THE DECLARATION OF 1776.

J. Q. ADAMS.

CY ADAMS, a son of John Adams, the second President of the was born at Braintree, Mass., July 11, 1767. After graduating llege he applied himself to the study of law, but soon entered He was for half a century in the service of his country, as er, Senator, Cabinet minister, President of the United States, ative in Congress. As a Representative he was conspicuous ice, learning, energy, and courage.

fit while occupying his seat in Congress, and two days later 1848) expired. His last words are said to have been: "This rth; I am content."

Charter of Independence! The interest which, per, has survived the occasion upon which it 1,-the interest which is of every age and ie, the interest which quickens with the ears, spreads as it grows old, and brightens les, is in the principles which it proclaims. e first solemn declaration by a nation of the imate foundation of civil government. It was -stone of a new fabric, destined to cover the the globe.

emolished at a stroke the lawfulness of all govfounded upon conquest. It swept away the ted rubbish of centuries of servitude. It ann practical form to the world the transcendent the inalienable sovereignty of the people. It hat the social compact was no figment of the on, but a real, solid, and sacred bond of the ion.

m the day of this Declaration, the people of merica were no longer the fragment of a disire, imploring justice and mercy from an inex

a heartless mother; no longer subjects shattered columns of royal promises, faith of parchment to secure their rig 4. They were a nation, asserting maintaining by war, its own existenc born in a day.

"How many a

Shall this, their lofty scene, be a

In states unborn and accents yet It will be acted o'er, but it can never b 5. It stands, and must forever stan on the summit of the mountain, to wh itants of the earth may turn their eyes saving light, till time shall be lost in globe itself dissolve, nor leave a wreck b forever, a light of admonition to the light of salvation and redemption to the

6. So long as man shall be of a long as government shall be necessa moral purposes of society, and so lon abused to the purposes of oppression this Declaration hold out to the sove subject the extent and the boundaries o rights and duties, founded in the laws nature's God.

chär'ter, a written paper or docu- | in-alien-a-ble ment granting or securing important privileges and rights.

le-git'i-mats, lawful.

not be transf in-ex/o-ra-ble

entreaty.

tran-scend'ent, supremely excellent. fig'ment, som

What is meant by "Charter of Independence" (1)? "faith of parchment" (3)? What figure is employed the first paragraph? See page 431. II.

OWPER was an English poet of the last century. His writings nature and a respect for simplicity and truth in human charpleasing to all readers of correct taste. His deep religious in his " Olney Hymns," some of which are found in almost ymn-book. His longest poem is "The Task." Some of his are masterpieces, such as "On the Receipt of my Mother's On the Loss of the Royal George." His well-known ballad n" by some readers is considered very diverting.

le portion of Cowper's life was clouded by melancholy, which deepened into actual insanity. He died in 1800, in his sixty

ng noble plea for the rights of the lower animals is taken from Book VI.

O not enter on my list of friends

graced with polished manners and fine sense ting sensibility) the man

edlessly sets foot upon a worm.
Ivertent step may crush the snail
awls at evening in the public path;
that has humanity, forewarned,
ead aside, and let the reptile live.

eping vermin, loathsome to the sight,
arged perhaps with venom, that intrudes,
or unwelcome, into scenes

to neatness and repose, the alcove, amber, or refectory, may die: . ssary act incurs no blame.

, when, held within their proper bounds,
uiltless of offense, they range the air,
e their pastime in the spacious field.

Disturbs the economy of Nature's r
Who, when she formed, designed th

4. The sum is this: if man's convenie
Or safety interfere, his rights and e
Are paramount, and must extinguis
Else they are all the meanest thi

As free to live, and to enjoy that lif
As God was free to form them at th
Who in His sovereign wisdom mad

5. Ye, therefore, who love mercy, teach
To love it too. The springtime of o
Is soon dishonored and defiled in m
By budding ills that ask a prudent
To check them. But, alas! none so
If unrestrained, into luxuriant grow
Than cruelty, most devilish of them

6. Mercy, to him that shows it, is the And righteous limitation of its act, By which Heaven moves in pardoni And he that shows none, being ripe And conscious of the outrage he com Shall seek it, and not find it, in his t

sen-si-bil'i-ty, capacity of being ea- | e-con/o-my, sily moved to pity or sympathy. in-ad-ver'tent, careless; heedless. ven'om, poison.

ǎl'cove, a recess to sit or lie in.

re-fec'to-ry, a room where refresh

ments or meals are taken.

regular oper păr/a-mount, else, otherwise

rep'tile (-til),

on its belly,

legs, as a sna

Explain: take their pastime (3); ripe in years (6).

CV. — A DOUBTING HEART.

PROCTER.

NE PROCTER, daughter of the poet, Bryan Waller Procter, on in 1825, and died in 1864.

E are the swallows fled?

Frozen and dead,

ance upon some bleak and stormy shore. O doubting heart!

'ar over purple seas

"hey wait, in sunny ease,

The balmy southern breeze,

ng them to their northern homes once more.

must the flowers die?

Prisoned they lie

e cold tomb, heedless of tears or rain.

O doubting heart!

They only sleep below

The soft white ermine snow,

While winter winds shall blow,

reathe and smile upon you soon again.

sun has hid his rays

These many days;

dreary hours never leave the earth?

O doubting heart!

The stormy clouds on high

Veil the same sunny sky,

That soon, for spring is nigh,

1 wake the summer into golden mirth.