MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER, 
( 
(Eiuunfional Dipartinnit 
BY L. WETHER ELL. 
For the Rural Now-Yorkef’. 
RESULTS FROM LANGUAGE,-AGAIN, 
BY' PROF. C. DEWEY. 
Its origin, not conventional, but Bivine—Primary 
meaning of words — Secondary, often numerous, 
but distinct—Abuse of Language. 
Words i>re signs of ideas or thought.— 
The notions signified by words are common¬ 
ly held to be conventional, or matter of gen¬ 
eral consent, as no reason can be given in 
moat cases, if in any, why a particular word 
or sound of certain letters, should have been 
adopted to bo the sign. For aught that is 
known, the word gold and its sound, might 
have meant silver, and silver have designa¬ 
ted gold, as well as the metals they now do. 
How this conventional meaning came into 
use, no one has explained, or can conceive. 
The difficulty is evidently insuperable.— 
Hence the conclusion prevails that language, 
the word and its sound, must have been the 
immediate gift of the Creator to the intelli¬ 
gent race of man. The first pair of our 
race, on this fact, gave and used names and 
words and their sounds as their Creator in¬ 
spired or led them to do. Let only the 
language be given and used, and the per¬ 
petuation of it among their descendants is 
easy. This origin of language accounts for 
many things otherwise inexplicable. 
Words havo a primary meaning, and 
thence is derived secondary meanings, en¬ 
tirely different from the primary, and equal¬ 
ly definite, depending upon certain relations. 
The secondary meanings are often numer¬ 
ous, of the same .word. This is well known, 
but often overlooked, and not unfrequently 
greatly abused' by fanciful speculators.— 
Thus, the word spirit, as a noun, has twenty- 
one meanings in Webster’s Dictionary, in 
all of which the word is in common use, ex¬ 
cept in the primary meaning of wind, air, 
and hence breath, which has nearly or quite 
disappeared from the language. These 
twenty secondary meanings include, perhaps, 
as many more shades of meaning, all dis¬ 
tinct from each other as well as from the 
primary. The relations are obvious on 
which the secondary are formed, but the 
ideas or notions expressed are entirely dis¬ 
tinct Thus, spirit is used for temper, ani¬ 
mal excitement or its effect, turn of mind, 
sentiment, powers of mind, a porson of ac¬ 
tivity, soul, immaterial intelligent being, 
ghost, strong and pungent liquor, the re¬ 
newed man or nature, invisible agent, as 
Cfod, angol, dopaitud suuls. men we have 
spirit, as a verb, having several meanings, 
all distinct from those of tho noun, though 
having a certain relation on which they 
have been formed. How foolish the thought 
and ridiculous the reasoning, which would 
attach the same meaning to tho same word 
in all the uses of it. 
For further illustration, take a common 
w r ord as exultation. This is from the Latin, 
and the primary meaning is jumping up and 
down as in the expression of certain strong 
feelings of joy. Henco the word came to 
express this feeling of the mind, this joyous 
spirit, becauso it was often exhibited by this 
action, and tho primary moaning was nearly 
disused, even among the Latins; while in 
our language, only tho scholar knows the 
original meaning, and tho word shows only 
the feelings of joy. The plain man exults 
on tho fourth of July, and the orator rouses 
tho people to exultation. If the primary 
meaning were intended, or the etymological 
meaning were preserved, as some specula¬ 
tor's maintain it should be, tho exultation of 
our Independence would bo the glorious 
day of jumping up and down, or the day of 
glorious jumping up and down. 
Illustrate by the word humane. This is 
from the Latin word for man, and intends 
the kinder feeling and dispositions of hu¬ 
manity, and ‘hence expresses human quali¬ 
ties. But, the English apply it also to ani¬ 
mals, as the “ lion is a humane animal.” If 
humane must bo used in its primary and 
etymological meaning, it means that tho 
lion belongs to tho human race, and is one 
of its noble representatives. How absurd 
the speculations, now so common, which 
thus abuse our common sense, by reason of 
ignorance of tho plain principles of lan¬ 
guage. 
