UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 171 



divided into tens, and every tenth man was an 

 officer. These three thousand officers, if divided 

 by twelve, (the number of the tribes,) will give 

 two hundred and fifty chief officers, according 

 to Chronicles. But we had been already told 

 (chap. ii. 18) that Solomon employed one hun- 

 dred and fifty thousand workmen, and that over 

 them he appointed three thousand six hundred 

 overseers. These overseers were regulated in 

 the same manner as the officers of the army ; 

 and, therefore, if three thousand six hundred be 

 divided by twelve, it will give you three hundred 

 chief officers ; which added to the two hundred 

 and fifty, selected from the guards, makes five 

 hundred and fifty officers that bare rule over the 

 people, according to your quotation from the first 

 book of Kings." 



3d. I had a nice walk with my uncle to-day, 

 to Farmer Moreland's, with whom he had some 

 business. As we passed through the field in 

 which there had been meadow this year, my 

 uncle made me observe what a fine growth had 

 sprung up since it was mowed ; the after-grass he 

 called it. I asked, did he not consider the grasses 

 as amongst some of the most useful plants ? 



He said, " The tribe of grasses yield more 

 sustenance to man, and to the larger animals, than 

 all the rest of the vegetable kingdom put to- 

 gether. Their herbage is perpetually springing, 



Q 2 



