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PROF. CHESTER DEWEY, M. D, D. D., LL. D. 
Cbitcaliaual. 
BY L. WETHERELIi. 
CONJUGATION OF THE COMPOUND VERB, 
TO BE BEING. 
Dialogue between a young lady from the country 
wiio writes for the magazines, and an old gentle¬ 
man who thinks he can speak English. 
Old Gent .—Are there any houses build¬ 
ing- in your village? 
' Young Lady .—No sir. There is a new 
house belay built lor Mr. Smith, but it is 
the carpenters who are building. 
0. Or.—True; I sit corrected. To be 
building is certainly a different thing from 
to be being built: and how long has Mr. 
Smith’s house been being built? 
Y L.— (Looks puzzled a moment, and 
then answers rather abruptly,) nearly a year. 
0. G .—How much longer do you think 
it will be being built? 
Y L.— (Explosively,) I don’t know. 
0. G — 1 should think Mr. Smith would 
be annoyed by its being so long being built; 
for the house he now occupies being sold, 
lie must leave it; and the new one being 
only being built, instead of being built, as 
he expected, he cannot — 
(Young lady leaves the room very sud¬ 
denly.) — Evening Transcript. 
The house “is being built ”—money “is 
being collected ”—are how common phrases 
in both written and colloquial language.— 
If this form of the verb be English—then 
it is good English to say, the house was be¬ 
ing built, the house shall or will be being 
bulit, the house has been being built, the 
house had been being built, and the house 
shall or will have been being built. None 
will maintain that this is elegant language, 
however strongly it may be advocated that 
it is English. 
Instead of this new phrase, is it not bet¬ 
ter to say the house is building?—money 
is collecting ? Does not this form of speech 
sound much better than the former? .Then 
why not use it to the utter exclusion of the 
other ? But, says the objector, what mean- 
eth this:—“The boy is whipping”—“The 
negro is kidnapping” — " The slave is whip¬ 
ping.” Is the boy receiving, or giving- 
stripes? Hear Mr. Pickburn, an English 
author on this phrase:—“The tenses of 
the passive voice, compounded with the 
participle in ing, are never used but in the 
third person, and with relation to inanimate 
objects; or at least, such as are incapable 
of the actions mentioned. They can, there¬ 
fore, in no case, occasion obscurity; for, 
whenever the imperfect participle is joined, 
by an auxiliary verb, to a nominative capa¬ 
ble of the action, it is taken actively; but, 
when joined to one incapable of action, it 
becomes passive.” 
“ The boy is whipping” his companion 
—afterwards the father takes him in hand, 
when it is said, the boy “ is being flogged” 
—that is, the boy is receiving a flogging. 
“ The slave is being whipped.” Whipped, 
implies an act effected, completed—an act 
fully accomplished—while is being implies 
present and continuous action or condition. 
Thus the reader will observe, that the words 
are incompatible when united,—implying 
both completion and progression. So it 
seems that the difficulty incurred by the 
use of this new coined phrase, is far greater 
than the one which those who employ it at¬ 
tempt to avoid. 
The imperfect passive participle is indis¬ 
pensable in the English language. Why 
then not use it when the act is in the course 
of accomplishment? Such analogous ex¬ 
pressions as the following are common:— 
“The field plows well” — “The wheat 
threshes well”—“The verses read well”— 
“This is good to eat”—“This is good to 
drink ”—“A house to let”—“ An estate to 
sell” —imperfect passive verbs, denoting 
progression, the object acted upon, instead 
of acting, thus constituting the passive 
voice of the verb. 
There are no less than 3,904 known lan¬ 
guages in use in the world; 937 are Asiatic, 
587 European, 416 African, and 1,024 
American languages and dialects. 
It is a sign of wisdom to be willing to 
receive instruction;—the most intelligent 
sometimes stand in need of it. 
AN EXAMPLE FOR MOTHERS. 
Mrs. Wesley, mother of John and Charles 
was a woman of singular talent, and rare 
excellence; so learned that she was able to 
prepare her sons for College. She had the 
chief education of her numerous children. 
One day her husband, the worthy rector of 
Epworth, was busy with his learned labor, 
probably with his “ Commentary of Job.” 
Mrs. Wesley was teaching the children in 
the same room, and had occasion to repeat 
again and again the same lesson. Mr. Wes¬ 
ley perhaps a little irritated by his abstruse 
studies, said with much feeling— “My dear 
why do you teach the child the same thing 
twenty times over?” She replied with 
feminine meekness—“Because, my love, 
nineteen times won’t do.” 