Language leads us directly to its great 
author, as does the possession of the powers 
which thus enable us to make it the most 
important of all tho instrumentalities God 
has bestowed for tho improvement and ben¬ 
efit of our race. 
It is related of ex-Governor Briggs, of 
Massachusetts, that many years ago, when 
expostulating with a young man about 
drinking, and urging him to abandon tho 
practice, the young man agreed to leave off 
if the Governor would leave off wearing a 
shirt collar. The latter agreed to the novel 
requisition, and in conformity to the bar¬ 
gain has never worn a collar since. 
For the Rural New-Yorker. 
HINTS ON COMPOSITION. 
Most beginners in composition, when re¬ 
quired to prepare exercises for submission 
to their teacher, commit the fatal mistake 
of choosing subjects upon which they can¬ 
not bo supposed to have more than ono or 
two, if any ideas; and, from want of prac¬ 
tice, not having the faculty of spinning 
out their thoughts, (very young writers are 
always concise.) soon come to a stop.—con¬ 
clude they havo no talent for composition— 
get discouraged—and*will make no further 
effort unless driven to it. 
Having been, myself, a severe sufferer 
from this cause, I am anxious to do what I 
can toward relieving those similarly distres¬ 
sed ; and would briefly say to them, that 
they must moderate their ambition—must 
content themselves with tho treatment of 
common-pfiace topics in an easy, familiar 
manner, until they gain facility of expression. 
Every-day events—a walk—a rido—a plain, 
unpretending story—reports of conversa 
tions, &c., all afford subjects for composition¬ 
al efforts ; and, if treated in a style of becom¬ 
ing simplicity, encourage an easy flowing of 
language. 
An acquaintance with foreign tongues 
also will do much toward familiarizing one 
with the play of languago, training to a 
moro exact use of words, and inspiring a 
taste for literary culture. 
A good plan for young knights of the 
quill, and perhaps for veterans, is when any 
new idea occurs to them, to write it down 
in some book kept for the purpose; chance 
thoughts, as we call them, are sometimes 
the best, though, coming unexpectedly, un¬ 
less thoy happen to make a very decided 
impression on the mind, they are likely to 
leave without notice, and we may in vain 
seek to recall them. * 
But it is not enough to stand ready to re¬ 
ceive and record thoughts which present 
themselves for acceptance ; the mind must 
bo sent out in search of game, so to speak; 
and when it lights on anything worthy the 
expenditure of ink and paper, let the hand 
note it down ; after an interval it would be 
well to turn to it again, and if improve¬ 
ments in sentiment or phraseology suggest 
themselves, re-write it: so, by practice of 
persevering and criticising impressions up¬ 
on different subjects, ono will bo not only 
led to select the choicest forms of expres¬ 
sions, but unconsciously disciplined to moro 
correct habits of thought. 
Journalizing and letter-writing will also 
bo found gx-eat aids to tyros in authorship; 
hnt by *11 moans lot thorn bo discUUraged 
from attempting long essays on scienco, 
religion, politics, or kindred themes, until 
their minds are sufficiently matured to war¬ 
rant tho expectation of at least a tolerable 
degree of success. a. 
South Livonia, N. Y., July, 1852. 
PRESENCE. 
