Page images
PDF
EPUB

256 WRITING AN ANGRY LETTER MAY SUFFICIENTLY RELIEVE THE FEELINGS.

Sorrel, paternal affection

Sorrel (Wild), wit ill-timed

Sorrel (Wood), joy

Southernwood, jest; banter
Sow Bread, diffidence
Spearmint, warmth of sentiment
Speedwell or Veronica, female fidelity
Speedwell (Germander), facility
Speedwell (Spiked), resemblance
Spider Ophrys, adroitness; skill
Spiderwort, esteem, but not love; tran-

sient love

Spiked Willow Herb, pretension Spindle Tree, your image is engraved on my heart

Star of Bethlehem (with bulbous root,
and white six-petalled flowers with-
out calyx), guidance; reconciliation
St. John's Wort, you are a prophet;
superstition

Stock (Ten-week), promptitude
Stonecrop, tranquillity of mind
Straw (Broken), rupture
Strawberry, perfect excellence

and love

Strawberry Tree or Arbutus,

esteem

Stramoneum, disguise

Sunflower (Dwarf), adoration

Sunflower (Tall), haughtiness

Swallow-wort, cure for heartache

Sweetbriar, simplicity

Sweetbriar (Yellow), decrease of love

Sweet Flag, fitness

Sweet Sultan, felicity

Sweet Sultan Flower, widowhood

Traveller's Joy, safety
Trefoil, revenge

Tauffle, surprise

Tuber Rose, dangerous pleasures
Tulip Tree, fame

Tulip (Red), declaration of love
Tulip (Variegated), beautiful eyes
Tulip (Yellow), hopeless love
Turnip, charity

Valerian, accommodating disposition
Venus's Looking-Glass, flattery
Verbena, sensibility

Vernal Grass, poor but happy
Veronica, fidelity in friendship
Vervain or Verbena, enchantment; sen-
sibility
Vetch, shyness

Violet (Blue), faithfulness in love
Violet (Dames), you are the queen of
coquettes

Violet (Purple), you occupy my thoughts
Violet (White), innocence; modesty
Violet (Wild), love in idleness
Vine, drunkenness

Virgin's Bower, filial love
Wallflower, fidelity in misfortune
Walnut, stratagem

Wheat, prosperity

Whin, anger

Willow, forsaken

Willow (Herb), pretension
Willow (Water), freedom

Willow (Weeping), melancholy
Wolfsbane, misanthropy
Woodruff, modest worth

Sweet William, gallantry; finesse; a Wormwood, absence

[blocks in formation]

Yew, sadness

Zephyr-flower, expectation
Zinnia, thoughts of absent friends

1527c. Dial Flowers.-Certain flowers indicate, by their opening and closing, the time of the day with remarkable approximation to accuracy. The following are examples :Common Dandelion, opens 5.0, 6.0, closes 8.0, 9.0

Late-flowering Dandelion, opens 4.0, closes 12.0

Naked-stalked

closes 7.0

[blocks in formation]

Copper-coloured Day Lily, opens 5.0,

closes 7.0, 8.0

Smooth Sow Thistle, opens 5.0, closes
II.O, 12.0

SUCH RELIEF MAY BE CONVERTED INTO ANXIETY IF THE LETTER BE SENT.

INDOLENCE IS THE MOTHER OF MISERY.

opens 5.0, 6.0,

Small Bindweed, closes 4.0, 5.0 White Water Lily, opens 7.0, closes 5.0 Field Marygold, opens 9.0, closes 3.0 African Marygold, opens 7.0, closes 3.0, 4.0

Chickweed, opens 9.0, 10.0, closes 90, 10.0

1528a. How to Read Books.The following are a few cautions and counsels on this subject :

Always have some useful and pleasant books to take up in odd ends of time.

Be not alarmed because so many

books are recommended.

Do not attempt to read much or fast. Do not be so enslaved by any system or course of study as to think it may

not be altered.

Beware, on the other hand, of frequent changes in your plan of study.

Read always the best and most recent book on the subject which you wish to investigate.

Study subjects rather than books. Seek opportunities to write and converse on subjects about which you read.

Refer what you read to the general head under which it belongs: if a fact, to the principle involved; if a principle, to the facts which follow.

Try to use your knowledge in practice.

Keep your knowledge at command by reviewing it as much as you can.

Dare to be ignorant of many things. "Books are the food of youth; the delight of old age; the ornament of prosperity; the refuge and comfort of adversity; a delight at home, and no hindrance abroad; companions by night, in travelling, in the country."-Cicero.

