388 
MOOllE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY JOURNAL 
CfrufnlUnnl. 
■ £ 
BY L. WETHERELL. 
HOW SHALL I LEARN THE ART OF 
COMPOSITION I 
“ Whoever,” says Dr. Johnson, “wishes 
to attain an English style, familiar but not 
coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, 
must give his days and nights to the vol¬ 
umes of Addison.” This is an important 
suggestion concerning the presentation of 
matter or thought. But of what avail is 
style to one who is destitute of thought or 
matter, and the power of invention. A per¬ 
son having matter, and good inventive pow¬ 
ers of mind, and a design to accomplish by 
writing, finds the exercise of composing in¬ 
teresting and attractive. With the ancients 
invention was regarded as the soul of rhet¬ 
oric ; “ and the success of their rhetorical 
training is to be attributed mainly to the 
fact, that their training was chiefly directed 
to this department of the art of composition.” 
Why does the boy or the girl so dread 
the approach of the day in school, when 
the teacher requires a composition to be 
presented ? Is not this dread to be attri¬ 
buted, chiefly, to the consideration, that the 
young disciple is ignorant of what he is to 
do? Let him be taught to select some 
familiar subject which he knows and fully 
understands, and one great and essential 
point is gained. Young beginners in the 
art are too apt to select topics entirely be¬ 
yond their capacity, and then mourn over 
their inability to write any thing fit to be 
read, just as if they had reason to suppose 
that ideas would flow from the pen with 
the ink, that were never conceived in the 
minds of these pen-holders. 
Composition is an art that requires a 
great amount of practice in order to learn 
it. Learners should be required to com¬ 
pose exercises daily, instead of once in two 
weeks, as is done in some schools. Said a 
County Superintendent a few years ago, 
“For a long time I have noticed with re¬ 
gret, the almost entire neglect of the art of 
original composition in our schools, the want 
of a proper text-book upon this essential 
branch of education. Hundreds graduate 
from our Common Schools with no well- 
defined ideas of the construction of our 
language.” Why should it be otherwise, 
never having been taught? How shall 
they learn without a teacher? And 
what proportion of the teachers of the 
aforesaid schools have ever studied a work 
on Rhetoric ?—or, have practiced to any 
considerable degree the art of composition ? 
Mr. Everett, late President of Harvard 
College, in remarks recently made at the 
dedication of the High School, in Cam¬ 
bridge, (Mass.,) said, “ I hold, that to read 
the English language well, that is with in¬ 
telligence, feeling, spirit and effect; to write 
with despatch, a neat, handsome, legible 
hand, (for it is, after all, a great object in 
writing to have others able to read what 
you write,) and to be master of the four 
rules of arithmetic, so as to dispose at once 
with accuracy of every question of figures 
which comes up in practical life, — I say I 
call this a good education; and if you add 
the ability to write pure grammatical Eng¬ 
lish, with the help of very few hard words, 
I regard it as an excellent education. These 
are the tools. You can do much with them, 
but you are helpless without them. They 
are the foundation; and unless you begin 
with these, all your flashy attainments, a 
little natural philosophy, a little mental 
philosophy, a little physiology and a little 
geology, and all the other ologies and oso- 
phies, are but ostentatious rubbish.” 
Is it not a fact that, in many of our 
Common Schools, spelling, reading, writ¬ 
ing, arithmetic, geography, and grammar 
combining with it the art of composition, 
are neglected, in order to study the “ologies 
and the osophies?” How many College 
students have learned English orthography, 
and English grammar? We know many 
that have not and never will, because it is 
too late now to do what could only be well 
done in childhood, either in the family or 
primary school. A graduate of one of our 
colleges recently boasted that “ he never 
studied English grammar.” A person 
standing by, remarked, “ no one would sup¬ 
pose that you ever had, judging you, by 
the manner you use Queen’s English.” 
Let all who would learn the art of com¬ 
position, read, observe, and reflect, and so 
furnish the mind with matter, then write. 
