the correct and profound estimate of life, the serenest spirit of duty and of faith, are scarcely found till most of the lessons of our mortal state have been read, and the soul has caught some snatches of inspiration from the "still sad music of humanity." We may even say, that perhaps all our faculties do not develop themselves here; and whole classes of emotions and conceptions may wait to be born beneath other influences. Certain at least it is, that one who dies in infancy can have little idea of any thing beyond sensation; that one who falls in childhood cannot know the toils and triumphs of the pure reason; that one who dies in youth has not yet learned the sense of power which belongs to the practised exercise of creative thought, and the sacred peace of disinterested duty long tried in trembling and in

tears.

Certain, too, it is, that to the open mind fresh gleamings enter to the last; strange stirrings of diviner sympathies ; waves of thin, transparent light flitting through the spaces of the aged mind, like the Aurora of the north across the wintry sky. Even when " maturity" has been passed, then we may die, peradventure, ignorant of the secret fountains. of illumination that may be sequestered in the recesses of our nature; and when we depart at threescore years and ten, our experience may be as truly imperfect, as much a mere fragment, as when we lapse in a mortality called falsely "premature."

MARTINEAU.

THE WAR OF THE LEAGUE.

Now glory to the Lord of Hosts, from whom all glories are
And glory to our sovereign liege, King Henry of Navarre!
Now let there be the merry sound of music and of dance,
Through thy cornfields green, and sunny vines, O pleasant land
of France!

And thou, Rochelle, our own Rochelle, proud city of the waters, Again let rapture light the eyes of all thy mourning daughters. As thou wert constant in our ills, be joyous in our joy,

For cold, and stiff, and still are they who wrought thy walls annoy. Hurrah! hurrah! a single field hath turned the chance of war; Hurrah! hurrah! for Ivry, and King Henry of Navarre.

O, how our hearts were beating, when, at the dawn of day,
We saw the army of the League drawn out in long array,
With all its priest-led citizens, and all its rebel peers,
And Appenzel's stout infantry, and Egmont's Flemish spears!
There rode the brood of false Lorraine, the curses of our land!
And dark Mayenne was in the midst, a truncheon in his hand;
And, as we looked on them, we thought of Seine's empurpled

flood,

And good Coligni's hoary hair all dabbled with his blood;
And we cried unto the living God, who rules the fate of war,
To fight for his own holy name, and Henry of Navarre.

The king is come to marshal us, in all his armor dressed;
And he has bound a snow-white plume upon his gallant crest.
He looked upon his people, and a tear was in his eye;

He looked upon the traitors, and his glance was stern and high.
Right graciously he smiled on us, as rolled from wing to wing,
Down all our line, a deafening shout, "God save our lord the

king!"

"And if my standard-bearer fall, as fall full well he may,

For never saw I promise yet of such a bloody fray, —

Press where ye see my white plume shine, amidst the ranks of war, And be your oriflamme, to-day, the helmet of Navarre."

Hurrah! the foes are moving! Hark to the mingled din
Of fife, and steed, and trump, and drum, and roaring culverin!
The fiery duke is pricking fast across St. André's plain,
With all the hireling chivalry of Guelders and Almayne.
Now, by the lips of those ye love, fair gentlemen of France,
Charge for the golden lilies now upon them with the lance!
A thousand spurs are striking deep, a thousand spears in rest,

A thousand knights are pressing close behind the snow-white crest;

And in they burst, and on they rushed, while, like a guiding star, Amidst the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre.

Now, God be praised, the day is ours! Mayenne hath turned his rein.

D'Aumale hath cried for quarter: The Flemish count is slain.
Their ranks are breaking like thin clouds before a Biscay gale;
The field is heaped with bleeding steeds, and flags, and cloven
mail.

And then we thought on vengeance, and all along our van,
"Remember St. Bartholomew," was passed from man to man;
But out spake gentle Henry, "No Frenchman is my foe;
Down, down with every foreigner, but let your brethren go."
O, was there ever such a knight, in friendship or in war,
As our sovereign lord, King Henry, the soldier of Navarre?

Ho! maidens of Vienna! Ho! matrons of Lucerne !

Weep, weep, and rend your hair for those who never shall return. Ho! Philip, send, for charity, thy Mexican pistoles,

That Antwerp monks may sing a mass for thy poor spearmen's souls!

Ho! gallant nobles of the League, look that your arms be bright!
Ho! burghers of St. Genevieve, keep watch and ward to-night!
For our God hath crushed the tyrant, our God hath raised the slave,
And mocked the council of the wise, and the valor of the brave.
Then glory to his holy name, from whom all glories are;
And glory to our sovereign lord, King Henry of Navarre.

MACAULAY.

THE END.

TOWER'S SERIES OF SCHOOL BOOKS.

Gradual Primer. First Book.

