147 148 149 1.52 157 158 160 EMANUEL, COUNT DE FELLENBERG.-Born 1874. DIED 1846, ETAS 72 YEARS. No. IV. The great educational establishment of M. de Fellenberg at Hofwyl, in the canton of Berne, has attracted more attention, and exerted a wider influence, than any one institution in Europe or America, during the present century. It originated in motives of patriotism and benevolence, about the year 1805, and was sustained for forty years by personal efforts and pecuniary sacrifices on the part of its founder, which have never been equalled among men of his wealth, and social position. Born to every advantage of education which wealth and rank could secure, advanced early to positions of trust and influence in public life, enjoying extensive opportunities of observation by travel in the most refined nations, thrown by the political convulsions of his country and of Europe, from 1790 to 1805, much among the people and their rulers, De Fellenberg became convinced that improvement in early education was the only resource for the permanent strength and elevation of the state of his own and other countries. To this object, at the age of thirtyone, he consecrated himself and his fortune. Being possessed of ample means, he resolved to form on his own estate, and on an independent basis, a model institution, in which it should be proved what education could accomplish for the benefit of humanity. Out of this determination arose the Institution at Hofwyl. He commenced with two or three boys from abroad, with his own children, in his own house; and from time to time received others, but never more than two or three new pupils at once, that they might fall insensibly into the habits of the school, without producing any effect upon its general state. In 1807, the firet building was erected for the "Literary Institution," and the number of pupils increased to eighty, mostly from patrician families. During this year he projected an institution for indigent children, and employed Vehrli, the son of a schoolmaster of Thurgovia, in the execution of the plan, after training him in his own family. The farm-house of the establishment was assigned for this school, and here Vehrli received the pupils taken from among the poorest families in the neighbourhood. He left the table of M. de Fellenberg, and shared their straw beds and vegetable diet, because their fellow-labourer on the farm, and companion in hours of relaxation, as well as their teacher, and thus laid the foundation of the "Agricultural Institution," or "Poor School," in 1808. The principles on which this school was established, were to employ agriculture as the means of moral education for the poor, and to make their labours the means of defraying the expense of their education. In this institution, Vehrli attained that practical knowledge of teaching, which fitted him for his higher work in the Normal School at Kruitzlingen. sors. About the same time, a school of "Theoretical and Practical Agriculture" for all classes, was formed and provided with profesTo this school several hundred students resorted annually. In the same year, Fellenberg commenced the formation of a Normal School, or seminary for teachers, at his own expense, inviting one of the most distinguished educators of the day to conduct it. Fortytwo teachers, of the canton of Berne, came together the first year and received a course of instruction in the art of teaching. So great was the zeal inspired by the liberality of Fellenberg, and the course of instruction, that the teachers were content to prolong their stay beyond their first intention, and to lodge in tents, in lack of other accommodations on the premises. Owing to some jealousy and low party intrigue, the government of Berne interfered with his plan of bringing the teachers of the canton annually together for a similar course, and henceforth the benefits were open only to teachers from other cantons, and to such as belonged to the School of Agriculture. The teachers, after one of these annual courses, presented an address to de Fellenberg, from which the following is It is addressed to "the worthy Father and Friend of an extract. We the People." "When we reflect that without education no true happiness is to be attained, and that this can only be secured by means of welltaught and virtuous teachers; and when we recollect that you have devoted yourself to the object without regard to the sacrifice it may require, we must rejoice that this age is favoured with such a friend of his country; and when we remember the kindness and friendship with which we have been treated at Hofwyl, we are compelled to give you our affection as well as our admiration, and which will not diminish as long as our hearts beat, and our children shall learn to say, 'So lived and laboured Father de Fellenberg.'* will not enter here into any particular statement of our views concerning the course of instruction we have received, which we shall in due time make known to the public: we will only say, for your own satisfaction, that this course has far exceeded our expectations, by its complete adaptation to practical life, by the skill and efforts of your assistants, and by the moral and religious spirit with which the whole has been animated. We have been led to enter with a fervent devotion into a sacred engagement, that we will live and labour in our calling in the spirit which you have exhibited, and thus prove to you that your noble sacrifices have not been vain. We are more deeply penetrated than ever before with a sense of the sacredness of our calling. We are resolved to conduct ourselves with prudence and caution, in affection and union, with unyielding and conscientious faithfulness, in the discharge of