"If the crowns of all the kingdoms of Europe were laid down at my feet in exchange for my books and my love of reading, I would spurn them all." Archbishop Fenelon.

"A taste for books is the pleasure and glory of my life. I would not exchange it for the glories of the Indies." -Edward Gibbon.

257

1528b. Reading Aloud.—This is one of the most important of accomplishments for our spare moments; for it may be made to include all tastes and to suit all times.

1528c. Music in the Home.Every one who has an aptitude for instrumental music or for singing should be thankful for the gift, and cultivate it with diligence; not that they may dazzle strangers, or win applause from a crowd, but that they may elevate and purify their own minds by its exercise, and bring gladness to their own firesides. Sweet melody binds all hearts together; it makes the pulses beat in unison and the hearts thrill with sympathy.

Vocal music should no doubt have the 1528d. Fireside Orchestras.— first place in every well-regulated family circle, but it is greatly to be desired that instrumental music should be more widely practised, and that family orchestras should become more general. Let us mention here the chief instruments available for this purpose.

1528e. The Pianoforte.-The convenience of this instrument, the beauty of its tone, its value in accompanying solo singing, the long way that a little ability to play upon it will go, and the vast quantity and endless variety of music written expressly for it, have, no doubt, contributed to a great extent in giving the pianoforte the prominence it now enjoys. It must remain the central instrument in every home.

1588f. The Violin is, of all instruments, the one most capable of the light tones of gaiety or the passionate expression of feeling, whether it be the

accents of love or sorrow. With the pianoforte it goes better than any other instrument, and it may be learned and played upon with effect by the young ladies of a family as well as by their brothers. The days are past when to play upon the violin was thought unbecoming to the fair sex.

1528g. The Violoncello has a charming effect when played in com

EMPLOYMENT IS THE BEST BASIS OF HAPPINESS.

258

IN ALL THINGS PRESERVE INTEGRITY.

pany with the pianoforte, and for the violin, violoncello, and pianoforte there are pieces of exquisite music.

1528h. The Harp has of late years fallen quite into the background, a circumstance to be regretted. Its graceful form, romantic associations, and ancient history are charming recommendations. The chief objection to it is the severe trial to the ends of the fingers. It is also awkward for a lady to play.

1528i. The Guitar is capable of much execution and a variety of effects peculiarly its own, whilst it is admirably adapted as an accompaniment to the voice.

1528j. The Flute does not possess a very extensive compass, but is specially prominent in concerted music on account of the acuteness of the sounds it can produce. No other instrument has undergone so many changes and improvements within the last half century. It is easy to learn.

is

1528k. The Harmonium amongst the most popular of modern keyed instruments, and requires little to be urged in its favour. In some families it almost rivals the pianoforte

in usefulness.

15281. The American Organ is like the harmonium, but with some important differences. Its advantages are that the blowing is easier, that the tone is more organ-like in quality, and therefore peculiarly suited for sacred music. On the other hand, it is inferior in having less variety of tone and not nearly so much power of expression.

1528m. The Concertina, for its size, has a wonderful compass, and much variety of tone can be obtained by a skilful player. The compass is four octaves, throughout which it has a complete chromatic scale.

1528n. Amateur Concerts are often difficult to arrange and carry out with any considerable success. One person should take sole charge, and all the performers should yield him unquestion

ing obedience. The programme should not contain a greater number of pieces than can be performed in an hour and a hours' length, for half an hour is sure to half; this really means a concert of two be taken up by waits and encores. It is a good plan to divide the concert into two parts, and the first and last pieces of each part should be performed by the this imparts a good deal of extra vitality whole body of amateurs in companyto the proceedings. Each performer should be in his place before the time appointed, and should have his music at hand and in proper order. Attention should be paid to the smallest trifles, so that the concert may go smoothly from beginning to end.

Musicians.-The following apho15280. Aphorisms for Amateur risms may be recommended to the attention of every amateur musician :The cultivation of the ear is of the first importance.

Take care to have your instrument always in perfect tune.

To drag and to hurry are equally great faults.

Learn the fundamental laws of harmony when you are young.

Seek among your companions for tbose who know more than you do.

Without enthusiasm you will never accomplish anything of value in the art. Play always with care, and never try a piece half through.

You should be able to understand a

piece of music merely on reading it.

Question older players about the choice of pieces for study; you will thus save much time.

You should never play bad compositions, and never listen to them unless circumstances compel you to do so.

Try to play easy pieces well; it is better to do that than to play difficult ones in a second-rate style, or in a slovenly manner.

Play in time.

You must industriously practise scales and other finger exercises.

Cultivate singing at sight, without the aid of an instrument.

