plained some of its parts and uses. But whilst he was in the midst of a problem, "Come," said his lordship-" now for a little Virgil."

The book was brought; and the pupil, with a good deal of help, got through twenty lines.

"Well,”—said he, ringing the bell-"I think we have done a good deal. Tom! bring my bow and arrows."

The fine London-made bow, in its green case, and the quiver with all its appurtenances, were brought, and his lordship went down to the place where the shooting butts were erected. He aimed a few shafts at the target, but not coming near it, he shot all the remainder at random, and then ordered out his horse.

He sauntered, with a servant at his heels, for a mile or two through the lanes, and came, just as the clock struck twelve, to a village green, close by which a school was kept. A door flew open, and out burst a shoal of boys, who spreading over the green, with immoderate vociferation, instantly began a variety of sports. Some fell to marbles-some to trap-ball-some to leap-frog. In short, not one of the whole crew but was eagerly employed. Everything was noise, motion, and pleasure. Lord Linger, riding slowly up, espied one of his tenant's sons, who had been formerly admitted as a play-fellow of his, and called him from the throng. "Jack," said he "how do you like school?" "Oh-pretty well, my lord."

"What have you a good deal of play?"

"Oh no! We have only from twelve to two for playing and eating our dinners; and then an hour before supper.' "That is very little, indeed!"

"But we play heartily when we do play, and work when we work. Good by, my lord! It is my turn to go in at trap." So saying, Jack ran off.

"I wish I was a schoolboy!"-cried the little lord to himself.

THE GOOSE AND HORSE.

A FABLE

A GOOSE, who was plucking grass upon a common, thought herself affronted by a Horse who fed near her, and in hissing accents thus addressed him:-"I am certainly a more noble and perfect animal than you, for the whole range and

extent of your faculties is confined to one element. I can walk upon the ground as well as you: I have besides wings, with which I can raise myself in the air; and when I please, I can sport in ponds and lakes, and refresh myself in the cool waters: I enjoy the different powers of a bird, a fish, and a quadruped."

The Horse, snorting somewhat disdainfully, replied, "It is true you inhabit three elements, but you make no very distinguished figure in any one of them. You fly, indeed; but your flight is so heavy and clumsy, that you have no right to put yourself on a level with the lark or the swallow. You can swim on the surface of the waters, but you cannot live in them as fishes do; you cannot find your food in that element, nor glide smoothly along the bottom of the waves. And when you walk, or rather waddle upon the ground, with your broad feet and your long neck stretched out, hissing at every one who passes by, you bring upon yourself the derision of all beholders. I confess that I am only formed to move upon the ground; but how graceful is my make! how well turned my limbs! how highly finished my whole body! how great my strength! how astonishing my speed! I had far rather be confined to one element, and be admired in that, than be a Goose in all."

Eighth Evening.

THE GRASS TRIBE.

Tutor-George-Harry.

Harry. PRAY what is that growing on the other side of the hedge?

George. Why it is corn-don't you see it is in ear?

H. Yes-but it seems too short for corn; and the corn we just now passed is not in ear by a great deal.

G. Then I don't know what it is. Pray, sir, will you tell

us?

Tutor. I don't wonder you were puzzled about it. It is a sort of grass sown for hay, and is called rye-grass.

H. But how happens it that it is so very like corn?

T. There is no great wonder in that, for all corn is really a kind of grass; and on the other hand, if you were a Lilliputian, every species of grass would appear to you amazing large corn

G. Then there is no difference between corn and grass but the size?

T. None at all.

H. But we eat corn; and grass is not good to eat.

T. It is only the seeds of corn that we eat. We leave the stalks and leaves for cows and horses. Now we might eat the seeds of grass, if they were big enough to be worth gathering; and some particular kinds are in fact eaten in certain countries.

H. But are wheat and barley really grass?

T. Yes-they are a species of that great family of plants, which botanists call grasses; and I will take this opportunity of telling you something about them. Go, George, and pull

us up a root of that rye-grass. Harry and I will sit down on this stile till you come to us.

H. Here is grass enough all round us.

T. Well then-pull up a few roots that you see in ear.

G. Here is my grass.

H. And here is mine.

T. Well-spread them all in a handkerchief before us. Now look at the roots of them all. What do you call them?

G. I think they are what you have told us are fibrous roots. T. Right-they consist of a bundle of strings. Then look at their stalks-you will find them jointed and hollow, like the straw of corn.

