! ployment, but such as would call out a "Well," exclaimed Sam Evans, "I nev train of ideas and thoughts. He must er saw such a school-mistress in all the days of my life, did you, Tom ?” feel that he is doing good for others' sake, 46 'No,” replied Tom, “but I wish I had, I would have been a different boy from what I am now: but I am going to study and learn something, for Miss Wescott says I can, and I am determined to try." Tom Jones went back home that night with a new spirit in his breast; for the I was astonished to see the effect that first time in his life he felt that he was Miss Wescott's treatment to Tom had capable of rising above his present con- upon the other scholars. They began to dition, and becoming somewhat greater consider him of some importance, and to and better than he was. His mind be- feel a sort of respect for him, which they came inundated with new and strange at first manifested by dropping the nickemotions; and like a mighty river turned name of Tom, and substituting Tommy, from its course, his thoughts and energies which revealed, certainly, a more kindly from that hour sought a new direction. feeling toward him. The next morning he was up with the In less than a week Miss Wescott had dawn, and when Miss Wescott arrived at the children completely under her conthe school-house, she found Tom Jones trol, yet it was by love and respect she there with the evergreens. governed, and not by an iron rule; she "Good morning, Thomas," said she moved among her scholars, a very queen, kindly, "so you are here before me. You and yet so gained their confidence and must have risen early, and I see you have esteem, that it did not seem to them subfound some beautiful evergreens. Now mission to another's will, but the promptif you will help me to put them up, we ings of their own desire to please. One will have the room arranged before nine glance of her dark eye would have quelo'clock." led insurrection, and made them happy for a day. "I have brought a hammer and some nails," said Tom, "I thought we should want them." Julia Wescott always taught a school with a realization of the responsibility "Yes, so we shall, I am glad you tho't resting upon her, and she bent her enerof it," replied Miss Wescott. gies to fulfill them. Carefully and skillThat day, every scholar looked amazed fully she unlocked the soul's door, and to see Tom Jones actually studying his gave a searching look within, in order to book, and hear him answer several ques-understand its capabilities, and she shaptions correctly and they were still more ed her course accordingly. The desconfounded, when, at recess, Miss Wes-ponding and inactive she encouraged, the cott said: Thomas, you will take care of these little children, will you not, and see that they don't get hurt? You must be their protector." One would as soon have set a wolf to guard a flock of lambs, as Tom Jones to take care of the smaller children. obstinate she subdued, to the yielding and fickle she taught a strong self-reliance.— She encouraged the one single rain-drop to do all the good it could, and the rushing torrent she turned where it would fertilize rather than devastate. LISTEN not to the flatterer. EDUCATION OF BOYS AND GIRLS. Parents do wrong to check, as they do, the outgoing of fraternal affection, by sep arating those God has especially joined as the offspring of one father and mother. God has beautifully mingled them by sending now a babe of one sex, now of the other, and suiting, as any careful observer may discern, their various charac forward as a member of society; and if the subject be viewed through the clear medium of Christian principle, its light will become more brilliant, its shadows more dark, the longer and closer we contemplate it.-Charlotte Elizabeth. JUVENILE ENERGY. The following anecdote was related by ters to form a domestic whole. The William H. Maynard, Esq., at a meeting parents interfere, packing the boys to of the Lyceum, in Utica, some time since: some school, where no softer influence "In December, 1807, Mr. M. was exists to round off, as it were, the rugged teaching school for a quarter, in the town points of the masculine disposition, and of Plainfield, Mass. One cold, blustering where they soon lose all the delicacy pe- morning, on entering his school-room, he culiar to a brother's regard, and learn to observed a lad that he had not seen belook on the female character in a light fore, sitting on one of the benches. The wholly subversive of the frankness, the lad soon made known his errand to Mr. purity, the generous care for which earth M. He was fifteen years old; his parents can yield no substitute, and the loss of lived seven miles distant; he wanted an which only transforms him who ought education, and had come from home on to be the tender preserver of woman, into her heartless destroyer. The girls are either grouped at home, with the blessed privilege of a father's eye still upon them, or sent away in a different direction from their brothers, exposed through unnatural and unpalatable