FROG-S PETITIONING JUPITER FOR A KING 
Written for tbo Rural New-Yorker. 
WRITING COMPOSITIONS 
A TABLE. , 
As Eeop was traveling over Greece, he hap¬ 
pened to pass through Athens just after Pisistra- 
tus had abolished the popular state and i isurped 
a sovereign power; when perceiving that the 
Athenians bore the yoke, though iuild find easy, 
with much impatience, he related to them the 
following fable: 
The commonwealth of Frogs, a discontented, 
variable race, weary of liberty and fond of 
change, petitioned Jupiter to grant them a king. 
The good-natured deity, in order to indulge their 
request with as little mischief to the petitioners 
as possible, threw them down a log. At first they 
regarded their new monarch with great rever¬ 
ence. and kept, from him at a most respectful 
distance; but perceiving his tame and peaceful 
disposition, they by degrees ventured to ap¬ 
proach him with more fiamiliarity, till at length 
they conceived for him the utmost contempt. 
In this disposition they renewed their request to 
Jupiter, and entreated him to bestow upon them 
another king. The Thunderer, in his wrath, 
sent them a Crane, who no sooner took posses 
sion of his new dominions than he began to 
devour his subjects one after another, in a most 
capricious and tyrannical manner. They were 
now far more dissatisfied than before; when 
applying to Jupiter a third time, they wore dis¬ 
missed with this reproof, that the evil they com- 
plained of they had imprudently brought upon 
themselves, and that they had no other remedy 
now but to submit to it with patience. 
Moral.—‘T is better to bear with some de¬ 
fects in a mild and gentle government, than to 
risk the greater evils of tyranny and persecu¬ 
tion. 
AMONG the many reforms of old abuses in 
teaching which are being discussed, none are 
capable of more decided improvement than the 
old plan,—or, rather, no plan at all,-of inst,mo¬ 
tion in the art of composition. Girls and boys 
who were considered old enough, were requite* 
once iu a week, or two at most, to write a * im¬ 
position. Unless nature had givcD them that 
peculiar talent, they had no more Idea how to 
proceed than a man would know how to build 
a house without first learning the trade. The 
wise teachers used to say that practice was all 
that was necessary, but they were mistaken. 
The pupils naturally thought that they must 
write something proper, and their subjects used 
to be selected after the following order—Hope, 
Love, Patience, C ontentment, Faith, Persever¬ 
ance, and so on,—and their productions were 
nmiiv orosv and uniform. Many who 
< j 1 v''bA. stojw •vM'javi ' 
^'WohCSafi Battfery 
1 
were capable oi writing wen, uvm -nv uw 
knowing how to go at work, fell into the beaten 
path with the rest, I could mention a certain 
Academy where a girl who eould write an origi¬ 
nal, amusing composition, was considered a per¬ 
fect prodigy, whereat* it only needed perhaps an 
hour’s proper instruction to develop strong indi¬ 
viduality in half the compositions produced. I 
remember just one teacher who had a way ot 
his own of teaching anything. He used to give 
out the subjects of the compositions himself, and 
tell us a little what was expected. He would 
say “here, Thomas, you may take the stove for 
your subject. Tell us its color, use, age, and 
qualities generally. How many different kinds 
you can recollect, and who first invented stoves. 
Also where iron is found, and as much about 
the manufacture of stoves as you know or can 
find out. Lucy, T saw a plant of Artemcsia in 
bloom at your house, and you may tell us its 
history in as good language as you can com¬ 
mand. Describe the loaves and flowers, and toll 
us what peculiarities, if any. it possesses. Hul¬ 
un, you may select your favorite wild flower, 
give us your reasons for the choice, and describe 
ft in the same way.- Thus, with their work 
pointed out, wt had many creditable compac¬ 
tions. ami made better progress in learning to 
express our ideas in one term than we should 
have been likely to have made in a long tune 
under the old plan. 
Besides, the monotony acquired under tue old 
way usually followed pupils through the world, 
unless they had a decided genius for literature, 
in which case they might outgrow old habits. 
But the humdrum mode usually crept into their 
letters, cramping their Ktyle aud spoiling the 
freshness of their ideas. I think much of the 
highllown nonsense found in the correspondence 
**fjfL-hool girls, might be traced directly to the 
habit of writing essays on subjects too oid for 
them, and which were manufactured to sound 
well, and not to express any idea which the 
writers ever had. 
Another way in which the old plan failed of 
its expected benefits, was in the dodges prac¬ 
ticed by pupils wbo had not the gift of writing 
even on matter-of-fact topics. They would bor¬ 
row from some famous writer to nuike up for 
any lack of brilliancy which they themselves 
possessed, or when too honest to do that, many 
a boy who could not catch his ideas has threat¬ 
ened rebellion against school discipline, until 
his eldest sister at home supplied him with a 
theme, and assisted him largely in writing it. 
All would thou go well with him until the next 
call, when the same scene would be repeated. 
Elkhom, Wis., 1803 B c D 
MAP OF 
CHARLESTON ILYRBOR 
and its approaches 
Showing the positions of tho Rebel Batteries, 1363. 
Reduced from. original map of O. S Const Survey. 
A. D. Dache, Slept. 
Marsh Bal 
w Rational Bateries on Foily Uana 
w Ftdxi Batteries in possession Nationai Forces 
• w Batteries stilt heidbylhc Rctets 
Trenches d> Batierin, rf Rational besicyinc, Army 
— Petition oj attacking feet, durmy action. 
PUNCTUALITY OF "WASHINGTON 
Statute Affot 
fiiwuct 4 Ch 'Bagtsmta, liuSiik. N. Y. 
An Example for the Young. — When 
Gen. Washington assigned to meet Congress at 
noon, he never failed to,, bo passing the door of 
the Hall while the clock was striking twelve. 
Whether his guests were present or not. he 
always dined at four. Not unfrequently new 
members of Congress, who were invited to dine 
with him, delayed until dinner was half over; 
and he would then remark, ** Gentlemen, we are 
punctual here. My cook never asks whether 
the company has arrived, but whether the hour 
has.” When he visited Boston, in 1780. he ap¬ 
pointed eight o’clock A. M.. as the hour when 
he should set out for Salem: and while the old 
South dock was striking eight, he was mounting 
hie horse. The company of cavalry which vol¬ 
unteered to escort him, were parading in Tre- 
mont street after hie departure, and it was not 
until the General reached Charles River bridge. 
Oa the arrivaiofJttlS, 
Wf/A 
that they overtook him. 
corps, the General, with perfect good fRture, 
sail, u Major-, I thought you had been too 
long in my family, not to know when it w r as 
eight o’clock.” Capt. Pease, the father of the 
stage establishment in the United States, had a 
beautiful pair of horses which he wished to dis¬ 
pose of to the General, whom he knew to be an 
excellent judge of horses. The General ap- 
pointod five o’clock in the morning to examine 
them. But the Captain did not arrive until 
quarter past five, when he was told by the 
groom that the General was there at five, and 
was then fulfilling other engagement*,. Pease, 
much mortified, was obliged to wait a week for 
another opportunity, merely *br delaying the 
first quarter of an.hour. 
as maps, charts, diagrams, or any other work 
requiring delicate tracery and pertect distinct¬ 
ness of outline. Though the map is too fine for 
ordinary newspaper printing, we trust it will 
work so clearly that all Rural readers will 
comprehend its points without needing other 
explanation or description. 
be accurate. We think it the most beautiful 
and complete illustration of the kind ever given 
in the Rural, and it reflects great credit upon 
Messrs. E. R. Jewett & Co., of Buffalo, by 
whom it was executed. It is a fine specimen of 
their new style of Relief Line Ervjtavmj — a pro¬ 
cess particularly applicable to such illustrations 
A Mai* ok Charleston Harbor and its 
Approaches will attract attention at a time 
when the eyes of the whole world are turned to 
that imp)riant point in the contest between 
formidable portions of the Union and Rebel 
armies and armaments. The one we have the 
pleasure of presenting is original, and believed to 
fears none, he lives in himself, shrouded in the 
consciousness of his own strength; he interferes 
with uone. and walks forth an example that 
‘•eagles fiv alone, they are but sheep that herd 
together." It is true, that should a poiaonoi® 
worm cross his path he may tread it under his 
foot: should a cur snarl at him he may chastise 
him; but he will not. cannot attack the privacy 
of another. 
BENEFITS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
Are labor and self-culture irreconcilable to 
each other? In the first place, we have seen 
that man, in the midst of labor, may and ought 
to give himself to the most important improve¬ 
ments, that he may cultivate Ms sense of justice, 
his benevolence, and the desire of perfection. 
Toil is the school of these high principles; and 
we have a strong presumption that, in other 
respects, it does not necessarily blight the soul. 
Next, we have scon that the most fruitful 
sources of truth and wisdom are not books, 
precious as they are, but experience and obser¬ 
vation ; and tliat these belong to all conditions. 
It is another important consideration, that 
almost all labor demands intellectual activity, 
and is best carried on by those who Invigorate 
their minds; so that tho two interests, toil and 
self-culture, are friends to each other. 
It is mind, after all, w hich docs the work of 
the world; so t h’at the more there is of mind, the 
more work will be accomplished, A man, in 
proportion as he is intelligent, makes a given 
force accomplish a greater task, makes skill take 
the place of muscles, and with less labor gives a 
better product. Make men intelligent, and they 
become inventive; they find shorter processes. 
Their know ledge of nature helps them to turn its 
law s to account, to understand the substances on 
which they work, and to seize on useful hints, 
which experience continually furnishes. It is 
The war between the Northern and Southern 
States is showing, in various ways, the import¬ 
ance of Common School education. If all the 
people at the South Itad been as well educated 
as the mass of the people at the North, it in pre¬ 
sumed they would never have inaugurated such 
a rebellion. They would have read and thought 
for themselves, and could not have been made 
the tools of crafty lenders. 
In the Northern Suites, provision Is made by 
which every child, rich or poor, shall receive. 
Beyond all question, it is the unalterable 
constitution of nature that there is efficacy in 
love. The exhibition of kindness has the power 
to Brin g even the irrational animais into subjec¬ 
tion.' Show kindness to a dog, and he will re¬ 
member it; he will be grateful; he will infalli¬ 
bly return love for love. Show kindness to a 
lion, and you can lead him by the mano; you 
can thrust your head Into his mouth; you can 
melt the untamed ferocity of his heart into an 
affection stronger [than death. In all of God’s 
vast, unbounded creation, there is not a living 
and Sentient being, from the least to the largest, 
not one, not even the qn toast and degraded ser¬ 
pent, that is insensible to acts of kindness. If 
love, such as our blessed Savior manifested, 
could be introduced into the world, and exert its 
appropriate dominion, it would restore a suite of 
things far brighter than the fabulous age of gold; 
every sting; it would pluck 
The pronunciation of the words at the head 
of this article as if spelt nUiier and vt/lfT, which 
is not unl'requontly heard front divines and 
others, is not sanctioned either by analogy or 
good use, and is only to be accounted for on the 
supposition that some doubtful use in England 
is considered better authority than good use In 
America. Out of seventeen lexicographers, 
only two, aud they of little account. (J, Johnson 
and C'oeto.) expressly authorized the corrupt 
pronunciation, and the analogy of the language 
is utterly opposed to it, there being only one 
word of similar orthography, “ height.” whose 
accepted pronunciation coincides with it. 