our duty, and thus to prove ourselves worthy of your Institution." In continuation of our brief sketch of de Fellenberg's establishment at Hofwyl, we will add that, from 1810 to 1817, it attracted the attention of educators and statesmen in Switzerland and all parts of Europe. Pupils were sent from Russia, Germany, France, and England. Deputations from foreign governments visited it, to This title was habitually given to De Fellenberg by the Swiss teachers and youth who appreciated his character, or who had experienced lus kindness. learn especially the organization of the School of Agriculture, and the Poor, or Rural School. In 1815, a new building was erected to accommodate the increasing number of the Agricultural School, the lower part of which was occupied as a riding-school and gymnasium. In 1818 another building became necessary for the residence of the professors, and the reception of the friends of the pupils; and soon after a large building, now the principal one of the establishment, with its two wings, was erected for the Literary Institution, which furnished every accommodation that could be desired for health or improvement. In 1823 another building was erected, in the garden of the mansion, for a school of poor girls, which was placed under the direction of the oldest daughter of Fellenberg; and in 1827 the Intermediate or Practical Institution was established. The Practical Institution, or "Real School," was designed for the children of the middle classes of Switzerland, and not solely for the same class in the Canton of Berne, aiming thereby to assimilate the youth of the whole country into common feelings and principles of patriotism, by being educated together, and on one system. The course of instruction included all the branches which were deemed important in the education of youth not intended for the professions of law, medicine and theology. The pupils belonged to families of men of business, mechanics, professional men, and persons in public employment, whose means did not allow them to furnish their children an education of accomplishments, and who did not wish to have them estranged from the simplicity of the paternal mansion. In view of these circumstances, the buildings, the furniture, the table, and the dress of the pupils, were arranged in correspondence to the habits in these respects of their families at home. In addition to an ordinary scholastic course, the pupils were all employed two hours in manual labor on the farm, in a garden plot of their own, in the mechanic's shop, and in household offices, such as taking care of rooms, books and tools. The following summary of the principles of education, as developed in the experience of Fellenberg, is gathered also from this work, and from a letter of his directed to Lady Byron, who has established and supports a School of Industry at Earling, after the model of the Rural School at Hofwyl: "The great object of education is to develop all the faculties of our nature, physical, intellectual, and moral, and to endeavour to train and unite them into one harmonious system, which shall forin the most perfect character of which the individual is susceptible; and thus prepare him for every period, and every sphere of action to which he may be called. It is only by means of the harmonious development of every faculty of our nature, in one connected system, that we can hope to see complete men issue from our institions-men who may become the saviors of their country, and the benefactors of mankind. To form such characters is more important than to produce mere scholars, however distinguished, and this is the object on which the eye of the educator should be fixed, and to which every part of his instruction and discipline should be directed, if he means to fill the exalted office of being a fellowworker with God.'" "On the reception of a new pupil, our first object is to obtain an accurate knowledge of his individual character, with all its resources and defects, in order to aid in its further development, according to the apparent intention of the Creator. To this end, the individual, independent activity of the pupil is of much greater importance than the ordinary, busy officiousness of many who assume the office of educators and teachers. They too often render the child a mere magazine of knowledge, collected by means purely mechanical, which furnishes him neither direction nor aid in the business of life. The more ill-digested knowledge a man thus collects, the more oppressive will be the burden to its possessor, and the more painful his helplessness. Instead of pursuing this course, we endeavor, by bestowing the utmost care upon the cultivation of the conscience, the understanding, and the judgment, to light up a torch in the mind of every pupil, which shall enable him to observe his own character, and shall set in the clearest light all the exterior objects which claim his attention. All the various relations of space should be presented to the eye, to be observed and combined in the manner best adapted to form the coup d'œil. Instruction in design renders us important services in this respect-every one should thus attain the power of reproducing the forms he has observed, and of delineating them with facility, and should learn to discover the beauty of forms, and to distinguish them from their contrasts. It is only where the talent is remarkable that the attempt should be made to render the pupil an artist. The cultivation of the ear by means of vocal and instrumental music is not less important to complete the development of the human being. The organs of speech, the memory, the understanding, and the taste, should be formed in the same manner by instruction, and a