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At night there was an exhibition of aquatic fire-works of no ordinary beauty. Some of our fellow-passengers had prepared one or two instruments, to answer the purpose of harpoons. The moon had not risen, when they commenced their efforts at harpooning. The dark waters, as they were divided by the body of the ship, presented, before and behind a most brilliant display of phosphorescent light. At the bows, there was a sheet of foam, sparkling as it were with living fire, and the long wake from the stern seemed alive with the most brilliant corruscations. But what added most to the beauty of the scene, was the effect produced by the throw of the iron weapon. The whole shoal of Bonetos seemed to take the sudden aların, and, darting with great rapidity to escape their enemy, communicated to the water, the same appearances which marked the progress of the ship.

Hundreds of them, in simultaneous movement, darted from the ship's side, like a flight of water rockets, and, for a moment, their path was as discernible as if each had been an aqueous met or. In a few minutes they all would return; and the experiment was repeated again and again. Indeed so often was this splendid display before us, that not a few of the spectators seemed to lose, at last, the enjoyment of the spectacle, in the eagerness with which they watched the success of those who were aiming death to the beautiful Boneto.

I could not but admire the scene, and think that such fishes ought to escape the harpoon, particularly as all understood that they were but little relished at the table. However, the next day my sympathy and compassion for the Bonetos received a fatal shock.

About 10 o'clock, in the morning, the whole company of passengers were enjoying the delightful promenade upon deck, after breakfast ceremonies were ended. Some were reclining against the gunwale of the vessel, watching the innumerable Bonetos sporting at the sides, and extending out in the ocean on either hand, as far as the eye could distinguish them in the water. Others were pacing to and fro, in conversation, and no one had fairly set about his usual employment of reading or writing for the morning hours. It was the time, in which, by common consent, all met before entering on any intellectual duties, to chat a little, to exchange conjectures on the winds and weather for the day.

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On a sudden, one of our number exclaimed, with a tone and strength of voice, that immediately arrested universal attention, "O! see there!! What's that, what's that."

There was a sudden rush of all hands to the vicinity of the speaker; for, at every such outcry at sea, all are eager to see "the whale."

But all were at a loss, for a time, to know the cause of wonderment. In our slow and gentle passage through the water, we had fallen in with an immense shoal of small fish, commonly known by the name of English herrings. These are esteemed by the Boneto, as well as other epicures, a great dainty, and the former consider them as lawful prey, even to be devoured by thousands. The Bonetos had taken scent, and were in pursuit. Not one of them could be discovered from any part of the ship. The whole shoal of herrings, in their efforts to escape from the jaws of the Boneto, were leaping, it seemed like millions at a time from the water. In their flight, it appeared as though clouds of innumerable herrings were flying over the gentle waves; for all the time the air was filled an inch or two above the water with the shining little creatures. And yet each individual was only a moment above the water,-then down again, -and as soon as possible, rising again, in all the agony of his fear, to escape the pursuer, who was perhaps just ready to devour him. The noise of the immense multitude was like the rustling of the leaves of a forest; and the sea was agitated as though a flying shower of bullets was passing over its waves. This continued until they were fairly out of sight. Poor little herrings, devoted to death! Our Bonetos returned to us no

more.

INFLUENCE OVER CHILDREN.

NO. I.

WE propose to illustrate, in several successive articles, the principles by which parents, and especially mothers, are to make efforts to gain that kind of moral ascendancy over their children, which is almost absolutely necessary for success in education. We shall do this chiefly by illustrative examples, exhibiting what we mean to recommend; and these we shall write in a style adapted to childrens' minds; for our object is, to have the mother not only peruse them herself, but read them to her children.

The motives by which a parent may endeavor to regulate the child's conduct, are evidently very various. Some parents

drive others allure. Among those who allure, there is every variety of method. Some draw by rewards; others by praise; others by what I may call personal influence. One child is led to behave well from fear of a scolding; another by fear of punishment; a third from hope of having sugar-plums, or a ride, or the privilege of sitting up a little later at night; and a fourth, from a desire of commendation. It is not either of these modes, however, of influencing children, that we are in these numbers, to illustrate. It is something different from them all, viz., the winding of such a tie around the heart of the child, that it shall spontaneously desire to comply with its parents' wishes; so that the expression of a wish, unaccompanied with any expressed or even implied threat or promise, shall constitute a powerful inducement to action. We do not suppose that this will be, of itself, in all cases, sufficient; but this direct influence in the heart, is the most pleasant kind of government; and it is best to make it go as far as it will.

