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162

FRESH AIR ON THE SABBATH.

by these gentlemen was at first of indifferent quality, and in 3 extent is only thirty acres. Yet from this farm, with the help of four men, and occasionally men, women, and children to pick, they have supplied the New York city markets this summer with the following:

342 bushels of peas in the pod; average price 75 cents per bushel:

1,000 bushels potatoes; price 683 cents, and 500 bushels remaining yet to be dug:

40 bushels per day of tomatoes; the whole crop estimated at 1,200 bushels, at 50 cents per bushel :

4,000 poles are now thickly covered with Lima beans, periectly grown:

1,200 bushels of bush beans have been disposed of; average price 44 cents per bushel:

Corn, 3 acres: blue-top turnips, 14 acres: cabbage 14 acres; 5,000 to the acre: hay for all their stock: wheat, 75 bushels Cayenne cherry peppers, a beautiful patch; estimate 25 bushels on one-twentieth of an acre.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Commercial-Commercial Advertiser newspaper, New York city. Define statement, farmers, Bushwick, Long Island, producing, (i. e. crops,) held, (owned, or rented,) indifferent, (inferior?) quality, extent, help, occasionally, pick, following, (i. e. articles or products,) pod, average, price, dug, estimated, thickly, disposed of, (sell?). patch.

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SECT. CLXXVII.-FRESH AIR ON THE SABBATH.

Ir a house of worship is shut up at the close of the ser vices on one Sabbath, and only opened at the hour of meeting on the next, it results,

2 1. That the air within is bad. It is to a great extent the 3 same that was breathed by the people the week before. It lacks the principle of life and elasticity. Hence,

4 2. It induces drowsiness in the congregation, and renders the services comparatively barren of good:

3. Feeble persons, especially women, are led to complain that it tires them to attend meeting, and therefore spend the day at home oftener than they otherwise would:

4. The minister finds it harder work to speak; is exhausted, perhaps, before the end of his day's labors; and the next day feels Mondavish

Therefore,

A CONSISTENT SERVANT.

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5 1. The house should remain open for several hours after the close of each meeting, so as to become filled with fresh air; or if, on account of the weather, or for any other cause, this may not be done, it should be thoroughly ventilated on Monday, or the first fair day:

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2. The house should be opened for several hours on Sat7 urday. Even pure air shut up in a close room soon becomes 8 unfit for human use. There should therefore be a thorough 9 change before the Sabbath. If that cannot be done, the house should be opened at sunrise on the Sabbath; and if ventilated on Saturday, it should also be opened on the Sabbath two or three hours before the commencement of public worship.

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Country congregations are composed of persons, who, as a body, enjoy through the week the free pure air, and con11 siderable exercise. Give them a dead, infected atmosphere

to breathe, and make them sit still in it, and they feel the change, although they may not understand it.

DEFINITIONS, &c.—A house of worship—church, meeting-house, chapel. Define close, results, extent, (degree ?) breathed, lacks, the principle of life, (the principle or constituent that supports life,) elasticity, induces, (produces,) drowsiness, barren, feeble, tires, minister, exhausted, ventilated, unfit, thorough, dead, infected.

SECT. CLXXVIII.-A CONSISTENT SERVANT.

1 A VERY rich lady in Boston had in her employment a ? young man from the country. On certain occasions, he was instructed to inform any company, who might ring at the door, that "Mrs. was not at home."

3 One day John made his reply to an intimate friend of the lady, who shortly went away: leaving a card and a promise 4 to call again. As the card was handed to Mrs.

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said,

"John, what did you say to the lady ?"

"I told her you were not at home.'

"Well, John, I hope you did not laugh ?"

she

“Oh, no, ma'am," said John: "I never laugh when I tell

a lie."

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define employment, instructed, intimate, shortly, oard, handed, (delivered with the hand.)

164

AN IDEA OF FAITH IMPRESSED ON A CHILD.

SECT

CLXXIX.-AN IDEA OF FAITH IMPRESSED ON A CHILD.

1 CHILDREN are very early capable of impression. I im2 printed on my daughter the idea of faith, at a very early 3 age. She was playing one day with a few beads, which 4 seemed to delight her wonderfully. Her whole soul was 5 absorbed in her beads. I said, "My dear, you have some 6 pretty beads there'."-"Yes, papa!”—7 " And you seem to 8 be vastly pleased with them."-"Yes, papa!"-9" Well 10 now, throw them behind the fire." The tears started into her. 11 eyes. She looked earnestly at me, as though she ought to have a reason for such a cruel sacrifice. Well, my dear,

12 do as you please'; but you know I never told you to do any thing, which I did not think would be good for you'." She 13 looked at me a few moments longer, and then, summoning up all her fortitude, her breast heaving with the effort, she dashed them into the fire." Well," said I, "there let them 14 lie: you shall hear more about them another time"; but say 15 no more about them now."-Some days after I bought her

