DEMOSTHENES AGAINST THE ATHENIANS. 227 4 for should you enlarge on some virtue, which any one present may notoriously want'; or should you condemn some vice, which any of the company may be particularly addicted to'; they will be apt to think your reflections pointed and personal; and you will be sure to give offence. This consider5 ation will naturally lead you, not to suppose things said in general to be levelled at you. Low-bred people, when they happen. occasionally to be in 6 good company, imagine themselves to be the subject of every separate conversation. If any part of the company whis7 pers, it is about them; if they laugh, it is at them; and if any thing is said which they do not comprehend, they immediately suppose it is meant of them. This mistake is 8 admirably ridiculed in one of our celebrated comedies: "I am sure, says Scrub, they were talking of me, for they laughed consumedly." DEFINITIONS, &c.-What means the favorable side? Define however, caution, against, that is, modestly, clamorous, gentle, engaging, positive, permitted, notoriously, addicted, pointed and personal, levelled at. SECT. CCXLVIII. -DEMOSTHENES AGAINST THE ATHENIANS. 1 YES, Athenians, I repeat it, you yourselves are the con2 trivers of your own ruin. Lives there a man who has con3 fidence enough to deny it? Let him arise, and assign, if he can, any other cause of the success and prosperity of Philip. 4" But," you reply, "what Athens may have lost in reputation abroad, she has gained in splendor at home. Was 5 there ever a greater appearance of prosperity? a greater face of plenty? is not the city enlarged? are not the streets 6 better paved? houses repaired and beautified?" Away with such trifles! Shall I be paid with counters? an old square 7 new vamped up! a fountain! an aqueduct! are these ac quisitions to brag of? Cast your eye upon the magistrate, 8 under whos ministry you boast these precious improvements: behold the despicable creature, raised, all at once, from dirt, to opulence; from the lowest obscurity, to the 9 highest honors. Have not some of these upstarts built private houses and seats, vying with the most sumptuous of our 10 public palaces? And how have their fortunes and their 228 OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. power increased, but as the commonwealth has been ruined and impoverished! DEFINITIONS, &c.-Who were the Athenians? Define confidence, deny, success, prosperity, (in what differ these last two words?) reputation, abroad, (face-show, appearance,) vamped up, fountain, aqueduct, acquisitions, brag, magistrate, boast, (is there any difference between this word and brag ?) dirt, opulence, obscurity, vying with, sumptuous, palaces, commonwealth, impoverished. 1 SECT. CCXLXIX.-OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES, FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME John Tyler, Va., Vice-President, succeeded William .1845 ..1789 .1793 ..1797 ..1801 ...1837 Richard M. Johnson, Ky.... John Tyler; who became President, on the death of President Harrison; since which the office has been vacant...... George M. Dallas, Penn... 1841 1845 DEFINITIONS, &c.-I havo elsewhere said, and I repeat, that these columns should be read, as if the matter in them were printed in the ordinary manner, and the items separated from each other by the colon, thus: "George Washington, [who was a native of the state of] Virgima, was elected President of the United States in] 1789: George Washington [was] re-elected [in] 1793: &c., &c. I have supplied what is necessary to make out the sense: so should the pupil. 1 2 8 SECT. CCL.-PLEADING THE PROMISES BY PRAYER. FRIEND of the friendless and the faint! Did ever mourner plead with thee, That were a grief I could not bear, Take from my heart this painful load. DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define friendless, faint, lodge, (lay ?) complaint, (what is meant by a deep complaint? bitter ?) invites, helpless, poor, (miserabie?) mourner, plead, refuse, plea, word, (promise?) fixed, remain, seek, face, (presence?) grief, bear, (endure^, prayer, painful, load, (of guilt and grief?) In Sent. 1st," Invites the poor, nelpless sinner" is the proper arrange ment. In Sent. 3d, the thoughts, “O God, thou that hearest and answerest prayer, take," &c. &c. 20 230 SOME THINGS MONEY CANNOT BUY. 1 SECT. CCLI.