THE ATMOSPHERE. 23 



active, sprightly, intellectual, little beings, which com- 

 pose them, from the dull monotony of common school 

 exercises. 



They are also intended to furnish profitable subjects 

 for the exercises of Lyceums, which may be introduced, 

 explained, and enlarged upon, in a familiar way, by those 

 who may undertake to instruct and entertain these social 

 assemblies. 



It is hoped they may be found agreeable companions, 

 at public places of resort, such as public houses, steam- 

 boats, reading rooms, &c. 



To answer the objects above proposed, it will be the 

 earnest desire of those who conduct them, to give them 

 the following features. 



1. To have them contain useful knowledge, in the 

 strictest sense of the word. They will deal more with 

 facts than theories ; more with settled principles, than 

 doubtful speculations ; more with common than rare 

 things ; more with objects around us, than those which 

 may or may not exist in distant parts of creation ; more 

 with the application of the well known properties of the 

 materials our Creator has put into our hands, and the 

 principles he has established to fit them for our use, than 

 to establish some favorite doctrine in a system of meta- 

 physics. 



2. They will be familiar. Technicalities and labored 

 verbiage will as far as possible be avoided. Attempts 

 will be made to present things, properties, principles, 

 applications, in the simplicity of nature, and not through 

 labyrinths of terms, and mazes of declarations. 



3. They will be practical. Whatever may be the sub- 

 jects introduced, whether the physical sciences, natural 

 history, mathematics, political economy, agriculture, the 

 mechanic arts, biography, or history, they will have a 

 practical bearing upon common life and common in- 

 terests. 



4. They will be moral. It will be the constant aim to 

 awaken and elevate moral sentiment, and to present every- 

 thing as the gift, or under the direction of a great and 

 wise Creator, and a constant and boundless Benefactor. 



