquard in extreme agitation. "Calm yourself, M. Jacquard,' said the prefect. 'Be assured that the First Consul is a man who knows how to appreciate talent wherever it is found. You will find that he has good reasons for acting thus. Come, get into the chaise, M. Jacquard; I promise that no harm shall befal you; the gendarme will take care that you want for nothing. Good-by, sir, and a pleasant journey to you.' "Jacquard had never before been in Paris; and the first place they stopped at on their arrival in the capital was at the Conservatory of Arts. The first persons whom he met with were Bonaparte, then First Consul, and Carnot, the prime minister. "Is it you who call yourself Joseph Jacquard?' demanded Carnot in a brusque tone. Is it you who pretends to do what no one else can accomplish-to form a knot on a stretched cord?' "Surprised by the tone of the speaker, and awed at finding himself in the presence of such high personages, the youth did not immediately reply. But Bonaparte, with that kindness he could so well assume, asked Jacquard a few trivial questions, and led him by degrees into an animated conversation. "Jacquard was soon after set to work in the Conservatory. Here, all the secrets of mechanics, which till then he had been unable to study, were laid open to his inspection. Every day he learned something new from the wonders of industry around him; and he again thought of his long-cherished idea of constructing a loom to relieve the canuts of his native town. Now all his difficulties seemed to vanish, and he constructed a full-sized machine after the model that had been of such service to him. This, when completed, gave general satisfaction. A magnificent shawl, destined for Josephine, the wife of Bonaparte, was shown him. It had been wrought in a loom that had cost more than twenty thousand francs. He tried to manufacture this luxury with a less complicated, and a much less expensive machinery; and in this he succeeded beyond his most sanguine expectations. "While thus employed for Bonaparte, he had steadily persevered in his endeavours to perfect the machine which had engrossed his thoughts from boyhood, and in 1801 completed the one known as the 'Jacquard Loom.' This was exhibited at the Exposition of Arts in Paris the same year; and, with all its improvements, worked by steam-power, it was seen in the GREAT EXHIBITION of 1851. "The Jacquard loom, however, was ill received by those for whose benefit it was intended. Jacquard received from the French Government a pension of a thousand crowns for his discovery, and he expected that he should have no difficulty in establishing the loom in his native city. Filled, therefore, with the hope of doing good to his fellow-townsmen, Jacquard returned to Lyons, and having, at his own expense, constructed one of the machines, he invited the Conseil des Prud'hommes (a body who watched over the interests of the Lyonese trade) to inspect it, and give their opinions. thought of being instrumental not only in adding to the prosperity of the workmen and the employers, he lived modestly and retired, without desiring anything more. "In a great measure owing to this machine, the canuts have acquired almost a new existence. If the work is not always plenty, at least it does not kill the workshops, instead of the pale and emaciated beings who formerly earned a scanty subsistence with their very lifeblood, are to be seen welldressed and ruddy-looking children. "Alas! all Jacquard's hopes were soon dispelled. To his great dismay 'the Con-them. In the schools and in seil' not only opposed the introduction of his loom, but gave orders that it should be publicly destroyed. This was accordingly done in the Place, amidst the shouts and rejoicings of the populace. In his own words, the iron was sold for iron, the wood for wood, and its inventor disgraced.' His invention excited such an enmity against him among the weavers, that he three times narrowly escaped with his life. The men no longer wear that heartbroken and timid look which belonged then to their profession, but appear at the present day the most healthy and well-disposed class of artisans in Lyons. "The fabrication of the stuffs has also wonderfully increased. In 1788 there were but two hundred and forty looms in Lyons for the manufacture of stuffs; in 1801, at the time of Jacquard's discovery, there were two thousand eight hundred; at the present day there are more than thirty-two thousand looms at work, of which number the ingenious machines invented by Jacquard count "But at last the ignorance and prejudice of the people of Lyons were obliged to give way. The manufacturers of England adopted the Jacquard loom, and made such rapid strides in the manufacture of gold and silver tissues, that the effects of their competition were felt. The inventor then came forward once more; he generously forgot the bad treatment he had received, and under his super-nearly one-third. intendence looms were constructed, and were soon employed in most of the silk manufacturing districts of France. "Many improvements were made from time to time by Jacquard; and, happy in the "Towards the close of his life, Jacquard, wishing to enjoy the society of his sister and her children, retired to a small villa a few leagues from Lyons. Here he was visited by many illustrious foreigners, anxious to converse with the man whose |