Every parent, then, should make it a part of her settled plan, and an object of frequent, direct and appropriate efforts, to gain a powerful moral ascendancy in the heart of her child. Most parents neglect this altogether; at least, they make no peculiar and frequent efforts to secure the object. They do what they happen to think of. What the child asks for, they give; and sometimes they spend a few minutes in playing with the child, for their own amusement. We wish the mother who reads this, would pause a moment to reflect, whether when she is conversing or playing with her children, it is their amusement or her own which she is chiefly aiming at. Nine-tenths must answer the former. Now in order to gain an ascendancy over the hearts of children, it is necessary to devote some time to them, to their enjoyment. It is not enough to make use of them sometimes, as means of promoting our own. We must come down to their wants, consider their feelings, sympathise with them, and talk to gratify their intellectual tastes and habits.

The parent who passively waits for his child to come to him, and gives only such a degree of attention as is asked, will acquire an influence very slowly. Let us imagine a scene. The father is seated at the parlor fire, after tea. His little girl comes up to him, and, looking up into his face, says"Father, I wish you would tell me a story."

"A story? what do you want to hear a story for?" "Oh, I want to hear one."

"But I don't know any stories."

Oh, yes you do, father. I wish you would tell me one." "Well, what shall it be about?"

"Oh, about a dog."

"Well, let me think ries about dogs."

Why I don't know any pretty sto

The child repulsed and discouraged goes away, swinging its arms, and looking around in vain for something to do. Nothing else more alluring offering itself, she concludes to eat a little more supper, and accordingly asks for it; but her mother, thinking she has had enough, denies her; and the second disappointment is too much for her good humor, and she begins to cry.

The father calls her to him; sharply reproves her, for her ill humor, pe hips sends her away into a corner, or as a still more dreadful punishment,-orders her off to bed.

This course, and a similar one, continued from day to day, and year to year, can never be expected to give to the parent any strong influence over the heart of his daughter.

Contrast with this, now, the following scene, which we describe in childrens' language, that the mother, who reads the article, may pause till she calls her little children to her, that she may read it to them. The story we intend as an instrument to use with children, as well as an example to imitate. We retain the name Samuel, as the hero of all our principal illus trations.

One evening, Samuel's father came into the parlor after tea. Samuel was there alone, sitting at the table finishing his supper. He was eating some toast, which was on a plate before

him.

"Oh, Samuel," said his father, "have you done your supper; for if you have, I want to carry you out to show you something." Samuel had a piece of toast on his fork as his father stood behind him, leaning over his shoulder, and said this. He hurried it into his mouth, and then looked a moment on the rest, and then up to his father. He hesitated.

"Yes, father," said he in a moment. "I have done, and I will go with you. What is it you are going to show me?" So he laid his knife and fork across the plate, and reached up his arms to his father.

His father lifted him out of his chair, and carried him out of the room.

"What are you going to show me ?" asked Samuel.

"Oh, you will see," said his father, "when you get out." When they came to the front door, they found that it was dark. Samuel's father walked carefully down the steps, and

then out upon the green grass, in the yard. He held him in his arms, so that he could look up into the great lofty sky. "There," said he, "don't you see the great lofty sky, spread all around, and the bright beautiful stars, all over it?" "Oh, yes," said Samuel.

"Oh, how many there are! Look all around. See, how high! Away up high, high, high. One, two, three-Oh! I never could count them, there are so many. God made them all, one day. Some are faint, some are bright; but God made them all. How magnificent they are!"

"Oh, yes," said Samuel, "they are very high."

After Samuel had looked at them for a moment, his father carried him in. He gently put him down on the floor in the front entry.

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Samuel then thought that he should like some more supper. He walked along to the back parlor, where the supper-table was, alone; and when he came into the room, and looked around, and saw that there was nobody there to give him any more supper, or to lift him up to the table, he threw his head back, and began to cry aloud.

His father, who had gone into the front parlor, came quick, to see what was the matter. He thought Samuel must be hurt.

When he found that Samuel was crying for more supper, he was surprised. He commanded him to be still, and Samuel obeyed.

When he was still and pleasant again, his father said,

"There are two ways, Samuel, of trying to get some more supper, the right and the wrong way. I will show you what they are. First, I will show you the wrong way."

So he led Samuel out into the entry again.

"Now," said he, "suppose I am Samuel, and I want some more supper. I am going to show you the wrong way to get it, that is, crying for it."

So he led Samuel along, until they came to the back parlor, and then he threw his head back, and distorted his face, and I cried like Samuel.

Samuel laughed, to see his father pretending to cry.

"There," said his father, "Should you think that this is the right way to get some more supper ?"

"No, indeed;" said Samuel.

"Well, then; now I will show you the right way."

So his father led him into the front entry again, and then turned round and walked back towards the room, where the

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