This example inculcates two very impor¬ 
tant lessons. First that mothers are, when 
qualified, their children’s best teachers;— 
hence the importance of thorough female 
education —that which is solid rather than 
showy, and only fits one to shine in fashion¬ 
able society. Mothers who were rightly 
and thoroughly educated in childhood, find 
their chief pleasure and delight in teaching 
and training their children; not in fashion¬ 
able shopping and “ calling,” while the lit¬ 
tle ones are left under the charge of ser¬ 
vants, who have no sympathy nor affection 
for the poor, neglected children. Whatev¬ 
er else a mother leaves undone, or employs 
others to do, she should not neglect the 
teaching of her children. 
The other lesson is the importance of 
repetition;—if the lesson or precept it is not 
learned after it has been repeated nineteen 
times, then inculcate it the twentieth, and 
more if need be. Parents and teachers of¬ 
ten-fail here—owing, sometimes to a desire 
to crowd "children forward too fast—at oth¬ 
ers, it may be the result of indolence. That 
education is best which best fits the Miss 
for the full and faithful discharge of all the 
duties that devolve upon, the Mistress. The 
motto of the parent should be, then—Pre¬ 
cept upon precept, precept upon precept, 
line upon line, line upon line, here a little 
and there a little —and then will your little 
ones grow up to be just what you train 
them for. Would that all mothers posses¬ 
sed the head and heart to train their chil¬ 
dren in the way which they should go— 
then, if the number of Wesleys be not in¬ 
creased, the Tom Paines will be unknown 
the future hi-tory of the world. 
SITE FOR A SCHOOL HOUSE 
A School House should stand upon' 
solid earth; not upon a sandbank or in a 
quagmire. The area for building should 
be level and airy; not in the midst of a 
dense population, nor yet remote from hu¬ 
man habitations. The grounds about the 
house should be sufficiently extensive for 
appropriate out-buildings and for a play¬ 
ground. Ornamental trees, planted with 
taste, in and about it, would add greatly to 
its beauty and moral effect. A school 
house should be somewhat retired from the 
street and from the noise and bustle of busi¬ 
ness. If it be near the street, or any place 
of public resort, there is a perpetual temp 
tation to idleness, inattention and mischief 
If small children have no play ground but 
the street, they are in constant danger of 
being run over by passing carriages; for, 
when engaged in play, they are exceeding¬ 
ly careless and reckless of danger. Where 
they have a spacious yard for their diver¬ 
sions, these dangers are avoided. A school 
ought never to be kept in the vicinity of 
noisy shops, public houses, or parade grounds. 
The influence of such scenes is demoral¬ 
izing. Public squares and public houses 
are usually frequented not only by the 
ignorant and vulgar, but by the profane 
and the intemperate. The conversation 
and example of such men is brutalizing. 
Regard should also be had to the temper 
ature of the place. If possible, a situation 
should be selected which will not be ex¬ 
posed to extremes of heat and cold. A site, 
sheltered by neighboring groves or gently 
elevated hills, would be preferable. The 
building should be easy of access. Many 
of our school houses are perched upon 
small hills, or banks, by the road side, so 
that, when the road is covered with ice, 
there is perpetual danger of hilling when 
going to and from the .house. It is desira¬ 
ble, if other advantages are equal, to have 
the school house near the centre of the dis¬ 
trict. But if a suitable site cannot be had, 
so as to accommodate all in regard to dis¬ 
tance, it is far better that children should 
walk a few rods farther to school, than to 
be exposed to unhealthy influences while 
there. It is better that they should walk, 
through mud or sand, than to be located in 
either for the day.— Granite Farmer. 
He that considers how little ho dwells 
upon the condition of others, will learn how 
little the attention of others is attracted by 
himse^. 
Chester Dewey, son of a Berkshire 
farmer, was born in Sheffield, Mass., Octo¬ 
ber 25th, 1784. His father was p?-evented 
by the troublous times of the American 
Revolution, from obtaining what is called a 
liberal education. Feeling deeply this pri¬ 
vation, he early determined to give his son, 
Chester, a college education. In order to 
accomplish this noble purpose, he began, 
first to train his boy to labor —to labor by 
the side of his father on. the farm. Being 
a lively’, active boy, he performed skillfully 
and cheerfully his, share of the work in the 
field —and no less so, his part in the feats 
and amusements among the boys on the 
playground. Always number one whether 
in the field, on the play-ground, or in the 
school-room. 
In 1802 he entered Williams College, 
where he ranked among the first in the 
class, in scholarship, and second to none in 
popularity among his classmates. He ear¬ 
ly evinced a decided preference for the 
study of the Natural Sciences, notwithstand¬ 
ing which, however, he maintained his 
standing as a good mathematician, and a 
good classical scl»»lar. 