H. So they are.

T. The leaves, you see, of all the kinds are very long and narrow, tapering to a point at their ends. Those of corn, you know, are the same.

H. Yes they are so like grass at first, that I can never tell the difference.

T. Next observe the ears, or heads. Some of these, you see, are thick and close, exactly like those of wheat or barley; others are more loose and open like oats. The first are generally called spikes; the second, panicles. If you examine them closely, you will find that they all consist of a number of distinct husky bodies, which are properly the flowers; each of which is succeeded by a single seed. I daresay you have picked ears of wheat.

H. O yes-I am very fond of them.

T. Well then-you found that the grains all lay single, contained in a scaly husk making a part of the ear, or head. Before the seed was formed, there was a flower in its place.

I do not mean a gay fine-coloured flower, but a few scales with threads coming out among them, each crowned with a white tip. And soon after the ears of corn appear, you will find their flowers open, and these white tips coming out of them. This is the structure of the flowers and flowering heads of every one of the grass tribe.

G. But what are the beards of corn?

T. The beards are bristles or points running out from the ends of the husks. They are properly called awns. Most of the grass tribe have something of these, but they are much longer in some kinds than in others. In barley, you know, they are very long, and give the whole field a sort of downy or silky appearance, especially when waved by the wind.

H. Are there the same kinds of corn and grass in all countries?

In the Wheat is univer

T. No. With respect to corn, that is in all countries the product of cultivation; and different sorts are found best to suit different climates. Thus in the northern parts of the temperate zone, oats and rye are chiefly grown. middle and southern, barley and wheat. sally the species preferred for bread-corn; but there are various kinds of it, differing from each other in size of grain, firmness, colour, and other qualities.

H. Does not the best wheat of all grow in England?

T. By no means. Wheat is better suited to the warmer climates, and it is only by great attention and upon particular soils that it is made to succeed well here. On the other hand, the torrid zone is too hot for wheat and our other grains; and they chiefly cultivate rice there, and Indian corn. G. I have seen heads of Indian corn, as thick as my wrist, but they do not look at all like our corn.

T. Yes the seeds all grow single in a sort of chaffy head; and the stalk and leaves resemble those of the grass tribe, but of a gigantic size. But there are other plants of this

family, which perhaps you have not thought of.

G. What are they?

T. Canes and reeds-from the sugar-canes and bamboo of the tropics, to the common reed of our ditches, of which you make arrows. All these have the general character of the grasses.

H. I know that reeds have very fine feathery heads, like the tops of the grass.

T. They have so. And the stalks are composed of many

joints: as are also those of the sugar-cane, and the bamboo, of which fishing rods and walking sticks are often made. Some of these are very tall plants, but the seeds of them are small in proportion, and not useful for food. But there is yet another kind of grass-like plants common among us. G. What is that?

T. Have you not observed in the marshes, and on the sides of ditches, a coarse broader leaved sort of grass, with large dark coloured spikes? This is sedge, in Latin carex, and there are many sorts of it.

H. What is that good for?

T. It is eaten by cattle, both fresh and dry; but is inferior in quality to good grass.

G. What is it that makes one kind of grass better than another?

T. There are various properties which give value to grasses. Some spread more than others, resist frost and drought better; yield a greater crop of leaves, and are therefore better for pasturage and hay. The juices of some are more nourishing and sweet than those of others. In general, however, different grasses are suited to different soils; and by improving soils, the quality of the grass is improved.

G. Does grass grow in all countries?

T. Yes the green turf, which naturally covers fertile soils of all countries, is chiefly composed of grasses of various kinds. They form, therefore, the verdant carpet extended over the earth; and, humble as they are, they contribute more to beauty and utility than any other part of the vegetable creation.

H. What more than trees?

T. Yes, certainly. A land entirely covered with trees would be gloomy, unwholesome, and scarcely inhabitable; whereas the meadow, the down, and the corn-field, afford the most agreeable prospects to the eye, and furnish every necessary, and many of the luxuries of life. Give us corn and grass, and what shall we want for food?

H. Let me see what should we have? There's bread and flour for puddings.

G. Ay, and milk, for you know cows live on grass and hay -so there's cheese and butter, and all things that are made of milk.

T. And are there not all kinds of meat, too, and poultry? And then for drink, there are beer and ale, which are made