Scene between Ann and her Mother.

Ann. Ma', if you have leisure' do allow me to ask what it is that causes the day' and the night.

Ma. I have leisure', my daughter', and will answer you cheerfully. The light of the Sun, or rather the Sun's outer sky', as the great Dr. Herschel observes', makes the day', and the shadow of the earth', makes the night`.

Ann. How can all that be`, mamma? I dont understand`;will you be so good as to explain"?

Ma. The sun is a vast globe', much less dense than our earth, but nearly a million and a half times larger'. He is undoubtedly the abode of beings formed by the same power, that made us', and fitted to walk about on his surface and breathe his air', the same as we do upon the earth': /

Ann. Why, ma! how you surprise me! I always thought the sun was a great ball of fire!

Ma. That opinion was not questioned until within a few years', but the greatest astronomers of the present day', believe him to be a habitable globe like our earth`. That he has two skies-an inner and an outer`, and that his situation is near the centre of these, and the orbits of the comets and planets which revolve around him?

Ann. But, ma', what do you suppose can be the use of the two skies?

Ma. The outer sky is supposed to be formed of pure crystaline matter, of the most dazzling lustre', too bright for the human eye; and that the white and sparkling rays of light which constantly pour from this pallucid heaven', and which spread throughout unmeasured space', fall upon the body of air which surrounds our globe', and furnishes us with the light of day. At the same time, the action of the rays upon the matter which composes our atmosphere', generates the warmth which we refer to the sun`.

Ann. But', ma', this is all new and entirely different from what I have read in the little books which you have given me`. I should imagine that bright, beautiful sky of which you speak would destroy the people that live on the sun`.

Ma. The inner sky', which is supposed to be composed of very dense aqueous vapour', shields them from the intense light and heat which proceeds from the exterior curtain', and', at the same time', so modifies and harmonises the elements of the inner covering as to render the sun the most blissful region in all the solar worlds`:-the seasons are unchangeable', and the day, eternal.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES IN DUODECIMALS.

LESSON 23.

(1) What are the contents of a ceiling 10ft. 4in. 5′′ lon and 7ft. 8in. 6" high? Ans. 79ft. 11in. 0" 6" 6. (2) Find the square ft. in a board 17ft. 7in. long, and 1ft. 5in. wide? Ans. 24ft. 4in. 11". (3) How many feet will 1000 shingles lay, cach 2ft. 5in. 7" 2" long, and 5in. 3" 6' 5′′

wide?

Ans. 1088ft. 2in. 8" 3" 3"!!!. (4) What are the solid contents of a stick of timber 12ft. 10in.

long, lft. 7in. wide, and 1 ft. 9in. high or thick?

Ans. 35ft. 6in. 8' 6".

~(5) A bought a load of wood 9ft. 6in. long, 3ft. 4in. wide, and 3ft. 7in. high: what were its contents?

--

Ans. 113ft. 5in. 8".

(6) How many feet of plastering are there in a room 20ft. long, 14 1-2 wide, and 10 1-3 high, deducting one fire-place 2ft. by 2 1-3, two windows, each 6ft. by 2 2-12?

Ans. 1973ft.

OBS. The terms in circular moti on called excessimals, as well as those of sterling money, and in fact of any compound terms, may be multiplied into each other, by observing to carry in each case for the appropriate number.

(7) Suppose Washington to lie west of Utica 2° 12′:—what is the difference of time between the two places?

29 12 0 0!!!

3' 59" 20" The time in which the sun passes

Ans. Oh 8′ 46′′ 32′′ 0 0 0 (8) Two places lie 31° 27′ 30′′ apart in longitude, and the sun in a solar day, passes through one degree in 4 minutes: what is the difference in the time of noon at the two places? Ans. 2h. 5′ 50′′

REMARKS, &c.-LESSON 24.

CONTENTMENT.

1 Contentment implies that tranquil state of the mind into which the agitations of anxiety and disappointment do not obtrude. Its prominent characteristics are peace within and without;--serenity of temper, calmness of deportment, an unfurrowed face, and an unruffled life:--And its conseqences are a perfect reconciliation with the allotments of Providence, and the government of the world; and the constant possession of an unshaken confidence that the Creator of the universe does all things well

2 The great aim of almost all human efforts is the attainment of this happy state of mind; and the reason why so few possess it, is because a few only conduct their efforts aright. By far the greatest half acquire, by some untoward means, a restlessness of spirit which knows no tranquility, and which, when successful in the accomplishment of all that was thought

K2

་

necessary to secure the prize, sees some defect, or feels some want, which soon becomes a new object, in the pursuit of which all the powers of the body and the mind are again enlisted.

3 Philosophers assure us that contentment is within the reach of every one;-and yet the life of man presents little else than a scene of conflicts::—a succession of hopes and fears, of expectations and disappointments. Content is sel

dom found in the abode of extreme poverty, or in the ranks of excessive wealth. It is a stranger to ambition, and enters not the palaces of power, and domes of state. If found at all, it is with him, who, secure in the middle ranks of life, enjoys a competency of temporal good, and, with a heart of gratitude and pious resignation, adopts, in every dispensation, the sacred and appropriate language of his Master:-Thy will be done.

4 But too many labour with great care to create trifles, which, in the end, create their discontent,-and, while surrounded with wealth, with power, with health, and with every ingredient that mixes in the cup of comfort, they exclaim in the spirit of Haman, "Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

thought ful nessthâwt'fu l-nes tour-na-ment tôr'nã-mẽnt

scru-tin-ize

skró'tin-ize

sooth-say-er

sooth'sa-ar

sal-ter-y sâl'tur-ē

LESSON 26.

Scene between Ann and her Mamma.

Ann. I do not understand', Ma'. how the shade of the earth causes the night'.

Ma. The earth', you know', is round like a ball`; and rays of light, coming from one point and falling on a ball', can enlighten only one half of it at a time'; while the other half remains in the shade behind the lighted half`.

Ann. Ma'. I now understand it;-that half of the earth next to the sun or the sun's bright sky', receives the rays of light and we call it day`; while the opposite half is in the shade, and we call it night. But then why do we have a season of day and then a season of night, alternately?

Ma. Because the earth is constantly turning from west to east, round a centre called its axis', making a revolution once in every twenty-four hours'; and the sun and the sun's bright sky', are at comparative rest;-therefore', every part of the earth's surface is turned successively to the rays of light';consequently', there is, in every place, a portion of day', succeeded by nearly an equal portion of night`.

Ann. Now, Ma'. I believe I comprehend you'; do let me try to explain my views of it'.-Suppose the candle to be the sun', and this golden pippin the earth'; now', if we bold the pippin near the candle and turn it all the time one way', we shall then see that about one half the surface of the pippin is lighted', while the other half is dark'; and that all the surface is successively turned to the candle',

Ma. You give a very good representation of the subject', my daughter;-you may go on and observe, that', at the top of the pippin', which you may call east', there is a kind of boundary line through which the dark parts pass into light`;this is the morning line'. At the bottom of the apple', you will find another line', of the same kind', through which the lighted parts pass into the dark`;-this you may call west`, for it represents the evening line. That part of the pippin which comes nearest the candle, marks the noon line', while that which is most remote', is the midnight line\

I am

Ann. Ma'. I see through the whole of it now', and I greatly pleased with the knowledge I have gained. I wish brother George was here to share it with me.

Ma. A little reflection', my daughter, will enable you to observe', that', at the morning line the inhabitants of the