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1090. Advantages of a good Delivery.—If a man is to be a publie reader or speaker, his fame, and frequently his fortune, depends much upon a good delivery. As a public speaker, it carries with it, its own conviction ; and as a private one, every one must allow, that an easy and graceful manner of address is very engaging, and a distinguished mark of a liberal education. What manifest advantages, in all concerns of life, has the fluent and ready speaker, who can easily give birth to his sentiments, over him, who faulters in his utterance, and is not able to express his ideas, but with difficulty; whose thoughts are smothered in the throat and die upon the tongue? It may be asked, how is it possible to put words into that man's mouth, who is at a loss for expression? Even this is to be done by practice, where the mind is well informed and well stored, and where the memory is not defective; which last is like all other qualities of the mind, strengthened and increased by use. I have experienced this wonderfully myself: having associated once a week, with a few friends, fond of debate, and having continued it for three or four years, I acquired a facility of expression and a flow of words on all subjects of which I was master, that I conceived, once in my life, I never could have possessed. The chief aids to this faculty, is to be well acquainted with the subject-matter, and to deliver our thoughts slowly and deliberately. An evening passed in this manner, is not only improving, but entertaining; and far more rational than the common chit-chat of the day, and the eternal noise in a large company, where every man wishes to be the first and the loudest speaker.—Trusler's Memoirs.

1091. Abuse of Words.—One of the most powerful instruments of vice, the most fatal of all its poisoned weapons, is the abuse of words, by which good and bad feeling are blended together, and its deformity concealed, from an apparent alliance to some proximate virtue. Prodigality and dissipation, are liberality and high spirit. Covetousness, frugality. Flattery, good breeding. As Society advances in civilization, the power of this engine does not diminish. To give harsh deeds soft names is one of the evils of refinement. In preventing this confusion-in preventing this abuse of words-in sustaining a high tone of moral feeling, by giving harsh names to harsh deeds, the preservation of the boundaries between virtue and vice mainly depends.-Montague's Thoughts, &c.

1092. On Vegetable Diet.-The nations that subsist on vegetable diet are of all men the handsomest the most robust, the least exposed to diseases and violent passions; and they attain the greatest longevity. Such are in Europe, a great portion of the Swiss. The negroes doomed to labor so severe, live entirely on manioc, potatoes and maize. The Brahmins of India, who frequently survive a century, eat nothing but vegetables. From the Pythagorean school, Epaminondas issued forth so renowned for his virtues; Archytas, so celebrated for his skill in mechanics: and Milo of Crotona, for his strength: copying the virtues of their founder, who was allowedly the first rate genius of his day, the most enlightened by science, the father f philosophy among the Greeks.-As vegetable diet has a necessary son

nexion with many virtues, and excludes none, it must be of importance to accustom young people to it, seeing its influence so powerfully contributes to beauty of person and tranquillity of soul. The children of the Persians, in the time of Cyrus, and by his orders, were fed with bread, water and cresses: and Lycurgus introduced a considerable part of the physical and moral regimen of these children into the education of those of Lacedemon. Such diet prolongs infancy, and of consequence the duration of human life. I have seen, says Saint PIERRE, an instance of it in an English youth of fifteen, who had not the appearance of being so much as twelve. He was a most interesting figure. possessed of health the most vigorous, and of a disposition the most gentle he performed the longest journies on foot, and never lost temper whatever befel him: His father, whose name was Pigot, told me he had brought him up entirely under the vegetable regimen, the good effects of which he had learned by his own experience. He had formed the project of employing part of his fortune, which was considerable, in establishing somewhere in British America, a society, who should employ themselves in training, under the same regimen, the children of the American colonists, in the practice of all the arts connected with agriculture. May heaven prosper such a plan of education, worthy the most glorious period of antiquity! Studies of Nature.

1093. Women-Though men may improve their heads in the company of their own sex, we may affirm, that the company and conversation of women alone is the proper school for the heart. Should any one doubt the truth of this, let him turn over a few volumes of the history of any of those nations, where the sexes live excluded from each other, and he will meet with the most ample conviction.

