paid to them, when their developed and disciplined minds, trained in the spirit of enquiry, shall be enabled to follow out all the truth, and perceive all the beauty which any work of genius exhibits.

This book is the proper successor of another which has been widely circulated for seven years. I have heard that the style of that was considered too infantine-I hope that the subjects of this will not be accounted too ambitious.

I have ventured to write in it concerning oriental philosophy,and the institutions of ancient Greece. My ability to elucidate these subjects may be doubted, and their application to popular use may be still more questionable. In respect to my ability-the means of my information are entirely confined to the English language; but I have not, I trust, been undiscriminating in the use of those means, and I believe they are sufficient for the scope and application of my enquiries. The Bible is the most popular book in our language, and its historical connection with certain countries of Asia and Europe, render some knowedge of the former intellectual condition of those countries, necessary to the proper illustration of the Scriptures. The conquerors of the Jews-the men who offered homage to the infant Jesus-and the people to whom Paul preached, afford the basis of all I have said in relation to the science of the East, or the philosophy of Greece and Rome. It is easy to be so far informed, and necessary that every one should be so, who would read the Bible with intelligence.

Society has not rejected my little labours heretofore, and I have renewed them in good hope that a reward once accorded, still awaits me; and that this small seed, scattered in good ground will bear fruit, some fifty, and some an hundred fold.

SEQUEL

TO THE AMERICAN

POPULAR LESSONS.

LESSON I.

WHEN we are young we are instructed in learning that we may become wise, that we may know what is right and do it; and besides the use of our knowledge to make us good, it is designed to make us happy, to furnish an agreeable employment for the mind when we are not occupied in mere labour of the body.

2. The most interesting part of our knowledge is what concerns our own species, what men have done every where since the beginning of the world. Accounts of the conduct and manners of men are called History.

3. A young person who would instruct himself in the knowledge of history must take a map of the world and find the countries which at different times have been distinguished for knowledge and power. Power, in history, significs the authority which the king, or army, or civil government of a nation obtains over the inhabitants and territory of any part of the world. This is political power.

4. The countries where the most memoravie events have happened are the following, Palestine, Egypt, Phoenicia, Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome in ancient times, and different parts of Europe and America in modern times. In this book, by ancient times, is meant those ages of the world which existed before the birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour, and by modern times, the years that have elapsed since the year 800.

5 Palestine is a small country the boundaries of which are not very well known* but it is in Asiatic Turkey, and lies at the head of the Mediterranean. A part of this coast of the Mediterranean comprehended Phoenicia. Egypt is in Africa, and connected to the country of Palestine by the Isthmus of Suez. Assyria lay north of the Persian gulf, and ancient Persia was probably the country which is seen upon modern maps under that name. Greece was the southern part of European Turkey. Rome is a city of Italy on the Tiber; this city was the beginning of a great empire which in the time of our Saviour included all the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea.

* Dr Clarke.

LESSON II.

Definitions of Historical Terms.

History, is a written account of what men have done in any country.

Ancient History, is the history of events which happened in the world before the birth of Christ. Modern History, is the history of what has happened in the world for about one thousand years last past.

Civil or political History, is the history of wars, treaties, kingdoms and states.

Ecclesiastical History, is the history of religion and the church.

Sacred History, is that contained in the Bible. Profane History, is that which is not contained in the Bible.

Fabulous History, is that which was related from one person to another before writing was invented and which is only true in part.

Different countries have different forms of government. The government of a king or emperor alone, without any laws to regulate him, except his own conscience and will, is a DESPOTISM. This form of government is generally adopted by very ignorant people, who have no written laws, nor learning enough to read those of other nations, nor wisdom to compose any for themselves. The Turks and Russians at the present time have such a government.

A limited monarchy is that of a king who is himself instructed by the laws how he shall go

vern, and who, if he does not govern himself by the laws, is tried by them; he is also assisted in his government by persons chosen out of the whole nation, called representatives of the people, and he makes war and peace with the consent of the nation. The government of Great Britain at this time is a limited monarchy.

A king's prerogative is his right to do, or refuse to do certain things according to his own will.

A republic is the government of a number of persons chosen by the men of the nation to regulate publick affairs according to the laws, or to amend the laws, and make new ones if necessary. The government of the United States is of this class. A republick is also called an elective government, because its officers are elected, or chosen.

When there are only a few people in a country, when they do not buy and sell among other nations, but cultivate the fields, and exchange what they have, or make, among one another, the younger consult the old people and follow their direction. This is a patriarchal government, and now perhaps can only be found among small tribes of people in Africa and Asia, but the history of Abraham and Lot affords examples of it in ancient times.

A military government is that of a great officer at the head of a large army. Having soldiers at his command he can at any time make men obedient through fear for their property and lives.

Hierarchy, is the government of a priest or religious ruler, the Pope's government in Italy is a hierarchy.