What becomes of the money which is raised by the sale, enquired Philo. The keeper pays the damages, the fence viewer's fees, his own fees, and the attending expenses, and returns the balance to the owner of the beasts if he is to be found, and if not, he holds it for six months and then gives it to the overseers of the poor, for the benefit of the pauper fund. What fees does he get for his services, asked Horace? For horses and neat cattle, his poundage is one eighth of a dollar; for hogs, six cents, and for sheep, three cents per head; and he can charge three cents a day for keeping each. But it must be remembered that no beast can be empounded for damages, until such damages shall have been determined by two or more fence viewers, agreeably to the provisions of the law. PRACTICAL EXERCISES IN MENSURATION, &C.-LESSON 23. 1. A rope 3 rods long, will permit a horse to graze 28.2744 rods of ground:-how long must it be to enable him to graze an acre? Ans. 51. 2, A, B, C, are the points of a triangle; A, B, is 103 rods, B, C, 77, and C, A, 90 rods:—what is its area? Ans. 3357.8 rods. 3. B's garden is a triangle, 40 rods base and thirty perpendicular: what is the hypotenuse? Ans. 50 rods. 4. Two ships sailed from the same port, one east 48 leagues, the other south 135 leagues:-how far are they apart? Ans. 159 leagues. 5. Suppose the lower end of a brace to rest in a post 3 feet below the angle, and the upper end, 2 1-4ft. along the plate:what is the length of the brace? Ans. 3ft. 9in. 6. B proposes to set out an orchard of 27648 trees, in such a way that the number of trees in length, shall be to the number in breadth, as 3 to 1:-how will they stand? Ans. 288 by 96. 7. What is the area of a circular fish pond, 10 rods in circumference? Ans. 7.958. 8. What is the area of a circle whose diameter is 1 rod, and whose circumference is 3.14159 ? Ans. .7854. 9. The extent of the sun's apparent, annual path, is 596902100 miles:what is our mean distance from him? Ans. 95000000. 10. B's gate post is 5 feet from the ground, and 7 inches in diameter:what is the contents of its surface? Ans. 1520in. 11. What is the cost of a right angle triangle garden plot. whose base is 15.6 rods, and perpendicular 9 rods, at $3.625 rod? Ans. $254.475. a square 12. What is the cubic measure of A's sign post, which is 20 feet from the ground and 1ft. 6in. in diameter? Ans. 35.343ft. 13. What is the solidity of a conical monument 9ft. high. and 2 1-2ft. in diameter at its base? Ans. 14.73ft. nearly. POETICAL EXTRACTS, &c.-LESSON 24. The song of the Stars. 1. When the radient morn of creation broke And this was the song the bright worlds sung 2. Ye are fair ye are fair and your pencil rays Hath no frost been there and no withering blast Does there come no cloud on your morning beam 3. The tree of deepest root is found The greatest love of life appears rages If old assertions cannot prevail Be pleased to hear a modern tale The Mariner's Dream. 4. In slumbers of midnight the sailor boy lay His hammock swung loose at the sport of the wind But watch-worn and weary his cares flew away And visions of happiness danced over his mind He dreamed of his home of his dear native bowers And pleasures that waited on lifes merry morn While memory stood sideways half covered with flowers And restored every rose but secreted its thorn Then fancy her magical pinions spread wide And bade the young dreamer in ecstacy rise Now far far behind him the green waters glide And the cot of his forefathers blesses his eyes CONVERSATIONS, &C.-LESSON 26. Having gone through with an explanation of the county and town officers, their duties, &c. said Horace, I hope, sir, you will make it convenient to say something of the constitutions under which we live. You will find those instruments, my son, in the appendix to the third part of the Common School Manual, with a series of appropriate questions. In the course of your, studies at school, you will have an opportunity of perusing them critically, and of replying to the questions which are there submitted. I have read them, sir, said Horace, but not with a view of answering the questions; I must confess, however, I did not understand them fully, or, at least, I wanted some parts of them explained to me. It requires a statesman, my son, of no ordinary stamp, to give the true construction and the just bearing of all their parts. Their great leading features are, however, sufficiently perspicuous and well defined. I wish, sir, said Horace, you would have the goodness to detail some of the leading principles of the national constitution, if you do no more. Constitution, my son, implies the fundamental law of the land. It makes provision for the disposition of all the political power vested in the hands of government, and the manner in which that power shall be exercised; and also the manner in which an abuse of that power shall be punished. What is the distribution of the power delegated by the people? asked Horace. It is divided, replied the father, into three distinct and independent branches; to wit:-the Executive branch, the Legislative branch, and the Judicial branch,-each of which has its independent and appropriate powers. What are the powers attached to the executive branch of our government, asked Horace, and who exercises it? To that department is assigned the supreme power, and it is exercised by the president of the United States. He is the chief magistrate of the nation. His powers and duties are pointed out in the constitution, and he holds his office for four years. This branch of the national government, is subdivided into three departments: the state department, the war department, and the navy department; and the respective secretaries of these, compose what is termed the president's cabinet. What are we to understand of the legislative branch of the government, enquired Philo; what powers has that? That is the branch which makes the laws. It is composed of two houses, as they are some times called, or, the senate and house of representatives, which are undividedly styled the Congress of the United States. This branch holds the purso strings of the nation, and provides ways and means for the support of government. All its powers and duties are enumerated in the constitution, the limits of which they cannot elude and prosper. From what quarter, inquired Philo, does Congress obtain money to meet the expenses of government? From taxes, my son, and from duties upon imported goods, the sale of wild lands in the west, and from dividends arising from public stocks. How much does it cost, one year with another, to maintain government? asked Philo. In time of peace, returned the father, the whole expense of the national government, is not far from eighteen or twenty millions of dollars; but in time of war, which, by the bye, does not often occur, the expense is much greater. What are the powers and duties of the judicial branch of the government? asked Horace. This is the branch which passes upon the laws, and hears and determines such disputes as are referred to its arbitration. It is composed at present of a chief justice, and six assistant justices. This court, which is styled the supreme court of the United States, holds its annual session in Washington, the seat of government, and the judges have circuit duties to perform out of term. The senate, however, is the grand inquest of the nation; for, while the lower house has the power to bring impeachments, the upper house has the power of trying them. We should now like to hear, said Horace, something about our state government and constitution; which I suppose is |