Soon after his graduation he began to 
study theology with Stephen West, D. D., 
of Stockbridge, near his native town. In 
October, 1807, he was licensed to preach, 
and during the following winter taught 
school in Stockbridge, and preached in West 
Stockbridge, five miles distant. 
In the spring of 1808 he visited Canada. 
After his return he commenced preaching- 
in a small town of his native county, where 
his labors were very successful. In No¬ 
vember, two years after his graduation, he 
was appointed tutor in Williams College. 
He immediately entered upon duty. At 
the expiration of two years he was appoint¬ 
ed Professor of Mathematics and Natural 
Philosophy. He held this office until. 1827, 
a period of seventeen years. During this 
time much of the burden of sustaining the 
o 
College rested, as it were, upon his shoul¬ 
ders. Here, as ever Prof. Dewey strove to 
do, and did his duty. His admirable skill 
in managing the students enabled him to 
overcome difficulties, which, to others, would 
have been insurmountable. 
In 1827 Prof. Dewey resigned his Pro¬ 
fessorship in Williams, and was soon after 
appointed Principal of “ The Gj mnasium” 
at Pittsfield. Here he remained for a num¬ 
ber of years. The school was very pros¬ 
perous. 
In 1830, he removed to Rochester and 
was appointed Principal of the “Rochester 
Collegiate Institute,” where he remained 
Principal and Professor until the time of 
the destruction of the building by fire, 
which occurred the past winter. Prior, 
however, to this the Trustees of the Uni¬ 
versity of Rochester appointed him Profes¬ 
sor of the “ Natural Sciences,” in this new 
and highly flourishing Institution. Here 
may he long live to labor with the Faculty 
of Instruction with which he is now associ¬ 
ated, in educating the young men who come 
to acquire a liberal education. 
He has in addition to his other labors 
held a Professorship in the Medical College 
at Pittsfield, Mass., since 1822—and, also, 
in the Medical College in Woodstock, Vt., 
since 1841. 
Prof. Dewey has been a contributor to 
Prof. Silliman’s American Journal of Sci¬ 
ence and Art, since 1814, when it was first 
established The department of Natural 
History, called Caricology, has received 
much of his attention. He is now one of 
the best Caricographers living. His repu¬ 
tation in this interesting department of Bot¬ 
any is well known to English and Euro¬ 
pean Botanists, with whom he has corres¬ 
ponded for many years. 
In 1829 he wrote a scientific description 
of the plants of Berkshire county. This 
was engrafted into a History of Berkshire 
by Dr. Field. In 1841 he received an 
appointment from the Government of 
his native State, to write the “ History of 
the Herbaceous Plants of Massachusetts.” 
This work was written and published by 
the Slate. He is a member of the Amer¬ 
ican Academy of Arts and Sciences, Bos¬ 
ton; of the Lyceum of Natural History, 
New York; of the Society of Natural Sci¬ 
ences, Philadelphia; and of the American 
Society for the Promotion of Science. 
Dr. Dewey, notwithstanding his numer¬ 
ous labors as Preacher, Professor, and Au¬ 
thor, through a period of more than two 
score years, retains still, mentally, the vigor 
and freshness of the young man. In form 
he is well-built and symmetrical, being 
about five feet and ten inches in height,— 
head large and well developed —face full 
and ever beaming with good will and be¬ 
nevolence toward all who come within his 
sphere of action. The portrait we insert 
does not dp him ample justice —though all 
who know him will at once recognise the 
Professor. 
The Doctor is fond of active out of door 
exercise, as multitudes of the living who 
have folowed him over hills and through 
dales and bushes and swamps in pursuit of 
“specimens,” well know. To this practice, 
and early manual labor, may be attributed 
much of his present mental and physical 
energy. He has preached more than three 
thousand sermons—and delivered over four 
thousand lectures. 
In conclusion we say to our readers, and 
especially to the young—here is a charac¬ 
ter worthy of your imitation; because the 
character of a truly great man—greift not 
in fame alone, a name that dazzles and be¬ 
wilders the ambitious youth,— but great be¬ 
cause good and benevolent. Why have we 
not more such characters as this in the 
world? The answer is ready:—It is be¬ 
cause theie art; not more such mothers, as 
trained and guided Chester Dewfy when 
a boy. 
This biographical sketch furnishes sug¬ 
gestions and encouragement for parents.— 
Train your sons and daughters to manual 
as well as intellectual labor—if you would 
see them in their maturity occupying sta¬ 
tions of honor and usefulness. 
