LESSON LXXIX.

RULE. Be careful to give a full sound to the vowels. Regard to this rule will correct the common, flat, clipping, and uninteresting way in which many read. Prolong the vowels that are italicized in the following words:

Hail! holy light.

We praise thee, O Lord God.

These names of the Deity are seldom pronounced with that full and solemn sound that is proper. Lud and Law-ard, and Gud and Gawd, are too frequently used, instead of the proper sounds. If the pupil can learn to speak the three words, O-Lord-God, properly, it will be worth no little attention. Every pupil ought to be exercised on these words till they are pronounced properly and in a full and solemn tone.

1.

2.

3.

THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN.

Nor unto us, O Lord! not unto us,
But unto thy name give glory,

For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
Wherefore should the heathen say,

Where is now their God?

But our God is in the heavens:

He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Their idols are silver and gold,

The work of men's hands.

They have mouths, but they speak not:
Eyes have they, but they see not:
They have ears, but they hear not :
Noses have they, but they smell not:
They have hands, but they handle not:
Feet have they, but they walk not:
Neither speak they through their throat.
They that make them are like unto them;
So is every one that trusteth in them.

O Israel! trust thou in the Lord:
He is their help and their shield.

O house of Aaron! trust in the Lord :
He is their help and their shield.

Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord:
He is their help and their shield.

4.

5.

The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel:

He will bless the house of Aaron:

He will bless them that fear the Lord,

Both small and great.

The Lord shall increase you more and more,

You and your children.

Ye are blessed of the Lord

Which made heaven and earth.

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: But the earth hath he given to the children of men. The dead praise not the Lord,

Neither any that go down into silence.

But we will bless the Lord

From this time forth and for evermore:
Praise the Lord!·

BIBLE.

QUESTIONS. What is the general sentiment intended to be inspired by this Psalm? What is the contrast made between the true God, and the idols of the heathen?

Explain the inflections
What words in these

Point out the emphatic words in the 1st paragraph. in the 2d paragraph, and point out the emphatic words. two paragraphs admit the circumflex ? Which words receive a relative emphasis? In the 5th paragraph, what instances are there of relative emphasis ? In the 3d paragraph, for what does the pronoun "their" stand in each instance where it is used? Will you name all the verbs in this lesson that are in the imperative mode. In the first line of the 5th paragraph, parse “Lord's." In the fourth line of the same paragraph, parse 66 any."

PRONUNCIATION.

Mer-cy, not mus-sy: nei-ther, not nei-ther: Isra-el, not Is-r'el: si-lence, not si-lunce.

SPELL AND DEFINE. 1. Heathen: 2. trusteth: 3. shield: 4. mindful, increase: 5, silence, evermore.

LESSON LXXX.

RULE.- Be careful to pronounce the little words, like a, the, and, in, &c., distinctly, and not to join them to the next word.

Words to be Spelled

Vis'-ion, n. something imagined to be seen, though not real.

3. Ge'-ni-us, n. a good or evil spirit.

Trans-port'-ing, a. bearing away the soul in pleasure.

4. Af-fa-bil'-i-ty, n. condescension and kindness of manner.

Ap-pre-hen'-sion, n. uneasiness of mind occasioned by the fear of evil.

and Defined.

So-lil-o-quy, n. (plural, so-lil-o-quies) a talking to one's self.

6. Con-sum-ma'-tion, n. end, completion. 8. Pit'-falls. n. pits slightly covered for the purpose of catching beasts or men. 11. Cim'-e-ter, n. a short, curved sword. 12. Perch, v. to light upon like a bird. 14. Ad'-a-mant, n. a very hard stone.

THE VISION OF MIRZA.

1. On the fifth day of the moon, which, according to the custom of my forefathers, I always kept holy, after having washed myself, and offered up my morning devotions, I ascended the high hills of Bagdad, in order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here airing myself on the tops of the mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation on the vanity of human life; and, passing from one thought to another, "Surely," said I, “man is but a shadow, and life a dream."

2. While I was thus musing, I cast my eyes toward the summit of a rock, that was not far from me, where I discovered one, in the habit of a shepherd, with a musical instrument in his hand. As I looked upon him, he applied it to his lips, and began to play upon it. The sound of it was exceeding sweet, and wrought into a variety of tunes, that were inexpressibly melodious, and altogether different from any thing I had ever heard. They put me in mind of those heavenly airs, that are played to the departed souls of good men upon their first arrival in paradise, to wear out the impressions of the last agonies, and qualify them for the pleasures of that happy place.