Some persons are endowed by naturo with 
an ability to inspire respect from their very 
presence. For such persons it is compara¬ 
tively easy to maintain government; but 
lor all, it is not so easy. With here and 
there an august and commanding presence, 
and the calm clear eve, that can look down 
opposition, there be a great number of “lit¬ 
tle folk, who lack all those advantages, and 
must maintain authority, if at all, with con¬ 
siderable exertion. It was a remark of 
Robert Hall, that his voice was so feeble 
that he must use it more incessantly, and so 
make up in speed what was wanting in 
power. Thus some Teachers find that, as 
their consciousness of ability to govern is 
less, they must multiply the means. It is 
well for them if they do not overdo,, and 
frustrate the ends of government by govern¬ 
ing too much. But government in some 
way we must have, or all is losh It is said 
of Father Giles, of Danvers, that when he 
went into a new school he appeared so largo 
and majestic that the little boys stared at 
him. He once asked them if they could tell 
what made him so large ; and added, “ It is 
by eating such little boys as you ! ” With¬ 
out any impression that he really meant 
what he said, they were yet thoroughly per¬ 
suaded that he could govern. 
Courage, Teacher !—One of the Roman 
kings, in pursuing some of his military 
schemes, had occasion to cross tho Adriatic 
Sea. No other opportunity occurring, he 
hired a simple boatman to row him across. 
In tho midst of tho sea, a storm arose ; the 
boatman was alarmed, and relaxed his ef¬ 
forts. The future Emperor of Rome, thus 
addressed him : “ Courage, my man ! you 
carry Caesar and his fortunes !” Art thou 
depressed, Teacher, and ready to faint at 
tho obstacles that surround ? *0 remember 
that, in the mind of every ono of those pu¬ 
pils committed to your trust, you carry 
more than Caesar or his fortunes. 
A Genial Nature. —Really it is disgrace¬ 
ful that men are so ill taught and unpre¬ 
pared for social life as they are; often turn¬ 
ing their best energies, their acquisitions, 
and their special advantages, into means of 
annoyance to those with whom they live.— 
Some day it will bo found out, that to bring 
up a man with a genial nature, a good tem- 
por, and a happy frame of mind, is a great¬ 
er effort than to perfect him in much 
knowledge and many accomplishments. 
Mnftmil Huston]. 
THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK. 
Tiie cardinal grosbeak is one of our most 
common cage birds, and is very generally 
known both in America qnd Europe. Num¬ 
bers of these have been carried over to 
France and England, in which last country 
they are called Virginia nightingale’s. They 
have great clearness and variety of tones ; 
many of them resemble the clear notes of 
a fifo, and are nearly as loud. They begin 
in the spring at the first appearance of 
dawn, and repeat a favorite stanza or pas¬ 
sage, twenty or thirty times. His sprightly 
figure and gaudy plumage, his vivacity, 
strength of voice, and tho little expense 
with which he is kept, will always make him 
a favorite. 
This species inhabits America from New 
England to Carthagena. In the southern 
states they are the most numerous. They 
love to reside in the vicinity of fields of 
corn, a grain that constitutes their chief 
and favorite food. Tho seeds of apples, 
cherries, and many other sorts of fruit, are 
eaten by them ; and they are accused of de¬ 
stroying bees. They build their nests in a 
holly, cedar, or laural bush. It is con¬ 
structed of twigs and weeds. Thoy are 
hardy birds, easily kept, sing six or eight 
months in a year, and are most lively in 
wet weather. They are known by the names 
of red-bird, Virginia red-bird, Virginia night¬ 
ingale, and crested rod-bird. 
The others of this genius in the U. States 
are the pine grosbeak, the blue grosbeak, 
the rose-breasted grosbeak, tho evening 
grosbeak, and the spotted grosbeak. 
For the Rural New-Yorker. 
HOW WONDERFUL IS INSTINCT. 
While sojourning at (ho east a few days 
last summer, we wero informed by a friend, 
who is a close observer in some of tho de¬ 
partments of Natural History, that a pair 
of robins had built their nest and raised 
their young for several years in succession 
in an apple tree in his garden, very near the 
house. He observed ono day that tho male 
bird came homo to tho nest, which contain¬ 
ed the young just from the shell, and ap¬ 
peared to be very much excited. The gar¬ 
dener watched tho bird, supposing that 
something had happened. After having 
made several movements, hither and thith¬ 
er, the bird took ono of tho young ones 
from the nest and carried it a short dis¬ 
tance, to an oak tree, where anothor robin 
had just hatched a little brood, and placed 
it in the nest, and then returned and re¬ 
moved another in tho same way. The third, 
for there were threo in the nest, was dead. 