great variety of exercises in language, vocal music, and declamation. The same means should also be employed to cultivate and confirm devotional feelings. In the study of natural history the power of observation is developed in reference to natural objects. In the history of mankind the same faculty is employed upon the phenomena of human nature and human relations, and the moral taste is cultivated, at the same time the faculty of conceiving with correctness, and of employing and combining with readiness, the materials collected by the mind, and especially the reasoning faculty, should be brought into exercise, by means of forms and numbers, exhibited in their multiplied and varied relations. The social life of our pupils contributes materially to the formation of their moral character. The principles developed in their experience of practical life among themselves, which gradually extends with their age and the progress of their minds, serves as the basis of this branch of education. It presents the examples and occasions necessary for exhibiting and illustrating the great principles of morals. According to the example of Divine Providence, we watch over this little world in which our pupils live and act, with an ever vigilant, but often invisible care, and constantly endeavor to render it more pure and noble. At the same time that the various improvements of science and art are applied to the benefit of our pupils, their sound religious edncation should be constantly kept in view in every branch of study; this is also the object of a distinct series of lessons, which generally continue through the whole course of instruction, and whose influence is aided by the requisite exercises of devotion. By the combination of means I have described, we succeed in directing our pupils to the best methods of pursuing their studies independently; we occupy their attention, according to their individual necessities and capacities, with philology, the ancient and modern languages, the mathematics, and their various modes of application, and a course of historical studies, comprising geography, statistics, and political economy. Moral Education.-The example of the instructor is all important in moral education. The books which are put into the pupils' hands are of great influence. The pupil must be constantly surrounded with stimulants to good actions in order to form his habits. A new institution should be begun with so small a number of pupils, that no one of them can escape the observation of the educator and his moral influence. The general opinion of the pupils is of high importance, and hence should be carefully directed. Intimate intercourse between pupils and their educators begets confidence, and is the strongest means of moral education. The educator must be able to command himself-his conduct must be firm and just frequent reproofs from such are more painful to the pupil than punishment of a momentary sort. While influences tending directly to lead the pupil astray should be removed from the school, he must be left to the action of the ordinary circumstances of life, that his character may be developed accordingly. The pupil should be led as far as possible to correct his faults by perceiving the consequences of them; the good or bad opinion of his preceptor and comrades are important means of simulation. Exclusion from amusements, public notice of faults, and corporal punishment, are all admissible. Solitary confinement is efficacious as a punishment. Rewards and emulation are unnecessary as motives. Religion and morality are too intimately connected to admit of separation in the courses inculcating them. The elementary part of such a course is equally applicable to all sects. No good is to be derived from employing the pupils as judges or juries, or giving them a direct share in awarding punishment for offences. It is apt to elevate the youth in his own conceit. Family life is better adapted, than any artificial state of society within an institution, to develop the moral sentiments and feelings of youth. Intellectual Education.--A system of prizes, or emulation, and the fear of punishment, do not afford the strongest motives to intellectual exertion. Experience shows that places in a class may be dispensed with. It is possible to develop a taste for knowledge, a respect and attachment for teachers, and a sense of duty which will take the place of any lower motive in inducing the requisite amount of study. In the higher departments of instruction it is better to confine the task of the teacher to giving instruction merely, placing the pupil under the charge of a special educator, at times when he is not engaged in the class-room, With the other, and more useful branches of instruction, correct ideas of natural history and phenomena should be communicated to children, and require, first, that they shall be duly trained to observation by calling the observing faculties into frequent exercise. Second, that they shall be made acquainted with the elements of natural history, especially in reference to familiar objects. Third, that the most familiar phenomena of nature, such as thunder and lightning, the rainbow, &c.; and further, the most simple principles of the mechanic arts, trades, &c., should be explained to them. Fourth, they should be taught to draw, in connection with the other instruction. Accuracy of conception is favored by drawing, and it is a powerful aid to the memory. The most important principles of physiology, and their application to the preservation of health, should form a part of the instruction. Physical Education.