Sam. Yes, sir. M. W. Then you have the full use of your hands and fingers? Sum. Yes, sir. Mr. W. Can you write, Samuel? Sam. I learned a little, sir; but I left it off again, Sam. Because I could not make the letters, sir. Mr. W. No! why how do you think other boys do? Have they more fingers than you? Sam. No, si:. Mr. W. Are you not able to hold' a pen, as well as a marble? Let me look at your hands. (Samuel held out both his paws like a great dancing bear.) I see nothing here to hinder you from writing as well as any boy in the school. You can read, I suppose ? Sam. Yes, sir. Mr. W. Tell me then, what is written over the door. Sam. (reads.) "WHATEVER MAN HAS DONE, MAN MAY DO. Mr. W. Pray, how did you learn to read? Was it not by taking pains? Srm. Yes, sir. Mr. W. Well, taking more pains will enable you to read better. Do you know any thing of Latin Grammır? Sam. No, sir. Mr. W. Have you never learned it ? Sam. I tried, siz, but I could not get it by heart. Mr. W. Why? you can say some things by heart. I dare say you can tell me the days of the week in their order'? Sam. Yes, sir, I know them. Mr. W. And the months in the year, perhaps? Srm. Yes, sir. Mr. W. And you could probably repeat the names of all your father's servants, and half the people in the village, besides? Sam. I believe I could, sir. Mr. W. Well, is hic, hæc, hoc, more difficult to re member than these? Sam. I don't know, sir. Mr. W. Have you ever learned any thing of Arithmetic ? Sam. I went into addition, sir, but I did not go on with it. Mr. W. Why so? Sam. I could not do it, sir. Mr. W. How many marbles can you buy for a penny? Sant. Twelve new ones, sir. Mr. W. And how many for a half-penny? Mr. W. And how many for two-pence? Mr. W. If you were to have a penny a day, what would that make in a week? Sam. Seven-pence. Mr. W, But if you paid two pence out of that, what would you have left? Sam. (After studying a while.) Five-pence. Mr. W. Right'. Why here you have been practising the four ground rules of Arithmetic, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division. Learning to cipher is no mo.e than this'. Well, Samuel. I see what you are fit for. I shall set you about nothing but what you are able to do; but observe, you must do it. We have no "I can't," here. You may go and play. 3. Samuel went away with more confidence in his own powers than he had ever felt before. The next day he began business. A boy less than himself was called to set him a copy of letters, and another heard him in grammar. He read a few sentences, that he could perfectly understan, to the master. Thus, by going on steadily and slowly, he daily made sensible progress. 4. His father kept him at the same school for some years, and had the satisfaction to find him making steady and gradual improvement. He afterwards made a respectable figure in business, and went through life with credit and usefulness, without a genius. Diligence and perseverance overcome all difficulties. CHAP. XLVI. CRAZY ROBERT. 1. Poor Robert is crazy, his hair is turn'd gray, His beard is grown long, and hangs down to his breast, Misfortune has taken his reason away, His heart has no comfort', his head' has no rest. 2. Poor man! it would please me to soften thy woes, To sooth the affliction, and yield thee support; But see through the village, wherever he goes, The cruel boys follow, and turn him to sport. 3. "Tis grievous, to see how the pitiless mob Run round him, and mimic his grievous complaint, And try to provoke him, and call him old Bou, And hunt him about, till he is ready to faint. 4. But ah! wicked children! I fear they forget That GOD does their cruel diversion behold; And that in his book dreadful curses are writ, For those who shall mock at the poor and the old. 5. Poor Robert! thy troubles will shortly be o'er, Forgot in the grave thy misfortunes will be; But GOD will his vengeance assuredly pour On those wicked children, who persecute thee. CHAP. XLVII. SLAVES. 1. “Well, my son," said Mrs. Stanley to Arthur, as he came into her room, "what has given you such a long face? What is the difficulty in your mind?" 2. I was thinking, said Arthur, of my uncle Edward's black servant Perseus. You remember how fond he was of m; and I heard my uncle say that Perseus would go through fire and water to serve him. And then, how quick he was in doing whatever he was asked! So I was thinking that if all black-a-moors were like him, they must be men as well as wc; and it must be very wicked to beat then so barbarously as the scholars say they do in South Carolina. 3. I am glad, my dear boy, said Mrs. Stanley, you do not form you opinions too hastily, but submit them to the direction of those who are more experienced. The scholars are but improper judges of the getcral actions of mankind; but an abhorrence of cruelty, is what I hope you and your companions will always possess. 4. For the honor of humanity, I trust that the stories we hear of the el treatment of slaves, are exaggerated: but the slave trade is clearly founded on injustice and oppression. The manner in which regroes are, even at this day, taken from their native home, by Christian peopic, is contrary to the dictates of Christianity, and to that honourable love of liberty, which ought to distinguish free born Americans. 5. No doubt the negro slaves often fall into the hands of cruel masters, in this country. White children are sometimes unmercifully flogged, and poor men are oppressed and injured. You and I, my son, would not have the feelings of those hard masters, for all their wealth. But all are not such. Perseus' affection for your Uncie Edward, showed that he was a kind master. 6. I am glad to hear it, mamma, said Arthur. I have grieved all day about them. Pray tell me, if you know, how they are treated. 7. I will tell you, my dear, said Mrs. Stanley, how your Uncle said his slaves were treated. They have regular asks at their labour, and it is not uncommon for an industrious negro to finish his task by three or four o'clock. The remainder of the day is at their own disposal. They are allowed, each one, a quarter or half a acre of ground, to plant as they choc e. They aise hogs, poultry, corn, fruit, and many of them have bee-hives, and other rarities. The produce they send to market, and sell it, or else keep it for the comfort of their own families. 8. They live in clay cabins, with clay chimneys; but of late years sone of them have framed houses with good brick chimneys. Their food for half the year is corn, and the other half year, is sweet potatoes. They cook according to their own fancy. They are allowed salt, and at stated periods, two or three times a year, meat and fish are given them. Their clothing is strong and comfortable, but very coarse. 9. If they are sick, they have medicine, nursing, and every thing necessary for their comfort, the same as the whites. In the parish where your Uncle lives, there is an Episcopal, and a Presbyterian church, where the negroes are as free to attend as the whites; and every negro who bears a suitable character, is admitted to unite with the white communicants, in celebrating the Lord's Supper. 10. Many of the negroes, at the present day, work as easy, and live as comfortably, as any class of labouring people in the world. But still they are slaves ; and this, to our minds, is enough to poison all the rest. The mass of them are treated, as a good manager would treat his cattle; and indeed they are ignorant, |