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legislation. It must be adapted to awaken, and concentrate, and give effect to the energies of the community. And what cannot Vermont accomplish in this matter if she shall undertake? and what motives to undertake, and to persevere, can be compared with those which are connected with the vast results of the mental and moral training of her children."

NEW ORLEANS.

tions of the first child will render the practical knowledge of the second easy of attainment at any time.

In some of the schools, dictionary lessons are exacted. A column or less of words is given out to be spelled and defined. Many excellent and experienced teachers consider this practice useful. I do not so consider it. It appears to me that the time consumed is worth more to the pupil and teacher than the advantage gained. It

Superintendency of Public Instruction, of the is very doubtful, if one, after defining from First Municipality.

memory every word in Walker's Dictionary, beginning with "Abacus-the uppermost member of a column," and ending a long and tedious journey through a world of words with "Zoophorus

T. SAWYER, Superintendent. In former numbers of the Journal, we have given mere extracts from the reports of the Su--the member between the architrave and the perintendent (Mr. Shaw) of the Second Municipality, and expressed our gratification at the establishment of its admirable system of common schools. We have now the pleasure of report ing a similar movement, and promising similar results, in the First Municipality, the French quarter of the City.

cornice," can be said to have been really benefited. Few minds, I am confident, could stand such a weight of verbiage. Nothing short of the indomitable energy and perseverance of Bunthe innumerable sloughs of despond that enyan's Pilgrim could bear them triumphantly over counter them at every stage of their progress. If such words as Absonous, Accroach, Balneation, Bellipotent, Castrametation, Counterscarp, Dealbation, Elumbated, Facinorousness, Gymnospermous, Hederaceous, Immarcessible, Scam

their

From what we have heard of Mr. Sawyer, as Superintendent of the District Schools of Michi-moniate, Tralineate, Xerocollyrium, Zetetick, gan, we can congratulate the promoters of this movement, in securing the services of an officer so able and devoted to these important duties. We regret that we can give but few extracts from his excellent report.

"There is a tendency, in some teachers, to advance their pupils too rapidly; to aim rather at extensive than at thorough instruction. This is a fatal error, immediately detrimental to the pupil, and sooner or later, as results show themselves, to the teacher.-Education seeks to develop the mind; and development, like the germination of seeds, is imperceptibly slow. It can only be appreciated, at long intervals, in its effects. To develop the mind, is to give it the power to think, or rather to evolve, as by a new creation, the intellectual and moral capacities given to it by God. Ideas, and the self-motive faculty of producing and re-producing them, not words or the mere accumulation of facts, are what the mind The greatest knowledge does not necessarily imply the highest education. That person," says one, "is not the best educated, who has learned the most, but he who knows best how to learn."

wants.

&c., &c., were to constitute the mile-stones on fore passing a hundredth part of them. The true way, they would sink down in despair beway to learn the precise import of words is in reading and other exercises. The context generally determines their sense. In the dictionary, their meaning is not always apparent from their defi. nitions. Very often the definition itself wants defining. Yet is the dictionary useful. It is absolutely necessary in school as a book of frequent reference. The learner, in pronouncing and defining the words of his lesson, may receive material aid from it. And if all teachers will impress upon their pupils the necessity of studying every reading lesson as carefully as they study their arithmetic, history and other lessons, passing no word, sentence, paragraph or chapter, without understanding and being able to explain it, column lessons in a Dictionary will cease to be considered essential to acquisition in language.

In some schools, I have observed want of animation in the pupils during recitations. Dullness is certainly not a characteristic of childhood. One out of a number may perhaps be stupid by nature; but a whole class cannot be the fault Teachers should rather strive to keep their is oftener with the teacher than with the pupil. pupils back, than to spirit them forwaad; at all Children can easily be made to take deep interest events it is their duty to see that every chapter in the subject matter of their lessons, and the read or recited is understood. No child should be teacher's first study should be how to excite and allowed to leave the primer, for instance, until the sustain it. A distinguished educator, speaking ideas, there presented in simple language, shall of schools abroad, says he has seen "classes have become its own. So of the other reading kept for two hours in succession in a state of books. A sentence, fully comprehended, will do mental activity, with nothing more than an althe pupil infinitely more good, than a book par- ternation of subjects during the time, cr perhaps tially understood. So of arithmetic. A child the relaxation of singing and at the end of the that can answer readily any question in the oral recitation, both teacher and pupil would glow part of Emerson, giving the way and the wherewith heat, and be covered with perspiration, as fore of each result, even if he cannot cipher out, according to rule, a sum in simple division or repeat the simplest table of compound numbers, is better educated than one that can cipher through the 3d book, but only refer to the printed rule as his guide in every case. The mental acquisi