MALICE DRINKS HALF ITS OWN POISON.

HOME RECREATIONS,

INVOLVING

GENIAL MENTAL EXERCISE AND SKILL.

1529. Evening Games.

And, while the bubbling and loud hissing urn
Throws up a steamy column, and the cups,
That cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each,
So let us welcome peaceful evening in.-COWPer.

1530. Forfeits.-In the majority of evening games, the penalty exacted for a blunder is a forfeit; some ribbon, or glove, or trinket, is given up by the delinquent, and kept by the forfeit holder until the game is over, when it must be redeemed by some penalty exacted from the owner. The redeeming of the forfeits may be made productive of much fun; and a number of penalties will be given in due course. In the meantime let us proceed to describe some of the games themselves.

1531. Twirling the Trencher. -The players sit round in a circle, and one stands in the middle, with a wooden or metal plate, or trencher. He sets this up on its edge, and gives it a spin, and, as he does so, calls out the name of one of the players. The player thus called upon must catch the trencher before it has done spinning; failing this, he pays a forfeit. He then sets the trencher spinning in his turn, calling upon some other player.

1532. Riddles, as they are popularly called, otherwise conundrums, when seasonable and in good taste, are capable of making much amusement, and may also be made the vehicles of considerable instruction, as well as incentives to mental exercise.

1533. The following collection of Conundrums is in every way select, and we hope will give as much amusement in the reading as it has afforded in the compilation :

Why is a dog biting his tail like a good manager? Because he makes both ends meet.

If a spider were late for dinner, what would he do? Take a fly.

Why are fowls the most economical things a farmer can keep? Because for every grain they give a peck.

Why is a watch-dog bigger by night than by day? Because he is let out at night and taken in in the morning.

What piece of coin is double its value by deducting its half? Halfpenny.

When is a clock on the stairs dangerous? When it runs down.

draper's shop, what would he want? If a bear were to go into a linen

Muzzlin'.

State the difference between a grocer selling a pound of sugar, and an apothecary's boy with a pestle and a mortar? One weighs a pound and the other pounds away.

When a hen is sitting across the top of a five-barred gate, why is she like a penny? Because she has a head on one side and a tail on the other.

AN ADEPT AT ONE GAME MAY BE INCAPABLE AT ANOTHER.

260 NOTHING IS PROFITABLE WHICH IS CONTRARY TO INTEGRITY.

[blocks in formation]

I am for ever, yet was never? C? Eternity! classes.

When may you be said to literally "drink in " music? When you have a piano-for-tea.

How was Ruth very rude to Boaz? By pulling his ears and treading on his

corn.

What is more foolish than sending coals to Newcastle? Sending milk to Cowes.

What is the difference between an engine-driver and a schoolmaster? One minds the train and the other trains the mind.

Why is o the noisest of all the vowels? Because you can't make a horrid loud noise without it, whilst all the others are inaudible.

Why can you never expect a fishmonger to be generous? Because his business makes him sell fish.

When is a bonnet not a bonnet? When it becomes a pretty woman.

What is that which works when it plays, and plays when it works? A fountain.

In what tongue did Balaam's donkey speak? Probably in the Hebray-ic.

What is the difference between a fisherman and a lazy schoolboy? One baits his hook and the other hates his book.

What words may be pronounced quicker and shorter by adding syllables to them? Quick and short.

Why was "Uncle Tom's Cabin " not written by a female hand? Because it was written by Mrs. Beecher's toe.

What is the difference between your last will and testament and a man who has eaten as much as he can? One is signed and dated, the other dined and sated.

When does a leopard change his spots? When he moves from one spot to another.

Tell us how to make an hour go fast? Use the spur of the moment.

What would a pig do who wished to build himself a habitation? Tie a knot in his tail and call it a pig's tie!

Which are the lightest men-Scotchmen, Irishmen, or Englishmen? In Ireland there are men of Cork; in Scotland, men of Ayr: but in England, on the Thames, we have lighter-men.

Why was it a mistake to imagine that Robinson Crusoe's island was uninhabited? Because the first thing he saw upon landing was a great swell a-pitching into a little cove" on the shore.

What extraordinary kind of meat is to be bought in the Isle of Wight? Mutton from Cowes !

Why is a miserly uncle with whom you have quarrelled like a person with a short memory? Because he is everfor-getting and never for-giving.

Why is a comet more like a dog than the dog-star! Because it has a tail, and the dog-star hasn't.

What was it a blind man took at breakfast which restored his sight? He took a cup and saw, sir!

IT IS A FRAUD TO BORROW TO PAY GAMING DEBTS.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »