of poetry and
mythology.

Lessons of worldly wisdom, are not forgotten in our manual, which
professes to teach "_the manly conduct and ordering of life_" to the
rising generation. "Those men," we are told, "who have the most money,
obtain the greatest honour amongst men." But then again, "a poor man
is as happy without riches, _if_ he can enjoy contentedness of mind,
as the richest earl that coveteth greater honour." It may be useful to
put young men upon their guard against hypocrites and knaves; but is
it necessary to tell school-boys, that "it concerneth me, and all men,
to look to ourselves, for the world is so full of knaves and
hypocrites, that he is hard to be found who may be trusted?" That
"they who behave themselves the most warily of all men, and live more
watchfully than others, may happen to do something, which (if it be
divulged) may very much damnify their reputation?" A knowledge of the
world may be early requisite; but is it not going too far, to assure
young people, that "the nations of the world are at this time come to
that pass of wickedness, that the earth is like hell, and many men
have degenerated into devils?"

A greater variety of ridiculous passages from this tenth edition of
Garretson's Exercise-book, might be selected for the reader's
entertainment; but the following specimens will be sufficient to
satisfy him, that by this original writer, natural history is as well
taught as morality:

Man. "Man is a creature of an upright body; he walketh upright when he
is on a journey; and when night approaches, he lieth flat, and
sleepeth."

Horses. "A journey an hundred and fifty miles long, tireth an horse
that hath not had a moderate feed of corn."

Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. "The air is nearer the earth than the
fire; but the water is placed nearest to the earth, because these two
elements compose but one body."

It is an easy task, it will be observed, to ridicule absurdity. It is
easy to pull down what has been ill built; but if we leave the ruins
for others to stumble over, we do little good to society. Parents may
reasonably say, if you take away from our children the books they
have, give them better. They are not yet to be had, but if a demand
for them be once excited, they will soon appear. Parents are now
convinced, that the first books which children read, make a lasting
impression upon them; but they do not seem to consider spelling-books,
and grammars, and exercise-books, as b