though they had been contending in the race or
the ring.'
." "The moment an eye wanders," he
continues, "or a countenance becomes listless, it
is roused by a special appeal; and the contagion
of the excitement is so great as to operate upon
every mind and frame that is not an absolute non-

conductor to life." It is a fact, too, that in Scotland, Prussia and some other countries, this power over the attention of a class is the first test of a teacher's qualifications.

FREDERICK WILLIAM, III., KING OF PRUSSIA.

WE take the following from a late work of Bishop Eylert, entitled "Characteristic Traits and Historical Fragments from the Life of the King of Prussia, Frederick William III." It will be recollected that it was under the auspices of this truly great and enlightened monarch, that the existing Prussian school system was matured and brought to its present state of excellence and superiority. Those who can find nothing in that system but despotism, sectarianism and aristocracy, will do well to ponder upon the compre. hensive and noble views upon which it was moulded, as given in the language of its roya and distinguished patron.

"Deceived and fearfully mistaken are those who deem that the study of the arts and sciences, alone, can make man happy. Cultivate, smooth and polish, render agreeable, it may, indeed; but that which would render the heart pure and sincere, firm and faithful, must have another origin.

Intellectual cultivation, without moral improvement, poisons the human community, the more the former waxes and the latter decreases. Where there is no faith, there is also no truth and no honesty. "With respect to the louder and ever louder demands of the spirit of the age for the education of the people, by means of improvement in the schools, I find myself in a somewhat pain. ful position, which has often caused me much anxiety. Undoubtedly, national education is the basis upon which national prosperity must

rest.

more quiet and contented, the more serviceable
and useful will he be. The perfectibility of the
human nature, its constant power of improve-
ment is also its most noble faculty, and gives the
clearest proof that it has come from God him.
self, and when attracted to Him, will and should
return again to the centre of all goodness. Every
thing that can be called an advance in this respect,
I have ever welcomed and aided with lively sym-
pathy, and ever will aid and forward with the
most ready assistance as long as I live and rule.
In this respect too much or enough can never be
done in or by means of either schools or churches.
Here to awaken, to excite and to advance, as
often and wherever this can be done, is indeed
praiseworthy. All schoolmen and clergymen
who have performed aught in this sphere, I
therefore cherish and mark by my special favor.
The spread of cultivation and intelligence,
in all directions through national schools, is not
to be blamed; but this must not be the highest,
the utmost goal: after all, the great, nay the
calling, his character and his being.
only point to secure, is true excellence in a man's

"If I do not see the fruits of the people's edu-
cation, I cannot feel any great confidence in it.
But the fault does not lie in the schools only;
it lies also elsewhere. It is not true, at least not
is the barbarism and ignorance of the people.
exclusively so, that, as some say, the real cause
Instruct and educate that people, awake in them
they will then of themselves, become better."
a sense of honor, let men be made happy, and

[From Wyse's work on Educational Reform.] CULTURE OF THE IMAGINATION.

THE education of the Imagination is intended to assist in the formation of the other facultiesAt the same time its to make us happy men. With an imagination which, instead of our being utility depends immediately on its regulation. its master, has become ours, we are constantly exposed to folly or unhappiness. Like fire, it is an admirable servant, but a tyrannical master. It should not possess us, but we should possess it. Within these limits a greater intellectual gift can hardly be bestowed on the weary pilgrim of this earth. Heaven knows, the Ideal, with all its gracious fantasies of joy and sorrow, flies from us but too soon; "too soon we lose, advances of our Prussian lands in this respect. one after the other, the morning companions of But very recently a curious statistical parallel our journey; good fortune passes, light-footed, amused me much, from which I learned that in unsatisfied; but the sunny gleam of Truth is away. Thirst of knowledge, indeed, remains my country, as compared with others, the great-lost in the darkness of doubt. Love, with all est number of children received instruction, whilst on the other hand, there were still territo ries in Europe, in which no schools whatever

A neglected, half-savage, ignorant people, cannot be good, and therefore cannot be happy. I have, therefore, yielded to the ge neral cry in this respect, and gladly granted and allotted as much as possible, and as the administration of the state finances permitted. With pleasure, too, I hear the many praises of the

could be found.