Fnnuim) Brnbing, 
For the Rural New-Yorker. 
WHERE I WOULD WORSHIP. 
BY MRS. J. E. DAVIS. 
Not in the princely dome, 
Where fashion finds a home, 
And art with vesture bright, 
Eclipses heavenly light,— 
Not there. 
( 
Give me some lone retreat, 
For self-communion meet. 
Some blest Gethsemane, 
Or sacred Galilee,— 
For Prayer. 
Or where devotions flame 
From heaven to earth once came, 
When on the forest sod, 
“ Freedom to worship God,” 
Was found. 
Then when niv spirit grieves, 
That all of earth deceives, 
I’ll seek the silent glade, 
To worship in the shade 
Profound. 
Wilson Collegiate Institute, Feb., 1851. 
THE BIBLE. 
The time was when the Bible was one 
of the most expensive books in the world. 
Madox in his history of the Exchequer says 
that in 1240, the building of two arches of 
London bridge cost eight pounds less than 
the estimated value of a single Bible which 
a certain abbot bequeathed to the abbey of 
Croxton. In 1272, it is said that a labor¬ 
ing man was obliged to lay aside the wages 
of fourteen years in order to be able to pro¬ 
cure a Bible. In 1299 the bishop of 
Winchester borrowed a Bible from a con¬ 
vent of that city, and was obliged to give 
his bond drawn up in the most formal and 
solemn manner, for its return at a certain 
specified time. Since that time the art of 
printing has been discovered, and now an 
entire and beautifuly executed copy can be 
furnished for the trifling sum of twenty-five 
cents. As if to confer special distinction 
upon this blessed book, Providence has no 
ordered it, that it is not only the first book 
ever printed, but by far the cheapest book 
ever printed by man. 
■ The emperor of Prussia, so far from oppo¬ 
sing the circulation of the Scriptures in his 
dominions generously remitted, at one time, 
duties charged upon 20,000 bibles sent into 
St. Petersburgh amounting to three hun¬ 
dred pounds! The British and Foreign 
Bible Society have an agency in the Russian 
capital, which has been actively engaged 
for years, in scattering bibles and testaments, 
without molestation, either from the govern¬ 
ment, or from others. The total issue of this 
agency, up to the 9th of Febuary, 1850, 
amounted to 254,049 copies. The Protes- 
tent Bible Society, in St. Petersburgh, 
has, during the last four years, either print¬ 
ed or published 10,373 Bibles and 30,833 
testaments in various languages and dia¬ 
lects. The British and Foreign Bible So¬ 
ciety authorized their committee to print 25,- 
000 New Testaments for Finland, and the 
last repoitof this Society states, that “ there 
had been distributed in that province alone 
04,000 Bibles and Testaments, and that 
there existed a most eager demand for the 
World of Life.” The same Society deter¬ 
mined to distribute 15,000 Swedish New 
Testaments among the Swedes residing in 
Finland, and all of these have been taken 
into Russia free of duty. 
DARK HOURS. 
There are hours, dark hours, that mark 
the history of the brightest year. For not 
a whole month in any of the millions of the 
past, perhaps, has the sun shone brilliantly 
all the time. And there have been cold 
stormy days in every year. And yet the 
mists and the shadows of the darkest hours 
were dissipated, and flitted away. The 
mostcruelof the ice fetters have been broken 
and’dissolved, and the most furious storm 
loses its power to harm. 
And what a parable is all this of human 
life—of our inside world, where the heart 
works at its destiny labors. Here, too, we 
have the overshadowings of dark hours, and 
many a cold blast chills the heart to its very 
core. But what matters it? Man is born 
a hero, and it is only by darkness and 
storms that heroism gains its ^greatest and 
best development and illustration —then, 
it kindles the black cloud into a blaze of 
glory, and the storm bears it more rapidly 
to its destiny. Despair not, then. Never 
give up; while one good power is yours, 
use it. Disappointment will be realized. 
Mortifying failure may attend this effort 
and that one—but only be honest, and 
struggle on, and it will all work well. 
I 
It has been eloquently and truly said, ' 
that if Christianity were compelled to flee > 
from the mansions of the great, the acade- < 
mies of philosophers, the halls of legislators, H j 
or the throngs of busy men, we should find <1 
her last retreat, with woman at the fireside. < | 
Her last audience would be the children . jj 
gathering around the knees of a mother— J 
the last sacrifice the secret prayer, escap- ; j • 
ing in silence from her lips, and heard, per- ; j 
haps, only at the throne of God! 
Silence is a privelege of the grave,— a , | 
right of the departed. (I 
