into warm water, to dissolve any slight gummy adhesions which may have been made when the worm was spinning. The threads of several cones, according to the strength of the silk wanted, are taken and wound off on a reel; the refuse portion is not wound, but carded like wool, in order to form the coarser fabrics. 9. We learn, from the fact of the cocoons being generally unwound without breaking the thread, that the insect spins the whole without interruption. It is popularly supposed, however, that if it is disturbed, during the operation, by any sort of noise, it will take alarm, and break its thread; but this is regarded as a vulgar error. 10. The length of the unbroken thread, in a cocoon, varies from six hundred to a thousand feet; and as it is all spun double by the insect, it will amount to nearly two thousand feet of silk, the whole of which does not weigh above three grains and a half. Five pounds of silk from ten thousand cocoons, is considerably above the usual average. 11. When we consider, therefore, the enormous quantity of silk used at present, the number of worms employed in producing it will almost exceed our comprehension. The manufacture of the silk, indeed, gives employment and furnishes subsistence to several millions of human beings; and we may venture to say that there is scarcely an individual in the civilized world, who has not some article made of silk in his possession. b 12. In ancient times, the manufacture of silk was confined to the East Indies and China, where the insects that produce it are indigenous. It was thence brought to Europe in с NOTES. -a East Indies (in'jez); the country east of the Indus, in the southern part of Asia, including Hindostan, Farther India, and the islands south and east of these countries. b Chi'na; China Proper, a country situated in the eastern part of Asia, and the most important in the Chinese empire. Eu'rope; the smallest of the five grand divisions of the earth, situated west of Asia, and including the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. small quantities, and in early times sold at só extravagant a price that it was deemed too expensive even for royalty. C 13. The Emperor Aurelian assigned the expense as a reason for refusing his empress a robe of silk; and James I.,' before his accession to the crown of England, had to borrow of the Earl of Mar a pair of silk stockings, to appear in before the English embassador. QUESTIONS. 1. What is the usual size of the silk-worm when fully grown? 2. From what and how does it spin its silk? 4. How many coverings has the cocoon, and what is their texture? 6. What is the form of the cocoon? 7. What does the worm inclosed in the cocoon become? 8. What part of the cocoon is used for silk fabrics? 10. What is the length of the thread of the silk-worm? 12. Where was silk manufactured in ancient times? 12. What country is meant by the East Indies? 12. What is China? 12. What is Europe? 13. Who was Aurelian? 13. Who was James I., and what anecdote is related of him? 13. What is said of England? LESSON VII. Spell and Define. 1. Heav'ens, the expanse of the sky. 2. Blend, to mix, to mingle. 3. Bliss, the highest happiness. 4. Follies, absurd actions. 4. For-giv'en, pardoned. ERRORS. 4. Pleasure, delight, enjoyment. 6. Blind, deprived of sight. 3. Wen for when ; 4. for-giv'un for for-giv'en; 4. pleas'yüre for pleas'. ·ure; 4. heav'un for heav'en ; 5. sich for such; 6. yen'der for yon'der. THE BLIND GIRL. [In reading this piece, let the pupil be very careful not to violate the rule given for reading poetry, in Exercise III., p. 84.] 1. MOTHER, they say the stars are bright, And the broad heavens are blue; NOTES.a Au-reli-an; a Roman emperor, distinguished for his military abilities; he died in 275. b James I. (James Stuart); a king of England, and son of Mary, Queen of the Scots; he was born in 1566. c England (ing'land); the southern part of the island of Great Britain, extending from Land's End on the south to the river Tweed on the north, which separates it from Scotland. It has successively received the names of Albion, Britannia, and England. I dream of them by day and night, 2. I cannot touch the distant skies, And blend with thoughts of thee. 3. I know not why, but oft I dream And when I hear thy voice, I deem 4. When my sad heart to thine is pressed, Sweet pleasure warms my beating breast, 5. O! mother, will the God above Will he bestow such care and love 6. Dear mother, leave me not alone; Lead thy blind daughter to the throne, 7. I do not sigh to watch the sky, I do not care to see The luster-drop on green hill top, or fruit upon the tree; I've prayed to have my lids unsealed, but 't was not to behold The pearly dawn of misty morn, or evening cloud of gold, No, no, my mother! I would turn from flower, star, and sun, For well I know thou 'rt fairer still, my own, my dearest one. QUESTIONS. 