and judgment in making those pauses which the sense of the sentence dictates, but which are not noted in the book; and the sooner the pupil is taught to make them, with proper discrimination, the surer and the more rapid will be his progress in the art of reading.]

151. While they were at their silent meal a horseman came galloping to the door, and, with a loud voice, called out that he had been sent express with a letter to Gilbert Ainslee.

152. The golden head that was wont to rise at that part of the table, was now wanting.

153. For even though absent from school I shall get the lesson.

153. For even though dead will I control the trophies of the capital.

154. It is now two hundred years since attempts have been made to civilize the North American savage.

155. Doing well has something more in it than the fulfilling of a duty.

156. You will expect me to say something of the lonely records of the former races that inhabited this country.

157. There is no virtue without a characteristic beauty to make it peculiarly loved by the good, and to make the bad ashamed of their neglect of it.

158. A sacrifice was never yet offered to a principle, that was not made up to us by self-approval, and the consideration of what our degradation would have been had we done otherwise.

159. The following story has been handed down by family tradition for more than a century.

160. The succession and contrast of the seasons give scope to that care and foresight, diligence and industry, which are essential to the dignity and enjoyment of human beings, whose happiness is connected with the exertion of their faculties.

161. A lion of the largest size measures from eight to nine feet from the muzzle to the origin of the tail, which last is of itself about four feet long. The height of the larger specimens is four or five feet.

162. The following anecdote will show with what obstinate perseverance pack horses have been known to preserve the line of their order.

163. Good morning to you, Charles! Whose book is that which you have under your arm?

163. A benison upon thee, gentle huntsman! Whose towers are these that overlook the wood?

164. The incidents of the last few days have been such as will probably never again be witnessed by the people of Spain, and such as were never before witnessed by any nation under heaven.

165. Never before were so many opposing interests, passions, and principles, committed to such a decision. On the one side an attachment to the ancient order of things, on the other a passionate desire of change; a wish in some to perpetuate, in others to destroy every thing.

LESSON XI.

THE SEMICOLON.

The Semicolon is made by a comma placed under a period, thus

When you come to a semicolon, you must generally make a pause twice as long as you would make at a comma.

Sometimes you must use the falling inflection of the voice when you come to a semicolon, and sometimes you must keep your voice suspended, as you were directed in the ninth lesson. The general rule when you come to a semicolon is, to stop just long enough to count two.

When you come to a semicolon in this lesson you must keep your voice suspended; as you were directed in the ninth lesson.

EXAMPLES.

166. That God whom you see me daily worship; whom I daily call upon to bless both you and me, and all mankind; whose wondrous acts are recorded in those Scriptures which you constantly read; that God who created the heaven and the earth is your Father and Friend.

167. My son, as you have been used to look to me in all your actions, and have been afraid to do any thing unless you first knew my will; so let it now be a rule of your life to look up to God in all your actions.

168. If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; if his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my

sheep; if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate; then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. 169. The stranger did not lodge in the street; but I opened my doors to the traveller.

170. If my land cry against me, or the furrows thereof complain; if I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life; let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockles instead of barley.

171. When the fair moon, refulgent lamp of night, o'er heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light; when not a breath disturbs the deep serene, and not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene; around her throne the vivid planets roll, and stars unnumbered gild the glowing pole; o'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed, and tip with silver every mountain's head; then shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise, a flood of glory bursts from all the skies; the conscious swains rejoicing in the sight, eye the blue vault, and bless the useful light.

172. When the battle was ended, the stranger disappeared; and no person knew whence he had come, or whither he had gone.

173. The relief was so timely, so sudden, so unexpected, and so providential; the appearance and the retreat of him who furnished it were so unaccountable; his person was so dignified and commanding; his resolution so superior, and his interference so decisive, that the inhabitants believed him to be an angel, sent by heaven for their preservation.

LESSON XII.

Sometimes you must use the falling inflection of the voice when you come to a semicolon, as in the following

EXAMPLES.

174. Let your dress be sober, clean, and modest; not to set off the beauty of your person, but to declare the sobriety of your mind; that your outward garb may resemble the inward plainness and simplicity of your heart.

175. In meat and drink observe the rules of christian temperance and sobriety; consider your body only as the

servant and minister of your soul; and only so nourish it as it may best perform an humble and obedient service.

176. Condescend to all the weakness and infirmities of your fellow-creatures; cover their frailties; love their excellencies; encourage their virtues; relieve their wants; rejoice in their prosperity; compassionate their distress; receive their friendship; overlook their unkindness; forgive their malice; be a servant of servants; and condescend to do the lowest offices for the lowest of mankind.

177. Struck with the sight of so fine a tree, he hastened to his own, hoping to find as large a crop upon it; but to his great surprise, he saw scarcely any thing, except branches, covered with moss, and a few yellow leaves.

178. In sleep's serene oblivion laid, I've safely passed the silent night; again I see the breaking shade, again behold the morning light.

179. New-born, I bless the waking hour; once more, with awe, rejoice to be; my conscious soul resumes her power, and soars, my guardian God, to thee.

180. That deeper shade shall break away; that deeper sleep shall leave mine eyes; thy light shall give eternal day; thy love, the rapture of the skies.

181. In the sight of our law the African slave-trader is a pirate and a felon; and in the sight of heaven, an offender far beyond the ordinary depth of human guilt.

182. Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose; the spectacles set them unhappily wrong; the point in dispute was, as all the world knows, to which the said spectacles ought to belong.

183. What hope of liberty is there remaining, if whatever is their pleasure it is lawful for them to do; if what is lawful for them to do, they are able to do; if what they are able to do, they dare do; if what they dare do, they really execute; and if what they execute, is no way offensive to you?

184. Mercury, I won't go in a boat with that fellow. He has murdered his countryman; he has murdered his friend; I say I won't go in a boat with that fellow, I will swim over the river; I can swim like a duck.

185. It is not the use of the innocent amusements of life which is dangerous, but the abuse of them; it is not when they are occasionally, but when they are constantly pursued; when the love of amusement degenerates into a

passion; and when from being an occasional indulgence it becomes an habitual desire.

186. The prevailing colour of the body of a tiger is a deep tawny, or orange yellow; the face, throat, and lower part of the belly are nearly white; and the whole is traversed by numerous long black stripes.

187. The horse, next to the Hottentot, is the favourite prey of the lion; and the elephant and camel are both. highly relished; while the sheep, owing, probably, to its woolly fleece, is seldom molested.

188. The lion, with his strong teeth, breaks large bones with the greatest ease; and he often swallows their fragments along with the flesh.

189. The horse is quick-sighted; he can see things in the night which his rider cannot perceive; but, when it is too dark for his sight, his sense of smelling is his guide.

190. In summer, horses in the country feed on grass, or on grass and oats; in winter they eat oats, corn, and hay. When grazing in the pasture, they always choose the shortest grass, because it is the sweetest; and, as they have cutting teeth in both their jaws, they can eat very near the ground.

LESSON XIII.

The semicolon is sometimes used for a question, and sometimes as an exclamation.

EXAMPLES.

192. Hast thou not set at defiance my authority; violated the public peace, and passed thy life in injuring the persons and properties of thy fellow-subjects?

193. Oh it was impious; it was unmanly; it was poor and pitiful!

194. Have not you, too, gone about the earth like an evil genius; blasting the fair fruits of peace and industry!; plundering, ravaging, killing, without law, without justice, merely to gratify an insatiable lust for dominion?

195. Art not thou, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind; a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?

196. Has Mercury struck thee with his enfeebling rod;