Give us, O thou Parent of all knowledge, a love of learning, and a taste for the pure and sublime pleasures of the understanding. Improve our our apprehension, and grant that we may lay up such a memory, quicken store of learning, as may fit us for the station to which it shall please thee to call us, and enable us to make great advances in virtue and religion, and shine as lights in the world, by the influence of a good example. and Give us grace to be diligent in our studies, and that whatever we read we may strongly mark, inwardly digest it. Bless our parents, guardians and instructors; and grant that we may make them the best return in our power, for giving us opportunities of improvement, and for all their care and attention to our welfare. They ask no return, but that we should make use of those opportunities, and co-operate with their endeavoursO grant that we may not disappoint their anxious expectations. TO A BOY JUST ENTERING ON THE Arm for the hour is drawing nigh Yet little, little dost thou know First, Pleasure's gay and lovely throng Fierce Passion's dark array. And Falsehood, bold, yet cowering foe, Strikes only in the dark. And Scepticism, wild and free, Alas! this is a fearful view, But thou, dear boy, are brave and true Yet be thou cautious, as thou'rt brave; The buckler of Integrity Throw broadly over thy breast; And be thy right-hand weapon, boy, Let kind and gentle courtesy Accoutred thus, go forth in joy, On-on-fear God, my gallant boy, A CIGAR A DAY. Two school-fellows of equal age The pocket-money each received, Whilst George was smoking his cigars, And sauntering about, With youths as idle as himself, Shutting all knowledge out, At the Mechanic's Institute, One eve, when their apprenticeship George at his friend Tom's lodgings called, An hour or two to stay. He entered smoking his cigar Ill-mannerly enough, And staring round the room he blew A most portentous puff. • From Chambers's Poems for Young People. "Why Tom!" he cried, with much surprise, "Is your old uncle dead, And left you cash to buy these books "Oh no," said Tom, "I bought these books You might the same have showed." "Why, my Havannahs only cost "Just so," said Tom, "You've only smok'd "Now reckon up three pence a day For seven long years to come, 66 A very handsome sum ! " Why that," said George, with humble look, "Full Thirty Pounds would be; How foolishly I've smoked away A handsome library!" "TEMPERANCE RECITER." THE MONKEY AT SCHOOL. A monkey, seeing some boys enter a school-house, thought they were going after something very good, and therefore he went in and sat down as they did. When they took up their books, he also picked up one, and began to turn over the leaves, as he saw them do. All the children began to laugh; and the monkey thinking this was part of the treat, bagan to grin and chatter. One boy then threw something at him, and the monkey threw it back again. Then one of the boys pulled the monkey's tail, and the monkey in return pulled the boy's hair, till the boy screamed for help. Just at this moment the teacher came in, and took off the monkey. Some of the boys cried out, "Beat him." "No," said the teacher, "he has only done what he saw you do. If you had set him a good example, he would have behaved as well as the best of you."* * From Picture Fables, Madras, |