jolly-and the dog gloruus. Even Mike himself, if he could understand, would feel uncomfortable at such a name, for he would know that it is without sense. You may be sure, therefore, although you think such words have a fine sound-that they are not fine, but foolish. Such words are very easy to say-but only ignorant boys whose minds are empty, will use them. "I hope, Edward, that your mind is not empty, and that it is filled with something more than sounds. Will you let me hear what you have been learning at school?" "Yes, papa," said Edward, gladly, for he wanted to show that he knew something more than names, so he began "My name is Norval; on the Grampian hills, my father feeds his flock.' He repeated this piece to his papa, with a great deal of action -sometimes looking very fierce sometimes very modest-speaking with a loud voice-and again, very sc ftly. So, his sisters thought that he did it very well. He then repeated another piece, beginning "Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors!" "Well, Edward," said his father, "you have repeated these very well; but I am not so anxious for you to talk as to think. You remind me of a man whom I should like you to hear about. "A missionary, who was living amongst the North American Indians, had a servant, who liked to make fine speeches. "One day, passing through the woods, he heard a strange noise, and the noise of men clapping their hands, like people at a public meeting. On looking he saw his servant standing on a mound, surrounded by Indians. Although the man did not understand their language, he was making a bawling sound, like the noise of a 'great speech.' The Indians were listening with attention; they did not doubt for a moment that they were hearing their own language, but they said that his style of speaking was too great for their understanding. "The servant had not an idea to give them, for his head was empty -so the Indians went away with empty heads also. Not a word of sense had been spoken, they had only heard a loud sound. 66 It is so with other people, Edward. Those who have thoughts, which are very little, often say them in voices which are very loud, to give them importance-it generally happens that the men who talk much think little. "If you were to strike a number of casks with a stick, and one made a hollow sounding noise, you would at once know it to be empty. So, from your fondness for foolish names with a fine sound, Latin names with a fine sound, and 'speeches' with a fine sound, I am afraid that when I examine you to-morrow, I shall find that your mind has not many ideas-I hope that it is not empty-but this proverb always has been and always will be true, that 'EMPTY VESSELS MAKE THE MOST SOUND.' THE BONES OF ANIMALS. M. How do you know a Vertebrated Animal, Ion? Ion. Because it has (1.) an internal skeleton made of bones. (2.) Four limbs. (3.) Red blood. M. That is correct, Ion. We have now learned to arrange the works of nature into three kingdoms, and, to arrange one of these kingdoms (the animal kingdom) into four sub-kingdoms. We ought to take one of these sub-kingdoms, and arrange it into Ion. Sub sub-kingdoms, I suppose. M. Yes; or classes, we generally call them. But, before doing so, we must stop a little to talk about the framework, and limbs, and blood of vertebrated animals. Ion. Do, inamma! I should like to know something about my bones. W. But, mamma! will it not take us a long time? I want to get on a little faster-because, I want to hear of the curious animals all over the world. I want to know about their shapes and colours-the places they live in-how they live-and some of the curious things they do. Oh, I shall be so glad when we learn about Kangaroos! M. Very good, Willie,-but, you may go on too fast. I should like for you-and, indeed, for all other children-to know the names of every bone in your body; and not only the names but the nature of these bones-and their uses. However, I shall only stop now to teach you all that you must know in order to understand your natural history properly. IV. Then, I am a vertebrated animal, mamma, will you talk about my framework, please? I have ever so many bones in meplenty. M. Very well, Willie. During the last three evenings, your papa -after you have been in bed-has been busy in making a drawing of your framework. It is very nearly finished, and you shall see it next week, when we shall require it for our lesson. Before noticing the whole of your framework-we shall, to-day, learn something of the nature of bones. Here are two bones from a shoulder of mutton-and a piece of bone from a leg of beef, which I have been soaking in muriatic acid and water. I will put this one in the microscope, and you shall examine it-now, look! L. I see it, mamma-How much larger it is! It seems to be made up of long fibres like the stalk of a plant. M. That is true. Now, instead of laying it down on its side, I will place it for you with the end upwards. L. Now it has a curious appearance, mamma. There seem to be holes between the fibres, something like the holes in a piece of cane, when you cut it-only they are not "The animal part gives toughness, and the mineral part gives firm quite so round How the fibres are M. No; they would not be-but the bone was not so until I soaked it in muriatic acid; those "holes" were filled up with another substance, an earth. Bones consist of two substances -an animal substance called cartilage, and a mineral substance, or earth. W. Yes, mamma. Papa taught us about the earth, lime. He said that it formed part of our bonesbut it is not pure lime, I suppose! M. No; the lime is united with an acid which you have not yet heard of, called phosphoric acid. The other lime-earths were, you may remember, called, "carbonate of lime," "sulphate of lime," and "fluate of lime" *-so, this one in our bones is called phosphate of lime. When I soaked this piece of bone in the weak muriatic acid