Di-rect', straight; en-tire'ly, wholly; sit-u-a'tion, position; splen'dour, brightness; is'sue, proceed; hem'i-sphere, half globe; av'er-age, medium.

AN eclipse of the sun is caused by the moon coming nearly in a direct line between the sun and our earth, therefore, all eclipses of the sun, happen at the time of new moon. The shadow of the moon then falls upon the earth, and hides the face of the sun. Eclipses of the sun are either partial or total. When part of his face can be seen, the eclipse is said to be partial; and when entirely concealed from our view, it is said to be total. The Solar eclipse is nothing more than the situation of the earth when the moon's shadow falls upon it, and strictly speaking, is only a darkening of that part of the earth, where the moon's shadow falls. We are by no means to suppose that the sun is darkened; it is only concealed from us, for a time. It retains its usual splendour; and all the difference is, that the rays which issue from it, cannot reach us, because the moon is placed between it and our globe. This is the reason, why a solar eclipse is never visible at the same time in all parts of our earth: for, unless the sun had really lost its light, the eclipse could not be visible at the same time in every part of the hemisphere: on the contrary, it is always greater in one country than in another, and in some places it is not visible at all.

The moon not only at times darkens the earth, but the earth also casts its shadow upon the moon, and thus totally or partially deprives it of the light of the sun; and this is

called an eclipse of the moon.

This can only happen, when the moon is on the one side of the earth, and the sun on the opposite, and, therefore, all eclipses of the moon, happen at full moon. As this planet is really deprived of its light during an eclipse, every inhabitant upon the face of the earth to whom the moon is visible, sees the eclipse. An eclipse of the sun cannot last longer than two hours, nor an eclipse of the moon longer than five hours and a half. An eclipse of the sun begins on the western side of his disc or face, and ends on the eastern; and an eclipse of the moon begins on the eastern side of her disc, and ends on the western. The average number of eclipses in a year is four, two of the sun, and two of the moon; and, as the sun and moon are as long below the horizon of any particular place as they are above it, the average number of visible eclipses in a year is two, one of the sun, and one of the moon.

26.-Benevolence.

Он, let us never lightly fling
A barb of woe to wound another;
Oh, never let us haste to bring
The cup of sorrow to a brother.

Each has the power to wound-but he
Who wounds that he may witness pain,
Has learnt no law of Charity,
Which ne'er inflicts a pang in vain.

"Tis godlike to awaken joy,
Or sorrow's influence to subdue;
But not to wound-nor to annoy,
Is part of virtue's lesson too:-

Peace, winged in fairer worlds above,
Shall bend her down and brighten this,
When all man's labour shall be love,
And all his thoughts-a brother's bliss.

Pois'on-ous, venomous; nau'seous, loathsome; im-pres'sion, stamp; pen'e-trates, pierces, enters; a-bun'dance, plenty; ar-tif'i-cer, workman; tab'er-na-cle; place of worship; wil'der-ness, desert; in-di-vid'u-als, single persons.

COPPER is of a reddish brown colour, sometimes, however, it is of a bright red, like sealing wax. It is not a very heavy metal, being not quite nine times the weight of water.

It is pretty ductile, bearing to be rolled or hammered out to a very thin plate, and also to be drawn out to a fine wire. It requires a very considerable heat to melt it, and, by long exposure to the fire, it may be burned or calcined; for, like iron, lead, and tin, it is an imperfect metal.

Copper rusts very easily; for all acids dissolve or corrode it; so do salts of every kind: hence, even air and common water in a short time act upon it, for they are never free from somewhat of a saline nature. Verdigris is a rust of copper produced by the acid of grapes; but every rust of copper is of a blue or green colour, as well as verdigris. These rusts are all in some degree poisonous, producing violent

sickness and pain in the bowels; and they are all extremely nauseous to the taste. Even the metal itself, when heated, has a very disagreeable taste and smell.

Copper vessels are much used in cooking, brewing, and the like, because copper is a very convenient metal for making such vessels, especially large ones, as it is easily wrought, and is sufficiently strong, though hammered thin, and bears the fire well. And if vessels of it were kept quite clean, and the liquor not suffered to stand long in them, when cold, there is no danger in their use; but copper vessels for cooking are generally lined with tin.

Sheets of copper are sometimes used to cover buildings: and a great quantity is now consumed in sheeting ships, that is, in covering all the parts under water; the purpose of which is to protect the timber from worms. Money is also made of copper, for it takes an impression in coining very well, and its value is a proper proportion below silver, as a price for the cheapest commodities. In some poor countries they have little other than copper coin. Another great use of copper is, as an ingredient in mixed metals, such as bellmetal, cannon-metal, and particularly brass. The yellow colour of brass, is produced by means of another metallic substance, named zinc or spelter, the natural colour of which is white. A kind of brown stone called calamine, is an ore of zinc. By filling a pot with layers of powdered calamine and charcoal, placed alternately with copper, and applying a pretty strong heat, the zinc is driven in vapours out of the calamine, and penetrates the copper, changing it into brass. It thus gains a fine gold-like colour, and becomes harder, more easy to melt, and less liable to rust than copper. Hence it is used for a variety of utensils, ornamental and useful. Brass does not bear hammering well; but is generally cast

into the shape wanted, and then turned in a lathe and polished.

Copper is found in many countries. Britain yields abundance, especially in Wales and Cornwall. In Anglesea there is a whole hill called Paris mountain, consisting of copper ore, from which immense quantities are dug every year.

66

Copper is only twice mentioned in the Bible, once in the book of Ezra, which speaks of "two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold," and once by Paul, in his second epistle to Timothy, where he complains, that Alexander the coppersmith had done him much harm." But brass is frequently spoken of. Tubal-cain, we read in Genesis, was an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron.” Brass was largely employed in making the Jewish tabernacle. It was a brazen serpent which Moses erected in the wilderness, for curing those of the people who were bitten by the fiery serpents. Samson was bound by the Philistines with fetters of brass. We read of "shields of brass," a "helmet of brass," greaves of brass for the legs," "pillars of brass," " cymbals of brass,' and of many other things formed of that And brass is employed as a figure, to point out various qualities in kingdoms and individuals, such as impudence, strength, and durability.

66

metal.

Altered from Evenings at Home.