Puslapio vaizdai
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Upon quitting this district, the country became far more dreary; it appeared nothing but a dry and sterile region, the soil being remarkably hard and slaty. Here we saw many curious figures; but we soon found that the inhabitants of this desert were mere ciphers. Sometimes they appeared in vast numbers, but only to be again suddenly diminished. Our road, after this, wound through a rugged and hilly country, which was divided into nine principal parts or districts, each under a different governor; and these again were reduced into endless subdivisions. Some of them we were obliged to decline. It was not a little puzzling to perceive the intricate ramifications of the paths in these parts. Here the natives spoke several dialects, which rendered our intercourse with them very perplexing. However it must be confessed, that every step we set in this country was less fatiguing and more interesting. Our course at first lay all up hill; but when we had proceeded to a certain height, the distant country, which is most richly variegated, opened freely to our view.

I do not mean at present to describe that country, or the different stages by which we advance through its scenery. Suffice it to say, that the journey though always arduous, has become more and more pleasant every stage; and though, after years of travel and labour, we are still very far from the temple of learning, yet we have found on the way more than enough to make us thankful to the kindness of the friends who first set us on the path, and to induce us to go forward courageously and rejoicingly to the end of the journey.

1. In what spirits did our hero set out for school?

2. Did he enter school alone?
3. Guess who the diminutive strangers

were.

4. What Lilliputian army?

5. Name the letters here described. 6. How many letters in the A B C?

7. With what success was the army attacked?

8. What were found on the opposite side?

9. On the opposite of what?

10. How did he succeed with these giants?

11. In what state did the enemy now constantly appear?

12. Give me words of six and eight syllables.

JANE TAYLOR.

13. Explain the snowy plains and the light weapon.

14. What mean you by light and desperate strokes?

15. What is signified by the Black Sea? 16. After leaving this region, what appearance did the country assume?

17. What sort of people dwelt there? 18. Who will name the nine governors of the next country?

19. What parts of speech are declined?
20. What compared?
21. What conjugated?

22. What reward had our hero for his perseverance?

23. Had he yet reached the temple of learning?

24. What encouraged him to proceed?

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TRUTH has all the advantages of appearance, and many more. If the show of anything be good for anything, surely the reality is better; for why would a man seem to be that which he is not, but because he thinks it good to have the qualities he pretends to. To dissemble, is to assume the appearance of some real excellence: now, the best way for a man to seem to be anything, is really to be what he would seem. Besides it is often as troublesome to support the pretence of a good quality, as to have it; and, if he have it not, it is likely that he will be discovered to want it, and then all his labour is lost.

It is hard to act a part long; for where truth is not at the bottom, nature will betray itself at one time or other. Therefore, if any man think it convenient to seem good, let him be so indeed; for truth carries its own light and evidence along with it, and will not only commend us to every man's conscience, but which is much more-to God, the searcher of hearts. On all accounts, sincerity is true wisdom. In the affairs of this world, integrity has many advantages over all the artificial modes of dissimulation. It is much the plainer and easier, much the safer and more secure, way in dealing; it has in it much less of trouble and difficulty, much less of perplexity and hazard; it is the short and near way to our end, carrying us thither in a straight line. The arts of deceit continually grow weaker and less serviceable to those that practise them; whereas, integrity gains strength by use; the longer any man is in the practice of it, the greater service it does him by confirming his reputation, and encouraging others to repose implicit confidence in him—an unspeakable advantage in the affairs of life.

A dissembler must always watch himself carefully, lest he contradict his old pretensions; as he acts an unnatural part, he must put a continual restraint upon himself. The man who acts sincerely, has the easiest task in the world; he follows nature, and thus is put to no trouble about his words and actions; he has no need to invent pretences beforehand, or to make excuses afterwards, for anything he has said or done. Insincerity is a troublesome matter to manage; the many things that a hypocrite has to attend to, make his life a very perplexed and intricate affair. Truth is always consistent with itself, needs nothing to help it out, is always at hand, and sits upon the lips. A lie is troublesome, and needs a great many more to make it good. A liar requires a good memory, lest he contradict at one time what he said at another.

Sincerity is thus the most compendious wisdom, and the most excellent instrument for the dispatch of business, creating confidence in those we have to deal with, saving the labour of many enquiries, and bringing affairs to an issue in few words. On the other hand, whatever convenience may be found in falsehood or dissimulation, it is soon at an end; whilst its inconveniences are perpetual, bringing a man under everlasting jealousy and suspicion, so that he is not believed when he speaks truth, or trusted when he means honestly; nothing will then serve his turn, neither truth nor falsehood. All other arts will fail us; truth and integrity can alone bear us out to the last.

