facts without inquiring how they were ascer¬ 
tained, or on what principles founded; or to 
accept the conclusions at which others have 
arrived without inquiring hy what process they 
reached them; or, where an analysis of the 
subject is attempted, and the explanation cor¬ 
rectly given, each subordinate thought has not 
been distinc tly enough presented, and Sufficiently 
dwelt upon, for the pupil to become familiar with 
it, and hence he does not see its connection 
with the subject and its bearing upon it. The 
consequence is, confusion of mind and a failure 
to understand the subject. The writer, in the 
early part of his leaching, often made this very 
mistake, attributing the failure of his explana¬ 
tions to the inability of his pupils to understand 
the subject, whereas it was simply owing to haste 
in presenting the different steps, not allowing the 
pupil sufficient time to become acquainted with 
each Btep. Observation and experience have 
convinced him that this is an all-important point 
—the distinct presentation of each thought con¬ 
tained in the subject, and duelling upon it till the 
pupil becomes fully acquainted with it. Their 
relations to each other, and their bearing upon 
the subject, may then be readily pointed out, and 
the whole subject understood. By pursuing this 
course, the progress of the pupil, at first, will 
necessarily be very slow, bat it will be real, and 
not apparent, progress. Fundamental principles 
will be acquired, habits of close thinking and 
study be formed, and thus the foundation laid for 
the rapid progress of the pupil, in future, with 
comparatively little assistance from the teacher. 
Perhaps at another time a few suggestions may 
be offered, in illustration of the observations 
above, respecting the method of teaching some 
of the more common branches of study, particu¬ 
larly arithmetic. e. m. c. 
House of Refuge, Rochester, N. Y., I860. 
Vf;V> 
LETTERS TO FARMER EOYS.-NO. ILL 
[Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker.1 
SCHOOL TEACHING. 
Dear Bkotiietis:—T here is in Italy a gaseous 
lake situated in a grotto, called tho Grotto del 
Cane, or Dog's Grotto. A man walking in it is 
quite safe, while his dog, whose head is below tho 
surface of the gaseous lake, is immediately suffo- 
atod. You will find similar grottos, containing 
similar lakes, all along your life-path. If yon 
will but be men you may avoid the poisonous 
effluvia that arises from them. 
Among those grottos is ono which I shall desig¬ 
nate the Grotto of Intemperance. It is filled with 
creatures who once gloried in their manhood— 
creatures whose eloquence once swayed multi¬ 
tudes—creatures whom God made in his own im¬ 
age—whom he endowed with great souls, and 
pronounced men. They threw away their manli¬ 
ness—they became beastly, and all that pertained 
to their manhood was suffocated. A young man— 
the son of a farmer—and ono of the finest speci¬ 
mens of manly beauty that I ever saw—possessing 
a mind that, could hardly bo surpassed—a splendid 
scholar—a deep thinker, and having a soul large 
enough to take in a whole world, is now an in¬ 
mate of the Grotto of Intemperance. Dear Broth¬ 
ers, would you inquire why ho is there?—do you 
not wonder that one once so gifted and glorious, 
la now a beast in mind, soul, and body? He was 
thrown into a society which is the curse of all 
societies—a society which tolerates and encour¬ 
ages tho drinking of winel He, as well as you, 
had been taught that “ wine is a mocker,” and 
“to touch not, taste pot, handle not,” Ac. He 
deemed himself ablo to withstand all temptations, 
but alas! when a glmmof wine was handed to him 
by a young Miss, and she urged him to drink, ho 
feared the sneers of the assembly, and thinking 
one glass could do no barm, ho drank, and the 
seeds of spiritual death were sown in him. Thank 
God! that Miss was not a farmer's daughter! I 
have threo brothers, and well as I love them, I 
had rather a woman would plunge a dagger in 
each breast, than to entice them to drink. You 
may think this an exaggerated expression, but 
’tis nevertheless a truthful ono. I had rather see 
them die in the full glory of their manliness, than 
see them wallowing in tho mire of Intemperance. 