1. Whom did the blind girl think the stars were like? 2. What did she mean by saying that the stars did not speak to her? 3. Of what did she sometimes dream? 4. What did she say heaven is? 6. What did she wish her mother to do when she died? LESSON VIII. Spell and Define. 2 Seal'ing-wax, wax for sealing letters. 22. Ac-qui-si'tion, acquirement. Grat-i-fi-ca'tion, satisfaction. Mot'to, a device. 8. Im-ag'ine, to conceive. 13. At-tract'ed, drawn to. 17. Friction, the act of rubbing. 18. Af-fect'ed, acted upon. 22. E-lec'tric, pertaining to electricity. 23. Di'a-monds, precious stones. 24. Dor'mant, inactive. 25. Con-duct'ors, bodies that transmit electricity. 25. Non-con-duct'ors, bodies that do not transmit electricity. 28. Am'ber, a carbonaceous mineral. ERRORS. 3. Shell for shall ; 4. up-on' 't for up-on' it ; 5. fa'vor-ite for fa'vor-ite; 8. be-cuz' for be cause'; S. pos'ser-bly for pos'si-bly; 18. fust for first; 23. cu-ros'i-ty for cu-ri-os -ty; 25. an'i-mil for an'i-mal; 27. mois'ter for moisture. THE STICK OF SEALING-WAX. 1. "THERE, now I have finished my letter," said Alfred's little sister, as she folded up a neatly written sheet; "will you seal it for me, father?" 2. "Oh, let me seal it, do let me seal it for Fanny!" said Alfred, taking up some sealing-wax" that lay on the table, "I am so fond of sealing letters." 3. "If it will afford you any gratification, you may, certainly," said his father; "shall I lend you my seal?" 4. "No, I thank you, father; the letter is to be sealed with my own seal, if you please," said Fanny; "because of the motto that is upon it, REPLY QUICKLY. I am writing to mother, to tell her that I hope she will come home next week, and that I wish her to write to me before she comes home. There, now I have lighted the little wax taper, and there is my seal, brother, the seal that father bought for us when we were at Cheltenham last summer." NOTE. a Sealing-wax is chiefly composed of a resin called lac, and such coloring matter as will produce the shade desired. Like other resinous substances, it may be easily excited by friction. 5. The letter, being quite completed, was presently sealed with Fanny's favorite seal. 6. See how nicely Alfred has done it!" said she, holding it toward her father. But her father was engaged in looking in his writing-desk for something else; he presently turned to Alfred, and desired him to rub the stick of sealing-wax as quickly as he could upon the sleeve of his coat. 7. Alfred laughed, and did as his father had desired. 8. "I do so because you desire me to do so, father," said he, "and because I always like to do what you desire me to do; but what reason you can possibly have for wishing me to rub this sealing-wax upon the sleeve of my coat, I cannot imagine." 9. "Now hold it toward these little bits of paper, which are spread out on the table," said Mr. A., without noticing his remark. 10. Alfred did so, and the pieces were, to the astonishment of the children, immediately drawn toward it, raised on the end, and otherwise put in motion. 11. “I never saw pieces of paper jump before, father," said Fanny, laughing at the novelty of such an appearance. 12. " Jump!" said Alfred, laughing still more; "you would - not say they jumped, would you, father? though, to tell the truth, I can scarcely say what word should be used in its place." 13. 66 They are attracted," said his father, "attracted toward the sealing-wax.” 14. "But what can possibly have produced this effect? Perhaps the sealing-wax was not quite cold, for you know I had just been sealing Fanny's letter with it; and this might make it attract the paper." 15. "But the paper does not stick to it, as it would if the wax had been warmed in a candle," said his father; "you may easily shake it off, if you please. There, warm it again in the flame of the taper, and try the effect." |