3. My heart melted away in secret raptures. I had been often told that the rock before me was the haunt of a Genius; and that several had been entertained with music, who had passed by it, but never heard that the musician had before made himself visible. When he had raised my thoughts, by those transporting airs which he played, to taste the pleasure of his conver

sation, as I looked upon him, like one astonished, he beckoned to me, and, by the waving of his hand, directed me to approach the place where he sat.

4. I drew near, with that reverence which is due to a superior nature; and, as my heart was entirely subdued by the captivating strains I had heard, I fell down at his feet, and wept. The Genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion and affability that familiarized him to my imagination, and at once dispelled all the fears and apprehensions with which I approached him. He lifted me from the ground, and taking me by the hand, "Mirza," said he, "I have heard thee in thy soliloquies: follow me." 5. He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and, placing me on the top of it, "Cast thy eyes eastward," said he, and tell me what thou seest." "I see," said I, a huge valley, and a prodigious tide of water rolling through it." "The valley that thou seest," said he, "is the valley of misery, and the tide of water that thou seest, is part of the great tide of eternity." "What is the reason," said I, "that the tide I see, rises out of a thick mist at one end, and again loses itself in a thick mist at the other?"

66

6. "What thou seest," said he, "is that portion of eternity which is called time, measured out by the sun, and reaching from the beginning of the world to its consummation. Examine now," said he, "this sea, that is thus bounded with darkness at both ends, and tell me what thou discoverest in it." "I see a bridge," said I, "standing in the midst of the tide." "The bridge thou seest," said he, "is human life: consider it attentively." Upon a more leisurely survey of it, I found that it consisted of three score and ten entire arches, with several broken arches, which, added to those that were entire, made up the number about a hundred.

7. As I was counting the arches, the Genius told me that the bridge consisted, at first, of a thousand arches; but that a great flood swept away the rest, and left the bridge in the ruinous condition I now beheld it. But tell me further," said he, "what thou discoverest on it." "I see multitudes of people passing over it," said I, "and a black cloud hanging on each end of it."

66

8. As I looked more attentively, I saw several of the passengers dropping through the bridge into the great tide that flowed underneath it; and, upon further examination, perceived there were innumerable trapdoors that lay concealed in the bridge, which the passengers no sooner trod upon, but they fell through them into the tide, and immediately disappeared. These hidden pitfalls were set very thick at the entrance of the bridge, so that

throngs of people no sooner broke through the cloud, than many of them fell into them. They grew thinner toward the middle, but multiplied and lay closer together toward the end of the arches that were entire.

9. There were indeed some persons,-but their number was very small,—that continued a kind of hobbling march on the broken arches, but fell through, one after another, being quite tired and spent with so long a walk. I passed some time in the contemplation of this wonderful structure, and the great variety of objects which it presented.

10. My heart was filled with a deep melancholy, to see several dropping, unexpectedly, in the midst of mirth and jollity, and catching by every thing that stood by them, to save themselves. Some were looking up toward the heavens in a thoughtful posture, and in the midst of a speculation, stumbled and fell out of sight. Multitudes were very busy in the pursuit of bubbles, that glittered in their eyes, and danced before them; but often, when they thought themselves within the reach of them, their footing failed, and down they sunk.

11. In this confusion of objects, I observed some with cimeters in their hands, and others with lancets, who ran to and fro upon the bridge, thrusting several persons on trap doors, which did not seem to lie in their way, and which they might have escaped, had they not been thus forced upon them.

12. The Genius, seeing me indulge myself in this melancholy prospect, told me that I had dwelt long enough upon it. "Take thine eyes off the bridge," said he, "and tell me if thou seest any thing thou dost not comprehend." Upon looking up, What mean," said I, "those great flights of birds that are perpetually hovering about the bridge, and settling upon it from time to time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, cormorants, and, among many other feathered creatures, several little winged boys, that perch, in great numbers, upon the middle arches."

13. " These," said the Genius, "are Envy, Avarice, Superstition, Despair, Love, with the like cares and passions that infest human life." I here fetched a deep sigh. Alas!" said I, man was made in vain! how is he given away to misery and mortality! tortured in life, and swallowed up in death." The Genius, being moved with compassion toward me, bid me quit so uncomfortable a prospect. Look no more," said he, " on man, in the first stage of his existence, in his setting out for eternity; but cast thine eye on that thick mist, into which the tide bears the several generations of mortals that fall into it.”

14. I directed my sight as I was ordered, and, whether or not