1 never see a young man looking at a glass of 
wine without shuddering. I see in it tho curse 
of all curses—the evil of all evils—the essence of 
all poisons—the death of all deaths. 
If God, in his great goodness, causes your 
vines to bend with the purple clusters—if your 
currant bushes are adorned with the white or red 
fruit—If the berrieB of the elder Bhrubs are not 
blighted, you have great reason to rejoice. But, 
in tho name of all that pertains to your man¬ 
hood—for tne sake of humanity, and for your 
dear soul's Bake, do not, I pray you, convert these 
gifts of God into wine. All wines contain alco¬ 
hol, all alcohols are intoxicating, intoxications 
are tho source of all misery compounded. 
There are other grottos very dangerous, but 
the Grotto of Intemperance is the one to be most 
avoided, I think. Another grotto, the odor of 
which is almost pernicious to life, Is the Tobacco 
Grotto. I wonder if there are any farmer boys in 
it? I’ll peer into it. I bcc nearly half tho world 
in the Tobacco Grotto! A fine state of things, 
isu’t it, brothers? I see some fellows in it that 
bare a close resemblance t,o yon, but I hardly 
think they are farmer boys. Their cheeks are 
hardly as rosy as yours, their eyes not quite as 
sparkling, and their fuces havo a hegrimmed and 
smoky look, that I do not believe you would be 
willing to own. No, brothers, I trust your dig¬ 
nity will never allow you to become so beastly as 
to chew a cud! It Reems incredible that you 
(holding the position that each of you should as 
farmer’s sons,) would bo seen by Conor man with 
a cigar or pipe between your lips — lips that 
should be us free from pollution as your hands 
are free of the blood of your fellowmen. Ono 
word more and I am done. Remember that wine 
drinking is the stepping-stone to Intemperance. 
If you would ho great, good and useful, avoid 
evertbing thut tends to baseness—practice only 
things that will elevate ami refine your souls— 
purify your characters, and strengthen your good 
purposes. Build an eternal barrier between your¬ 
selves and every form of vice. You will bo safe 
only as you shun temptation. 
Alfred University, N, Y. Minnie Mintwood. 
Tiie Lion is the fiercost and most to be dreaded 
of all tho beasts of prey of Southern Africa. 
Many persons annually fall victims to bis fierce- 
ness and courage. Almost every one in Africa 
can relate hair • breadth escapes of themselves 
or their friends. 
A boor, of the name of De Clercq, one day 
riding over his farm, had alighted in a difficult 
pass, and was leading his horse through the long 
grass, when a lion suddenly rose up before him, at 
a few yards distance. He had in his hand only a 
light fowling piece, loaded withBlugs; and hoping 
that the lion would give way, he, according to 
the plan always recommended in such emer¬ 
gencies, stood still and confronted him; but the 
lion, on the contrary, advancing and crouching 
to spring, lie found himself under the necessity of 
firing; he took a hurried aim at the forehead, but 
the slugs lodged in the breast, and did not prove 
instantly mortal. The furious animal sprang for¬ 
ward, aud seized T)e Clkiuq on either side with 
his talons, but at the same time bit his arm almost 
in two, as he mechanically thrust it forward to 
save his face. In tills position he held him for a 
few seconds, till his strength failing from loss of 
blood, tho lion tumbled over, dragging the boor 
with him in a dying embrace. 
Next to the lion the Tiger is most to be 
dreaded. When the nightly depredations of a 
tiger have roused the farmers, the following is 
the course pursuedThe animal is tracked to its 
lair in tho thick underwood, and, when found, 
attacked by largo dogs. If possible, it flies; but, 
when unable to cre .u-Aiu u, Uteporai* d r>- 
fence, raising itself above the assailants by leap¬ 
ing on a hash, and from thence striking them 
down with its paws as they rush in, and from its 
great strength and activity, frequently destroying 
them. 
