LESSON XXX. CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION. is as in bats, hats, mats, rats. vd as in lov'd, mov'd, prov'd, sav'd. vdst as in lov'dst, mov'dst, prov'dst, sav'dst. There is something very touching in the consideration, if we will fix our minds upon it, that God thought of us when we could not think; that he watched over us when we had no power to avert peril from ourselves; that he continued our vital motions, and in due time broke the chains of sleep, and set our imprisoned faculties free. Importance of Attention. A Dialogue. Charles. MOTHER, is it almost school time? Charles. Only half an hour? Will you hear me try to recite this lesson again? Mother. No, for I am sure you will say it no better than before. Charles. Why, mother? Mother. Because you have not been studying. I have been looking at you from time to time, and have scarcely seen your eyes fixed once on your book. Charles. I was only watching James, for fear he would weed up my young balsams. Mother. I fancy James knows what he is about. Charles. Well, I will study now. Mother. Do you generally whistle when you study, Charles? Charles. Was I whistling? Mother. Yes, and with your eyes fixed on my Canary bird. Charles. Well, mother, I cannot help it. This is the hardest lesson that ever was. Mother. And yet you told me your cousin Richard learned it, yesterday, in twenty minutes. Charles. Then I suppose that I am stupid. Mother. I rather think not. I believe your memory is as good as Richard's. Charles. O mother! he always learns his lessons quicker than I do. Mother. And does that prove that his memory is better? Charles. To be sure it does. Mother. When you are at play, does he remember things better than you do? Charles. Why, no, I believe not. Mother. Did you not tell us as much about the lecture the other night, when you came home, as he did? Charles. Yes, and more too; father said I did. Mother. That required memory, certainly. I do not think you have any right to lay blame on any natural defect. Charles. O, I did not mean to say that; but all I know is, that Richard gets his lessons quicker than I do and what can the reason be? : He is not three weeks older than I am, and does not appear to know more than I do about other things. Mother. Did you ever happen to sit near him when he was studying? Charles. Yes, that I have; and I would rather sit next to any boy in school. Mother. Why? Charles. Because there is no comfort in it. He will not let any body speak to him. Mother. What, not to ask a reasonable question? Charles. O, as to that, he helps me sometimes when I do not understand my lesson: he is always good-natured enough about that; but what I mean is, if I ask him to look at any thing funny, or want to talk to him about any of our plays, a minute, he says I disturb him, and take off his attention; and if I go on, just to whisper a little, he takes up his book and marches off somewhere else. Mother. He complains that you take off his attention, does he? Charles. Yes, mother; is not that cross in him? Mother. Richard has learned a very important secret, I see. Charles. A secret? What? one that helps him get his lessons? Mother. Yes. Charles. I wish I could find it out. Mother. I can tell it to you in one word, which you used just now. Charles. What can it be? Mother. Attention, Charles-attention! That will enable you to learn your lesson as easily as Richard does. The only reason why he learns quicker than you do is, that he never allows himself to think of any thing else, while he is getting his lesson. LESSON XXXI. CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION. vld as in rav'll'd, shriv'll'd, grov'll'd, shov'll'd. The spacious firmament on high, Mother. WHAT is studying, Charles? Charles. Trying to fix something in the mina. Mother. Very good; a better answer than I expected. Were you trying to fix your lesson in your mind while you were watching James? or while you were scratching with your pencil on the window-seat? or whistling to my Canary bird? Charles. No, indeed. Mother. Yet, during the three quarters of an hour you have sat at the window, with a book in your hand, these have been your principal employments. Once or twice you began to read the lesson over to yourself, but something would attract your attention, and your thoughts were gone from it in an instant; the slight impression it had made was effaced; and when you returned to your task, you were just where you had been ten minutes before. Yet, at nine o'clock, you would jump up in dismay, exclaiming, "There, I have been studying this lesson more than an hour, and I cannot say it yet. Is it not enough to discourage one, mother?" Charles. The plain truth of the matter is, mother, I do get discouraged. I do not see any use in studying so hard. Mother. But you would not have to study so hard, or, at least, not near so long, if you would take the right method. Charles. But it is the studying at all that I object to, mother. I do not know but I might study better if I could see any use in it. I can read and write, and what need is there of my studying more? Mother. You cannot conceive of any pleasure in acquiring knowledge, then? Charles. O yes; I like to know all I can by reading interesting books; I like to read some histories, |