Pleasure in thy glancing eye, And see thee, when thou'st had thy fill, Come, my feather'd friend again, Ever welcome to my door. Langhorn. LESSON XXI. THE TWO BEES.-THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE.-THE DRUMMER BOY. One fine morning in May, two bees set forward in quest of honey; the one was wise and temperate, the other careless and extravagant; they soon arrived at a garden enriched with aromatic herbs, the most fragrant flowers, and the most delicious fruits. They regaled themselves for a time on the various dainties that were spread before them; the one loading his thigh at intervals with provisions for the hive, against the distant winter; the other revelling in sweets without regard to any thing but present gratification. At length they found a wide mouth'd phial, that hung beneath the bough of a peach tree, filled with honey ready tempered, and exposed to their taste in the most alluring manner. The thoughtless ep'icure, notwithstanding all his friend's persuasions, plunged headlong into the vessel, resolving to indulge himself in all the pleasures of sensu ality. The phil-os'-o-pher, on the other hand, sipped a little with caution, but being suspicious of danger, flew off to fruits and flowers; where, by the moderation of his meals, he improved his relish for the true enjoyment of them. In the evening, however, he called upon his friend, to enquire whether he would return to the hive, but found him surfeited in sweets, which he was as unable to leave, as to enjoy. Clogged in his wings, enfeebled in his feet, and his whole frame enervated, he was just able to bid his friend adieu, and to lament with his last breath, that though a taste of pleasure may quicken the relish of life, yet an unrestrained indulgence in it will inevitably lead to destruction. A boy smitten with the colours of a beautiful butterfly, pursued it from flower to flower with unceasing pains; first he aimed to surprise it among the leaves of a rose, then to cover it with his cap, as it was feeding on a daisy. At one time he hoped to secure it, as it revelled on a sprig of myrtle, and at another grew sure of his prize, perceiving it to loiter on a bed of violets, but the fickle fly still eluded his attempts. At last, observing it half-buried in the cup of a tulip, he rushed forward, and snatching it with violence, he crushed it to pieces. Thus by his eagerness to enjoy, he lost the object of his pursuit. From this instance young persons may learn, that pleasure is but a painted butterfly; which if temperately pursued, may serve to amuse, but which, when embraced with too much ardour, will perish in the grasp. In the war with France before the Revolution, an English drummer only fifteen years of age, having wandered from his camp too near the French lines, was seized, and brought before the French commander. On being asked who he was, by the general, he answered, "a drummer in the English service." This not gaining credit, a drum was sent for, and he was desired to beat a couple of marches, which he did. The French officer's suspicion being, however, not quite removed, he told the drummer to beat a retreat, "a retreat, sir,” replied the boy; "I do not know what that is." This answer so pleased the commander, that he dismissed the drummer, and wrote to his general, commending his spirited behaviour. LESSON XXII. WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. HENRY I. -WILLIAM RUFUS. WILLIAM the CONQUEROR ascended the throne in the year 1066, and was crowned at Westminster, on Christmas day of the same year. William was a brave man, but haughty, ambitious, and cruel in his government; in his person he was below the middle size, but of great strength, few men of his time being able to bend his bow, or use his weapons. His reign was by no means popular, having given great offence to his English subjects, by showing too much partiality to his Norman followers, whom he often enriched at their expense. William established the Curfew,* or eight o'clock It means cover fire; on hearing this bell all lights and fires were to be put out. bell, to prevent secret meetings among his subjects in the nights-he erected the Tower of London - he ordered the Doomsday Book to be compiled, which is still in being-and during his reign surnames were first regularly used. After a reign of twenty-one years, William died in France, in consequence of a hurt received from the violent plunging of his horse, leaving three sons, Robert, William, and Henry. William the Conqueror was succeeded by his second son WILLIAM, surnamed RUFUS, on account of his red hair, in the year 1087. Robert, the eldest son, ought to have succeeded, but he had given great offence to his father by openly rebelling against him. Robert, the true heir, not being satisfied to resign what he considered to be his right, determined on enforcing his clain to the crown, but being of an irresolute turn, and prodigal in his expenses, he squandered away both his time, and his money, until the opportunity was lost. William was very far from being a good man; his great avarice, and numerous vices, had made him hateful to his subjects, but his reign was happily short, for before completing thirteen years, he was accidentally killed by an arrow, shot at a stag, by his attendant, Sir Walter Tyrrel, in the New Forest, Hampshire. Such was the estimation in which he was held by those about him, that his body was allowed to remain in the forest until the next day, and then a charcoal cart was considered sufficiently respectable to convey it to Winchester, where it was interred without ceremony. William Rufus was succeeded by his younger brother, HENRY I., in the year 1100. Robert being abroad at the time of William's death, Henry took advantage of that circumstance, and hastened to Winchester to secure the royal treasures, and was soon after crowned at Westminster. Henry was a much better man than either his father or his brother William; his abilities were good, and he governed his subjects with great prudence; he was also much attached to learning. Yet, a great stain will ever remain on his character for his cruelty to Robert, who, in a battle between the two brothers, was taken prisoner, and closely confined in Cardiff Castle, during the remainder of his life, a period of twenty-eight years-some historians add, that his eyes were put out by order of Henry, but this, we hope, for the honour of human nature, was not true. After a reign of thirty-five years, Henry's death was occasioned by his eating too plentifully of lampreys, a fish of the eel kind; during his reign arched stone bridges were first used-Rents were first paid in money -A standard for weights and measures was fixed, the yard being taken from the length of Henry's arm. LESSON XXIII. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. England contains forty counties, and these are classed into six circuits, for the convenience of the judges attending the assizes. If a vessel made of brass or copper be put in a damp place, it will soon be covered with a green rust, called verdigris; this rust is a deadly poison. The globe on which we live is divided in five zones; |