"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider."-BACON's Essays.

Learning is valuable in three ways:-as a source of pleasure, as a means of adding grace and beauty to life, and as an instrument for the discharge of duty. In regard to the first of these, the advantage is chiefly enjoyed in solitude, the second is mostly available in social intercourse, while the third enables us to arrange and order the business of life. For although men of natural acuteness can perform particular acts, and even come to wise conclusions respecting details; yet the power to view things comprehensively, to group them together, and to exercise a wise forethought in the arrangement of business, is rarely possessed except by the well-instructed man.

It is a mark of indolence to give ourselves wholly up to the enjoyment of literature; it is a proof of self-conceit to value our reading only as a means of display; while to determine every question solely by what books say, is the sure characteristic of a pedant. Learning supplements and improves natural gifts, but itself needs to be further improved by the experience of life; for our natural gifts are like trees, which need discipline and culture; and learning itself is apt to mislead a student, unless its counsels are submitted to the control of actual experience.

Learning is not unfrequently despised by the clever man of the world; it is regarded with childish wonder by the foolish: but it is only truly appreciated by the wise; for learning does not teach its possessor how to employ it-the power to do this being a higher attainment than any scholarship, and one only to be acquired by much thoughtfulness.

Never study that you may obtain victory in argument, nor merely that you may passively believe every thing you read, nor that you may be able to find something to talk about; but rather that you may ponder and meditate on the subject.

II. INTRODUCTION TO THE "PARADISE LOST."

"Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,

With loss of Eden, till one greater Man

Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,

Sing, heavenly muse, that on the secret top

Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire

That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed,

In the beginning how the heavens and earth

Rose out of chaos: or, if Sion hill

Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Fast by the oracle of God, I thence

Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above the Aonian mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.
And chiefly Thou, O Spirit! that dost prefer
Before all temples the upright heart, and pure,
Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first
Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast abyss,

And madest it pregnant: What in me is dark,

Illumine; what is low, raise and support;

That to the height of this great argument

I may assert Eternal Providence,

And justify the ways of God to men."-MILTON.

Celestial muse, thou who of old, on the summit of Horeb or of Sinai, didst instruct that pastoral prophet, who first revealed the history of the creation to the children of Israel! assist me to sing concerning the first human transgression, and that fatal fruit which God forbade; the taste of which was the prime cause of death and every other human woe, and will continue to produce these evils, until the second Adam recover our lost position and privileges. But if thou art more willing to be associated with the mount of Sion, or the brook of Siloam, that flowed so near to Jehovah's holiest seat, from thence I call upon thee for aid in my ambitious enterprise; for I am purposing with no mean or timid effort to mount beyond the Parnassus of the ancient poets, and to write of things which neither bards nor historians have ever ventured to describe.

But most of all do I desire thine aid and teaching, Thou Holy Spirit! whose choicest dwellingplace is the guileless and reverent heart; for Thou wast present at the beginning, and like a dove with out-stretched pinions didst hover over the formless infinite, and impregnate it with life.

In so far as I am ignorant, enlighten me; when my thoughts are mean or poor, elevate and sustain them: that so I may be enabled by Thy help to utter words not unworthy of my lofty theme; to speak rightly of the Divine Providence, and to vindicate God's dealings with mankind,

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A PICTURE of the reindeer may be at hand, but must be kept out of sight until after the description of the various parts of the animal.*

I. ITS VARIOUS PARTS. HEAD. Something like a cow's, only smaller. (Question as to name of the various parts of a cow's head.) HORNS.-(Sketch the ,cow's and deer's on black board before children, and then draw from them that the horns are covered with little branches.) EARS.-Long and broad. BODY.Lightly but strongly made. TAIL.-Short; comparison between sheep's. (Ask for names of animals with short tails, that they know.) LEGS.-Shaped like a cow's— goat-sheep. FEET.-Divided in the middle into two. (Names of other animals?) (Give name "cloven-footed.") HAIR and SKIN.-Short and thick.

II. WHERE IT LIVES. COLD COUNTRIES.-(When it is very cold here, what part of the year do we call it?) Winter. (Tell something seen in winter, not seen in summer.) Ice and snow. (Here speak of reindeer living in countries where, most of the year, the ground is covered with snow.) Speak of sliding and skating. PEOPLE OF THESE COUNTRIES.-Short, thick, wrapped in furs-why? FOOD OF PEOPLE.-Fish, reindeer-flesh, fat, oil, &c. (Show difference between these people and the people of hot countries, with respect to food and clothes.)

III. ITS HABITS. FOND OF MAN-PATIENT.-(Meaning of patient? illustrate by example.) INDUSTRIOUS-Very OBEDIENT— -(meaning of obedient?) LIVES ON GREEN MOSS in summer, and dried in winter. (Tell something that we dry for animals?) Hay. (What is it before hay?) (Supposing the sheep are in the fields when they are covered with snow, how will they get at the grass?) (Compare their manner with reindeer's.) Both scrape away the snow. Kept together like cattle.

