112

A SUDDEN CHANGE OF FORTUNE.

your prayers to God, to admonish me of all my failings, to visitt me in sickness, to take care of me when I am in distress, and never to forsake me, change or lessen your particular esteeme, till I prove vnconstant or perfidious, and no mans freind: in a word, there is in Freindshipp something of all relations, 25 and something above all. These, Madam, are the laws'; and they are Reciprocall and Eternall, &c.

26

Thus, for a tyme 'twixt jest and earnest, the conversation 27 putt her into the most agreeable humor in the world. Well, said she, I will consider of what you say'; but pray remember you be my freind, and when next you come, I will tell you what I have for you to doe in good earnest.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-This piece and one or two others are inserted as specimens of ancient spelling, and as an exercise of the pupil's capacity to spell correctly according to the modern standard. Define visit, seemed, thoughtful, ordinary, solemnly, never, (does this word mean here at no time past? or simply not? see Sent. 3,) certain, (particular?) concerned, deal, meddle, concerns, (what concerns me? affairs?) to my remembrance, (as near as I remember,) madam, capable, serving, obligation, embrace, imaginable, respect, acknowledgment, acquit, cheerfulness, fidelity, henceforth, obliging, underneath, pretend, consecrated, marriage, relations of flesh and blood, (relations of kindred, blood-relations,) material, (selfish?) election, (choice?) conjugal, experience, effectual, symbol, title, topic, adorn, nicest, suffer, (allow ?) in virtue of, (by reason of, in consequence of,) importunate, (officious, intrusive,) style, (manner of writing?) reserve, absent, admonish, failings, sickness, distress, lessen, unconstant, perfidious, reciprocal, jest, earnest, humor, agreeable.

SECT. CXXIII.-A SUDDEN CHANGE OF FORTUNE.

1 ONE Saturday evening, between light and dark, a stranger from one of the coaches, asking for a barber, was directed 2 by the hostler to the cellar opposite. Coming in hastily, he requested to be shaved quickly, while they changed horses; 3 as he did not like to violate the Sabbath. This was touching the barber on a tender chord.-He burst into tears: asked 4 the stranger to lend him a halfpenny to buy a candle, as it was not light enough to shave him with safety. He did so: 5 revolving in his mind the extreme poverty to which the 6 poor man must be reduced. When shaved, he said, "There

must be something extraordinary in your history, which I 7 have not now time to hear. Here is half a crown for you. 8 When I return, I will call and investigate your case. 9 What

10 is your name ?"

11 ber.

"William Reed," said the astonished bar"William Reed!" echoed the stranger: "William 12 Reed! By your dialect you are from the west." 13 "Yes, 14 sir! from Kingston, near Taunton !" "William Reed, from 15 Kingston, near Taunton! What was your father's name?" 16"Thomas." 17" Had he any brother?" "Yes, sir: one 18 after whom I was named; but he went to the Indies; and as we never heard from him, we supposed him to be dead." 19"Come along: follow me," said the stranger: "I am going

to see a person who says his name is William Reed, of 20 Kingston, near Taunton. Come and confront him. If 21 you prove to be indeed he who you say you are, I have glorious news for you. Your uncle is dead, and has left an 22 immense fortune, which I will put you in possession of, when all legal debts are removed.”

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Coaches-public coaches, stages. Define hostler, cellar, opposite, hastily, requested, shaved, quickly, changed horses, sabbath, chord, burst into tears, (tears burst from his eyes?) candle, revolving in his mind, (turning it over and over to see the whole of it,) reduced, extraordinary, (extra means beyond, more than,) history, half a crown, call; (visit?) echoed, by your dialect, (I judge by means of your dialect that, what is a dialect?) Indies, supposed, confront, prove, (are proved?) indeed, glorious, news, fortune, legal, debts, removed, (paid?)

1

SECT. CXXIV.-A TRICK UPON THE DOCTOR.

THERE was little fear of the result, since the narcotic was 2 equally distributed. But, curious to see how it would operate, I raised myself gently after a while, and looked 3 around. It was about noon, and perfectly still; and as we all daily took the siesta, I was not much surprised to find 4 every one quiet. Still, in one or two instances, I thought I detected a little peeping.

5 Presently, I heard a footstep, and saw Doctor Johnson approaching.

And perplexed enough did he look at the sight of his 6 prostrate file of patients, plunged, apparently, in such unaccountable slumbers.

7

"Daniel," he cried, at last, punching in the side with his cane the individual thus designated, "Daniel, my good fel8 low, get up! Do you hear ?"

114

CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

9 But Black Dan was immoveable; and he poked the next sleeper.

10

11

"Joseph, Joseph! come: wake up! it is I: Doctor Johnson."

But Jingling Joe, with mouth open, and eyes shut, was not to be started.

13 cane,

66

12 "Bless my soul!" he exclaimed, with uplifted hands and "what has got into them? I say, men," he shouted, running up and down, I come to life, men! what under the 14 sun is the matter with you?" And he struck the stocks, and bawled with increased vigor.