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Dr W. Alexander's History of Women.

1094. Coats of Arms.-A man applies to the College for a coat of arms, and was asked if any of his ancestors had been renowned for any singular achievement?-The man paused and considered-but could recollect nothing Your father?' said the herald, aiding his memory, "Your grand-father?'-Your great grand-father? No,' returns the applicant, I never knew that I had a great grand-father, or a grandfather. Of yourself?' asks this creator of dignity.I know nothing remarkable of myself,' returned the man, only that being locked up in Ludgate prison for debt, I found means to escape from an upper window; and that you know is no honour in a man's 'scutcheon,'-"And how did you get down?" said the herald, Odd enough,' retorts the man, I procured a cord, fixed it round the neck of the statue of King Lud, on the outside of the building, and thus let myself down. I have it'-said the herald'No honor?-Lineally descended from King Lud!-and his coat of arms will do for you.'—I wish many of our great men were as well descended.

Trusler's Memoirs,

1095. On Practical and Speculative Ability.-The two kinds of ability here pointed out must exist more or less in every individual, but they are often combined in very unequal proportions. A high degree of speculative, is frequently found in conjunction with a low degree of practical ability, and conversely, the practical talents are sometimes superior to the speculative. Men, who have exhibited the greatest powers of mind in their writings, have been found altogether inefficient in active life, and incapable of availing themselves of their own wisdom. With comprehensive views and a capacity for profound reasoning on human affairs, they have felt bewildered in actual emergencies: keen and close observers of the characters, the failings, and the accomplishments of others, they have not had the power of conforming their own conduct to their theoretical standard of excellence. Giants in the closet, they have proved but children in the world. This destitution of practical talent in men of fine intellect often excites the wonder of the crowd. They seem to expect that he, who has shown powers of mind bespeaking an almost all-comprehensive intelligence, and who has perhaps poured a flood of light on the path of action to be pursued by others, should, as a matter of course, be able to achieve any enterprise and master any difficulties himself. Such expectations, however, are unreasonable and ill-founded. Excellence in one thing does not necessarily confer excellence in all, or even in things requiring the exercise of the same faculties. Both practical and speculative ability are no doubt modifications of mental power; but one, on that account, by no means implies the other, any more than dexterity in reefing a sail involves the art of leaping a five-barred gate, tliough they are both instances of physical skill.

Essays on the Formation and Publication of Opinions.

1096. Of determining a Question.-While you are in search after truth in questions of a doubtful nature, or such as you have not yet thoroughly examined, keep up a just indifference to either side of the question, if you would be led honestly into the truth; for a desire or inclination leaning to either side, biasses the judgment strangely; whereas by this indifference for every thing but truth, you will be excited to examine fairly instead of presuming, and your assent will be secured from going beyond your evidence.--Watts on the Mind.

1097. Esquimaux Philosophy.-Amongst the Esquimaux, according to Sir John Ross, the crime of murder very rarely occurs. When it does the murderer's punishment consists in being banished to perpetual solitude, or shunned by every individual of the tribe, insomuch that even his sight is avoided by all who may inadvertently meet him. On being asked why his life is not taken in return, it was replied "that this would be to make themselves equally bad—that the loss of his life would not restore the other—and that he who could commit such an act would be held equally guilty."

1098 Reason is the principle, by which our belief and opinions ought to be regulated.-Reid.

1099. The inefficacy of punishment for Lying. -Roussean in his Emile says "Punishment ought never to be inflicted on children as a punishment; but it should be made to follow as a natural consequent of their mendacity. Hence you should never declaim against lying, but you should so manage it, that they should feel the ill effects of lying, by not being believed when they speak the truth, and by being still accused of facts they are innocent of, notwithstanding all their asservations."

Ilere I must beg leave to differ from him, would it not be far better to correct a child by setting before it in as simple a manner as possible, the evils that lying exposes it to, and so endeavour to prevent a repetition of the fault, rather than to keep it in perpetual misery, and allow it to fall into a succession in order to cure it of them.