IV. ITS USES.-Induct the answer from uses of the horse. To DRAW LOADS. (Inquire whether a cart goes easier in summer-time, or when the ground is covered with snow. Speak of amusements of winter-sliding.) SLEDGES. (A sketch on the board to be made.)-Travels very fast; 100 miles a-day. Different uses than horse-flesh for food-milk for drink. SINEWS.-(Show the strings or muscles in wrist, as example)-thread. SKINS.-Clothing; hair kept on- -(Why?) HORNS. -Knife-handles, &c. FAT. To burn in lamps, &c. (Speak of difficulty and expense of their making gas.)

REMARKS. This lesson will occupy about half-an-hour;—a thorough recapitulation at each division. Every word in capitals to be written on the black boardthose in italics should be carefully spelt, at first simultaneously, and then separately -the remarks in parentheses ( ) for teacher, as special hints.

II. VOLCANOES.

ILLUSTRATIONS AND SPECIMENS.-1. Picture of a volcano. 2. Piece of lava, or furnace slag. 3. Map of the world.

INTRODUCTION.-Deduce the differences between a volcano and ordinary mountain, by questioning, with the aid of the picture.

GENERAL FEATURES. Description- isolated· flame, smoke, &c.-Lava -changeable in character -sides often deeply furrowed.

Generally isolated-send forth, from summits or sides, flame, smoke, ashes, streams of melted matter, called lava-sometimes have eruptions merely of mud. Not permanent-number and character liable to constant change. (Why?) Because of action of internal fire.-This description to be deduced from the children by questions.

Each part to be sketched on the board as it is described; so that, when the description is finished, a chalk drawing of the animal will be on the black board.

CAUSE, or How PRODUCED.-Explosion of rarefied gases. (To be carefully deduced by comparison.)

VOLCANIC DISTRICTS. Western America and West Indies-Eastern Isles of Asia-Sunda Isle.

Isles of Africa on West.

Central and North Germany, and Italy-Azores -Sicily-Iceland.

LESSONS. Moral.-1. God's goodness. 2. God's power. Duties.-1. Thankfulness. 2. Fear.

(1.) Stillness of air. (2.) Unusual agitation of waters-sea swells and roars without wind-water of springs muddy and impure. (3.) Deep, rumbling noises-comparison, carriages on a rough pavement. (4.) Explosions and earthquake. (These signs to be told, with occasional questions.)

Eruptions most frequent in volcanoes of moderate elevation.-Contrast Stromboli and Cotopaxi or Etna, -(Why?) Those of moderate elevation the only ones which eject lava.—(Why ?)

The gases in earth rarefied by subterranean heatthen expand-explode. Illustration-bursting of a cannon or boiler; hence volcanoes are safety-valves, through which gases find vent.

America.-Whole line of Andes-Mexico-Rocky

Mountains.

Asia. Kamtschatka― Aleutian Isles Japan Isle -Phillipine and Sunda Isles-Barren Isle. Extinct volcanic region in West of Asia Minor.

Africa.-Active volcanoes confined to Island of St. Helena Canary Isle (Teneriffe)-rocks composing Mount Atlas of volcanic origin.

Europe. Some islands of Grecian Archipelagorocks in Central and Northern Germany and ItalyLipari Isles-Etna-Auvergne-Azores― HebridesIceland.

God's goodness in giving volcanoes, and thus preventing the dreadful destruction of earthquakes.

God's power.-"He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; He toucheth the hills, and they smoke."

The words in italics, in the right division of the paper, should be explained. The words in italics in the left division of the paper should be spelt. The notes on the left side should appear on the board.

III. THE OYSTER.

A Lesson for Children from Ten to Twelve.

ILLUSTRATIONS.-Pearl buttons, or knife with pearl haft. Specimen of common English oyster and mussel, and of mother-of-pearl oyster; if possible, one with pearls partly formed. Diagram of animal. Map of Asia.

Introduction.-Looking in a jeweller's window, one sees ornaments made of various materials. What? Gold and silver. Others? Different sorts of stonespearls. Which of these are got in same manner? Gold and silver. Where are pearls got? From the oyster. Our common oyster ? No-yes, sometimes. Right, small ones sometimes are, large ones very seldom indeed. (Show pearl oyster.) What is this? An oyster. (Show English variety.) And this? An oyster, too. Both, then, are oysters.

Localities.-Where did they come from? Out of water. River? No; out of the sea. Then what sort of water do they live in? Salt. (Look at specimens.) Was either of these found in the sea near England? Yes, the smaller one. The other, too? (Not know.) No; it was most likely brought from the Indian Ocean. Where is that? South of Asia. Its chief inlets? Red Sea, Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf. (Map.) (Tell children that) it is found most plentifully near the entrance to the Persian Gulf, and near Ceylon. (Point out.)

No. With net? No. Why not? It lives at bottom of sea. Crawling

Habits. Was it caught with rod and line? It does not swim about. What does it do? about? No. How then? Lying at bottom, or growing fast to a stone, rock, or some other shell.