restraints, to evils perhaps not so great, but with every danger as wantonly incurred as the others. The shyness, miscalled retiring moddesty, with which one young lady shrinks from the notice of a gentleman, as though there was danger in his approach, and the conscious coquetish air, miscalled ease, with which another invites his 10tice, are alike removed from the reality of either modesty or ease. Both result from the same fictitious mode of education; both are the consequence of nipping in the bud those sisterly feelings that form a foundation for the rich use of those privileges to which she looks foot, that morning, to see if Mr. M. could help him contrive how to obtain it. Mr. M. asked "if he had any acquaintances in the place who would give him their aid ?" "No." "Can your parents help you towards obtaining an education?" "No." "Have you any friends that can give you assistance?" "No." 'Well, how do you expect to obtain an education ?" "I don't know; but I thought I would come and see you." He Mr. M. told him to stay that day and he would see what could be done. discovered that the boy was possessed of good sense, but no uncommon brilliancy; and he was particularly struck with the cool and resolute manner in which he undertook to conquer difficulties which wo'd 1 Look at that boy who has just suc have intimidated common minds. In the had tried his last thought; but a new thought strikes him, and he ponders the last process. He tries once more and This was the early history of the Rev. succeeds; and now mark the air of conJoras King, whose exertions in the cause scious strength with which he pronounof oriental learning, and in alleviating the ces his demonstration. His poor, weak miseries of Greece, have endeared him schoolmate, who gave up that same probalike to the scholar and the philanthro- lem after his first trial, now looks up to pist, and shed a bright ray of glory on him with something of wonder as a suhis native country. DO IT YOURSELVES. perior being. And he is his superior.— That problem lies there, a great gulf between those boys who stood side by side yesterday. The boy that did it for himself has taken a stride upward, and what Do not ask the teacher, or some class- is better still, has gained strength to take mate, to solve that hard problem. Do other and better ones. The boy who it yourself. You might as well let them waited to see others do it, has lost both eat your dinner, as "do your sums" for strength and courage, and is already lookyou. It is in studying as in eating; he ing for some good excuse to give up that does it gets the benefit, and not he school and study forever.-Conn. School that sees it done. In almost any school, Journal. I would give more for what the teacher learns, than for what the best scholar NATIONAL LANGUAGE.-The language learns, simply because the teacher is com- of a people expresses its character. The pelled to solve all the problems and an- French is smooth, flowing and elegant; swer all the questions of the lazy boys.- but it has no such word as home, no such Do not ask him to parse the difficult word as comfort, and no word to express words or assist you in the performance the difference between love and like. On of any of your studies. Do it yourself. Never mind though they look as dark as Egypt. Don't ask even a hint from any one. Try again. Every trial increases your ability, and you will finally succeed by dint of the very wisdom and strength gained in the effort, even though at first the problem was beyond your skill. It is the study and not the answer that really rewards your pains. the contrary, ennui and eclat are famous words, which have no equivalent in English. And, moreover, the fact that the French term for spiritual means simply | witty, with a certain quickness and versatility of talent-and you have a sufficient hint with regard to the character of the people. BEWARE of the tempter. NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN. The following well authenticated facts illustrate the principle that man is never too old to learn: Socrates, at an extreme old age, learn. ed to play on musical instruments. This would look ridiculous for some of the rich old men of our city, especially, if they should take it into their heads to thrum a guitar under a ladies window, which Socrates did not do, but only learnt to play on some instrument of his time, not a guitar, for the purpose of resisting the wear and tear of old age. THE COMPARATIVE VALUE OF MATH- What constitutes a good education ?--The universal answer will be "That which prepares one for usefulness and happiness in his or her sphere of action." What is woman's sphere? Is it her duty to go forth and battle with the world in life's rougher field? A few advocate this, but the true woman shrinks from the very idea. Woman's world is in the more retired walks of life. The duties of the mass lie almost exclusively in the home circle, and from this charmed spot emanates her strongest influence. matics. Cato, at eighty years of age, thought proper to learn the Greek language, Many of our young men at thirty and forty have forgotten even the alphabet of a language, the knowledge of which was neShe may sometimes find it in her line cessary to enter college and which was of duty to teach, but for this she requires made a daily exercise through college.naught but the first principles of MatheA fine comment upon love of letters truly. Plutarch, when between seventy and In these days of improvement we hear eighty, commenced the study of Latin.