The injury done can never be repaid; as a machine, if imperfectly constructed at first, can never be made to turn faultlessly. This is the secret. Parents should know that instinct is no safe guide to a child, particularly when the child is surrounded on all sides with poisonous delicacies. To ask a child at a modern table what it will have, and give it what it asks for, merely because it asks for it, is a very common practice. But it is as foolish as common. Have mercy on the children.-N. Y. Independent. BREVITIES. HOW TO RUIN YOUR HEALTH.-Punch gives the following rules for ruining your health: 1st, Stop in bed late; 2d, Eat hot suppers; 3d, Turn day into night, night into day; 4th, Take no exercise; 5th, Always ride when you can walk; 6th, Never mind about wet feet; 7th, Have half a dozen doctors; 8th, Drink all the medicine they send you; 9th, Try every new quack; 10th, If that does n't kill you, quack yourself. A JOKE. A fellow stole a saw, and on his trial told the judge that he only took it in joke. "How far did you carry it?" asked the judge.. "Two miles," answered the prisoner."Ah! that 's carrying a joke too far!" remarked the judge, and the prisoner got three months' unrequited labor. PROVIDING FOR A RAINY DAY. Why have you not brought back the umbrella you borrowed of me, Sam?"- "Because father always told me to lay up something for a rainy day." A PUZZLER. A little friend of ours, a few days ago, while coming down stairs, was cautioned by his mother not to lose his balance. His question which followed was a puzzler: "Mother, if I should lose my balance, where would it go to?" THE GOLDEN RULE.· -"Would you like me to give you a shilling?" asked a little boy of a gentleman in the street. "To be sure, I would," was the reply. — “Very well, then," said the boy; "do unto others as you would others should do unto you." PHONOTYPY IMPROVED. - A lazy fellow, named Jack Hole, living near Covington, has adopted a way of spelling his name which throws Phonotypy clear into the shade. He makes a big "J," and then thrusts his pen through the paper for the "Hole." PREFERENCE. - To a fond mother, whose children were at the time making themselves disagreeable, a gentleman observed, "I have a decided preference for bad children, madam."-"How strange-and, pray, for what reason?" said she. cause they are always sent out of the room." Be THE SCHOOL MONTHLY. Che School Monthly. 31 to be preserved in the unaccented syllables, as in satin, certain, bridal, idol, medal, model, menyoung gentleman is not equally particular. He tal, fatal, gravel, travel, sudlen, &c., the same often makes these words degenerate into sat'n, cert'n, &c. distiches rhyme with breeches. His dictionary, WITH this issue we introduce the SCHOOL MONTHLY to teachers and pupils, schools and families. It starts with a large circulation, amply sufficient to insure its continuance. Our subscribers and agents are in all parts of the which we may think we are perfectly familiar, Sometimes the pronunciation of a word, with United States; and we shall aim to make the will prove, on reference to the dictionary, to be work an agreeable and useful medium of commu- quite different from what we supposed. An emnication for the advancement of all the widely-inent American writer, in a recent poem, makes extended school interests of our common country. Most of the periodical publications devoted to the cause of education in the United States are, it is no disparagement to say, limited in their circulation to the State in which they are issued. The present work, comprehending in the class to which it appeals every family which sends a single member to school, as well as every teacher in a school or academy, and being the organ of no local organizations, will reach, we hope, intelligent minds in every part of the Union, and thus enable us to communicate on educational subjects with an almost unlimited number of interested readers. The advantages of a work thus general and extended in its aims, and forming as it were a bond of union between members of the same fraternity separated by great distances, must be obvious. Although, bearing in mind that we are to be read by the young as well as the adult, we shall deal more in facts and images than in speculations, we still hope to find room for much that shall prove suggestive and valuable to the earnest and inquiring teacher. We ask the cooperation of all such in extending the circulation and consequent means of usefulness of the School Monthly: for our object will always be to clevate the schoolmaster's vocation still higher in the public esteem, and to make it at once less burthensome and more remunerative, in making it more generally appreciated. if not his Greek, would have told him that the k. A recent orator spoke of the remarks of ch in distichs (not distiches) has the sound of gibberish, the g in which word has the hard a political opponent as jibberish. He meant sound it has in give. He also spoke of magna charta, giving the ch the sound it has in chin, instead of the sound of k. Even such common words as been, again, against, none, nothing, &c., are often mispronounced by persons who ought to know better. poraneous speaking in a report of a lecture be-. speaking. What seems so is the utterance of Do readers sufficiently regard the importance of referring to a dictionary to satisfy themselves in respect to the pronunciation of words? We know a young gentleman, ambitious to be thought of liberally illustrating the School Monthly. On