Tho person who observed this transac¬ 
tion, ascertained that the mother robin of 
tho first named nestlings, had been destroy¬ 
ed in a neighbor’s garden. This to us, is 
an exceedingly interesting fact connected 
with the prescience of instinct, if we may 
so speak. That there is a difference, and a 
wide one, between reason and instinct we 
must fully believo. 
It requires a clear minded metaphysician, 
like Coleridge, to distinguish readily be¬ 
tween all tho acts of reason and under¬ 
standing, as between the manifestations of 
reason and instinct. How did this male 
robin know that ho could thus remove his 
little remaining family into a neighbor rob¬ 
in s house ? This should bo a lesson to 
some of that species of animals that mon¬ 
opolizes reason, and call themselves Chris¬ 
tians, yet, unlike the robin, shut their doors 
against tho orphan and tho poor.—w. 
EXPERIENCE OF ANIMALS. 
Animals are prompt at using their ex¬ 
perience in reference to things from which 
they have suffered pain or annoyance.— 
Grant mentions an ourang-outang which, 
having had, when ill, somo medicine admin¬ 
istered to it in an egg, could never be in¬ 
duced to touch one afterwards, notwith¬ 
standing its previous fondness for them.— 
A tamo fox has boon cured from stealing 
eggs and poultry, by giving them to him 
scalding hot from the saucepan.- Le Val- 
liant’s monkey was extremely fond of bran¬ 
dy, but would never bo prevailed on to touch 
it again after a lighted match had been ap¬ 
plied to some it was drinking. 
Two carriage horses, which made a point 
of stopping at tho foot of every hill, and 
refused to proceed in spite of every punish¬ 
ment, were considered beyond cure, but it 
was suggested at last that several horses 
should be attached to the back of the car¬ 
riage, and, being put into a trot, be made to 
pull the refractory horses backwards. The 
result was perfectly successful; for thence¬ 
forth they laced every hill with speed, and 
wero not to be restrained till they reached 
the summit. A.dog, which had been beaten 
while some musk was held to its noso, al¬ 
ways fled away whenever it accidentally 
smelled the drug, and was so susceptible of 
it, that it was used in some psychological 
experiments to discover whether any por¬ 
tion of musk had been received by the body 
through tho organ of digestion. Another 
dog, which had been accidentally burned 
with a lucifer match, became angry at the 
sight of one, and furious if tho act of light¬ 
ing it was feigned. 
There are, besides, so many instances re¬ 
corded of even higher degrees of intelli¬ 
gence, that it is impossible to deny that an¬ 
imals arrive at a knowledge of cause and ef¬ 
fect. Strende, of Prague, had a cat on 
which he wished to make some experiments 
with an air pump; but, as soon as the crea¬ 
ture felt tho exhaustion of the air, it rapid¬ 
ly placed its foot on the valve, and thus 
stopped the action. A dog, having a great 
antipathy to the music of the violin, always 
sought to get the bow and to conceal it.— 
Tho well-known story recorded by Plutarch 
proves the application of accidentally ac¬ 
quired experience. Ho says that a mule, 
laden with salt, fell accidentally into a 
stream, and, having perceived that its load 
became thereby sensibly lightened, adopted 
the same contrivance afterwards purposely ; 
and that, to cure it of tho trick, its pan¬ 
niers were filled with sponge, under which, 
when fully saturated, it could barely stag¬ 
ger.— Passions of Animals. 
