kind grand mother, however, did not escape unhurt, though she did not at that time know or feel how much. But when the surgeon had dressed the child's burns, then she showed him her own hand. It was so terribly burnt that it was found necessary to cut off one joint of the finger. The scar which you saw is

the mark of that burn.

Ros. Dear, good, courageous, woman! Oh mamma, if I had known this! Now I do know this, how differently I feel. How unjust, how foolish, to dislike her and for a pinch in her black bonnet, and for that scar! Mamma, I wouldn't draw back my hand, if she were to shake hands with me now. Mamma, I wish to go and see her now. Will you take me with you to her house in the country? Moth. I will, my dear.

CHAP. LIV.

THE DISOBEDIENT COCK.

1. Restrain your child; you'il soon believe
The text which says, we sprung from Eve.
2. As an old Hen led forth her train,

She seem'd to peck, to show the grain;
She rak'd the chaff, she scratch'd the ground
And glean'd the specious yard around,
A giddy Chick, to try her wings,
On the well's narrow margin springs,
And down she drops. The mother's breast,
All day, with sorrow was possest.

3. A Cock she met, her son she knew,
And in her heart affection grew.

4. My son, said she, I grant, your year;
Have reach'd beyond a mother's cares,
I see you vigorous, strong, and bold,
I hear with joy your triumphs told,

"Tis not from Cocks your fate I dread:
But let your ever wary tread
Avoid yon well; that fatal place
Is sure perdition to our race.

Print this my counsel on your breast.
To the just gods I leave the rest.

5. He thank'd her care, yet day by day,
His bosom burned tɔ disobey;

And every time the well he saw,
Scorn'd in his heart the foolish law;
Near, and more near each day he drew,
And long'd to try the dangerous view.
6. Why was this idle charge? he cries:
Let courage female fear despise.
Or did she doubt my heart was brave,
And therefore this injunction gave?
Or does her harvest store the place,
A treasure for the younger race;
And would she thus my search prevent?
I stand resolv'd and dare the event.

7. Thus said. He mounts the margin's round, And pries into the depth profound.

He stretch'd his neck, and from below,
With stretching neck, beheld a foe :*
With wrath his ruffled plumes he rears,
The foe with ruffled plumes appears,
Threat answered threat, his fury grew;
Headlong to meet the war he flew.

8. But when the watery death he found,
He thus lamented as he drown'd."
66 'I ne'er had been in this condition,
But for my mother's prohibition.

*He saw his shadow in the well.

MECHANICAL READING.

1. It often happens that reading' is made too m chanical. If the words are properly pronounced and attention is paid to the stops, and the parts of the sentence put together with tolerable propriety', the teacher rests satisfied', though the understanding has been wholly unemployed'. This is very generally' the course of village schoolmasters'; and many parents of good education too nearly approach it.

2. Even the mere reading', were this alone the object, as it often is in a village school', can never be good, when the mind' does not enter thoroughly into the sense'; but that parents', whose views extend much farther, should ever acquiesce in their children's pronouncing like parrots, and missing a large portion at least of the information and improvement, which it was the author's intention to convey', is really surprising.

3. When this kind of reading is permitted, I behieve it is generally owing, in a good measure, to their not being aware how imperfectly' their little scholars understand', what is so plain' to themselves'. The

evil in question is of far greater importance' than may at first appear.

4. The child is led into a habit of reading' without thinking, and of resting with a very confused notion of what is read. Scarcely any thing can be a greater obstacle to the acquisition of sound and useful knowledge', and of vigorous habits of investigation. If these are not acquired', the mind will generally become a prey to frivolity and intellectual idleness': and it is well if it do not also resign itself to low pursuits` of sensual indulgence.

5. As one antidote, through divine grace, to these most unchristian and often fatal evils', let a child always be made, as soon as he can read a sentence, to understand what he reads', and to give an account' of it afterwards'. In order to accomplish the latter object', when his reading has been more than three or four lines', let him take his book and look it over', and give the account' when he finds himself prepared.

6. The parent must not expect this to be given without leading questions to draw it forth'; and he will think it an important office to make this part of the business pleasant to the scholar', by smoothing difficulties', making the best of imperfect answers', and interspersing the whole with suitable illustrations and moral remarks', in a tone and manner favourable to the right feelings of the pupil; and likely to exclude wrong ones', or to administer a gentle cure' to such as may be rising'.

7. So also, whatever is to be got by heart', should always be read beforehand', explained, illustrated', and (if I may so say) practically applied'.

CHAP. LVI.

PASSION, OR THE LOOKING GLASS.

There was a little stubborn dame,
Whom no authority could tame:
Restive, by long indulgence grown,
No will she minded, but her own:
At trifles oft, she'd scold and fret,
Then in a corner take her seat,
And sourly moping all the day,
Disdain alike to work or play.

2. Papa all softer arts has tried,
And sharper remedies applied,
But both were vain; for every course
He took, still made her worse and worse.

3. Mamma observ'd the rising lass
By stealth retiring to the glass;
On this a deep design she laid,
To tame the humour of the maid,
Contriving, like a prudent mother,
To make one folly cure another.
4. Upon the wall against the seat,
Which Mary us'd for her retreat,
When'er by accident offended,

A looking glass was straight suspended,
That it might show her how deform'd
She look'd, and frightful when she storm'd;
And warn her, as she priz'd her beauty,
To bend her humour to her duty.

5. All this the looking glass achiev'd;
Its threats were minded and believ'd.

The maid, who spurn'd at all advice,
Grew tame and gentle in a trice;
So when all other means had fail'd
'The silent monitor prevail'd.