Ir will be seen that we have adopted the plan a notable elocutionist, and especially proud of his distinct enunciation, who sounds the vowel with the Newark Advertiser, which calls for this subject of pictures we are disposed to agree in the last syllable of such words as heaven, even, given, basin, frozen, cousin, reason, &c. To more pictures and fewer words, and says: "We both the t and the e in often, hasten, chasten, he ited sketches of old fashions, of antiquities, never read long, prosy descriptions, or even spirgives especial prominence. Now, if this young buildings, and curious objects of nature and art, gentleman would take the trouble to consult any good dictionary of the English language, he Let us only see the picture, though ever so rough, but we say, why not give us a drawing of it? would find that in all these words the second and we shall get a better idea of the thing than vowel is unsounded; and that in often, chasten, by all your verbiage, brilliant or dull, and in a hasten, the t also is unsounded. In regard to quarter of the time too. certain words in which the vowel sound ought last ten times longer. One does not easily forget What's more, it will what he sees, but what he only hears about is apt to pass into one ear and out of the other. The present style of illustrating books and newspapers is therefore founded in good sense. A great deal of information is thus easily acquired, and us easily remembered." We have in the hands of engravers some very spirited designs for the embellishment of future numbers. We shall endeavor to make this department of our magazine of a character to elevate the taste for art among our youthful readers. In a recent speech in London Mr. Charles Dickens spoke of the schools he liked, and of those he did not like. Of a school which he once attended, "the respected proprietor of which was by far the most ignorant man he ever had the pleasure to know," he said: "I do not like that sort of school, because I never yet lost my ancient suspicion touching that curious coincidence that the boy with four brothers to come always got the prizes." Of a school which he did like, he said: "It is a place of education where, while the beautiful history of the Christian religion is daily taught, and while the life of that Divine Teacher who himself took little children on his knees is daily studied, no sectarian ill-will or narrow human dogma is permitted to darken the face of the clear heaven which they disclose." WE fear that the importance to the future welfare of the young of cultivating a taste for literature and scientific pursuits is not enough considered. Most of our youth enter very early in life upon business, when, if they have formed no decided tastes for more purely intellectual occupations, they are likely to be absorbed in the excitements of traffic, or to give their leisure to less blameless recreations than those they could win from a good book. How often do we meet with men who, having given the best part of their lives to making money, find themselves, when the pecuniary object is gained, utterly destitute of those resources that minister to content! In the midst of a well-selected library they are as much at a loss as was sop's hen when she discovered a pearl, and wished it had been a grain of wheat. Even horticulture and agriculture have no charms for them; and they must continue in business, long after there is need of it, merely for the sake of the employment necessary to their peace of mind. A striking illustration of the insufficiency of those faculties exercised in money-getting to provide for mental health and contentment, is afforded in the case of the great English million. aire, Morrison, who died in November, 1857, worth twenty millions of dollars. He accumu "Mr. Morrison retired from active business several years since, without withdrawing his capital from the mercantile house; and, though managing his vast funds himself up to the time of his death with all the sagacity of earlier days, he has for the past three years been possessed with the idea that he should come to want. More than two years ago he commenced doing day labor upon a farm held by one of his tenants, for which he received twelve shillings a week, and this he continued up to the time of his illness. For the last eighteen months he has been a regular applicant for relief to the parish, assembling twice a week with the town paupers at the door of the Union,' and receiving with each one of them his two shillings and a quartern loaf. His friends have indulged him in these fancies on the ground that it was the best choice of two evils. The truth was, money was his god ; and the idea became at last too great for him, and broke him down. And yet he is said to have made a most judicious will, and his investments up to the last are characterized by good sense. The probate duty on his will exceeds £100,000.” In developing and encouraging those faculties that find their enjoyment in acquaintance with the treasures of a pure literature, of poetry, science, art, and in the invigorating pursuits of agriculture and all out-of-door occupations, we hope to make the SCHOOL MONTHLY eminently useful to the young in more ways than one. While we shall present many suitable exercises in declamation and reading, we shall bear in mind that to inculcate a taste for letters that may last through life, a resource at all times, and a joy and an ornament in old age, is no small point gained in education. We have received from publishers a number of juvenile works appropriate to the season. The Messrs. Harper have concluded their series of monthly story-books by Abbott, one of the most popular modern writers for the young. From the Messrs. Appleton we have several neatly-illustrated volumes; among them a life of Peter the Great, which will be a welcome contribution to youthful libraries. The new edition of Bryant's Poems is superbly printed and embellished. The catalogue of Messrs. Phillips, Sampson & Co. contains a list of several charming volumes for young persons. Notwithstanding the hard times, there will be no lack of holiday gift-books. SARGENT'S No. II. FEBRUARY, 1858.