approached cautiously, and even the blue tit was at first startled by some turkey's feathers suspended on a thread, and dancing vigorously in the breeze; but, his courage returning, he made a bold advance, and after a close survey of one or two of the red and blue rags, finding he came to no harm, flew back to his friends, and said, 'All right! the best-tempered little creatures in the world." And the whole party were soon to be seen hopping under and over the long lines of the once dreaded enemy, and regaling themselves on the vicar's peas. 6 • John! John!' cried the vicar, these scarecrows are of no use. I verily believe those thieves have been at the peas-mind you load the gun to-night;' but it was of no use: very few peas did the vicar get that summer. Leisure Hour. (These may be done by Reduction, or by two factors.) ON THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY. ab-o-li'-tion, the act of doing away | lyre, a sort of harp; used figura with a thing dun (adj.), a dark brown colour, gloomy wold, a plain open country; a low hill com'-merce, trade greet, to salute, to welcome tively for poetry dis-pel', to drive away, to scatter phi-los'-o-phy, the love of wisdom lus'-tre, brightness, renown tam'-a-rind, a sort of plum waft, to convey through the air Proudly on Cressy's tented wold The ocean plain, where Nelson bled, The gathered spoil of every shore: And eloquence in rushing streams Bright science through each field of space To weigh each wind, and count each star. And freedom has been long our own, And guard the labour of the plain : Your slaves-oh! could it be ?-are freed. Ah! for the tale the slave could speak, 'Mid the drear haunts of force and strife In more than fable, now- -"the blest:' Earl of Carlisle. (These may be done by Reduction, or by two factors.) ALEXANDER SELKIRK. mel'-an-chol-y, sad ir-rec-on-cile'-a-ble, that cannot as-pi-ra'-tion, an ardent wish de-sign' (n.), a plan agree fire'-lock, a soldier's gun nav-i-ga'-tion, the art of sailing math-e-mat-ics, the science of de-ject'-ed, low-spirited sen'-su-al, pleasing to the senses pre-cip'-i-tance, great haste membered ne-ccs'-si-ties, wants Under the title of this paper I do not think it foreign to my design to speak of a man born in Her Majesty's dominions, and relate an adventure in his life so uncommon, that it is doubtful whether the like has happened to any other of the human race. The person I speak of is Alexander Selkirk, whose name is familiar to men of curiosity, from the fame of his having lived four years and four months alone in the island of Juan Fernandez. He was put ashore from a leaky vessel, with the captain of which he had an irreconcileable difference; and he chose rather to take his fate in this place than in a crazy vessel under a disagreeable commander. His portion was a sea-chest, his wearing clothes and bedding, a firelock, a pound of gunpowder, a large quantity of bullets, flint and steel, a few pounds of tobacco, a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a Bible, and other books of devotion; together with pieces that concerned navigation, and his mathematical instruments. Resentment against his officer, who had ill used him, made him look forward to this change of life as the more eligible one, till the instant in which he saw the vessel put off, at which moment his heart yearned within him, and melted at the parting with his comrades and all human society at once. He had no provision for the sustenance of life but the quantity of two meals. The island abounding only with wild goats, cats, and rats, he judged it most probable that he should find more immediate and easy relief by finding shell-fish on the shore, than by seeking game with his gun. He accordingly found great quantities of turtle, whose flesh is extremely delicious, and of which he frequently ate very plentifully, on his first arrival, till it grew disagreeable to his stomach, except in jellies. The necessities of hunger and thirst were his great diversions from the reflections of his lonely condition. When these appetites were satisfied, the desire of society was as strong a call upon him, and he appeared to himself least necessitous when he wanted everything; for the supports of his body were easily attained, but the eager longings for seeing again the face of man, during the interval of craving bodily appetites, were hardly supportable. He grew dejected, languid, melancholy, scarcely able to refrain from doing himself violence, till by degrees, by the force of reason and frequent reading of the Scriptures, and turning his thoughts upon the study of navigation, after the space of eighteen months, he grew thoroughly reconciled to his condition. When he had made this conquest, the vigour of his health, disengagement from the world, a constant, cheerful, serene sky, and a temperate air, made his life one continual feast, and his being much more joyful than it had been before irksome. He, now taking delight in everything, made the hut in which he lay, by ornaments which he cut down from a spacious wood, on the side of which it was situated, the most delicious bower, fanned with continual breezes and gentle aspirations of wind, that made his repose after the chase, equal to the most sensual pleasures. |