Classification.-What is the great difference between the oyster, and what we commonly call fishes? It has no bones. Have birds bones? Yes. Serpents? Yes. Have all animals, except the oyster, bones? No; a fly has none. Then we will divide all animals into—(1) Those that have bones; (2) Those that have no bones. Now what is the difference between an oyster and a fly? (Not know.) Point out that the body of a fly is notched or jointed. Tell me some other animals most like the oyster? The snail, periwinkle, mussel. Which of these would you put together? The oyster and mussel. Why? The shell has two pieces. Make out on the board a classification as this questioning proceeds, as follows:

Animal.-Why does not the oyster drown? (Not know.) It breathes by gills. (Explain by diagram.) If we cut an oyster with a knife, does it bleed? No. (Explain that it does, but its blood not being so red, we do not observe this.) What is the blood for? (Explain, to nourish the body.) What is it made from? The food the oyster lives on. What does the oyster live on? (Explain, on animalcules and small fragments of vegetables.) But it grows fast to one spot, we said, so how can it get this food? (Explain the action of the cilia around its mouth.) Then has the oyster teeth? No. Has it any arms, legs, head, eyes? No. Why not? It does not need them. (Speak of the wise arrangement of Nature, which provides all that is wanted, but nothing which is not needed.)

Shell.-What is its shell for? To keep its soft body from being hurt. Then is it always shut up? No. When open? Getting its food. How can it open and shut? (Explain the hinge, and by comparing it with that of the mussel, show how these differ; and mention that the bivalves are generally distinguished by the nature of the teeth of the hinge.) How came it to have so hard a shell? (Not know ; perhaps say it was born with it.) Then correct this, explaining that when born it had no shell, but swam about for a time, and then, settling down, its shell was developed. Explain, too, the formation and deposit of shelly matter by the mantle, also the formation of pearls.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE.

THE second annual meeting of this Society will be held at Liverpool, on Monday, the 11th of October, 1858, and five following days, under the presidency of the Right Hon. Lord John Russell, M.P.

The Association is established to aid the development of social science, and to guide the public mind to the best practical means of promoting the amendment of the law, the advancement of education, the prevention and repression of crime, the

reformation of criminals, the adoption of sanitary regulations, and the diffusion of sound principles on all questions of social economy. The Association aims to bring together the various societies and individuals who are engaged or interested in furthering these objects; and, without trenching upon independent exertions, seeks to elicit by discussion the real elements of truth, to clear up doubts, to harmonise discordant opinions, and to afford a common ground for the interchange of trustworthy information on the great social problems of the day.

The Association is divided into five departments, of which the second, that of Education, is to be presided over by the Right Hon. W. F. Cowper, M.P., the late Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education. This department deals with the various questions relating to education, both industrial and intellectual, whether of the upper, middle, or lower classes of society; the foundation schools of the country; the connexion of art and literature with national education, &c.

ON SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

THE importance of regularity in school attendance can hardly be over-estimated. Real education can only be the result of deep conviction, strong faith, and persevering work. Teachers, parents, and children should all share in this conviction and this labour. To a large extent, however, parents lack this feeling, and fail to do their part of the required work; and, seeing this, teachers are only too apt to allow their aspirations, aims, and efforts to fall toward the same level, when the schools fall correspondingly in tone and efficiency. How, then, may this condition be avoided? Only by the teacher and other school authorities so labouring upon the adult population as to raise the general standard of education, In fact, much teaching is necessary out of the school-room, that there may be efficient teaching within.

It might easily be shown that the character of the school attendance depends largely, if not mainly, upon the estimate formed by parents of the value of education. Whatever, therefore, tends to raise the latter, will, to a like extent, improve the former.

Presuming that the school education of any locality is not only good, but approximating the best that the circumstances of the locality admit of, what may be done to obtain, in the minds of the working population, an estimate of this education equal to its merits, and how sustain an action in keeping with that estimate ?

The following plans amongst others have been adopted, either separately or in combination :-1. The printing and distributing of short and printed addresses to parents. 2. Delivery of lectures on subjects directly or indirectly bearing upon the matter under consideration. 3. Personal visits to parents. 4. Issue of notices to absentees on occasion of each non-attendance at school. 5. Sending to parents a weekly or monthly return of attendance.

The only possible objection to any or all of these plans is that founded upon the time and trouble involved in working them. We will now very briefly explain a method whereby the advantages of most of the foregoing may be obtained, and at a most trifling outlay of time and labour, by means of what has been called the "ABSENCE CHECK-BOOK."

This book, which is issued to each child on its admission, consists of forty-eight leaves, each containing in duplicate a form of excuse for absence. The parent is thus supplied with the means of informing the teacher of the causes of a child's absence during ninety-six half-days. This supply is held as sufficient for the absence of a child, whose parents are in earnest, during his whole school course of several years. Yet, at whatever time the whole of the checks may be exhausted, it entails on the parent the expense of another copy of the check-book. After the first