-SOME THINGS MONEY CANNOT BUY. "MONEY, my friend: always money! 2 A few minutes ago, I was proving to you that it could purchase health and comfortable ease: now you see how it procures me an honorable appointment which I wished for: to-morrow it will 3 satisfy some new desire. You see, therefore, that the world is a great shop, where any thing is to be obtained with ready money." 4 "Has Peter sold you his dog?" inquired the schoolmaster, waiting a decided answer. Mr. Wakefield looked at him with a smile, and then slap5 ping him on the shoulder, exclaimed, "Ah! you want to 6 prove that my theory was at fault! You defied me to persuade Peter to give up Growler for his weight in gold!" "His weight in gold!" said the schoolmaster: "that 7 would be a great deal; but I know that the shepherd loves and values his dog as if he were his bosom friend." 8 "Well, this bosom friend is now in my possession!" triumphantly rejoined the farmer. 9 Allan started with surprise. 10 "Yes," continued Mr. Wakefield, "he has been mine since 11 yesterday. Peter had signed a security for his sister: yesterday the bill fell due, and the money was not forthcoming: he came himself to offer to sell me Growler." 12 13 "And the dog is here?" "Yes, chained up in the inner yard, where he has been supplied with every thing which constitutes the happiness of 14 a dog. But come and see for yourself." 15 The farmer led the way into the yard, followed by the 16 schoolmaster. They had no sooner entered it, than they saw the trencher upset, the chain broken, and the kennel 17 empty. The dog had taken advantage of the night to break his chain, and escape over the wall. 18 19 20 21 "Is it possible," exclaimed the astonished farmer, "that he has actually made his escape?" 'He has returned to his old master," observed Allan. "And what in the world has he gone in quest of down there? what could he want?" "That which you could not replied the old schoolmaster: 66 purchase with him," gently even the sight of the man CHARITY TO ORPHANS. 231 who nourished and cherished him until now! Your kennel 22 was warmer, you provision more abundant, and your chain lighter than that of Peter'; but in Peter were centred all his recollections, as well as his habits of attachment; and for the beast, as well as the man, there are some things 23 which can neither be bought nor sold. Money can purchase almost every earthly good, yet cannot purchase one which lends its value to them all: AFFECTION." "You are a wise man, my friend: do not forget the lesson 24 which chance has thus taught you: remember, henceforth, that though one may indeed purchase the dog for money, one can only acquire his faithful attachment by tenderness and care." 25 "Yes," replied the farmer thoughtfully, "I now see that there is something money cannot buy." DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define minute, (the 60th part of an hour?) purchase, health, comfortable, now, procured, honorable, (what honors?) appointment, to-morrow, satisfy, desire, world, (earth,) ready money, schoolmaster, decided answer, (direct answer,) theory, (opinion?) at fault, (wrong?) great deal, shepherd, bosom friend, (a friend from whom one does not conceal his thoughts,) triumphantly, surprise, security, (a paper giving securi ty,) in quest of, chain, habits, chance. SECT. CCLII.-CHARITY TO ORPHANS. THEY whom God has blessed with the means, and for whom he has done more, in blessing them likewise with a disposition, have abundant reason to be thankful to him, as 1 the author of every good gift, for the measure he has bestowed on them of both: it is the refuge, against the stormy wind and tempest, which he has planted in our hearts; and the constant fluctuation of every thing in this world, forces all the sons and daughters of Adam to seek shelter under it by turns. That which has happened to one, may happen to every man; and therefore that excellent rule of our Saviour, 2 in acts of charity as in every thing else, should govern us: 3 WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO UNTO YOU, Hast thou ever lain upon the bed of languishing, or labored 4 under a distemper which threatened thy life? Call to mind thy sorrowful and pensive spirit at that time, and say what 5 it was that made the thoughts of death so bitter. If thou hast children, (I affirm it,) the bitterness of death 1 |