or threads, woven together into a very firm web, strong and close, yet flexible.

4. Since it is woven in this way, we see clearly that it must be full of little holes. These holes are

very small and very numerous. We can scarcely believe that there are twenty-eight hundred of them to every square inch of skin.

5. An ordinary-sized man has about twenty-five hundred square inches of skin, so that the whole number in such a person would amount to seven millions! That is more than we could count in three months, if we kept on night and day, without stopping to eat, drink, or do any thing else.

6. Each of these tiny holes, or pores, as they are called, is the end of a little tube, which runs in a slanting direction through this true skin to small glands or vessels within; and they also pierce through the outer skin. These tubes are about a quarter of an inch long, and through them a great amount of matter not needed in the body is thrown off by perspiration.

7. There is a sensible and an insensible perspiration. The sensible perspiration is the sweat which stands in drops on your face and hands when the weather is very warm, or you are working very hard.

8. But there is besides a constant process going on through these tubes, which we call insensible perspiration, because we can not see it. This process is very necessary to the health, and we may see here how important it is to keep the skin properly cleansed.

9. God has given us all a plenty of good cold water for this purpose. He who contrived the skin, and all the curious and wonderful arrangements of the body, has not forgotten to put everywhere the water which is so necessary to keep it healthy and sound.

A

THE PRECIOUS NAME.

TRAVELER on our western frontier one day entered a low-roofed cabin, in which he found but one occupant, a poor old woman. She was busy with her lonely cares, and scarcely noticed the stranger's arrival.

2. He tried to attract her attention. He began to talk. He spoke of her house, her garden, her family, and neighbors. He sympathized with her infirmities, and the troubles of old age. He asked about her manner of life, and her history, and her early home.

3. It was all in vain. His friendly words were wasted; she was deaf to them all. At last he spoke of Jesus; and that name broke the spell. She turned to him suddenly, her wrinkled face beaming with

pleasure. "Jesus!" she repeated; “do you know Jesus? he is my only friend!"

4. All other names and other thoughts had faded from her dull brain; but between the King of the universe and the poor old inmate of that hovel there was a tie of affection which no hardships of life nor infirmities of age could break.

5. That lonely creature had accepted the invitation of our Saviour, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." She had come to Christ.

The first voyage by steam was made on the Hudson River, in 1807, by Robert Fulton. The following account of it is in his own words.

T length the day arrived when the experiment

AT

was to be put into operation. To me it was a most trying and interesting occasion. I invited many friends to go on board to witness the first successful trip. Many of them did me the favor to attend as a matter of personal respect, but it was manifest that they did it with reluctance.

2. I was well aware that, in my case, there were many reasons to doubt of my own success. The machinery was new and ill-made; many parts of it were constructed by mechanics unaccustomed to such work; and unexpected difficulties might arise from

other causes.

3. The moment arrived in which the word was to be given for the vessel to move. My friends were in groups on the deck. There was anxiety mixed with fear among them. They were silent and sad. I read in their looks nothing but disaster, and almost repented of my efforts.

4. The signal was given, and the boat moved on a short distance, and then stopped and became immovable. To the silence of the preceding moment now succeeded murmurs of discontent, and whispers and shrugs. I could hear distinctly repeated, "I told you it would be so."—"It is a foolish scheme.”—“I wish we were well out of it."

5. I mounted a platform, and addressed the assembly. I stated that I knew not what was the matter; but, if they would be quiet and indulge me for a half-hour, I would either go on or abandon the voyage for that time. I went below and examined the machinery. In a short period it was set right.

She con

6. The boat was again put in motion. tinued to move on. All were still incredulous. None seemed willing to trust the evidence of their own senses. We left the fair city of New York; we passed through the romantic and ever-varying scenery of the Highlands; we descried the clustering

houses of Albany; we reached its shores; and, even then, it was doubted if it could ever be done again.

experiment, trial. operation, working. manifest, plain.

reluctance, unwillingness.

constructed, built.

incredulous, unbelieving.

disaster, misfortune.

immovable, that can not be moved.

scheme, plan.

abandon, to give up.

descry, to see at a distance.

LESSON CXXXVI.

TEMPERANCE.

From the Bible.

W1

INE is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. 2. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

3. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

4. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink,