To prayer, to prayer! - for the morning breaks;
And earth in her Maker's smile awakes.
His light is on all below and above,

The light of gladness, and life, and love.
Oh! then, on the breath of this early air,
Send upward the incense of grateful prayer.

To prayer! for the glorious sun is gone,
And the gathering darkness of night comes on.
Like a curtain from God's kind hand it flows,
To shade the couch where his children repose.
Then kneel, while the watching stars are bright,
And give your last thoughts to the Guardian of night.

Το

prayer! for the day that God has blessed
Comes tranquilly on with its welcome rest.
It speaks of creation's early bloom;
It speaks of the Prince who burst the tomb.
Then summon the spirit's exalted powers,
And devote to heaven the hallowed hours.

There are smiles and tears in the mother's eyes,
For her new-born infant beside her lies.
Oh! hour of bliss! when the heart o'erflows
With rapture a mother only knows.

Let it gush forth in words of fervent prayer;
Let it swell up to heaven for her precious care.

There are smiles and tears in that gathering band,
Where the heart is pledged with the trembling hand.
What trying thoughts in her bosom swell,
As the bride bids parents and home farewell!
Kneel down by the side of the tearful fair,
And strengthen the perilous hour with prayer.

Kneel down by the dying sinner's side,
And pray for his soul, through Him who died.
Large drops of anguish are thick on his brow.
Oh! what are earth and its pleasures now?
And what shall assuage his dark despair,
But the penitent cry of humble prayer?

Kneel down at the couch of departing faith,
And hear the last words the believer saith.

He has bidden adieu to his earthly friends;
There is peace in his eye that upward bends;
There is peace in his calm, confiding air;

For his last thoughts are God's, his last words prayer.

The voice of prayer at the sable bier!

A voice to sustain, to soothe, and to cheer.
It commends the spirit to God who gave;
It lifts the thoughts from the cold, dark grave;
It points to the glory where He shall reign
Who whispered, "Thy brother shall rise again."

The voice of prayer in the world of bliss!
But gladder, purer, than rose from this.
The ransomed shout to their glorious King,
Where no sorrow shades the soul as they sing;
But a sinless and joyous song they raise;
And their voice of prayer is eternal praise.

Awake, awake, and gird up thy strength
To join that holy band at length.
To Him who unceasing love displays,

Whom the powers of nature unceasingly praise,
To Him thy heart and thy hours be given;
For a life of prayer is the life of heaven.

EXERCISE LIII.

THE FALL OF NIAGARA. J. G. C. Brainard.

66

[Sublimity, extending to awe, is the chief characteristic of this piece. The reading is marked by deep “ orotund," suppressed by the slightly "aspirated" effect of awe, bordering on fear. The "movement” is "extremely slow;" and the pauses correspond in length.

The full, sonorous effect of the blank verse, should be freely given, in the utterance.]

THE thoughts are strange that crowd into my brain,
While I look upward to thee. It would seem

As if God poured thee from his "hollow hand,"
And hung his bow upon thine awful front;

And spake in that loud voice, which seemed to him

Who dwelt in Patmos for his Saviour's sake,
"The sound of many waters; " and had bid
Thy flood to chronicle the ages back,

And notch His centuries in the eternal rock!

Deep calleth unto deep! And what are we,
That hear the question of that voice sublime?
Oh! what are all the notes that ever rang
From war's vain trumpet, by thy thundering side?
Yea, what is all the riot man can make,
In his short life, to thy unceasing roar?
And yet, bold babbler, what art thou to Him
Who drowned a world, and heaped the waters far
Above its loftiest mountains?

a light wave, That breaks, and whispers of its Maker's might!

EXERCISE LIV.

FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

Washington Irving.

This extract forms an example of easy, fluent, and graceful narration, intermingled with description and sentiment. It requires, in reading, "pure tone," in the "moderate" form which belongs to "serious" and "animated" style. The utterance is on the "middle pitch,” — the "movement," ""moderate."]