This wall exercise your inventive powers 
which may be greatly aided by reading 
good authors, and by studying Quacken- 
bos’s “ First Lessons in English Composi¬ 
tion,” Day’s “Elements of the Art of 
Rhetoric,” and “ Wiiately’s Rhetoric.” 
SCHOOL STATISTICS OF MAINE. 
The present population of Maine is 583,- 
235; the number of polls, 105,539; the 
State valuation, $100,102,083; and the per 
cent, of school money raised by tax, tw r o 
and seven-tenths mills on a dollar. The 
whole number of districts, 3,921; of male 
teachers, 2,706; female, 3,921; the aver¬ 
age wages of the former per month, exclu¬ 
sive of board, $16,66; of the latter per 
week, exclusive of board, $1,48. The av¬ 
erage length of the schools, 18.8 weeks; 
and in consequence of incompetent teach* 
ers 152 schools were suspended. Of the 
school-houses 3,608 are represented as good 
and 2,012 as bad; 120 were built last year. 
The whole number of pupils, 230,274; the 
average attendance of the summer and 
winter terms, 103,794, being 45 per cent, 
of the number of children between the 
ages of 4 and 21 years. The whole sum 
of money raised for the support of schools 
by tax $264,351 17; being more than 
$50,000 less than the city of Boston ex¬ 
pends for schools. 
SCHOOLS OF BOSTON. 
Four new Primary School Houses have 
been built during the present year, and 
several of the Primary and Grammar 
School Houses enlarged and improved.— 
The expenditure on School Houses has ex¬ 
ceeded $81,000; this amount and the ordi¬ 
nary expenses of the Schools have required 
an outlay during the year of about $326,- 
000. There are now in session 1 English 
High School,—1 Latin,—28 Grammar and 
Writing, and 188 Primary and Intermedi¬ 
ate; in all 218—giving employment to 37l 
Masters and assistants, and instruction to 
about 22,000 children. 
ASSOCIATE WITH THE LEARNED. 
It is an authentic anecdote of the late 
and learned Dr. Bowdi'tch, of Massachu¬ 
setts, that at the age of 21, he sailed to 
the East Indies; and that during the voy¬ 
age he taught the ship’s crew the art of 
navigation. Every one of these sailors 
subsequently became ship-maste'rs. Such 
were the consequences of associating with 
a man whose mind was richly stored with 
useful knowledge, and whose heart was full 
of good will toward his fellow man. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
The Literary Reader, for Academics and High 
schools: consisting of selectionsin prose and verse 
from American, English and Foreign Literature, 
Chronologically arranged, including Biographi¬ 
cal Sketches, and Remarks on the Art of Read¬ 
ing. By Miss A. Hall, Author of the ‘‘ Manual 
of Morals.” Boston: John P. Jewett & Co. pp 
408. 
The Authoress in preparing this reading- 
book, aimed to select extracts suited to the 
youthful mind, and to furnish scope for ef¬ 
fective reading. They were taken from 
about one hundred and fifty different Au¬ 
thors, extending back through the last 400 
years, and are chronologically arranged and 
introduced with biographical sketches of 
the Authors. The book was dedicated by 
the compiler, to “The Young Ladies of the 
Brooklyn Female Academy.” 
Excerpta ex P. Ovidii Nasonis Carminirus.— 
Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea. 1851. 
This adds another volume to the Pub¬ 
lishers’ valuable Classical Series, edited by 
Drs. Schmitz and Zumpt, distinguished 
scholars and critics. The extracts are giv¬ 
en in the order in which they stand in the 
books, even to the numbering of the lines, 
and, are divided into two parts: the first 
and larger, consisting of hexameters taken 
from the Metamorphoses, and the second of 
elegiac verses from most of Ovid’s remain¬ 
ing works. Dewey has the Series. 
Brownson’s Quarterly Review.— The 
contents of the October number, are New¬ 
man on the True Basis of Theology; Saint 
Bonnet on Social Restoration; The Hun¬ 
garian Nation ; The Edinburgh Review on 
Ultramontane Doubts. This Review is con¬ 
ducted—and most written by the gentle¬ 
man whose name it bears—and is devoted 
to Religion, Philosophy and General Liter¬ 
ature. Published by B. H. Greene, Bos¬ 
ton. Terms, $3 a year. Sold by D. M. 
Dhwet, Rochester. 
EOrtTKAITS AM) SKETCHES OF THE PHESEDENTS.— NO. 12. 
ZACHARY TAYLOR. 
Zachary Taylor, the son of a father 
honorably distinguished in the Revolution¬ 
ary war, was born in Orange County, Vir¬ 
ginia, Nov. 2, 1784. Till the age of twen¬ 
ty-one he worked on the farm of his father, 
but early developed a taste for military life. 
He was appointed 1st Lieutenant in the 
Seventh Infantry on May 3, 1808.. In 
1810 he married Miss Margaret Smith, of 
Maryland. In 1812 he served as Captain 
under Gen. Harrison in the Indian war of 
the North-west, where he gained great 
credit for bravery and coolness in defend¬ 
ing Fort Harrison against the savages, and 
received the rank of Brevet-Major in con- 
'sequence. In the course of the war he 
further distinguished himself. When it 
ended, being reduced to the rank of Cap¬ 
tain on account of the general reduction of 
the army, he resigned and went back to 
his farm. He was reinstated as Major in 
1816, and commanded for two years at 
Green Bay on Lake Michigan. 
Afterward he served mostly in the 
South, being scarcely ever absent from ac¬ 
tive duty. On April 19,1819, he received 
the commission of Lieut. Colonel. After 
1826 he was again sent to the North-west, 
where he remained five years. In 1832 
he was made Colonel, and served in the 
Black Hawk War. Afterward he was sta¬ 
tioned at Prairie du Chein till 1836, when 
he was ordered to Florida, where on Dec. 
25, 1837, he fought the battle of Okecho- 
bee, one of the most memorable in the an¬ 
nals of our Indian hostilities, which virtu¬ 
ally put an end to the war; for this he re¬ 
ceived the brevet rank of Brigadier Gene¬ 
ral. He remained in Florida till 1840, 
when he took command of the first depart¬ 
ment of the Army in the South-west, his 
head-quarters being at Fort-Gibson, in Ar¬ 
kansas. In 1845 he was ordered to the 
Texan frontier in anticipation of the Mexi¬ 
can War, and at the beginning of August 
had taken up his position at Corpus Christi. 
On March 8, 1846, in compliance with the 
orders of President Polk, he began to march 
on the Rio Grande. 
The events which followed this step are 
too well known to require recapitulation 
here. The battle of Palo Alto was fought 
May 8, 1846—that of Resaca de la Palma 
the next day. Matamoras was taken May 
19; on the 30th he was made Major Gen¬ 
eral by brevet, and on June 29 was pro¬ 
moted to full rank. The attack on Monte¬ 
rey began Sept, 21, and was closed by the 
capitulation on the 24th. His great and 
final battle of Buena Vista was fought on 
Feb. 22, 1847. In all these affairs he 
manifested great soundness of judgment, 
readiness of mind, fertility of resources, 
mastery of the art of war, power of inspir¬ 
ing his subordinates not only with affection 
for his person, but with confidence in his 
skill and fortunes, as well as constant hu¬ 
manity towards the vanquished, and a frank 
dignity which won the regard of the hos¬ 
tile people among whom he was to com¬ 
mand an invading army, somewhat incon¬ 
gruous in its elements, and difficult to be 
controlled. 
In November, 1847, Gen. Taylor re¬ 
turned to the United States. He was re¬ 
ceived with the congratulations and rejoic¬ 
ings of the people wherever he appeared. 
The year before, he had been nominated 
for the Presidency. In June, 1848, he re¬ 
ceived the nomination of the Whig Con¬ 
vention at Philadelphia, and in November 
was elected, receiving 163 electoral votes 
to 127 for Gen. Cass. He was inaugurated 
on March 5, 1849, and at his death had 
discharged the duties of President one 
year, four months and four days. 
In person, Gen. Taylor was about five 
feet eight inches high, with a slight ten¬ 
dency to corpulency. His complexion was 
dark, his forehead high, his features plain, 
but full of courage, intelligence, benevo 
lence and good humor. His dress was al¬ 
ways simple, and his manners made all who 
approached him perfectly at home. 
Mrs. Taylor, the wife of his youth, still 
lives; though from taste, she has not ap¬ 
peared in general society since her hus¬ 
bands elevation to the Presidency. They 
had four children, one son and three daugh¬ 
ters; one of the latter married Dr. Wood, 
of the Army, who was in attendance on the 
President during his last iliness; another 
(now also deceased) married Senator Davis 
of Miss.; and the third is Mrs. Bliss, who 
has done the honors of the Presidential 
Mansion. The son is still a young man. 
THE POET BURNS. 
Burns was one of the few poets fit to 
be seen. It has been asserted that genius 
is a disease—the malady of physical infe¬ 
riority. It is certain that we have heard 
of Pope, the hunchback; of Scott and By 
ron the cripples; of the epileptic Julius 
Csesar, who, it is said, never planned a 
great battle without going into fits; and of 
Napoleon, whom a few years of trouble 
killed, where Cobbett (a man of talent, 
not of genius) would have melted St. He¬ 
lena, rather than have given up the ghost 
with a full belly. If Pope could have 
leaped over five-barred gates, he probably 
would not have written his inimitable sofa 
and lap-dog poetry; but it does not follow 
that he would not have written the “ Essay 
on Man;” and they who assert that genius 
is a physical disease, should remember that 
as true critics are more rare than true po¬ 
ets, we have only one in our language, 
William Hazlitt; so very tall and complete 
men are rare as genius itself, a fact well 
known to persons who have the appoint¬ 
ment of constables. And if it is undenia¬ 
ble that God wastes nothing, and that we, 
therefore perhaps, seldom find a gigantic 
body combined with a soul of ZEolian 
tones; it is equally undeniable that Burns 
was an exception to the rule—a man of 
genius, tall, strong, and handsome as any 
man that could be picked out of a thou 
sand at a country fair.— Ebenezer Elliott. 
Excellence is never granted to maq 
but as the reward of labor. It argues, in¬ 
deed, no small strength of mind to perse¬ 
vere in habits of industry without the 
pleasure of perceiving those advances, which, 
like the hand of a cloci, whilst they make 
hourly approaches to their point, yet pro 
ceed so slowly as to escape observation.— 
Sir. J. Reynolds. 
That nobility is the truest which a man 
derives, not from his pedigree, but from 
himself; that excellency is the greatest 
which is personal; that glory is most esti 
mable which is fixed in our intellectual and 
moral attributes, not that which a man locks 
up with his cash, or puts by with his ribbons 
THIRTY-FIVE, 
BY N. PARKER WILLIS. 
1 The vears of man’s life are tlirec-score and ten.” 
On, weary heart! thou’rthnlf way home! 
We stand on life’s meridian height— 
As far from childhood's morning come, 
As to the grave’s forgetful n 
Give Youth and Hope a parting tear— 
Hope promised hut to bring us here, 
And Reason takes the guidance now!— 
One backward look—the last—the last! 
One silent tear—for Youth is past! 
Who ^ p s with Hope and Passion hack? 
Who comes with me and Memory on? 
Oh, lonely looks the downward rack— 
Joy’s music hushed—Hope’s r c: c< gon 
To Pleasure ,,nd her giddy troupe, 
Farewell, without a sigh or tear! 
But heart gives way, and spirits droop 
To think that Love may leave us here! 
Have we no charm when Youth is flown? 
Midway to Death left sad and lone! 
Yet stay!—as ’twere a twilight star 
That sends its thread across the wave, 
I see a bright’ning light from far, 
Steal down a path beyond the grave! 
And now—bless God!—its golden line 
Comes o’er and lights my shadowy way, 
And shows thy dear hand clasped in mine! 
But list what those sweet voices say! 
“ 'The belter land’s in sight. 
And by its chastening light 
All love from life's midway is driven, 
Save her’s whose clasped hand safe brings thee on to 
Heaven!” 
THE CLOCK OF LIFE. 
Little. Lewis Rollins lives at the large 
house on the hill, with the pillars before 
the door. He sometimes rides out on a 
pony, though he is a very little boy to be 
on horseback. Lewis is a nice little fellow, 
say what you will. 
Mr. Rollins one day went out with his 
son to the old clock that stood in the hall, 
to teach him bow to find out, at any time, 
the hour of the day or night. lie explain¬ 
ed to him that the broad hand marked the 
hour, the long finger the minutes, and the 
quick-moving, small, thin finger, the sec¬ 
onds. 
Again and again Mr. Rollins repeated 
his instructions to little Lewis, and was very 
patient and forbearing with him in the mis¬ 
takes that he at first made in naming the 
time. At last, little Lewis, to his great 
joy, was perfect in his lesson, so that he 
could tell what o’clock it was almost as well 
as his father. 
And now, Lewis, said Mr. Rollins, that 
you have learned to know the hour by the 
clock in the hall, 1 must draw your atten¬ 
tion to another clock—the clock of life. I 
mean the beating of your pulse; for it may 
often remind you of the value of time, and 
the necessity of turning it to good account-. 
Time is worth more than the finest gold. 
He who lives a day without doing good, 
loses a day; and he who makes another 
happy, is sure to be all the happier for it 
himself. 
I will show you how to lay the tip of 
your finger on your pulse properly, and 
you must remember that at every beat you 
have lived a moment longer in the world, 
and have a moment less to live in it. 
Little Lewis felt that his father had made 
him much wiser than he was before; and 
when he was left to himself, he did not fail 
to go over again and again, the lesson which 
had been taught him. A dozeu times in 
the course of that day was he seen running 
into the hall to look at the clock-face; and 
almost as many times was he heard to re¬ 
peat the words, while the tips of his fingers 
were on his wrist,— 
“ My pulse is the clock of ray life, 
K shows how ray moments are Hying 
It marks the departure of time, 
And tells me how last I am dying." 
Do Indians Swear? —Many things the 
Indians may be accused of, but of the prac¬ 
tice of swearing they cannot. 1 have made 
many inquiries into the state of their vocab¬ 
ulary, and do not, as yet, find any word 
which is more bitter or reproachful than 
matchi annemoash, which indicates simply, 
bad-dog. Many of their nouns have, how¬ 
ever, adjective inflections, by which they 
are rendered derogative. They have terms 
to indicate cheat, liar, thief, murderer, cow¬ 
ard, fool, lazy man, drunkard, babbler.— 
But I have never heard of an imprecation 
or oath. The genius of the language does 
not seem to favor the formation of terms to 
be used in oaths or for purposes of profan¬ 
ity. It is the result of the observation of 
others, as well as my own, to say, that an 
Indian cannot curse. — Schoolcraft. 
Four Points.— There were four good 
habits a wise and good man earnestly re¬ 
commended in his counsels, and by his own 
example, and which he considered essen¬ 
tially necessary for the management of tem¬ 
poral concerns; these are punctuality, ac¬ 
curacy, steadiness and despatch. W ithout 
the first, time is wasted; without the second, 
mistakes the most hurtful to our own credit 
and interest, and that of others, may be 
committed; without the third, nothing can 
be well done; and without the fourth, op¬ 
portunities of advantage are lost which it 
is impossible to recall. 