15 At last he paused, folded his hands over the head of his cane, and steadfastly gazed upon us. The notes of the 16 nasal orchestra were rising and falling upon his ear, and a new idea suggested itself.

17 66

Yes, they must have-what could they have done? 18 Well, it is none of my business'; I will be off" and off he

went.

DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define result, narcotic, equally, distributed, gently, noon, perfectly, siesta, (nap?) detected, peeping, footstep, approaching, perplexed, prostrate, file, plunged, unaccountably, punching, cane, designated, immoveable, poked, started, uplifted, stocks, bawled, vigor, nasal orchestra, (snoring?) idea, suggested.

1.

8

SECT. CXXV.-CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

FROM Olivet's sequestered seats,

What sounds of transport spread?

What concourse moves through Salem's streets,
To Zion's holy head?

Behold him there in lowliest guise!

The Saviour of mankind!
Triumphal shouts before him rise,

And shouts reply behind!

And "strike," they cry, "your loudest string

He comes! hosanna to our king!"

He came to earth: from eldest years,
A long and bright array,

Of Prophet-bards and Patriarch-seers,
Proclaimed the glorious day:

WHITEFIELD'S ELOQUENCE.

The light of heaven in every breast,
Its fire on every lip,

In tuneful chorus on they pressed,

A goodly fellowship;

And on the pealing anthem ran:
"Hosanna to the Son of Man!"

115

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Where is Mt. Olivet? Define sequestered, seats, transport, concourse. Salem-Jerusalem. Define lowliest, guise, (what is the meaning of disguise? To have on a guise different from your own?) mankind, triumphal, loudest string, (string that will make the loadest noise?) eldest years, (remotest antiquity?) array, bards, seers, tuneful, chorus, fellowship, pealing, anthem.

1

SECT. CXXVI.—WHITEFIELD'S ELOQUENCE.

PERHAPS the greatest proof of Whitefield's eloquence was shown when he drew from Franklin's pocket, the money which that clear, cool reasoner had determined not to give: it was for the orphan-house at Savannah. 2 "I did not," says Franklin, "disapprove of the design; but, as Georgia was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from Philadelphia at a great expense, I thought it would be better to build the 3 house at Philadelphia, and bring the children to it. This I advised; but he was resolute in his project, rejected my 4 counsel, and I therefore refused to contribute. I happened, soon after, to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection; 5 and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four 6 silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded, I began to soften, and concluded to give him the copper; another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's 7 dish, gold and all. At this sermon," continued Franklin, "there was also one of our club, who being of my sentiments respecting the building in Georgia, and suspecting a collection might be intended, had, by precaution, emptied his pock8 ets before he came from home. Towards the conclusion of the discourse, however, he felt a strong inclination to give; and he applied to a neighbor who stood near him to lend him

9 some money for the purpose. The request was fortunately made to perhaps the only man in the company who had the 10 firmness not to be affected by the preacher. His answer was, 'At any other time, Friend Hopkinton, I would lend to thee freely; for thee seems to me to be out of thy right senses.' DEFINITIONS, &c.—Who was Franklin? Define proof, reasoner, orphanhouse. Where is Savannah? Define disapprove, design, advised, project, resolute, rejected, refused, collection, pistoles, soften, club, (what other meaning has this word?) precaution, emptied, discourse, however, inclination, applied, lend, request.

SECT. CXXVII.-ANIMALS.

ANIMALS are divided into four great branches, distin1 guished by the terms Vertebrated, Molluscous, Articulated, and Radiated.

THE FIRST DIVISION includes all those animals which are provided with a backbone; and because the similar bones 2 or joints, of which it is composed, are called by anatomists vertebræ, (from a Latin word signifying to turn,) the individuals that belong to this division are called Vertebrated Animals. It is subdivided into four classes: 1. Mammalia; comprehending man, land quadrupeds, and the whale tribe; 3 that is, all animals that give suck to their young: 2. Birds of all kinds: 3. Reptiles; of which are frogs, serpents, lizards, crocodiles, alligators, tortoises, and turtles: 4. Fishes of all kinds, except the whale tribe; which belongs to the class mammalia.

4

THE SECOND DIVISION includes tribes of animals which have no bones; and because their bodies contain no hard parts, they are called Molluscous Animals, from a Latin 5 word signifying soft. With a few exceptions, they have all a hard covering or shell, to which they are either attached, or in which they can enclose themselves, and be preserved from injuries to which, from their soft nature, they would 6 otherwise be constantly exposed. Apart from the few exceptions referred to, Molluscous Animals are divisible into, 1. Univalves; that is, animals armed with a shell or valve, forming one continuous piece; such as snails: 2. Bivalves; or those having two shells united by a hinge; such as oys ters: 3. Multivalves; or those having more than two shells; of which the common barnacle is an example.