Lk Vaili.ant, after an unsuccessful pursuit of 
of the Giraffe, says:—“Tho next day was the 
happiest of my life. By sunrise I was in quCBt of 
game, in hope of obtaining some provisions for 
my men. After Ecveral hours’ fatigue, we de¬ 
scried, ut the turn of ft hill, seven giraffes, which 
my pack instantly pursued. Six of them went off 
together; but the seventh, cut off by my dogs, 
took another way. Bkhnfrv was walking by the 
side of his horse; but, in the twinkling of an eye, 
he was in the Baddle, and pursued the six. For 
myself, I followed the Bingle one at lull speed; 
but, In spite of the efforts of my horse, she got 
so much ahead of mo that, in taming a little hill, 
I lost sight of her altogether, and gave up the 
pursuit. 
My dogs, however, were not so easily exhausted. 
They were soon bo close upon her, that she was 
obliged to stop to defend herself. From the place 
where I was, I hoard them give tongue with all 
their might; and, as their voices appeared all to 
come from the same spot, 1 conjectured that they 
had got the animul into a corner; and I again 
pushed forward. I had scarcely got round the 
hill than I perceived her snnouudcd by the dogs, 
and endeavoring to drive them away by heavy 
kloks. In a moment I was on my feet; and a shot 
from my carbine brought her to the earth. En¬ 
chanted with my victory, 1 called my people 
about me, that they might assist in skinning and 
catting up the animal. While I was looking for 
them, I Baw Ki.aas Bastkr, who kept maklug sig¬ 
nals, which I could not comprehend. At length 
I went the way he pointed; and, to my surprise, 
saw a giraffe standing under a large ebony tree, 
assailed by my dogs. It was the animal T had 
shot, who had Btaggered to this place; and it fell 
dead the moment I was about to take the second 
shot. 
The Gnu is about the size of a full-grown ass. 
The neck and tail precisely resemble those of a 
small horse, and its pace, which is a species of 
light gallop, is so perfectly similar, that u herd of 
gnus, when seen at a distance scampering over 
the plains of South Africa, might be easily mis¬ 
taken for a troop of wild horses, but for their dark 
and uniform color. 
They live in large herds on the Karroo, a great 
desert. When first, alarmed, they fling up their 
heels and caper like a restive horse, tossing their 
heads and tails, and butting at the mole-hills, or 
any other object that might be in their way; but 
immediately alter, oil' they start, traversing the 
desert with a speed which soon carries them be¬ 
yond the reach of danger. They do not run in a 
oonfuHcd crowd, like sheep or oxen, bat in single 
file, following a leader, and exhibiting an agreea¬ 
ble regularity as they bound over the plains. 
When hunted, they turn upon the hunter and pur¬ 
sue him, dropping on their knees before making 
an attack, and then darting forward with amazing 
alacrity and force. 
The Quaooa is ft timid animal, with a figure and 
gait much resembling those of an ass, but stouter 
and handsomer than that animal as found in 
Europe. Thongh Us flesh is carrion and its hide 
almost useless, it ia often pursued merely for 
pastime. It is inferior to the horse in swiftness, 
but it baffles th- banter by al-oUUik ng.. in II,o 
most rugged parts of tho mountain, where his 
steed can only follow with extreme difficulty. 
Zebras were formerly abundant iu different 
parts of the Gape Colony, but latterly their num¬ 
ber has been greatly diminished 
WHY TEACHERS FAIL, 
Of the large number of those who engage in 
the work of teaching, but few, comparatively, are 
successful. A very large majority teach but a 
Bhort time and with no true Bucotsa. It may not 
be unprofitable to consider some of the reasons 
for these numerous cases ol failure iu teaching. 
That such cases arej numerous, no ono will ques¬ 
tion,—but why they are so numerous, but few 
stop to consider. It will be one object in this 
article to name a few of the more prominent rea¬ 
sons as they occur to us. 
1. Want of sufficient education. It is often the 
ease that persons enter the teacher’s desk with a 
very limited educational capital. By the favor of 
Bomo relative or (he committee, and by the direct 
or indirect connivance of the examiners, they are 
entrusted with work for which they have no 
proper qualification. From want, of the’requiBite 
knowledge, they fail to interest their pupils or to 
awaken any true love for school and its exercises. 
