You talk of wondrous things you see, My day or night, myself I make, And could I ever keep awake, With heavy sighs I often hear Then let not, what I cannot have LESSON XXVIII. THE FOX AND CAT.-THE ATHEIST.-THE FOX AND RAVEN. THE TWO FROGS. A Fox and a Cat travelling together, began to converse on the different dangers to which they were exposed; the fox commenced the subject, and he assured his companion he truly pitied her hard lot, for she had a number of enemies, and only one solitary means of escape, if placed in danger, while he himself had a hundred shifts by which he could save himself. While thus beguiling the way by friendly chat, a pack of hounds came in view, when poor puss made use of her only expedient, by running up a tree that was near at hand, where she was safe; while reynard, with all his tricks and cunning, could not elude the hounds, and he was speedily overtaken and torn to pieces. The moral to be drawn from this fable is, that the person who steadily follows one pursuit, is much more likely to succeed in life, than one who embarks in a variety of concerns. An Atheist, sitting under the shade of a large oak, was endeavouring to prove, from the unfitness of things, that there was no Supreme Governor of the world. He thought it ridiculous that the lordly oak, the king of the forest, should only have insignificant acorns to bear, whilst the pumpkin grew upon a plant wholly unable to support it. In the midst of these reflections, happening to look up, an acorn accidentally fell on his face, when he could not avoid exclaiming, "how thankful I feel that it was not a pumpkin, for if it had been one, it would have killed me on the spot." A fox observing a raven on the branch of a tree, with a fine piece of cheese in her mouth, began to study how he might possess himself of so delicious a morsel. "Dear madam," said he, "I am extremely glad to see you this morning, your fine shape, and shining feathers, are the delight of my eyes; and would you but favour me with a song, I doubt not, that your voice is equal to the rest of your charms." Deluded with this flattering speech, the raven opened her mouth to give him a specimen of her song, when down dropped the cheese, which the fox snatched up, and bore away in triumph, leaving the raven to lament her vanity at leisure: thus, when we listen to flattery, we lose sight of common sense. One hot sultry day in summer, two frogs agreed to travel together in search of water, as all the ponds in the neighbourhood were dried up; after travelling some time, they came to a deep well, and sitting down upon the edge of it, began to consult whether they should leap into it or not. The more thoughtless of the frogs was greatly in favour of it, saying, "there was plenty of clear spring water, and no danger of being disturbed." "Well," said the other, "all this may be true, but should this well also dry up, I do not see how we are to get out again. This fable instructs us never to enter upon any thing of importance without due thought. LESSON XXIX. STEPHEN.-HENRY II.-RICHARD I. Henry I, was succeeded by STEPHEN, the grandson of William the Conqueror on the female side in the year 1135; Matilda, the daughter of Henry, was the rightful heir, but Stephen, prompted by ambition, hastened to seize the royal treasures, and so far succeeded as to be proclaimed king. Matilda also asserted her claim to the throne, and being supported by a powerful party, she was crowned at Winchester, Stephen having been previously deposed, but when she came into power, she treated her subjects with such haughtiness, that they conspired against her, and Stephen was taken from the dungeon in which he was confined, and replaced upon the throne. Stephen possessed many of those qualities necessary to form a popular monarch; he was graceful in his appearance, industrious in his habits, and of great activity, but in usurping the throne, he took that which did not belong to him, and brought much misery upon himself, and was the cause of great bloodshed among the people; he reigned nineteen years. Stephen was succeeded by HENRY II. the son of Matilda, and grandson of Henry I. in the year 1154; although he was only twenty-one years of age when he ascended the throne, he corrected many abuses in the government, he granted charters to many large towns, and made great improvements for the good of his subjects. in Every thing of a public nature seemed to prosper Henry's hands, but he was extremely unfortunate in his domestic affairs, for most of his sons rebelled against him, and even his wife supported them in their unnatural efforts to wrest the kingdom from him. At last it is supposed Henry died of a broken heart, caused by the ingratitude of his children; during his reign, which continued thirty-five years, Ireland was annexed to the English crown-England was divided into six curcuits for the convenience of the judges-and glass windows were first used in private houses. Henry II. was succeeded by RICHARD I. his eldest surviving son, in the year 1189. Richard's first step on coming into power, was to join the king of France in a Crusade to deliver Jerusalem, and the Holy Land, from the Saracens or infidels. In this foolish expedition he performed many deeds of valour, but at the same time, he was prodigal of the blood of his subjects, and improverished both them, and himself, for no other advantage than that of empty honour. During his absence his brother John, assisted by the French king, attempted to make himself master of the kingdom, but did not succeed; Richard being informed of his brother's base attempt, at the desire of his mother, forgave him, with this generous remark, "I wish I could as easily forget his offence, as he will my pardon.' Richard was engaging in his person, and from his invincible courage he was surnamed the Lion hearted; and had his prudence equalled his bravery, he would have been a great king; after a reign of ten years, he died of a wound, received from an arrow, when besieging a castle in France. LESSON XXX. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. Tea is the leaves of an evergreen shrub extensively cultivated in Chi'na, Japan', and Assam, a country near the East Indies; the tea shrub is not unlike the laurel in appearance, and its flower somewhat resembles that of the white wild rose. Tea was first imported into this country from China, about the year 1610, when it was sold for sixty shillings a pound; although tea is now so universally used, yet in the recollection of many persons now living, it was scarcely known in some parts of the country. Coffee is the berry of a handsome evergreen tree, which grows to the height of about fifteen feet, it is grown in most warm climates, but in the West Indies it is largely cultivated for exportation. Mo'cha*, in Arabia, has long been celebrated for its •Mo'ka |