IT has been well observed of Ferdinand and Isabella, that they lived together, not like man and wife, whose estates are in common, under the orders of the husband, but like two monarchs, strictly allied. They had separate claims to sovereignty, in virtue of their separate kingdoms, and held separate councils. Yet they were so happily united by common views, common interests, and a great deference for each other, that this double administration never prevented a unity of purpose and action. All acts of sovereignty were executed in both their names; all public writings subscribed with both their signatures; their likenesses were stamped together on the public coin; and the royal seal displayed the united arms of Castile and Arragon.

Ferdinand possessed a clear and comprehensive genius, and great penetration. He was equable in temper, indefati

gable in business, a great observer of men, and is extolled by Spanish writers as unparalleled in the science of the cabinet. It has been maintained by writers of other nations, however, and apparently with reason, that he was bigoted in religion, and craving rather than magnanimous in his ambition; that he made war less like a paladin than a prince, less for glory than for mere dominion; and that his policy was cold, selfish, and artful. He was called the wise and prudent in Spain; in Italy, the pious; in France and England, the ambitious and perfidious.

Contemporary writers have been enthusiastic in their descriptions of Isabella; but time has sanctioned their eulogies. She was of the middle size, and well formed; with a fair complexion, auburn hair, and clear blue eyes. There was a mingled gravity and sweetness in her countenance, and a singular modesty in her mien, gracing, as it did, great firmness of purpose and earnestness of spirit. Though strongly attached to her husband, and studious of his fame, yet she always maintained her distinct rights as an allied prince. She exceeded him in beauty, personal dignity, acuteness of genius, and grandeur of soul. Combining the active, the resolute qualities of man, with the softer charities of woman, she mingled in the warlike councils of her husband, and being inspired with a truer idea of glory, infused a more loftyand generous temper into his subtle and calculating policy.

It is in the civil history of their reign, however, that the character of Isabella shines most illustrious. Her fostering and maternal care was continually directed to reform the laws, and heal the ills engendered by a long course of civil wars. She assembled round her the ablest men in literature and science, and directed herself by their counsels in encouraging literature and the arts. She promoted the distribution of honours and rewards for the promulgation of knowledge, fostered the recently invented art of printing; and, through her patronage, Salamanca rose to that eminence which it assumed among the learned institutions of the age. Such was the noble woman who was destined to acquire immortal renown by her spirited patronage of the discovery of the new world.

[The style of this piece requires the manner of "lively” and “gay” conversation, interspersed with occasional “serious" expression, and, sometimes, with graphic "humour." To give these changes of feeling with full natural effect, is the chief object to be kept in view, in reading. When the description borders on the satirical style, a peculiar pungency is required in the emphasis; and the 66 slide," or "simple inflection," passes into the "wave,” or “double inflection." A pompous "median" swell, also, is sometimes thrown in, to give efficacy to descriptive tone, in burlesque passages.]

lub MR. MILSTEAD, who, to the most sincere piety united a cultivated mind, a benevolent heart, and a cheerful and liberal disposition, had been recently appointed to a church in one of the small towns of a certain Atlantic section of the Union, that shall be nameless. His wife was a young and beautiful woman, whose character harmonized in every respect with his own.

As they had no children, and were good managers, Mr. Milstead soon found that his salary would not only afford them all they wanted, but that it would leave them something

to give away. They became very popular with the congrega-
tion; for Mr. Milstead, though indefatigable in administering
to the spiritual wants of and
flock, was never unmindful of
their temporal happiness; and his judicious and amiable wife
went hand in hand with him, in every thing.

They had not been long established in Tamerton, when
they observed with regret, that, though the inhabitants
showed the best possible disposition to be on intimate terms
with the minister and his lady, there was
was little sociability
or familiarity among themselves. The society of Tamerton
had gradually divided into numerous circles; some of these
circles being so small as to comprise but one or two families.
Mrs. Gutheridge, for instance, the most wealthy woman of
the place, revolved entirely in her own orbit. She was the
childless widow of Zephaniah Pelatiah Gutheridge, who had,
for several successive sessions, filled the office of speaker, in
the senate of the state legislature, an office that suited him
exactly, as he had never been known to speak in the house,
and very rarely out of it.