In the market-place stood a man with a large cage, in which he had the following birds; a quail, a nightingale, a lark, a bulfinch, a pigeon, and a goldfinch. What were the names of the birds the man had?

There was also a woman with ten baskets about her; in the baskets were currants, cherries, gooseberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Another woman had baskets filled with cabbage, turnips, lettuce, spinage, celery, and onions. A third woman had ducks, geese, fowls, pigeons, and turkeys.

Little Charles had made a collection of various productions of nature: of butterflies, beetles, lady-birds, shells, snails, and stones.

On a fine day in Spring, I went into the

accommodation, can no longer retain their owners, who, at the approach of winter, pour into the metropolis, and even in the summer months wander to the sea-coast, or to some other place of fashionable resort? This unsettled

humour, in the midst of such advantages, plainly argues much inward disorder, and points out the need as well as the excellency of that discipline, which can inspire a pure taste of nature, furnish occupation in the peaceful labours of husbandry, and, what is nobler still, open the sources of moral and intellectual enjoyment.-Rural Philosophy.

garden, and saw tulips, hyacinths, primroses, auriculas, lilies, and snowdrops.

In the garden were children, one of whom repeated the following verse of a hymn taught him by his mamma.

"Lord! how thy wonders are display'd
"Where'er I turn mine eye,
"If I survey the ground I tread,
"Or gaze upon the sky!"

Another child said, "Every field is like an open book; every painted flower hath a lesson written on its leaves. They all speak of Him who made them: they all tell us He is very good."

Try now whether you can recollect and say the names of the birds, fishes, and flowers, mentioned by me before dinner.

Do you remember the articles which the women in the market-place had for sale?

Fix your attention to the following numbers, and try to repeat them in the same order as they are spoken by me:

8, 7, 5, 3, 1, 6, 4, 2, 9.

Pay attention to some words I am now going to pronounce.

Gold-beater, gold-smith, gold-finch, stonecutter, stone-fruit, stone-pit, wood-cock, woodland, wood-man, wood-pecker, wood-pigeon, &c.

Did you notice that every word I have mentioned consisted of two words, and that several words commenced in the same manner? with what words did they commence ? what smith have I mentioned? what sort of fruit? what kind of pigeon? which of those words referred to men? which to animals? which to inanimate objects? repeat those which began with gold. Those that were compounded with stone, &c.

To try their powers of observation and memory, she may ask, can you tell me in what place you have seen thorns? where mangers, ditches, bridges, oars, and anchors, &c.

Name things which have wheels fixed to them. What do you call the machine which has but one wheel? that which has two wheels? Do you know any which has three wheels? others that have four wheels? what animal has wings? what animal is covered with feathers? can you name any with horns? what animals have you seen swimming? which slowly creeping? which undermine and live

in the earth? where did you see nests? Name some sweet-smelling flowers. Mention different sorts of wood, which we burn as fuel.

Prints, with short accounts of the different trades, may advantageously form part of the children's amusement; and, as opportunities occur, they should be shown the works actually going on.

Name the instruments and tools that are used by the carpenter, the mason, the shoemaker, the smith, the gardener, the turner, the farmer, &c.

Who employs the axe? who the pruningknife? who the ell? who the saw? whom do you see working in the water? whom close to the water, &c.; who works in the depth of the earth, and who high up in the air? who works walking, who standing, who sitting, who in the forest, &c.? whom do you hear working at some distance?

Exercises of this nature should not be extended to a length, requiring, on the part of small children, a degree of attention of which they are incapable.

The first exercises of this kind are intended principally to AWAKEN the mind of the child,

and to lead him to more prolonged attention and greater observation*.

For this purpose, questions on various objects in nature are by far preferable to long protracted conversations; for they fix the attention, and inspire the child, who is naturally fond of variety, with a desire of instruction. They elicit the exertion of his thinking powers, and yet demand nothing but what he is able to perform; they expand the circle of his knowledge, and make him conscious that he knows something. Hence, the more frequently parents afford their young pupils an opportunity of recollecting what they have learned, and what they have seen, the more they increase the store of their language, and rectify it; and the more patience and indulgence they exhibit in going through these exercises, the greater will be the success of their labours.

Think of that animal which carries its house on its back of those which never walk, but

*

L'âge de raison est celui où l'on a observé; et, par conséquent, la raison viendra de bonne heure, si nous engageons les enfans à faire des observations.-Cours d'études, Condillac.