"My opinion is this. Every human being, without exception, in every rank, has, as man, a twofold destination, one for heaven and eternity, the other for this earth and his earthly calling. Considered as an immortal being, there may be no boundaries to his moral cultivation: the course opened before him is endless, and ceaselessly should he strive to become better and better, that is, ever more pleasing to God, and more similar in unity of spirit to his blessed Lord and Saviour. Never could he be so good that he could not become better. And the more moral and truly noble he is, and ever waxes, the

her gentle gifts, follows in the train of the brief
spring; and high ambition, and all the large
hopes and fond aspirations which we once formed
the dreary heart." We touch at last the cold re-
for our country and our kind, die gradually in
ality; we see

"The holy crown of fame
Profaned by vulgar brows,"

And sink down the vale of life after our weary
chase and wasted hour," with little more than a
pale glimmering of hope to light us the remain-
der of our way.

All that can still nourish the heart in the

midst of this barrenness; which can keep up the fresh fountains of youth in our withering existence; which can bring even a portion of

gression-no certain success. Nations, like individuals, will sit down and fall asleep.

ment?

What more beautiful than all its depths spread out, star-illumined, like those of the midnight heavens above us, with pure affections and bright thoughts? How doubly beautiful and how doubly admirable is all this, in the perfect purity of youth, before the mist of this lower world hath yet come upon it! What a task, full of sacred and inspiriting consolations, for a true teacher? What an education that, which proenjoyment and mastery of these wonders-the perfect possession of itself!"

LANGUAGE OF ANIMALS.

its life into our life; and not permit the world, worldly as it is, to be wholly desecrated to our sense-whatever can do this is a great and good "Such is the utility of æsthetics-of their gift to any human being, and at no time, and in beauty need I speak? What is more wonderful, few countries, greater or better than in our own. amongst all the marvels of this glorious world, It is not persiflage, with all its levity, nor phi-than a human soul in the fulness of its develop losophism, with all its errors, which has so materialized us; but the love and worship of gold, a common-place, mercantile ambition, vulgar means and pairty ends. The elevated, the true, the pure, the constant, have ceased from our public morality-they are words of reproach, deeds of folly, the knight-errantry of a by-gone age, the romance of a patriotism which can exist no more. We have got indeed, in return, political tact, and financial common sense; the medi-poses to give to this wonderful being the entire ocrity and dexterity and utter selfishness, and all the little vices of little men; patriotism that traffics; "pride that licks the dust;" firmness indomitable on paper; governments just, through force or fear; and nations that rant of liberty to the music of their chains. Let us then cling to whatever God has planted in us of spiritual-to whatever may still linger with us of the frankness and freshness of our first nature-of the devotedness and the true-heartedness of youth. These are the regenerators which we want. imaginations or realities-wisdom or follythey at least raise us and keep us above the sordid and the vile; they give us another conscience besides expediency, and a nobler glory than suc cessful chicane. We have had enough of the material and the gross-enough of earth; it is time that a higher and purer spirit, somewhat more allied to soul, somewhat less to sense, should be allowed to breathe upon us, as in the olden time; and if it cannot purge us from this dross, to preserve at least from such contagion, that young and yet untainted generation which is destined so soon to take our place.

A young lady who resides in the country, has her chamber in the third story of a lofty house at no great distance from an extensive wood or park. The windows are furnished with Venetian shutters, leaving a space of about six inches between them and the glass sashes. Early in the last winter the lady observed that a beautiful squirrel had sought this refuge from the season, and snugly located himself there. She gave the little creature a kind and hospitable welcome, feeding him plentifully with nuts, and other dainties, and leaving him at liberty to go to his wood, and return at his pleasure, which he did daily. After a short time he brought a companion to share the comfort and luxury of his habitation, and went on increasing their number till the colony amounted to nine or ten more, who were furnished by their kind hostess with boxes for their shelter, and soft wool for their bedding, which they arranged to their taste, and used without fear, making occasional visits to the park for variety and exercise. They showed no reluctance or distrust when the window was raised for the curiosity of visitors, or to give them their food; and they seemed as conscious of safety as they were of the comfort and luxury of their living. What sort of intelligence existed between these little animals and their friends in the woods, that they could communicate to them the good quarters they had discovered, and induce them to follow to this comfortable abode? The first adventurer, who may be called the Columbus of the settlement, must have been able to inform his followers of the warm home and delicate fare prepared for them and perhaps he allured them by describing the gay and gentle spirit, and captivating charms of the fair patroness.-National Gazette.

