AN INTRODUCTION, ETC. SECT. I.* TRIBULATION TREPID. 1 JOSEPH C. NEAL, the "Charcoal Sketcher," thus admirably hits off that class of people who are never so happy as when they are miserable. 2 "How are you, Trepid? how do you feel to-day, Mr. Trepid ?" 3 "A great deal worse than I was, thank you'; almost dead, I am obliged to you'; I am always worse than I was, and I do not think I was ever any better. I am very sure, 4 anyhow, I am not going to be any better; and for the fu 5 6 ture, you may always know I am worse, without asking any questions; for the questions make me worse, if nothing else does." "Why, Trepid, what is the matter with you?" That is what kills people, that is what is killing me. "Nothing, I tell you, in particular'; but a great deal is the matter with me in general; and that is the danger, be7 cause we do not know what it is. when they cannot tell what it is: 8 My great-grandfather died of it, and so will I. The doctors 9 do not know'; they cannot tell me'; they say I am well enough when I am bad enough, and so there is no help. I 10 am going off some of these days, right after my great-grandfather: dying of nothing in particular, but of every thing in 11 general. That is what finishes our folks." DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define hits off, (strikes off a picture or description of,) for the future, (in time to come,) questions, else, deal, danger, kills, greatgrandfather, doctors, enough, because, bad, some, (is not this a mistake for one?) finishes, folks. * See Definitions, &c., under the 47th Section; which was originally Intended for this page. 8 PROFANITY.-LOSS OF THE FIRST-BORN. 1 SECT. II.-PROFANITY. PROPANE Swearing is a great sin. God abhors it and often 2 punishes it in this life. He will not hold that man guiltless who takes his awful name in vain. He is jealous of his 3 honor, and he will suffer no creature to trample upon it with impunity. 4 It is a useless sin: it confirms no man's word. He who 5 seeks to establish his veracity by adding profane oaths to his assertions, gives loud-mouthed evidence that his declarations are untrue. 6 : It is a vulgar sin he who swears an oath, at once loses the respect of the good, and above all loses a respect for 7 himself. It is a work for devils: not men. "Maintain your rank: vulgarity despise : To swear is neither brave, polite, nor wise: You would not swear upon a bed of death'; 8 Reflect your Maker now may stop your breath." DEFINITIONS, &c.-Profane swearing—all swearing which is not done m a court of justice and with the fear of God before your eyes. Define abhors, punishes, hold, (deem, regard,) guiltless, jealous, honor, creature, (intelligent creature,) trample, impunity, useless, confirms, establishes, veracity, assertions, loud-mouthed, evidence, declarations, untrue, vulgar, loses, respect, rank, despise, brave, polite, nor, wise, bed, reflect, breath, Maker. 1 SECT. III.-THE LOSS OF THE FIRST-BORN. We have read of a young mother who had newly buried 2 her first-born. I asked her how she had attained such 3 resignation. She replied, "I used to think of my boy when alive, continually: whether sleeping or waking, to me he 4 seemed more beautiful than other children. I was disappointed if visitors omitted to praise his eyes, or his curls, or 5 the robes that I wrought for him with my needle. At first 6 I believed it the natural current of a mother's love. Then I feared it was pride, and sought to humble myself before 7 Him who resisteth the proud. One night in dreams I thought an angel stood beside me, and said, 'Where is the little 8 bud thou didst nurse in thy bosom? I am sent to take it 9 away! Where is thy little harp ? 10 Give it to me! it is 11 like those which sound the praise of God in heaven.' I woke in tears my beautiful boy drooped like a bud which PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. the worm pierces: his last wailing was like the sad music from shattered harp-strings: all my world seemed gone: still in my agony I listened, for there was a voice in my soul, like the voice of the angel who had warned me, saying, 12' God loveth a cheerful giver.' I laid my mouth in the dust and said, Let thy will be mine; and as I arose, though the 13 tear lay on my cheek, there was a smile also. Since then this voice has been heard amid the duties of every day: methinks it says continually, The cheerful giver: the cheerful giver!" " DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define newly, (lately, recently,) buried, first-born, attained, resignation, continually, omitted, curls, robes, wrought, needle, current, sought, resisteth, angel, bud, harp, sound, drooped, worm, wailing, sad, shattered, dust. SECT. IV.-PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. 