1. Has falsehood any advantage but that of appearing to be truth?

2. What is it to dissemble?

3. If we pretend to a good quality which we do not possess, what is likely soon to happen?

DR. TILLOTSON.

9. In worldly affairs, whether has integrity or dissimulation the advantage? 10. Why must a dissembler constantly watch himself?

11. Does truth ever contradict itself? 12. Does one lie generally serve the de

4. What mean you by the phrase "act-ceiver's purpose? ing a part?"

5. What does truth carry along with it? 6. To whom does it commend us?

7. What is God here called?

13. Is the person who has lost his character for truth, believed even when he speaks the truth?

14. Can any of you relate the fable of

8. Give instances from the Bible of the shepherd boy and the wolf?

God's punishing liars.

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MANY of the trees are a hundred years old.

The thinness of

the rind of a St. Michael's orange, and its freedom from pips, depend on the age of the tree. As the vigour of the plant declines, the peel becomes thinner, and the seeds gradually diminish till they disappear altogether. Thus the oranges most in esteem are the produce of barren trees, and those deemed least palatable come from trees in full vigour. The number of the trees is increased by layers, which, at the end of two years, are cut away from the parent stem; the process of raising from seed being seldom if ever adopted, on account of the very slow growth of the plants so raised.

In Fayal, the branches, by means of strings, are strained away from the centre into the shape of a cup, or of an open umbrella turned upside down, a plan which conduces much to early ripening, as the sun is thus allowed to penetrate, and the branches to receive a free circulation of air. To shield them from the winds, the gardens are protected by high walls, whilst the trees themselves are planted among rows of fayas, firs, and camphor-trees. Without these precautions, the windfalls would do away with the profits, none of the "groundfruit," as it is called, being exported to England. Filled with these magnificent shrubs, mixed with the lofty arbutus, many of the gardens presented an imposing scene

"Groves whose rich fruit, burnished with golden rind,
Hung amiable, and of delicious taste."

* Azores, or Western Islands (Portug. Açores, Hawks,-the Latin word for hawk is Accipifer) a group of 9 Islands in N. Atlantic Ocean, 800 miles from Portugal, so called from the great number of falcons found on them. The principal are, St. Michael, Lerceira, Pico, and Fayal. There are exported from St. Michael, chiefly to Britain, annually, 90,000 boxes of oranges, value £40,000.

One was especially charming, which covered the sides of a glen or ravine. On a near approach, scores of boys were seen scattered among the branches, gathering fruit into small baskets, hallooing and laughing, and finally emptying their gatherings into larger baskets underneath. Many large trees on the steep slopes of the glen, lay uprooted, either from their load of fruit, the high winds, or the weight of the boys. Besides, the fall of a tree might not be unamusing; and in so light a soil, where the roots are superficial, a slight strain would give it bias enough. The trees lie where they fall; and some that had evidently come down many years before, were still alive and bearing good crops. The fruit is not ripe till March or April, nor do the natives generally eat it before that time. The boys, however, that gather it, are marked exceptions. They are of a yellow tint, as if saturated with orange juice.

The process of packing the oranges is expeditious and simple. In some open plot of ground, you find a group of men and children, seated on a heap of the calyx leaves, or husks, of Indian corn, in which each orange is to be wrapt up. The operation begins. A child hands to a workman, who squats beside him, a prepared husk; it is snatched from the child, wrapt round the orange, and passed to the next, who, with the chest between his legs, places it in the orange box, the parties continuing the work with amazing rapidity, until at length the chest is filled to overflowing. Two men now hand it to the carpenter, who bends over it several thin boards, secured with a willow band, presses it with his naked foot as he saws of the ragged ends of the boards, and dispatches it to the ass that stands ready for lading. Two chests are slung on its back by cords, in the figure of 8; and the driver, taking his goad, and uttering his well-known cry, trudges off to

town.

1. What do you know about the Azores? 2. How old are many of the orange trees?

3. What sort of oranges are produced by old and barren trees?

4. What kind by trees in full vigour? 5. What plan is adopted to increase the number of trees?

6. What means are used in Fayal to ripen the fruit early?

7. How are the trees protected from the winds?

JOSEPH AND JOHN BULLAR.

8. What mean you by ground fruit? 9. Who gather the fruits?

10. When is the truit ripe?

11. Of what colour are the boys who gather the oranges?

12. What is the first step in the process of packing?

13. The second?

14. How many boxes are annually exported from St. Michael?

15. What is the value of these?
16. Where are they chiefly sent?

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