To show how entirely analogy fails to sustain 
the corrupt pronunciation, the following para¬ 
graph has been framed, in which is introduced 
all the different connections in which the letters 
ei arc met with, except as in the won! “height” 
given above : 
Being disposed to walk. I would * feign ’ 
have visited my * neighbor,’ but on approaching 
his * seigniory ' 1 was alarmed by the * neighing' 
of his hors**, and on lifting my ‘ veil’ was terri¬ 
fied to find the animal within ’ eighty ’ yards of 
me, approaching at a speed tliat seemed * freight- 
Tns Path to Greatness.— There are two 
ways which lead to great aims and achieve¬ 
ments.—energy and perseverance. Energy is a 
rare girt.—it provokes opposition, hatred and 
reaction. But perseverance lies within the 
reach of every one. its powers increase with its 
progress, and it i> but rarely that it misses its 
aim. Where perseverance is out of tho ques¬ 
tion, where 1 cannot exert a protracted influ¬ 
ence, l had better not attempt to exert any in¬ 
fluence at all, for I should only disturb the 
organic development of affairs, and paralyze the 
natural remedies which they contain, without 
any guarantee for a more favorable result. 
it would annihilate 
ev tv poisonous tooth; it would bush every dis¬ 
cordant voice. Even the inanimate creation is 
not insensible to this divine influence. The bud 
and flower and fruit put forth most abundantly 
and beautifully where the hand of kindness is 
extended for their culture. And if this blessed 
influence should extend itself over the earth, a 
moral garden of Eden would exist in every 
land; instead of the thorn and briar, would 
spring up the fir-tree and the myrtle; the desert 
Estimate ok Teachers.— Plato, when near 
his end. blessed God for three things, viz., that 
aud not a beast; that he was 
he was a man, 
bora in Greece, and brought up in the time of 
Ax*rite-*, so that he could enjoy the benefit of 
hb* instruction. 
Gibbon says:—” A liberal mind will delight to 
cherish and celebrate the memory of its par¬ 
ents; and the teachers of science are the parents of 
the mind." 
If l were choose the people with whom I 
would spend my hours of conversation, they 
should be certainly such as Labored no further 
to make themselves readily and clearly 
apprehended, and would have patience and cu¬ 
riosity to understand me. To have good sense, 
and ability to express lit, tire the most essential 
and necessary qualities in companions. W hen 
thoughts rise in us fit to utter among familiar 
friends, there needs but very H r 1* care in cloth¬ 
ing them. 
BOOKS. -The number of books printed since 
the invention of the art. In 1440, to the end ot 
.the year 183*. was estimated by Feignot at 
3,081,900; and counting an average of three vol¬ 
umes to each book, and 300 copies to each edi¬ 
tion. the aggregate of printed v olumes was esti¬ 
mated by him to be 3,313.704,000. 
GENIUS, TALENT, AND CLEVERNESS 
Genius rushes like a whirlwind; talent 
marches tike a cavalcade of heavy men and heavy 
horses: cleverness skims like a swallow in the 
summer evening, with a sharp, shrill note and a 
sudden turning. The man of genius dwells with 
men and with nature: the man of talent in his 
study; but the clever mandancoehere, there aud 
everywhere, like a butterfly in a hurricane, strik¬ 
ing everything and enjoying nothing,but too light 
to be dashed to pieces. The man of talent will 
attack theories, the clever man will assail the 
individual, and slander private character. The 
man of genius despises both: he heeds none, he 
The true educator should read and study aud 
teach subjects rather than books. The truth, 
the principle, the idea, the thought, should be 
valued more than its mode of expression: the 
diamond, not its mechanical setting. Thought 
is tho 90 h 1 of language, and language is of httlc 
svorth without it. 
bate, and the vulgar will think you - s 
be confident, and they will think you y 
Conversation,— Among such as out of cun¬ 
ning hear all and talk little, be sure to talk less 
or if you must talk, say little.— La Brwjers. 