A child on finding itself accused, and set down for a regular liar, will care very little about telling the truth, because it will be no interest to it to do so.

On the contrary, if the first time you discover a child to have told a lie, you talk to it affectionately and simply, and tell it that you will not doubt the truth of what it says until it tells another, it would have the better effect. A person seldom sets about redeeming his character if he has an idea that it is entirely lost-Recollections of a Sunday School Teacher.

1100. Diseases from Drinking.-It is remarkable, says Dr DARWIN, that all the diseases from drinking spirituous or fermented liquors are liable to become hereditary, even to the third generation; and gradually to increase, if the cause be continued, till the family becomes extinct.—Botanic Garden.

1101. Features of War.-It has for some time been a generally received opinion, that a military man is not to enquire whether a war be just or unjust he is to execute his orders. All princes who are disposed to become tyrants must probably approve of this method, and be willing to establish it. But is it not a dangerous one? Since, on that principle, if the tyrant commands his army to attack and destroy, not only an unoffending neighbour nation, but even his own subjects, the army is bound to obey. Franklin's Essays.

1102. Free Governments—It is certain that the people, if left to themselves, do generally, if not always judge well. They have their five senses in as great perfection, as have those who would treat them as if they had none. And there is oftener found a great genius carrying a pitch-fork than carrying a white staff-Gordon. Cato's Letters.

1103. Temperance -It is this virtue alone which places both the body and mind in their utmost degree of perfection; qualifying the man for the study, the knowledge, and the practice of his duty; whereby he is enabled to govern his house prudently; serve his country and his friends usefully; and conquer his enemics gloriously.-Socrates in Xenophon.

1104, Society as it is. I have run the silly rounds of pleasure, and have done with them all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world, I appraise them at their real worth, which is in truth very low, those who have only seen their outside always overrate them, but I have been behind the scenes, I have seen all the coarse pullies and dirty ropes which move the gaudy machine, and I have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illuminate the whole decoration, to the astonishment and admiration of the ignorant audience. When I reflect on what I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle of pleasure in the world had any reality; but I look upon all that has passed as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occasions, and I do by no means desire to repeat the nauseous dose.

Chesterfield.

1105. Genius-Genius is to be met with every where, in all classes of life, and where it takes root, it is likely to flourish; but if it lies uncultivated, it is buried.-Trusler.

1106. Public Instructors.—What is the conduct of many of those who take upon themselves the office of public instruction? Do they recommend that in any important question you should pay equal attention to both sides of the controversy? that you should read the books which have been written against their own opinions as well as such as have been produced in their favor? that you should endeavour to be strictly impartial, and scrutinize their arguments with as much severity as you employ on those of their opponents? Is their language, "read, examine for you: selves, draw your own inferences, impartially investigate; we present you with our conclusions and the reasons on which they are founded; we believe them to be strong, but put them to the test; assist us by pointing out any fallacies that you may descry; let us be coadjutors in the graud cause of truth?” Is it not on the contrary, "the doctrine we announce is the only one which can be free from error; avoid all those writings that are opposed to it as you would avoid the contamination of the plague; do every thing in your power to banish any opposite suggestions from your own minds; shun the moral turpitude of doubting what we teach; fear and confide?"

Essays on the Pursuit of Truth.

1107. Uncertainty.-There is no condition in life so fixed and permanent as to be out of danger, or the reach of change; and we may all depend upon it, that we shall take our turns of wanting and desiring. By how many unforeseen causes may riches take wing! The crowns of princes may be shaken, and the greatest that ever awed the world have experienced what the turn of the wheel can do.-That which hath happened to one man, may befal another; and, therefore that excellent rule of our Saviour's ought to govern us in all our actions,- Whatever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise."—Time and chance happen to all ;and the most affluent may be stript of all, and find ls worldly comforts like so many withered leaves dropping from him.-Sterne's Sermons.

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