2. An excess of education. This may seem rather 
paradoxical. It is, however, unquestionably true 
that some him,- too much ,.—in their own estim' 
tion,—to touch a common school. They have 
pursued a collegiate course of study, and have 
acquired a somewhat superficial knowledge of 
many branches. Their elementary training wins 
entirety neglected or hut very imperfectly attended 
to. Moat of their time and attention have been 
devoted to the study of the “languages” and the 
“higher branches,” and they consider it “beneath 
their dignity” to teach the common branches. 
Indeed, they do not thoroughly understand them. 
Latin, and Greek, and French they know, but 
reading and spelling they poorly comprehend. 
Algebra, Geometry, Philosophy, Chemistry, and 
Geology they are somewhat familiar with, but of 
Grammar, Geography, aud Arithmetic they know 
but little, and care less. They arc of the class 
thus described by the inimitable Dickens: — “ He 
and some one hundred aud forty other teachers 
had been lately turned, at the same time, in the 
same factory, on the same principle, like so many 
piano forte legs. He had been put through an 
immense variety of paces, and had answered vol¬ 
umes of head-breaking questions. Orthography, 
etymology, syntax, and prosody, biography, as¬ 
tronomy, geography, and general cosmography, 
the sciences of compound proportion, algebra, 
laud surveying, and leveling, vocal music and 
drawing from models, were all as at the end of his 
ten chilled fingers. He had taken the bloom of 
the higher branches of mathematics and physical 
science, French, German, Latin, and Greek. He 
knew all about all the water-sheds of all the world, 
and all the names of all the rivers and mountains, 
and all the productions, manners, und customs of 
all the countries, and all their boundaries and 
bearings on the two and thirty points of the com¬ 
pass. Ah, rather over-done. If he had only 
learned a little less, how infinitely better he might 
have taught much morel” 
3. Want of a lively interest in the work. No one 
can expect true success to attend any work in 
which he engages with feelings of indifference < 
Especially is this true of teaching. Unless one 
feels that his work is an important one,— a work 
for which he has a love, — he will hardly engage 
in its performance with a zeal and earnestness 
which will make success sure. 
4. An excess of confidence. A degree of confi¬ 
dence in one's ability to do a work is essential to 
his success in it3 accomplishment. Indeed he 
must feel that ho can do before he will do. But 
some teachers have a superabundance of confi¬ 
dence in themselves. They know too much to know 
more. They cannot be told anjthing. Hints or 
suggestions from fellow teachers, committees or 
parents, they spurn as useless,— or, perhaps, 
regard as insults. 
5. A lack of confidence. If an excess of confi¬ 
dence is undesirable, a deficiency is equally so. A 
success. To 
Troops of six 
or eight h ive been seen to stand at a distance, 
gazing on a wagon as it moved slowly onward; 
but startled by the sound of the whip, they set off 
eagerly, scampering over stones aud bushes, aud 
leaving behind them a thick cloud of dust. 
The Hymsna is remarkable for his voracity, and 
also for the singular fact that he will feed with 
the vultnie from the same carcase. Mr. BurCukk. 
explains this circumstance by stating that the 
flesh of vultures themselves smells like carrion, 
and no other animal, however pressed with hun¬ 
ger, will eat it, a quality which gives them impu¬ 
nity which they would not otherwise enjoy. 
The Civet is somewhat more than two feet 
long from the nose to the insertion of the tail, 
whieh js upward of a foot in length. The color 
of the animal’s fur is an ash gray, und is marked 
with large blackish or dusky spots. The hair is 
of a coarse texture, aud along the hack stands 
somewhat erect like a mane. The body Is rather 
thick; the forehead is broad, the muzzle acute, 
and black at the tip. There are throe black 
stripes which proceed from the back uf the ear, 
and terminate at tho shoulders and throat Like 
all nocturnal animals, the civet Is torpid and indo¬ 
lent during the day, ncr does it ever display much 
of either intelligence or docility. 
This animal ia celebrated for Us musky perfume, 
the product of a peculiar glandulous apparatus. 