1 THE people in the Cherokee nation west, seem to be advancing in civilization as rapidly as the most sanguine could have hoped, when the colonization of the red man was first commenced in that country. They now have a weekly 2 newspaper, a male seminary, and have lately had the cornerstone of a female institute laid with imposing ceremo3 nies. The articles deposited in the box under the cornerstone, give some evidence of general improvement and civil4 ization. The following is the list taken from the Tahlequah Advocate: A copy of the Constitution and laws of the Cherokee Nation; A copy of the Cherokee Alphabet, by Se-quo-yah alias George Guest; A copy of the Cherokee Primer; A copy of that portion of the Scriptures translated into the Cherokee language ; A A copy of the Cherokee Hymn Book; copy of the Tract, Poor Sarah, in Cherokee; An Essay on the Evils of Intoxicating Liquor, and the Remedy, in Cherokee, by George Lowrey; The Cherokee Almanac, for 1847, by Rev. S. A. Worcester, containing the names of all the officers under the Cherokee Government; 10 A PERVERSE OLD, CONICAL FELLOW. Copies of the Cherokee Advocate; A copy of the Choctaw Spelling Book; A copy of the Muscogee Spelling Book; A copy of the Muscogee Hymn Book. DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define people, nation, west, (of the Mississippi,) civilization, sanguine, colonization, red man, weekly newspaper, male seminary, corner-stone, female institute, imposing, ceremonies, articles deposited, box, general. Who are the Cherokees? Where did they once live? Where now? They would” understood after hoped in sentence 1st. 66 SECT. V.-A PERVERSE OLD, COMICAL FELLOW. 1 Capt. Are you mad? Bowl. Why, what should I do with it? You will not have 2 it, and it is impossible for me to use it'; for as often as I should puff away the smoke, I should think, "Old Jack 3 Bowlin, what a pitiful scamp you must be! A man whom you have served honestly and truly these thirty years, and who must know you very well indeed, says you are a scandalous fellow;" and the thought would make me weep 4 like a child. But when the pipe is gone, I shall try to forget the whole business, and say to myself, "my poor old captain is sick, and does not mean what he said"." 5 8 Capt. Jack, come here. 6 (Takes his hand.) 7 I did not mean what I said'. Bowl. (Shakes his hand heartily.) 9 I knew it': I knew 10 it'. I have you and your honor at heart; and when I see such an old hypocritical bell-wether cheating you out of your hard-earned wages, it makes my blood boil— 11 Capt. Are you at it again? 12 Shame on you. You 13 have opened your heart to-day, and given me a peep into its lowest hold. 14 Bowl. So much the better! for you will then see that my 15 ballast is love and truth to my master. But hark ye, master, it is certainly worth your while to inquire into the business. Capt. And hark you, fellow, if I find you have told me a lie, I will have no mercy on you: I will turn you out of doors to starve in the street. 16 17 Bowl. No, captain, you will not do that'. 18 20 21 23 LOVE OF COUNTRY.-ROBIN ROUGHHEAD. 11 Capt. But I tell you I will, though'. 19 I will do it; and if you say another word, I will do it now. Bowl. Well, then away goes old Jack to the hospital. Capt. What is that you say? 22 Hospital? hospital, you rascal? What will you do there? 24 Bowl. Die. 25 Capt. And so you will go and die in a hospital, will you 26 Why-why-you lubber, do you think I cannot take care of you after I have turned you out of doors, hey? DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define mad, often, puff, pitiful, (deserving pity?) scamp, very well, (What is the difference between well simply, and very well?) scandalous, pipe, hypocritical, bell-wether, (the snoep that carries the bell,) makes my blood boil, (makes me very angry,) peep, hold, (that part of a ship which receives the cargo: the lowest hold is next to the bottom,) ballast, hospital, lubber. In Sent. 18th, understand you say I will not, after though. SECT. VI.-LOVE OF COUNTRY. BREATHES there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned DEFINITIONS, &c.-Dead-insensible, without feeling. Define native, land, (country?) heart, ne'er, within, burned, home, (before this word understand toward,) footsteps, turned, wandering, foreign, strand, (shore of a country, for the country itself.) Let it be observed that this piece entire is one question in two parts; and that each part should be read with an upward slide. (See Part 3. Exercise IV 6-8.) 1 SECT. VI.-ROBIN ROUGHHEAD. Robin Roughhead discovered raking hay. Rob. Ah! work, work, work, all day long, and no such thing as stopping a moment to rest! for there is old Snacks, the steward, always upon the look-out; and if he sees one, slap he has it down in his book, and then there is sixpence 2 gone plump. (Comes forward.) 3 I do hate that old chap, 4 and that is the truth. Now, if I was lord of this place |