- the constant outcry for the rights of woMany of our lawyers, not thirty years of man. Her wrongs are certainly grevious age, suppose that nisi prius, scire facias, enough. But where shall we turn to &c., are English expressions, and if you find for her an employment that will meet tell them that a knowledge of the Latin all difficulties? One that will accord would make them appear a little more with her taste and disposition? Are respectable in their professions, they will those sciences which are intimately conreply that they are too old to think of nected with Mathematics in accordance learning Latin. with her tastes? The reports of every Boccaccio was thirty-five years of age school, from the Primary to the highest when he commenced his studies in polite Seminary, show that her mind turns literature. Yet he became one of the elsewhere. From the time she is taught three great masters of the Tuscan dialect, that "one and one makes two," till the Dante and Petrarch being the other two. frigid laws of gravity and the stern proThere are many among us ten years positions of geometry, are drilled into her younger than Boccaccio, who are dying unwilling brain, she would fain close her of ennui, and regret that they were not eyes and ears against these "detestable, educated to a taste for literature, but now passionless abstractions" of Mathematics. they are too old. As woman has not a natural inclination to engage in the study of Mathematics, THE path of duty is the path of safety. so is there no inducement held out to cultivate a love for it. "Two dollars a of the soul. Can a thrilling strain of muweek, and board round," will not pay sic cause any other than pure thoughts? for the time and labor employed. In Breezes and birds bring to our ears harthat favorite illustration of Caroline Her-mony and song. Angels in the heavenly schel-what part was allotted to her by courts tune their harps to the great Creher brother? Certainly not that of solv- ator's praise. Then teach woman music, ing the netted problems of squares and vocal and instrumental. Through her, a cubes, of refractions and reflections.-happy influence will be diffused through Hers was a different part. society. Then, if in Mathematics woman does It has often been said that the Fine not, and cannot excel, why include it in Arts, Drawing, Painting and Sculpture, her education? Would it not be better were not adapted to woman; that nearly to cultivate those powers with which she all the finer productions in this line were has been more liberally endowed. Her the works of men. This may be true, mind has left its impress upon the choic- but heretofore she has studied them only est treasures of Poetry and Song. How to a limited degree. Numbers of ladies many characters have been formed, and study only the rudiments of drawing and how many souls strengthened, by the painting, when, if they would make it soul-inspiring thoughts of Hannah Moore, their study, their only study, they might Jane Taylor, and Mrs. Barbauld? How become mistresses of the art. Woman is many stricken hearts have been bound up but beginning to awake to a knowledge by the sympathizing strains of Miss Lan- of her abilities. Among the most distindon? How many have bounded with guished artists in France, at the presen new life and joy, inspirited by Mrs. day, are Females. It is said that one of Hemans' or the gentle Mary Howitt's the most beautiful statues of the present lays? We could almost flit from bough age was modelled by a daughter of Louis to bough with Miss Gould's bird-like Phillippe. songs. But we must not confine woman's Then cannot woman find enough in productions to that which is simply gen- the Fine Arts and Poetry to make her tle and pleasing. Who could have ex- useful and happy? May she not wisely pressed such sublime thoughts more leave the sterner sciences to be studied, beautifully than Mrs. Sigourney, in her and the mysterious problems to be un"Apostrophe to Niagara." She has done raveled by man's more inflexible mind?— what many have attempted, but none Yes, give them all to man. Let him eat them, drink them, and clothe himself with them, but in behalf of woman let me pray deliver her from them. Platteville Academy. but herself attained. Talk not to me of its praise? Picture to yourself a world M. B. P. "GENIUS unexerted," says H. W. Beecher, "is no more genius than a bush FRANKLIN did not fully commence his be, yet it softens and subdues the spirit, philosophical pursuits till he had reached and brings into play the nobler sentiments his fiftieth year. |