I.] 



NAT I- HAL PHILOSOPHY. 



"This .spot," said Hallam, " is where I reclined when my father drove me from his 

 house; but how changed the prospect! The mountain's side is now peopled; and 

 where the heath and furze grew amid marshy land, the golden-eared corn bends to the 

 breeze. Observe yon waggon as it moves along the road ; 'tis mine aye, and all the 

 factories beyond! So you must now leave off toiling, and share them with me; for ta 

 your instruction I owe alL" 



" To mine ?" replied the pedlar. 



"Yes! 'twas through the knowledge obtained from you, that I have risen to my 

 present position. Your prediction ever before me, and with the desire of reaching the 

 highest pinnacle of fame and honour, I worked incessantly ; success crowned my efforts ; 

 and now, surrounded with wealth and honours, I must not forget the pedlar-astrologer, 

 and his gift-book of NATURAL PHILOSOPHY." 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, 



BTIONfl AND EXPLANATIONS. 



.vAt-r. WHAT is Natural Philo- 

 sophy ? 



Pupil. It is that branch of the natural 

 ciences which treats of phenomena that 

 do not depend upon a change of the con- 

 struction of bodies ; and makes us acquainted 

 with the nature, causes, properties, and 

 effects of the various objects and events 

 which surround us. It will enable us to 

 discover why a room smokes when there 

 are two fire? in it Why the handles of 

 cooking vessels are often made of wood. 

 Why persons interpose a piece of woollen 

 material between their hand and the handle 

 of an iron kettle. Why plunging the 

 hands into water produces a sensation nf 

 cold. Why water in fluid ; or why a 

 cracked bell makes a discordant SOUTH!. 



[The pupil should be required to give satisfactory 

 answers to all these queries.] 



2. T. What is the term Philosophy 



P. From the Greek philosophia 

 (<PAOTO<$>(), which literally signifies " lovo 

 of wisdom or knowledge." 



appear* from what you 

 have *t a wide 



Held for 

 so many objects of opposite character. I s 



he case f 

 /' Yes. Th vaat realm of Nature, 



: vl sci- 



ences into two great branches Natural 

 History, and Natural Philosophy. 



4. T. What does Natural History treat 

 of? 



P. It instructs us in the nature of indi- 

 vidual objects, and arranges them in 

 according to their different charae: 



5. T. If such be the case, of what does 

 Natural Philosophy treat ? 



P. It endeavours to teach us the manner 

 in which inorganic substances act upon 

 each other; laying open, in fact, t: 

 of the niiiti ri.il world. 



What do you mean by inorganic 

 substances f 



/'. Ii: :-.' mi. Mihstances are bodies that 

 are not endowed with life, such as minerals, 

 being the reverse of organic, or living 

 bodies. 



-What do you mean by th. 



/'. All objects recognisable by the 

 senses, whether fluid or solid, are ge- 

 !>cd as bodies ; thus v. 

 solid body, and M 



gaseous body. All these substances ex- 

 cite certain sensations in our minds, and 

 the pov. M arc called 



;n(ilitict or proper tut. 



e me some examples of the 

 properties of boi 



has some i 



. quality : it is distin- 