The merits of this book consist,

1. In coupling letters by their resemblances.

2. In giving only a few letters of the alphabet, before words are given composed solely of those few letters.

3. In giving only one vowel in a lesson, with words which contain the name-sound of that vowel. This is a new and peculiar method of teaching the alphabet.

4. In considering the several powers of each vowel in a separate lesson, with easy words, and short, plain sentences, to illustrate each individual power or sound; thus teaching only one thing at a time.

5. The diphthongs, or combined vowels, are taught in the same manner. 6. Each consonant element is then considered by itself, in a separate lesson, with easy words and sentences, for exercise on its particular sound. 7. Particular and specific directions are, for the first time, given to teachers, for uttering each elementary sound in the language.

8. More general directions or suggestions are also given for teachers. Tables, peculiar to this Series alone, are inserted for daily practice of classes simultaneously in all the simple elementary sounds.

These are the prominent features of this Primer, and are peculiar to it alone. The teacher, as well as the pupil, will, from its use, lay the foundation of a distinct articulation, and be saved from much expense of time and labor in unlearning. This is "the right step taken in the right place."

Introduction to the Gradual Reader.
Second Book.

The peculiarities of this book consist,

1. In taking the pupil gradually through all the easier consonant combinations, by a regular progressive exercise on each combination.

2. Through all the points, or marks used by writers, illustrating each in a separate lesson.

3. Through the simple slides of the voice, in the same manner.

4. Progressive reading lessons, adapted to the progress of the pupil. The reading lessons are kept entirely distinct from the lessons in articulation, points, &c., that only one thing may be taught at a time, as in the Primer, which it is designed to follow.

5. Tables for daily simultaneous practice of the elementary sounds, and simple combinations. This book is the second progressive step in attaining a distinct utterance, and correct pronunciation.

6. Suggestions to teachers for avoiding errors in reading.

Gradual Reader.

This book contains,

Third Book.

1. Such a selection of reading matter as will interest, as well as instruct, the learner, progressively suited to his capacity.

2. A complete and original system of articulution, consisting of exercises upon every vowel and consonant element, and upon every vowel and consonant combination, in the language, even the most difficult. This was the first ever published, and is the only complete system.

3. Tables for simultaneous practice, by a whole school, on all the ele(281)

24*

mentary sounds and their combinations. Since the publication of these Exercises, in 1841, the subject of articulation has received much attention and they are said to have done more, for both teacher and pupil, in making good readers, than any other book.

4. The Gradual Reader was prepared, as stated in the preface, on the plan of teaching only one thing ct a time-a plan peculiar to this book, unless copied by others.

5. The exercises are kept separate from the reading lessons, that the whole school, at once, may be daily drilled in some portion of them previous to reading; then the pupil's attention will not be continually called from the sentiment and expression of a piece, by constant interruption, to correct his articulation.

6. The exercises in this book are full, to supply any deficiency in the elementary instruction of advanced pupils. (See printed notices of the book and system.)

These three books furnish complete and thorough instruction in articulation, the groundwork of all good reading.

N. A. Second Class Reader.

Fourth Book.

1. This Reader contains an elaborate but comprehensive treatise on elocution, in which the leading principles of good reading are simplified, and rules deduced and illustrated by practical examples. These are so plain that the child can easily comprehend them.

2. References are made in each reading lesson to some of the principles already developed, that the pupil may exercise his mind by the practical application of the same.

3. Each lesson has its partial vocabulary, to exercise the pupil's judgment in discriminating and selecting the definition appropriate to explain the author's meaning.

4. Above a thousand of the most difficult words are thus practically learned; and the pupil's knowledge of language is understandingly enlarged. 5. Each lesson is preceded by practical exercises in enunciation, exhibiting the correct pronunciation of words, and the distinct utterance of simple elements and difficult combinations.

6. These exercises may be practised simultaneously previous to taking up the reading lesson.

7. The selections have been carefully made in reference to their practical utility and interest, and their adaptation to the capacity of the pupils for whom they were designed.

N. A. First Class Reader. Fifth Book.

This Reader contains a philosophical treatise on the higher departments of Elocution. In this treatise the vocal elements are treated as the constituents of speech. Each one is considered in an insulated light and illustrated by appropriate exercises. It is next shown how these constituents are applied in combination, in every instance of chaste and impassioned eloquence or correct and impressive reading. When this treatise is examined, it will be found that the whole subject is clearly illustrated, and the essential points are arranged in such a manner as to be easily comprehended. "It is my firm conviction," says one of the most accomplished scholars of the present day," the treatise on elocution and principles of reading as illustrated and explained in the North American First and Second Class Readers, will do more to excite the attention on the subject of language and reading, than any thing else which has yet made its appearance; and were I again to teach, I should by all means exercise my classes on the illustrations as they are arranged under each principle. The selections are excellent, and, if merit be recommendation or any criterion of success, these books are destined to be more extensively used than any other series of reading books which has yet been published." These books are now presented to the public without agents to push them into notice, being presumed that when examined they will meet with general favor.