ETHIOPIA.—THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 
Bay'ard Taylor, writing to the New York 
Tribune, from Khartoun, tho capitol of 
Egyptian Soudon, describes his ride down 
the Nile. He says : 
Hero, whero I expected to sail through a 
a wilderness, I find a garden. Ethiopia 
might become, in other hands, the richest 
and most productive part of Africa. The 
people aro industrious and peaceable, and 
deserve better masters. Their dread of tho 
Turks is oxtrome, and so is their hatred. I 
stopped ono evening at a little village on 
the western bank. The sailors were sent to 
the houses to procure fowls and eggs, and 
after a long time two men appeared, bring¬ 
ing. as they said, tho only chicken in tho 
place. They camo up slowly, stopped, and 
touched tho ground, and then laid their 
hands on their heads, signifying that they 
were as dust before our feet. Achmct paid 
them the thirty.paras they demanded, and 
when they saw that tho supposed Turks had 
no disposition to cheat them, they went back 
and brought more fowls. Travelers who go 
by the land route give the people an excel¬ 
lent character for hospitality. I have beqn 
informed that it is almost impossible to buy 
any thing, even when double tho value of 
tho article is tendered; but by asking for it 
as a favor, they will cheerfully givo what¬ 
ever they have. 
On the third day I saw tho first hippopo¬ 
tamus. Tho men discerned him about a 
quarter of a mile off, as he came up to 
breathe, and called my attention to him.— 
Our vessel was run towards him, and tho 
sailors shouted to draw his attention : “How 
is your wife, old boy ?’ “Is your son mar¬ 
ried yet ?” and other like exclamations.— 
They insistod upon it that his curiosity would 
bo excited by this means, and ho would al¬ 
low us to approach. I saw him at last with¬ 
in a hundred yards, but only tho enormous 
head, which was more than throe feet across 
the ears. He raised it with a tremendous 
snort, opening his huge mouth at tho same 
time, and a more frightful monster I nevfer 
saw. lie came up in our wake after we had 
passed and followed us for some time. Di¬ 
rectly afterward wo spied five crocodiles on 
a sand-bank. One of thorn was of a gray¬ 
ish color, and upward of twenty-five feet in 
length. We approached quietly to within 
a few yards of them, when my men raised 
their poles and shouted. The beasts started 
from their sleep and dashed quickly into tho 
water, tho hie; yellow one striking so vio¬ 
lently agaiim the hull, that I am sure he 
went off with the headache. 
Human experience, like the stern light of a 
ship at sea, illumines only the path wo have 
passed over. —Longfellow 
From tho same bud tho boo sucks honoy, 
and the spider poison. 
nbbiifjj Jlfdbings. 
Written for the Rural New-Yorker. 
GOD IS SPEAKING. 
BY IDA FAIRFIELD. 
God is speaking, ye have heard Him in tho zephyrs gentle 
tone, 
In the low and mournful music, of the sea-shell's thrilling 
moan, 
In the rush Df many waters, in the babbling of tho.brook> 
In the streamlet’s softest murmur, in some still, secluded 
nook, 
In the foaming, and the dashing, of the crested cataract's 
roar, 
In the surging of the ocean, on the dim and distant shore- 
God is speaking, ye have seen Him, looking down in purest 
love, 
From the blue, unclouded regions, of the holy Heavens 
above. 
His imago is reflected, in (he pale moon’s silvery light, 
In the glimmering of each jewel, on the starry brow of 
night, 
In tiie flood of golden glory, from the day-god’s gleaming 
crest. 
As lie sweeps in silent splendor, down the crimson-eur- 
tained west. 
God is speaking, ye have heard Him, iu tiie whirlwind’s 
voice of fear, 
In the roaring of the thunder, when the storm-bird hovers 
near; 
His spirit is embodied, in the lightning's fiery wing, 
In the clouds, which rushing onward, a sable shadow fling. 
He spcaketli in tiie tempest, in the wintry winding sheet, 
Which buries gorgeous Autumn in a shroud of snow and 
sleet. 
God is speaking, ye have heard Him iu tiie rustling of tho 
leaves. 
