serves to keep it fast in the ground; and a very tall, green stalk, which is almost covered with long, narrow leaves; a number of scarlet flowers form a circle at the top, which looks as if the plant had a scarlet crown on its head.

Mrs. W. Very well! this is something of a description of the flower; but there is a great deal more that I want to know. Can you find out no other use for the root, besides keeping the plant firm in the ground?

Em. I do not know what else it can do; for the root of the lily is not like that of the potato, and many other vegetables; it is not good for food.

Mrs. W. No, it certainly does not afford nourish ment to any one; but it is the means by which the plant receives its support. The small fibres which are connected with it, may be said to be so many mouths through which the juices which support the plant are admitted into it. It has, besides this, another part to perform. You know that as winter advances, not only do the flowers decay, but the stalk itself soon becomes like a piece of dead straw, which is pulled up and thrown away; and yet on the return of spring, though there are no fresh plants set, or seeds sown, we have the same sort of beautiful flowers. How do you account for this?

Em. I do not know; I always supposed the gardener took care to set them again in the spring.

Mrs. W. No, my dear, the root performs the part of a nurse to the young plant, and keeps it wrapt in its bosom, till the warm air of spring draws its green leaves once more above the ground.

Em. Oh how nice that is; I had no idea before, that the root was of so much use.

Mrs. W. All plants, however, are not preserved in this manner: this is only the case with what are called bulbous, or round rooted. Some are kept in seeds, you know, and require to be planted afresh every year; and others, which have strength to bear

the winter, are propagated by means of slips. But now for the stalk.

Em. Oh, it is very easy to see what that is for. A flower would look very strange, if it had not a stalk, but was fast to the root.

Mrs. W. Yes, it would look as you would, if your head were set upon your feet.

Em. Oh, dear! what a sad little fright I should be!

Mrs. W. You would, indeed; but that would not be all, for how would it be possible for you to live in such a state? You could then have no blood vessels, for the blood to flow in; nor lungs to draw air, into your body, and give it out again. Just so would it be with this or any other plant; for the stalk contains vessels through which the sap circulates, with the same order and regularity that the blood does through our bodies; and the leaves at the same time, serve the purpose of lungs, and as they move backwards and forwards, either admit fresh air, or assist in carrying off that which has already circulated through the plant. We now come to the blossom, which all agree in admiring, but all are not equally sensible how worthy it is of admiration. You perceive, my love, that besides the leaves of this flower, there are some thin, slender threads, which grow from the middle of the blossom. The centre one, which is rather thicker and stronger than the other, is called the pistil; and the six slender ones which surround it, are called stamens. At the end of these stamens you see a small oval head suspended; each of these, is, in reality, a little box, which, when the flower is ripe, uncloses, and disperses a quantity of dust, which fixes on the top of the pistil, and by degrees works its way into the flower, and forms that part of the seed from which the young plant springs. You see, therefore, what a variety of contrivances there are, and what wonderful skill the Great Being who made all things, has displayed, in the formation

of this simple flower. And yet this is but a small part of what you have to learn.

. Em. Oh, I should like very much to study Botany, if it is any thing like this. When may I begin, Mrs. Wilson?

Mrs. W. You have already begun, my dear, and have now received your first botanical lesson.

Em. What! is this Botany? and is it all like this? Then it will be nothing but amusement.

Mrs. W. You must not expect to find all you have to learn so pleasant and easy. Whatever is desirable, or excellent, requires much pains and trouble; but this very circumstance only serves to make it more valuable to us, when once we have acquired it.

THE GUIDE POST.

1. The night was dark, the sun was hid
Behind the mountain gray;

And not a single star appear'd
To shoot a silver ray...

2. Across the heath the owlet flew,
And shriek'd along the blast;
And onward, with a quicken'd step,
Benighted Henry pass'd.

3. At intervals, amid the gloom,
A flash of lightning play'd,
And show'd the ruts, with water fill'd,
And the black hedge's shade.

4. Again, in thickest darkness plung'd,
He grop'd his way to find;
And now he thought he saw behind,
A form of horrid kind.

5. In dismal white it upward rose,
Of cloak or mantle bare,
And held its naked arms across,
To catch him by the hair.

6. Poor Henry felt his blood run cold,
At what before him stood;
"But well," quoth he, "no harm I'm sure
"Can happen to the good'."

7. So, calling all his courage up,
He to the goblin went,

And eager through the dismal gloom
His piercing eyes he bent.

S. But when he came well nigh the ghost
That gave him such a fright,
He clapt his hands upon his sides,
And loudly laugh'd outright.

9. For 'twas a friendly guide post stood,
His wandering steps to guide;
And thus he found that to the good,
No evil could betide.

10. And well, thought he, one thing I've learnt, Nor soon shall I forget,

Whatever frightens me again,
To march straight up to it.

11. And when I hear an idle tale,
Of goblins' and a ghost',
I'll tell of this my lonely walk,
And the tall, white guide post.

CHAP. XXXIX.

COLUMBUS.

1. About three hundred and thirty years ago, there lived a very wise man, named Christopher Columbus. He was born at Genoa, a city of Italy. He thought a great deal about this world that we live in; he believed that it was round like an orange, and that men could sail all round it; just as a fly could crawl round an orange, and come back to the same place, from which he set out. Columbus believed that if men would try to sail round the world, they would find some countries, which the people of Europe had never seen, or heard of.

Co

2. At that time, Europe, Asia, and Africa were known; they all lie on one side of the globe. What was on the other side, none of the people knew. lumbus wanted to go and see, but he could not go, unless he had several ships, and many men with him. These things cost a great deal of money. No pri vate person had so much money to spare. So Columbus was obliged to ask the king of some country to furnish him the men, and money, and ships, that he wanted.

3. Columbus applied to the government of his own country first, and afterwards to the king of England', and the king of Portugal. None of these was willing to assist him, and at last he went to Spain. The name of the king of Spain was Ferdinand, and the name of the queen was Isabella. Queen Isabella was pleased with the plan of Columbus; she hoped he