"The Imagination should be diligently and lovingly conducted, not for its own sake only, but for the sake of all the other powers which walk with it. It has an immediate, and when so taught, a most kindly influence upon that portion of Intellectual Education known as the Esthetic-the education of sentiment-of the feelings. This portion is generally left in our public schools, even in its connection with religion, a chill and dreary blank. Yet how beautiful, how glorious might it be made! how kindling with life! how truly, how intensely, life itself! We have hearts, as well as heads; we should call into action far more energetically than we do this better portion of our nature. Education is only knowledge, without the love of moral beauty; without the sense of higher perfection to which we are constantly to tend, it is sluggish self-conceit. If it does not lead us far be yond this, it fails in its most essential quality. A young man, just entering upon the duties of It may give us palisades, to prevent us from fall-life, can commit no greater mistake than to coning over precipices; but what we want is force sider himself above his business-that such to impel us on the road. It may give us deco- branches only as are particularly pleasant are rous mediocrity-means to conceal under propri. worthy of his consideration; and that, in many eties, defects; but sobriety is not thought-nei- respects, instead of serving himself and his emther is absence of vice, virtue; nor exemption ployers, he must be served. Let such an one, from mistake, truth. If we are to look to pro- if he would win 'golden opinions,' and find gold, priety, let it be to the lofty propriety of ancient strive to be useful, by attending steadily to his excellence. Let it be dashed with something business-study order, neatness, economy, solike heart, with something we may feel to be briety and temperance, discard idleness, false soul. Without this there will be no fermenta- pride, hypocrisy, dandyism and tobacco, and be tion, either in the man or in society-no true pro- "every inch a man.”

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THE leopard of Southern Africa is known among the Cape colonists by the name of tiger: but is, in fact, the real leopard, the felis jubata of naturalists. It differs from the panther of Northren Africa in the form of its spots, in the more slender structure of its body, and in the legs not being so long in proportion to its size. In watching for his prey the leopard crouches on the ground, with his fore-paws stretched out and his head between them, his eyes rather directed upwards. His appearance in his wild state is exceedingly beautiful, his motions in the highest degree easy and graceful, and his agility in bounding among the rocks and woods quite amazing. Of this activity no person can have any idea by seeing these animals in the cages in which they are usually exhibited in Europe, humbled and tamed as they are by confinement and the damp cold of our climate.

The leopard is chiefly found in the mountain ous districts of South Africa, where he preys on such of the antelopes as he can surprise, or young baboons, and on the rock badgers on rabbits. He is very much dreaded by the Cape

farmers also, for his ravages among the flocks, and among the young foals and calves in the breeding season.

The leopard is often seen at night in the villages of the negroes on the west coast; and being considered a sacred animal, is never hunted, though children and women are not unfrequently destroyed by him. In the Cape Colony, where no such respect is paid him, he is shyer and much more in awe of man. But though in South Africa he seldom or never ventures to at tack mankind, except when driven to extremity (unless it be some poor Hottentot child now and then that he finds unguarded), yet in remote places, his low, half-smothered growl is frequently heard at night, as he prowls around the cottage or the kraal, as the writer of this notice has a hundred times heard it. His purpose on such occasions is to break into the sheepfold, and in this purpose he not unfrequently succeeds, in spite of the troops of fierce watchdogs which every farmer keeps to protect his flocks.

The leopard, like the hyena, is often caught

in traps constructed of large stones and timber, but upon the same principle as a common mousetrap. When thus caught, he is usually baited with dogs, in order to train them to contend with him, and seldom dies without killing one or two of his canine antagonists. When hunted in the fields he instinctively betakes himself to a tree, if one should be within reach. In this situation it is exceedingly perilous to approach within reach of his spring; but at the same time, from his exposed position, he becomes an easy prey to the shot of the huntsman.

AFFECTION OF INSECTS FOR THEIR
YOUNG.