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a box full of larger beads, and toys of the same kind. When 16 I returned home, I opened the treasure and set it before her: she burst into tears with ecstasy. Those, my child," said 17 I, "are yours; because you believed me, when I told you it would be better for you to throw those two or three paltry 18 beads behind the fire. Now that has brought you this 19 treasure. But now, my dear, remember, as long as you live, 20 what FAITH is. I did all this to teach you the meaning of 21 FAITH. You threw your beads away when I bid you, be

cause you had faith in me, that I never advised you but for 22 your good. Put the same confidence in God. 23 Believe 24 every thing that he says in his word. Whether you under

stand it or not, have faith in him that he means your good." DEFINITIONS, &c.—Very early—at a very early age. Define capable, impression, imprinted, beads, wonderfully, absorbed, vastly, behind, please, summoning, fortitude, box, full, toys, paltry, ecstasy, advised.

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SECT. CLXXX.-MUSIC ADAPTED TO JOY, NOT GRIEF.

TELL me, ye bards, whose skill sublime
First charmed the ear of youthful Time,

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CYRUS IN HIS YOUTH.

With numbers wrapt in heavenly fire;
Who bade delighted Echo swell
The trembling transport of the lyre,
The murmur of the shell' ;

Why to the burst of Joy alone
Accords sweet Music's soothing tone?
Why can no bard, with magic strain,
In slumbers steep the heart of pain?
While varied tones obey your sweep,
The mild, the plaintive, and the deep,
Bends not despairing Grief to hear
Your golden lute, with ravished ear?
Oh! has your sweetest shell no power to bind
The fiercer pangs that shake the mind,
And lull the wrath, at whose command
Murder bares her gory hand?

When, flushed with joy, the rosy throng
Weave the light dance, ye swell the song !
Cease, ye vain warblers! cease to charm
The breast with other raptures warm!
Cease! till your hand with magic strain

In slumbers steep the heart of pain!

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DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define bards, skill, charmed, wrapt, bade, echo, burst, soothing, tone, magic, strain, steep, (what other meaning has this word?) varied, mild, plaintive, bends, despairing, lute, ravished, lull, flushed, rosy, warblers.

SECT. CLXXXI.-CYRUS IN HIS YOUTH.

1 SACAS, the king's cupbearer was the only person to whom he gave nothing. This officer, besides the post of cupbearer, had that likewise of introducing those who were to have audience of the king; and as he could not possibly grant that favor to Cyrus as often as he desired it, he had the misfortune to displease the prince; who took this occasion to show his resentment. Astyages testifying some concern at the neglect shown to this officer, for whom he had a 3 particular regard, and who deserved it, as he said, on account of the wonderful dexterity with which he served him, "Is that all, papa ?" replied Cyrus. "If that be sufficient 4 to merit your favor, you shall see I will quickly obtain it;

166

EPITAPH ON MRS. MASON.

Imfor I will take upon me to serve you better than he." 5 mediately Cyrus is equipped as a cupbearer; and advancing gravely with a serious countenance, a napkin upon his shoulder, and holding the cup nicely with three of his fingers, he presented it to the king with a dexterity and a grace that charmed both Astyages and Mandane. When 6 he had done, he flung himself upon his grandfather's neck, and kissing him, cried out with great joy, "O Sacas! poor Sacas! thou art undone'; I shall have thy place." Astyages embraced him with great fondness, and said, "I am mighty 7 well pleased, my dear child'; nobody can serve me with a better grace'; but you have forgotten one essential ceremony, which is that of tasting;" and indeed the cupbearer was used to pour some of the liquor into his left hand, and to taste it before he presented it to the king. "No," replied 8 Cyrus'; "it is not through forgetfulness that I omitted that 9 ceremony'.' -“Why, then," says Astyages, "for what rea10 son did you not do it ?"—" Because I apprehended there was 11 poison in the liquor."-" Poison, child! 12 How could you

think so?"-" Yes; poison, papa; for not long ago, at an 13 entertainment you gave to the lords of your court, after the guests had drunk a little of that liquor, I perceived all their heads were turned; they sung, made a noise, and talked they did not know what; you yourself seemed to have forgotten that you were king, and they that they were subjects · and when you would have danced, you could not stand upon 14 your legs. Why," says Astyages, "have you never 15 seen the same thing happen to your father ?”—“ No: 16 never," says Cyrus. How is it with him when he drinks? · 17" Why, when he has drunk, his thirst is quenched, and that's ali"

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DEFINITIONS, &c.—Cupbearer—an officer who supplied the king with wine. Define audience, (a hearing, interview,) grant, favor, misfortune, displease, prince, occasion, resentment, testifying, (showing.) concern, neglect, dexterity, equipped, napkin, nicely, flung, kissed, undone, liquor, taste, forgetfulness, omitted, ceremony, apprehended, (feared,) entæ lainment, guests, quenched.

SECT. CLXXXII.-EPITAPH ON MRS. MASON.

1 TAKE, holy earth! all that my soul holds dear:

Take that best gift which Heaven so lately gave.

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