The name civet, first applied to the odoriferous 
substance, is of Arabian origin, but tho auimal 
has received the same appellation. The civets 
are found In all the warm parts of Asia and 
Africa, in the island of Madagascar, and in the 
East Indian islands. 
Canary Birds — Vermin.— I wish to know 
what will remove vermin from Canary birds.— 
Will you be so kind as to answer through the 
Columns of the Rgkai.? —G. A. D., Janesville, Wis. 
Bathe frequently, keep the cage clean, and put 
sand mixed with anise seed on the floor. 
usefulness of many a teacher. A rough exterior, 
negligence of personal appearance and dress, 
unpolished and abrupt modes of address or exces¬ 
sively formal and frigid manners, have, in many 
cases, blighted the prospects of teachers whose 
intellectual qualifications were ample. 
7, Want of patience. It is frequently the case 
that teachers despond and labor iu vain because 
they are too impatient. When they do not see 
immediate and abundant fruits of their labors, 
they are too apt to feel that they have not done 
what they ought. An impatient or desponding 
spiiit will always prove hurtful in the Behool 
room, and they who indulge the same will not 
prove successful. It is the teacher’s duty to labor 
wisely and patiently; to sow the good Beod with 
diligent and careful hand: another and a greater 
will give the increase in his own good time,— 
particularly is this so in xSMnal culture and 
results. 
8. Want of adaptation. Borne teachers have the 
ability to succeed in some particular situation and 
under a certain order of arrangements and cir¬ 
cumstances, while the most trifling change or 
deviation will cause a failure. Lacking the ability 
to adapt themselves to existing circumstances and 
surroundings, they lack one of the most important 
essentials to success. 
9. Want of professional feeling and interest. 
“Every man,” sairl Webster, “owes a debt to his 
profession.” By thiB we understand that every 
member of a profession is under obligations to 
do what he can for tho elevation of his profession. 
This he must do by promoting his own improve¬ 
ment, by uniting with others in associational 
effort, and iu various ways by manifesting a pro¬ 
fessional interest and feeling,—a true esprit de 
corps. A teacher who secludes himself, with¬ 
drawing from all associated efforts and meetings 
for mutual improvement, may keep a good school, 
— but as a man and as a professional teacher he 
will fall far behind the mark. If his own views, 
plans, and results are entirely satisfactory to him¬ 
self, ho will, if he has true professional feeling, 
gladly communicate them to others and not be 
content to hide his light as under a bushel. Wc 
would then advise all teachers who would make 
success sure, to unite heartily in every effort and 
plan designed for the good of their profession. 
By the very means adopted for professional Im¬ 
provement, personal profit and advancement will 
be secured.— Conn. Com. School Journal. 
Intellect Without Heart.— Woe, woe for 
that mortal whose intellect outgrows his moral 
sense, until the one stands dwarfed in the grow¬ 
ing shadow of tho other. A being thus consti¬ 
tuted is “no less a monster,” Borne one has said, 
“ than the big-headed child of tho fai r, or the weak- 
kneed giant of the circus.” Saturn eating his 
own children is a typo of men of this stamp. 
Humanity recoils from them when once they un¬ 
veil their remorseless egotism, their sublimated 
sophistry. Voltaire, Rosseau, Napoleon, Robes¬ 
pierre, were monsters of this class, scarcely less 
hideous to me than Caligula or ileliogabalus. 
Yet how attractive, until the Mokanna veil is lift¬ 
ed, is its glittering light; and the soft breathings 
of tho voice beneath, and the graceful, sinuous 
motions of the draped and stately form it covers, 
are—oh, how mystic, how bewildering! It be¬ 
comes a question here, how much of this is per¬ 
ishable, how much immortal. Can evil be per¬ 
petuated in accordance with onr conception of a 
just, a purifying God! At what point does soul 
take issue with intellect ?—Miss Warfield. 
degree of it ia indispensable to true 
feel that we caw do a certain work will do much 
to make its accomplishment certain 
6. A want of true courtesy. If a teacher would 
be in tho truest Bense successful and useful, he 
maBt have the respect and good wishes of those 
with whom he is called to labor. A lack of gen- 
nine politeness has done much to prevent the 