the phosphate of lime between the fibres was destroyed-and only the cartilage remained. Do you think, now, that you can tell me why God should have used two substances for our bones? What is the use of the mineral substance? Ion. I think it is to give firmness to our bones-if they were all cartilage they would bend. M. And why should the fibres be made of animal substance-of cartilage? W. I think I know, mamma. To give the bones toughness, or else they would be too hard-they would be brittle. So, we will sa, •Physical Geography Lesson, page 77. If our bones were all cartilage, they would bend and not hold up our bodies properly-and, if they were all earth, they would snap very often. M. That is right—and I should tell you that very little earthy matter can be found in the bones of young animals. The baby's bones are very soft-and are nearly all cartilage or gristle. Babies often fall down, and get very hard blows, but you seldom hear of their bones breaking. As the baby gets older his bones will contain more earth, and become rather hard, like yours-and if he should grow up to be as old as your papa, they will be harder, and more brittle still. In the bones of old people the cartilage wears away; their bones then contain too much lime, and become very brittle indeed. When an old man falls down, how easily his bones break! L. Yes; but old men take a great deal more care of themselves than babies, and do not tumble about so much. You seldom see an old man fall down. W. But, mamma, what is the use of our bones being hollow-would they not be stronger if they were solid? M. No; the hollowness of bones really gives them strength-and, at the same time, renders them much lighter. How heavy your legs would feel, and, how soon you would be tired when you went out for a long walk, if you had solid bones. Depend upon it, whatever God makes is sure to be made in the best possible way. L. Mamma! I have been looking in the microscope and have been noticing how straight the M. But it is only so with the long bones of your body. You have other bones-broad flat bones, such as the bones of your Skull, in these the fibres are radiated (you know what that word means-they are like the spokes of a wheel) You have also, in your spine and other parts, short square bones-in these the fibres lie irregularly. Now, let us make up the lesson. Lesson 7. ON BONES. (1.) The internal framework of Vertebrated Animals made of BONES, which, in order to support our bodies, must be firm, strong, tough, and able to bear pressing, pulling, and twisting, without being easily broken. (2.) These bones, therefore, consist of two parts-the fibres made of an animal substance, called cartilage -and a mineral substance, called phosphate of lime. The mineral substance gives them firmness to support the weight of our bodies; and The animal substance gives them toughness, that they may not be too brittle. Some of our bones are hollow, and are thus rendered stronger, and lighter. (3.) We have three sorts of bones. Long bones, with parallel fibres, flat bones, with radiated fibres, and square short bones, with irregular fibres. THE SAXON KINGDOM. EDWARD, ATHELSTANE, AND EDMUND. L. Last week you heard of ALFRED. Well! King Alfred died, -as all kings do. This was in the year 900. There is not very much worth noticing in the other Saxon kings; but I will tell you one fact about each of them, in order that you may be able to remember their names. EDWARD. The next king after Alfred was His son EDWARD. Edward was a rather useful king, because he tried to prevent war. He was a very brave soldier, and accustomed to battles; for in the beginning of his father's reign, he had helped him in driving away the Danes. So, when the Danes came again, thinking that now Alfred was dead they could easily conquer, they found themselves mistaken. Edward's good sister helped him to govern the kingdom whilst he met the Danes,-sometimes on the water, in ships; sometimes on the land; and everywhere he defeated them. Then, as he thought it would be best to protect the people, so that the Danes might not easily get at them, or kill them, he built walls round more of the cities, and made more strong castles in those parts of the country where they were wanted. The cities of Chester, Warwick, Colchester, Huntingdon, and many others, were fortified by him; and castles were built in Lincoln, Buckingham, and other parts. The people were very sorry when he died, being afraid that, now he was gone, the Danes would come again. ATHELSTANE. However, the next king, Athelstane, was even a better man than his father. Some people said that he was quite as good as Alfred. Athelstane took great care of the ships of England, and so improved them that he easily kept off the Danes. Then, as he knew that ships were useful for something else besides war, he encouraged the merchants, and others, who had money, to go in ships to foreign countries and buy silk, cloth, wine, and other things, and bring them home to sell. He, therefore, made a law that every man who built a ship, and made three voyages on his own account, should become a THANE, or NOBLEMAN,-which means, as you may read in "Little Arthur's History of England," that he should be called Lord, instead of Mister, when he was spoken to. The It appears, however, that he was obliged to fight sometimes. Welsh people would not obey him, but fought with those English who lived near to them. So Athelstane marched against them, defeated them, and took their King HOWEL prisoner. Then, instead of killing him, as the poor king expected, he gave him his liberty and his kingdom again-for he said that it was more glorious to make a king than to dethrone one. So you see that, like Alfred, he knew that glory "could only come from doing good. 66 There is also a good story about Athelstane, to be found in "Little Arthur's History of England." It is well worth hearing, so listen to it carefully. |