Where tiie branches of the forest, a mighty garland weaves, 
In tiie grass upon the hill-side, iu the pine tree’s nodding 
plume, 
In each flowret of the meadow, in the cypress bl ow of 
gloom, 
And tiie humming of each insect, and the warbling of 
each bird, 
With the wild, enchanting music of the upper world is 
stirred. 
God is speaking, ye have heard Him, ye may hear Him yet 
again, 
His whisper comes unbidden, to tho consciences of men; 
By tiie myriad tongue of nature, by His own all-powerful 
Word, 
By the striving of His Spirit, have tiie hardest hearts been 
stirred. 
He calleth and He warnetli, from the paths of sin and 
shame, 
And bids us all, in reverence bend, to praise His holy 
name. 
A HOLY LIFE. 
Tiie beauty of a holy life constitutes tho 
most eloquent and effective persuasive to 
religion which one human being can address 
to another. Wo have many ways of doing 
good to our fellow creatures, but nono so 
efficacious as leading a virtuous, upright, 
and well-ordered life. There is an energy 
of moral suasion in a good man’s life, pass¬ 
ing the highest efforts of the orator’s gen¬ 
ius. Tho seen but silent beauty of holi¬ 
ness speaks more eloquently of God arid 
duty than the tongues of men and angels. 
Let parents remember this. Tho best in¬ 
heritance a parent can bequeath to a child, 
is a virtuous examplq, a legacy of hallowed 
romombrances and associations. The beau¬ 
ty of holiness, beaming through tho life of 
a loved relative or friend is more effectual 
to strengthen such as do stand in virtuo’s 
ways, and to raise up those that are bowod 
down, than precept, command, entreaty or 
warning. Christianity itself, I believo, owes 
by far tho greater part of its moral power, 
not to the precepts or parables of Christ, 
but to his own character. Tho beauty of 
that liolinoss which is enshrined in the four 
brief biographies of tho Man of Nazareth, 
has done more, and will do more to regen¬ 
erate the world and bring in an everlasting 
righteousness than all tho other agencies 
put together. It has done more to spread 
his religion in tho world than all that has 
over been preached or written on the evi¬ 
dences of Christianity. 
THE DEAD LAMB- 
We saw a very beautiful thing a few days 
since, in tho yard of tho Lockport Marble 
Factory. It was a small slab of puro white 
marble, upon which was carved a dead 
lamb. The idea forced itself upon us irre¬ 
sistibly, that it was to mark tho rosting 
place ol a child, and that exquisite poem of 
Longfellow’s commencing— 
‘ There is no flock, however watched and tended, 
But one dead lamb is there,’ 
came to mind as naturally as sunlight.— 
And how beautiful — how appropriate it 
seemed. The little lamb lies there reclin¬ 
ed on ono side, his fore legs bent gracefully 
back, his ears and hoad drooping, his eyes 
closed. And then tho expression, so to 
speak, that played around him, was so true 
to the 1 —not life, as it is commonly written 
—but death. 
A heathen writer says, “ Whom tho Gods 
lovo die young,” and tho doctrines inculcated 
by God’s Word aro, that the young aro ever 
pure. And how can the imago of the “ early 
loved, and early lost,” be better shadowed 
forth. It must have boen prompted by a 
mother’s heart, and designed to oxpress a 
mother’s love.— Lockport Journal 
The Peace of God.— This “ passoth all 
understanding.” It cannot, therefore, be 
defined; it refuses to be held in tho vice 
of our logic, or to bo subjected to tho iron 
prossuro of our metaphysical systems. It 
comes to tho soul through tho avenue of 
tho sensibility, and not through tho intel¬ 
lect or tho will. Tho knowledge of it is 
derived from tho experience of tho heart 
rather than from any process of tho under¬ 
standing. Peaco comes from God 1 
A warm heart requires a cool head. So a 
ship that carries a great doal of sail needs a 
first rate helmsman. 
We do not want precopts so much as 
patterns. 