-VOL. I. DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ONE of the most interesting events in the history of America is the discovery of the Pacific Ocean from the hills of Darien, by Bal-bo'a. In the year 1510, this distinguished adventurer had succeeded in establishing a small colony on the Gulf of Darien; and in the course of two years he found himself sufficiently well settled to levy a tribute of gold upon the neighboring native tribes. From one of the chiefs he heard of the existence of another ocean at a short distance, and of a powerful country on its shore, whence were derived those precious metals for which the Spaniards were so anxiously seeking. Transported with joy, Balboa imagined that this might be the India of Columbus, and immediately set about his preparations for the journey. This was the first intimation the Spaniards had obtained relative to the Pacific Ocean and the opulent territory of Peru. Having secured the friendship of several native chiefs, and procured a reinforcement of volunteers, Balboa set out on his expedition, which, from the difficulties. 34 THE QUARREL OF THE AUTHORS. to be encountered, was the most adventur- | "Long live the high and powerful King ous that had yet been undertaken by the Spaniards in the New World. The portion of the isthmus which these hardy veterans were about to cross was not much more than sixty miles in breadth, but was beset with obstacles and dangers. Those persons who now traverse this tract of country, at their ease, in comfortable railroadcars, can hardly realize the extent of the obstacles in Balboa's time. Yet, in spite of them all, Balboa pushed on, sharing with his meanest follower the fatigues of the dreadful journey, where mountain, forest, torrent, famine, treachery, climate, and disease, were combined to arrest him, for twenty-six weary days, when he learned from his Indian guides that from the summit of the next mountain the object of his wishes would be visible. This was on the 29th of September, 1513. The party toiled up the ascent with more alacrity than they had displayed for some time past; and when near the summit Balboa commanded them to pause whilst he proceeded alone to the top, that he might be the first to behold the promised wonders. On reaching the highest peak, all the grandeur of the scene burst upon his view. At his feet lay hill, wood, and valley—a picture of splendor and confusion; and before him spread the placid waters of the Pacific Occan, stretching into space, and blending with the sky in all the beauty and softness of a southern atmosphere. upon Affected at the sight, Balboa fell his knees and thanked the Almighty for having made him the instrument of revealing to the civilized world these immense regions. He then cut down a large tree, and, depriving it of its branches, erected a cross upon a heap of stones, and wrote the names of Ferdinand and Isabella on the trunks of several trees round about. Descending with his companions to the sea-shore, Balboa, in full armor, having in one hand his sword, and in the other the standard of Castile, stood upon the sand until, the tide ascending, the water reached his knees. He then said, in a loud voice, and Queen of Castile! In their names I take possession of these seas and regions; and if any other prince, either Christian or Pagan, should pretend to have any claim or right to them, I am ready to oppose him, and to defend the right of their lawful possessors." A notary then registered this act, by which the Spaniards considered themselves to be the lawful possessors of all that country. It was at a gulf to the east of Pan-a-ma' that the ceremony was performed. Many of the followers of Balboa distinguished themselves on this expedition by their courage and endurance; none more so than young Pizarro, whose name was afterward associated with the history of the southern continent of America. The intelligence of Balboa's discovery excited a sensation in Spain second only to that caused by the discovery of America. The great object which had so long occupied the imagination of the nautical men of Europe, and formed the purpose of the last voyage of Columbus, the discovery of a communication with the far western ocean, was accomplished. THE QUARREL OF THE AUTHORS. Enter BAVIUS and MEVIUS, meeting. Bavius. Sir, I'm proud to have met you; long have I known your productions, and wished them (how often!) my own. Your verses have beauties in none other found. Merius. In yours, sir, the Loves and the Graces abound. Ba. Your phrases are neat, your style charmingly light. Me. We find the pathetic in all that you write. Ba. How sweet your Bu-col'ics! how tender and true! The-oc'ri-tus, surely, was nothing to you. Me. Your odes have a noble and elegant vein, that even old Horace could never attain. Ba. Can any thing equal your loveditties rare? |