-Pure air, a suitable diet, regular exercise and repose, and a proper distribution of time, are the principal means of physical education. It is as essential that a pupil leave his studies during the time appropriated to relaxation, as that he study during the hours devoted to that purpose. Voluntary exercise is to be encouraged by providing suitable games, by affording opportunities for gardening, and by excursions, and by bathing. Regular gymnastic exercises should be insisted on as the means of developing the body; a healthy action of the bodily frame has an important influence on both mind and morals. Music is to be considered as a branch of physical education, having powerful moral influence. The succession of study, labor, musical instruction, or play, should be carefully attended to. The hours of sleep should be regulated by the age of the pupil. Experience has taught me that indolence in young persons is so directly opposite to their natural disposition to activity, that unless it is the consequence of bad education, it is almost invariably connected with some constitutional defect. The great art of education, therefore, consists in knowing how to occupy every moment of life in well-directed and useful activity of the youthful powers, in order that, as far as possible, nothing evil may find room to develop itself." M. de Fellenberg died in 1846, and his family discontinued the educational establishments at Hofwyl, in 1848, except "the Poor School," which is now placed under a single teacher, and the pupils are employed in the extensive operations of the farm to acquire a practical knowledge of agriculture. But the principles developed by the distinguished philanthropist and educator, have become embodied in the educational institutions of his native country and of Europe. This is particularly true of the great aim of all his labors to develop all the faculties of our nature, physical, intellectual and moral, and to train and unite them into one harmonious system, which shall form the most perfect character of which the individual is susceptible, and thus prepare him for every period, and every sphere of action to which he may be called.~[Abridged from "Normal Schools, &c., by the Hon. H. Barnard, pp. 157-162. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.-As "the chief corner stone" of a religious education, the minds of the young should be very frequently directed towards our blessed Saviour. They may not be able to appreciate all his labours of love, to understand all his divine instructions, to comprehend all the gracious purposes of his death, and resurrection, and mediation; but I know that, at a very early age, they may become truly interested in his character and sufferings. I have seen the cheeks of an intelligent child suffused with tears whilst reading the indignities of the judgment-hall, and the awful sufferings of Calvary. And when the heart is thus impressed, every word from the lips of the gracious Being who has become such an object of affectionate interest, is received with reverence and respect. For the Journal of Education. ON SOME OF THE COLLATERAL ADVANTAGES WHICH MAY BE DERIVED FROM A WELL ORGANIZED SYSTEM OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (Continued from page 129.) In the last number of this Journal we stated our intention of endeavouring to indicate what and how to observe in Canada. It is almost needless to remark, that in any attempt to deduce general laws from the results of simultaneous observations made at different posts, over a wide tract of country, it is of the utmost importance that there should exist no difference whatever in the mode of observing and recording the phenomena to which meteorologists attach importance. It is equally essential that the collator and theorist should be able to place implicit reliance on the truthfulness of the observations they may be engaged in arranging and interpreting. With regard then to observers, trustworthyness is the first quality to be asked for; indeed without this character, their observations are worse than useless, they are highly injurious. The third class of observers recognized by the Smithsonian Institution is composed of those who observe without instruments the progress of vegetation, the course of the winds, the time of rain-fall, and the state and appearance of the sky and atmosphere. Quetelet in his instructions for the observation of periodic phenomena, published by the authority of the Royal Academy of Brussels, lays much stress upon the progress of vegetation. He considers that it is especially by means of the simultaneousness of observations made at a great number of stations, that these researches are invested with a high degree of importance. A single plant studied with care presents us with the most interesting facts. We are enabled to trace on the surface of the globe, synchronitic lines for its leafing, its flowering, its fruiting, &c. The lilac, for instance, flowers in the neighbourhood of Brussels on the 5th of May; we can easily conceive a line traced on the surface of the earth, upon which the flowering of this shrub occurs at the same period of time, as well as the lines on which its flowering is advanced or retarded, ten, twenty or thirty days. Quetelet asks, are these lines equidistant from one another? Are they analogous to the isothermal lines, or lines of equal temperature? What are the relations which exist between them? Again, have the lines of simultaneous flowering a parallelism with the lines relating to simultaneous leafing, or to other distinguishing characteristics in the development of the vegetable in question. We may suppose that while the lilac begins to flower at Toronto on the 2nd of June, there exist a series of places towards the North where this shrub only begins to push forth its leaves at that date-but the line which we may conceive to intersect those localities has a certain connection with the line of simultaneous flowering and fruiting to the South. We are led to inquire whether those localities, where the leafing of certain shrubs or vegetables takes place on the same day, witness also their flowering and fruiting at the same relative epoch. If not, what effect has the difference in point of duration upon the flowers or fruits of vegetables? What effect has it upon the sample and yield of grain-producing crops? What on root crops? What on pasture and hay? These are important questions, in their bearings upon agriculture; these are also espocially important in Canada West, where vegetation advances some degrees to the north of its corresponding curve to the east and west of the great Lakes which ameliorate the climate of the peninsula portion of the Province-and thus give it very marked advantages in many respects over other portions of this continent, lying between the same parallels of latitude. We thus see how the most simple phenomena may afford us many curious and interesting results, and establish in a manner most conclusive and satisfactory the character of our climate in favourable comparison with those of surrounding countries; besides exhibiting a distinct outline of those harmonious laws which govern the existence of every thing that has life in the vegetable and animal worlds. For the phenomena relating to the animal kingdom, and especially those which concern the migration of birds of passage, afford results equally remarkable and interesting. To the honour of the Regents of the University of the State of New York be it spoken, that they are the only scientific body who have for a considerable period of time (26 years) given due attention to a system of simultaneous observations extending over a large extent of country, and have at the same time published collected results from year to year. From the foregoing table we should infer-if reliance could be placed upon its accuracy-that the differences between the times of the flowering of the Peach, Cherry and Apple, at Madison and Lambertville, are respectively 13, 15 and 17 days. In other words, we might suppose that the season at Lambertville was one fortnight earlier than at Madison in Wisconsin-and this will probably be very near the truth, though not sufficiently near for scientific purposes, in determining the lines of simultaneous flowering-and other characteristics of the climate of a country from allied data. It may be well to describe the reason why such observations are not strictly scientific. It is evident that in their present form they lose a portion of the interest with which they might be invested, if the time of leafing and fruiting were given; the observations are not complete-they do not comprehend the history of the annual progress of the vegetable from the formation to the fall of its leaves; then again, some varieties of peach, cherry and apple, flower and fruit long before other varieties. We do not know the particular varieties of trees on which the observations were made. These considerations diminish the value of what would be otherwise highly important and interesting records. The first object then, after engaging trustworthy associates in a comprehensive scheme, is to select for observation some kinds of common and hardy vegetables indigenous to the country. We must in fact reject from our list all which, upon cultivation, give rise to numerous varieties, such as roses, tulips, &c. We should also reject all those which show a disposition to put forth their leaves and flowers at different periods of time; finally, we must reject all wild annual plants. The only exceptions which are admissable among biennual plants are the winter grains, because the time of sowing and the variety cultivated, can be always determined. In naming the species of vegetables upon which observations may be made with every prospect of obtaining highly useful information, we shall adopt those which have been especially marked out by Quetelet, and the Regents of the University of the State of New York. It will perhaps be well to observe that observations in the vegetable kingdom are of two kinds :-1st. Those which relate to the annual period of a plant. 2nd. Those which relate to its diurnal period. The annual period is the time which elapses between the successive returns of the leaves, flowers and fruit. The diurnal period comprises the time of the opening and shutting of the leaves of the flowers. The same kinds of plants, it is to be observed, open and shut their leaves at the same hours of the day, in the same locality. (To be continued.) THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL.-Man is so inclined to give himself up to common pursuits, the mind becomes so easily dulled to impressions of the beautiful and perfect, that one should take all possible means to awaken one's perspective faculty to such objects, or no one can entirely dispense with these pleasures; and it is only the being unaccustomed to the enjoyment of anything good that causes men to find pleasure in tasteless and trivial objects, which have no recommendation but that of novelty. One ought every day to hear a little music, to read a little poetry, to see a good picture, and, if it were possible, to say a few reasonable words.-Goethe. Pouths' Department. TO A CHILD. BY T. K. HERVEY. Just out of heaven!-grace from And breezes not from Paradise high Nor sorrow flung a single chain The rose upon thy cheek still wears Its hues unwithered by the tears As thou hast left the skies of late Shall chill thee on thy way, Where hills that seem for ever near All flow to memory's gloomy river, Whose waves are fed by perish'd dreams For ever and for ever; Upon thy soul's divinest part, Till-like a wounded sinking bird May perish in its very nest; To fade with night-may'st sit and weep: Like me, may'st vainly weep and pray To be the thing thou art to-day, "FROM MY MOther, SIR.”—A few days since a case came up in the U. S. District Court in Philadelphia, in which a captain of a vessel was charged with some offence on shipboard by his crew. An incident occurred in the hearing of the case, which excited a deep feeling in court and in all present. A small lad was called to the witness's stand. He had been a hand on board the barque at Pernambuco, and was present during the controversy between the captain and the crew. The shaggy appearance of his head, and the bronzed character of his face and neck, from the exposure of a Southern sun, at first sight, would seem to indicate carelessness and neglect ; but underneath that long and matted hair, the fire of intelligence gleamed from a pair of small and restless eyes, which could not be mistaken. The counsel for the captain, from the extreme youth of the lad, doubted whether he understood the obligation of an oath he was about to take, and with a view to test his knowledge, asked leave to interrogate him. This was granted, and the following colloquy took place: Counsel "My lad, do you understand the obligation of an oath ?" Boy-"Yes, sir, I do." Counsel "What is the obligation?" Boy-"To speak the truth, and keep nothing hid." Boy-"From my mother, sir," replied the lad, with a look of pride, which showed how much he esteemed the early moral principles implanted in his breast by her to whom was committed his physical and moral existence. For a moment there was a deep silence in the court room, and then, eye met eye, and face gleamed to face with the recognition of a mother's love and moral principle which has made their fixed expression upon this boy, it seemed as if the spectators would forget the decorum due to the place, and give audible expression to their emotions. The lad was instantly admitted to testify. Behold the mother's power! Often had evil influence and corrupt example assailed this boy. Time and care, and exposure to the battling elements had worn away the lineaments of the infant face, and bronzed his once fair exterior, but deeply nestled in his bosom still the lessons of a mother's love, which taught him to love and speak the truth. ARE YOU KIND TO YOUR MOTHER ?-Come, my little boy, and you, my little girl, what answer can you give me to this question? Who was it that watched over you when you were a helpless baby? Who pursed and fondled you, and never grew weary in her love? Who kept you from the cold by night, and the heat by day? Who guarded you in health, and comforted you when you were ill? Who was it that wept when the fever made your skin feel hot, and your pulse beat quick and hard? Who hung over your little bed when you were fretful, and put the cooling drink to your parched lips? Who sang the pretty hymn to please you as you lay, or knelt down by the side of the bed in prayer? Who was glad when you began to get well, and who carried you into the fresh air, to help your recovery? Who taught you how to pray, and gently helped you to learn to read? Who has borne with your faults, and been kind and patient with your childish ways? Who loves you still, and contrives, and works, and prays for you every day you live? Is it not your mother, your own dear mother? Now, then, let me ask you, Are you kind to your mother? There are many ways in which children show whether they are kind or not. Do you always obey her, and try to please her? When she speaks, are you ready to attend to her voice? or do you neglect what she wishes you to do? Do you love to make her heart feel glad? PERSEVERANCE.-Let not the failure of your first efforts deter you. Alexander Bethune's first effort for print was a contribution to the "Amethyst;" but the lady at whose request he wrote it, advised him not to send it. He wrote an article for "Blackwood," and it was declined. A host of others have tried, and they have failed; but where there has been a firm aud settled purpese to succeed, they have tried, and tried and tried again, and in the end they have been successful. Let not the unfavourable opiniou of others deter you. Xenocrates was a disciple of Plato, and a fellow student with Aristotle. Plato used to call Xenocrates "a dull ass that needed the spur," and Aristotle "a mettlesome horse that needed the curb." When, after the death of Plato, the Chair of Instruction in the Academy was vacant, the choice of a successor lay between Aristotle and Xenocrates; the honour was conferred upon Xenocrates. "If it should please God," said a father once, "to take away one of my children, I hope it will be my son Isaac" as he looked upon him as the most unpromising. That child became the truly eminent Dr. Isaac Barrow. Such was the character of Sheridan, in his earliest days, that his mother regarded him as "the dullest and most hopeless of her sons." In spite of the unfavourable opinion which others had formed of these men, they rose, and so may you. Be as resolute, be as diligent, be as patient, be as persevering as they were, and success will as certainly put its seal upon your efforts as upon theirs. Miscellaneous. JOHN MILTON-INCIDENT IN HIS LIFE. It is said that "every man has his price." The implication is, that every man can be bought from one party to another; or that no one is so firm in adherence to principle, that he cannot be induced to sacrifice it by the proffer of some very attractive reward, in the form of wealth or honour. The great weakness often betrayed by men, in the facility with which they change their principles, has furnished occasion for the maxim. It re But, thanks to the Great Author of all truth and goodness; there have been exceptions-noble exceptions to the maxim. lieves the humiliating picture of human weakness and cupidity to contemplate the image of a man whom gold could not bribe, or honours seduce. Such a man was John Milton, the great Puritan Poet of the seventeenth century-an excellent name, second to no other "in the radiant list of which England has reason to be proud." On the restoration of Charles II. in 1660, Milton of course was immediately dismissed from office, as Latin Secretary. Poor, hated, persecuted, and fined, his work in defence of the great principles of liberty publicly burnt as a mark of indignity, he retired to his lowly dwelling, blind and in want, for he had been reduced to humble circumstances. Instead of committing suicide, or dying of a broken heart, as politicians in our times might have done, he applied his mind to his work, and wrote his immortal poem, "The Paradise Lost," exalting his name among the stars, to illumine the sons of light for ages to come. As neglect, and scorn, and persecution, and poverty did not kill the blind old man, the heart of Charles seems to have relented, or rather, perhaps, he resolved to buy himfor who ever heard of a Stuart with heart enough to relent? For this purpose the King offered him the office of Latin Secretary, from which he was removed a few years before, at the restoration. Contemplate the nobly endowed old man, at this critical moment of his history. On the one side was royal favour, honourable office under the crown, with his ample rewards, and all the attentions and blandishments of a rich and titled nobility. By holding on to his principles, he could not hope to change the government. What use then in adhering to them? On the other side was neglect, poverty and want, and contumely, and the scorn and derision of the aspirants of the day. Milton was unmoved by the bribe. He promptly declined the office and the honour which his sovereign tendered, and passing his remaining days in the quietness of obscurity. And when the angel of death came to release his celestial spirit, he fulfilled his mission so gently, that even his attendants did not observe the moment of his departure.-Southern Presbyterian. DR. JOHN LEYDEN. It is long since Dr. Leyden died, and the record of his life may be considered old; yet it really is not so, for the example of his energy and the greatness of his genius are too precious to humanity to be allowed to wane into the shades of forgetfulness. Besides, his eccentricities and enthusiasm invest his personal history with an interest that is always new. He was born one of the poorest of Scotland's poor peasantry, and his early life was passed in superlative indigence, yet the vigour of his fame, and the majesty of his intellect, lifted him triumphantly above the depressions of his condition, and eventually placed him amongst the chiefs in the republic of letters. Leyden attended the parish school, where he obtained the rudiments of his education, with uncovered feet; and he took his position on the forms of the University of Edinburgh in the coarsest of homespun. Yet the aristocratic alumni did not dare to laugh twice at his uncouth pronunciation of Greek, or the unwonted poverty of his attire, for he was as proud as the proudest of them, and his right arm was strong. This poor youth, who supported himself by teaching, and who faithfully prosecuted his studies as a student to theology, contrived in the course of his probation to acquire the mastery over eleven languages. It was Bishop Heber that first stumbled on him, in an old bookstore in Edinburgh, and led him from his modest obscurity. An introduction to Sir Walter Scott was his admission into the highest literary circles of the Scottish metropolis. It was Leyden who assisted Scott in the collection of the materials for the "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border," and the following anecdote shows his enthusiasm in the work. Scott had obtained the fragments of a rare old ballad, but had dispaired of completely restoring it, when it was discovered that an aged couple in the solitudes of one of the rural districts were in possession of the precious lay. A party was one day convened at 39 Castle-street to dinner. The genial smiles and inspiring conversation of the host had illumined every face with pleasure, when suddenly the wild tones of a voice were heard echoing along the corridors, the dining-room door was thrown open, and John Leyden, with his fair hair matted with sweat, his blue eyes gleaming with inspiration, his unfashionable attire covered with dust, and his shoes white with travel, was seen brandishing his arms wildly aloft, and chanting the disiderated passages of the old ballad. He had travelled about fifty miles to consummate his purpose. Leyden had a most unbounded contempt for anything which he conceived to be effeminacy, and this sentiment, together with his national prejudice against Englishmen, conduced to render Ritson, the author of the "Percy Anecdotes," particularly obnoxious to him, and the feeling was heartily reciprocated. Leyden looked upon Ritson as he would upon a dainty little English poodle dog; Ritson had about as high an opinion of a bear as of John Leyden. This antipathy manifested itself upon one occasion in a manner not very pleasing to Ritson, who was a most fastidious epicure, and who above all things hated half-cooked meat. Leyden stumbled upon Ritson in Scott's parlour one day, at Lasswade, when the great novelist, himself, was engaged with visitors in viewing the beauties of the river Esk, A grunt and stiff bow were the only marks of |