The moon thro' your curtain shall cheerfully peep, Her silver beams dance on your eyes;

And mild evening breezes shall fan you to sleep, Till bright morning bids you arise.

"An elephant," said Mr. Barlow, "is the largest land animal that we are acquainted with. It is many times thicker than an ox, and grows to the length of eleven or twelve feet; its strength is prodigious; but it is at the same time so very gentle, that it rarely does hurt to any thing, even in the woods, where it resides. It lives on the fruits and branches of trees. But what is most singular about its make is, that instead of a nose, it has a hollow piece of flesh which grows over its mouth, to the length of three or four feet; this is called the trunk of the elephant; and he is capable of bending it in every direction. When he wants to break off the branch of a tree, he twists his trunk round it, and snaps it off directly. When he wants to drink, he lets it down again into the water, sucks up several gallons at a time, and then doubling the end of it back, discharges it into his mouth." 66 'But if he is so large and strong," said

Tommy, "I should suppose, it must be impossible ever to tame him?" "So perhaps it would," replied Mr. Barlow, "did they not instruct those that have been already tamed, to assist in catching others." T." How is that, sir?" Mr. B." When they have discovered a forest where these animals resort, they make a large inclosure with strong pales and a deep ditch, leaving only one entrance to it, which has a strong gate left purposely open. They then let one or two of their tame elephants loose, who join the wild ones, and gradually entice them into the inclosure. As soon as one of these has entered, a man who stands ready, shuts the gate, and takes him prisoner. The animal finding himself thus entrapped, begins to grow furious, and attempts to escape; but immediately two tame ones, of the largest size and greatest strength, who had been placed there on purpose, come up to him, one on each side, and beat him with their trunks till he becomes more quiet. A man then comes behind, ties a very large cord to each of his hind legs, and fastens the other end of it to two great trees. He is then left without food for some hours, and in that time generally becomes so docile as to suffer himself to be conducted to the stable which is prepared for him, where he lives the rest of his life like a horse, or any other sort of domestic animal." T." And pray, sir, what did the elephant do to the tailor?" "There was," said Mr. Barlow, "at Surat, a city where many of these tame elephants are kept, a tailor, who used to sit and work in his shed, close to the place to which these elephants were led every day to drink. This man

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contracted a kind of acquaintance with one of the largest of these beasts, and used to present him with fruits and other vegetables, whenever the elephant passed by his door. The elephant was accustomed to put his long trunk in at the window, and to receive in that manner whatever his friend chose to give. But one day the tailor happened to be in a more than ordinary ill-humour, and not considering how dangerous it might prove to provoke an animal of that size and strength, when the elephant put his trunk in at the window, as usual, instead of giving him any thing to eat, he pricked him with his needle. The elephant instantly withdrew his trunk, and without showing any marks of resentment, went on with the rest to drink; but after he had quenched his thirst, he collected a large quantity of the dirtiest water he could find in his trunk, which I have already told you is capable of holding many gallons, and when he passed by the tailor's shop on his return, he discharged it full in his face, with so true an aim, that he wetted him all over, and almost drowned him; thus justly punishing the man for his ill-nature and breach of friendship.'

In one of those terrible eruptions of Mount Etna,* which have often happened, the danger of the inhabitants of the adjacent country was uncommonly great. To avoid immediate destruction from the flames, and the melted lava which ran down the sides of the mountains, the people were obliged to retire to a considerable distance. Amidst the hurry and confusion of such a scene (every one flying and carrying away whatever he deemed most precious), two brothers, in the height of their solicitude for the preservation of their wealth and goods, suddenly recollected that their father and mother, both very old, were unable to save themselves by flight. Filial tenderness triumphed over every other consideration." Where," cried the generous youths, "shall we find a more precious treasure than they are who gave us being, and who have cherished and protected us through life?" Having said this, the one took up his father on his shoulders, and the other his mother, and happily made their way through the surrounding smoke and flames.

* A volcano or burning mountain in the island of Sicily.

All who were witness of this dutiful and affectionate conduct, were struck with the highest admiration; and their posterity, ever after, called the path which these good young men took in their retreat, "The Field of the Pious."

LESSON LXVII.

THE ORPHAN BOY.

Stay, lady, stay, for mercy's sake,
And hear a helpless orphan's tale!
Ah! sure my looks must pity wake!
'Tis want that makes my cheek so pale.
Yet I was once a mother's pride,

And my brave father's hope and joy;
But in the Nile's proud fight he died,
And I am now an orphan boy.

Poor foolish child! how pleased was 1,
When news of Nelson's victory came,
Along the crowded streets to fly,

And see the lighted windows flame!
To force me home my mother sought,
She could not bear to see my joy;
For with my father's life 'twas bought,
And made me a poor orphan boy.

The people's shouts were long and loud;
My mother shuddering closed her ears;
Rejoice! rejoice!" still cried the crowd,
My mother answer'd with her tears.

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