The dragon-fly is an inhabitant of the air, and could not exist in water; yet in this last element, which is alone adapted for her young, she ever carefully drops her egg. The larvae of the gadfly are destined to live in the stomach of the horse. How shall the parent, a two winged fly, convey them thither? By a mode truly extraordi nary. Flying round the animal, she commonly poises her body for an instant, while she glues a single egg to one of the hairs of his skin, and repeats this process until she has fixed in a similar way many hundred eggs. These, after a few days, on the application of the slightest moisture attended by warmth, hatch into little grubs. Whenever, therefore, the horse chances to lick

The South African leopard, though far inferior to the lion or Bengal tiger in strength and intrepidity, and though he usually shuns a conflict with man, is nevertheless an exceedingly active and furious animal, and when driven to desperation becomes a truly formidable antago-any part of his body to which they are attached, nist. The Cape colonists relate many instances of frightful and sometimes fatal encounters between the hunted leopard and his pursuers. The following is a specimen of these adventures. It occurred in 1822, when the present writer was in the interior of the colony, and is here given as it was related to him by an individual who knew the parties engaged in it.

EXCESS IN THE PURSUIT OF KNOW.
LEDGE.

the moisture of the tongue dislodges one or more grubs, which, adhering to it by means of the saliva. are conveyed into the mouth, and thence find their way into the stomach. But here a question occurs to you. It is but a small portion of a horse's body that he can reach with his tongue-what, you ask, becomes of the eggs deposited on other parts? I will tell you how Two African farmers, returning from hunting the gad-fly avoids this dilemma; and I will then the hartebeet(antelope bubalis) roused a leopard ask you if she does not discover a provident in a mountain ravine,and immediately gave chase forethought, a depth of instinct, which almost, to him. The leopard at first endeavored to es- casts into the shade the boasted reason of man? cape by clambering up a precipice; but being She places her eggs only on those parts of the hotly pressed, and wounded by a musket-ball, skin which the horse is able to reach with his he turned upon his pursuers with that frantic tongue; nay, she confines them almost exclusiveferocity peculiar to this animal on such emergenly to the knee or shonlder, which he is sure to lick. cies, and springing on the man who had fired at What could the most refined reason, the most him, tore him from his horse to the ground, bit-precise adaptation of means to an end, do ing him at the same time on the shoulder, and more ?-Kirby and Spence's Entomology. tearing one of his cheeks severely with his claws, The other hunter seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and attempted to shoot the leopard through the head; but, whether owing to trepidation, or the fear of wounding his friend, or the quick motions of the animal, he unfortunately missed. The leopard, aban. doning his prostrate enemy, darted with redoub led fury upon his second antagonist, and so fierce and sudden was his onset, that before the boor could stab him with his hunting knife the savage beast struck him on the head with his claws, and actually tore the scalp over his eyes. In this frightful condition the hunter grappled with the leopard; and, struggling for life, they rolled together down a steep declivity. All this passed far more rapidly than it can be described in words. Before the man who had been first attacked could start to his feet and seize his gun, they were rolling one over the other down the bank. In a minute or two he had reloaded his gun, and rushed forward to save the life of his friend. But it was too late. The leopard had seized the unfortunate man by the throat, and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevi INFLUENCE OF DOMESTIC HABITS. table; and his comrade (himself severely wound. The man who lives in the midst of domestic ed) had only the melencholy satisfaction of com-relations will have many opportunities of con pleting the distruction of the savage beast, already exhausted with the loss of blood from several deep wounds by the desperate knife of the expiring huntsman.

When you have spoken the word, it reigns over you but while it is not yet spoken, you reign over it.

The principal end why we are to get know. ledge here is to make use of it for the benefit of ourselves and others in this world; but if by gaining it we destroy our health, we labour for a thing that will be useless in our hands, and if by harassing our bodies (though with a design to render ourselves more useful), we deprive ourselves of the abilities and opportunities of doing that good we might have done with a meaner talent, which God thought sufficient for us, by having denied us the strength to improve it to that pitch, which men of stronger constitutions can attain to, we rob God of so much service, and our neighbour of all that help, which, in a state of health, with moderate knowledge, we might have been able to perform. He that sinks his vessel by overloading it, though it be with gold and silver and precious stones, will but give his owner but an ill account of his voyage.--Locke.

ferring pleasure, minute in detail, yet no trivial in the amount, without interfering with the purposes of general benevolence. Nay, by kind. ling his sensibility, and harmonising his soul, they may be expected, if he is endowed with a liberal and manly spirit, to render him more prompt in the service of strangers and the pubLic.-Godwin's Preface to St. Leon.

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