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› that irritates at the slightest remonice, my sons have not been as well ght up as I have wished them to be. r mother, that providence on earth, been but too soon taken from them, absorbed as I am in the cares of my ernment, I have left Otho and Frederin the hands of tutors who have not ven worthy of my confidence; but rtiers without dignity, they have toler1 the frolics of my sons. Some have n too indulgent; others have shown too ch severity, which is likewise reprehenle when in excess. Between passive tleness and excessive rigor there is a dium which I hope to find in you. our whole life has been among youth, u can guide it, instruct it, keep it within unds. In a word, you are a father, ur two sons love and respect you; your o pupils will also love and respect you. udy their dispositions, and resist without olence their caprice and fancies. I asrn to you my authority over them; make dicious use of it, and be assured that I hall not hesitate to yield to what is just nd right on all occasions."

Armed with these instructions, the new utor was introduced to his pupils.

"Ah! ah!" said Otho, ironically, "here s Mr. Spurdzer, the clever Mr. Spurdzer." "How are you, Mr. Spurdzer?" said, in is turn, the roguish Frederick, as he ogled the court costume, awkwardly worn by the pedagogue. The latter wished to commence studies, but he met with the above-mentioned resistance.

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Such are preceptors," exclaimed the elder prince. "Their first thought is to satiate one with Latin and Greek; for we must be as machines,-continually working at themes and versions. Living dictionaries, walking grammars, their unique aim is words, words. This is not education, at least according to our ideas. How we have longed for a tutor who would be our friend, who would not overtask us with study, and who would not trouble our father's ears with the tales of our slightest freaks!"

"I understand," said Spurdzer, with simple ingenuity, "your lordship wishes a

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servation-one, in fact, who would invariably be satisfied."

The young lads exchanged glances, they perceived that Mr. Sebaltus, though apparently easy, was not a man of pliant adulation.

"Listen, Mr. Spurdzer," gravely replied Otho, "though we speak rather enigmatically, we comprehend each other. You have been prejudiced against us,-you have been recommended to be firm,-because we have been spoiled." "Prince-"

"Do not deny it; we speak to you openly. The yoke of order, exactitude, and continual study would be insupportable. At our age, with our rank and fortune, we require enjoyment more than science-a friend more than a pedagogue."

Good Sebaltus looked sad; he foresaw a struggle, and as he was too keenly impressed with a sense of duty, he could not refrain from condemning the explicit avowal of Otho. Before he could reply, the fencing-master entered, and he was obliged to assist at the lesson, deafened with the noise of stamps and voices. Then it was successively the music lesson (and the royal scholars learned to blow the trumpet, which affected Mr. Sebaltus's ears in a very unsatisfactory manner); then the dancing lesson, and the riding lesson, always in presence of the preceptor.

"My God!" murmured the latter, "how many useless exercises! If a prince dance artistically, if he be an adept in fencing, if he blow the trumpet as masterly as a huntsman, or ride a steed as skillfully as a Hungarian hussar, for that reason are his subjects the better off? Should the sons of the sovereign of Saxony be educated like mountebanks? Let them learn instead, in the good classic authors, the art of governing their people; let them know the human heart! That is the road to true knowledge: they stray, wheresoever else they go. I shall speak to the prince concerning this matter."

Unfortunately for Sebaltus, his thoughts were audible. Otho reproved him sharply: "So Mr. Spurdzer blames the method of our studies. He desires a prince to be

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about Greek and Latin, we are now at your orders; the day will have been well employed I'm sure."

It seemed as if the two brothers had had an understanding to multiply the balderdash in their themes and versions; so much so that Master Sebaltus began to reflect if he had not to deal with some of the idiotic cretins of the Alps or Pyrenees. However, the fine and intellectual features of the two princes emphatically denied this supposition.

"Well," said the Elector to Spurdzer, on the evening of that same day, "are you pleased with your pupils ?"

"I know not whether I should confess to your highness-"

"Speak frankly, my friend. I have not concealed to you the turbulent dispositions of my sons."

"If it were only that!"

"What else, then?" asked the Elector, with a marked disquietude.

"Sire, you exact sincerity, and here is the result of the examination I have made : the princes Otho and Frederick have brilliant talents for fencing, dancing, horsemanship; but what poor Latinists! and they know not a word of Greek."

"You astonish me greatly: assuredly, I do not pretend to present them to you as erudite scholars, yet I doubt if they be as ignorant as you say."

"Then they show palpable unwillingness."

"Maybe. Meanwhile rely upon my authority and support."

The princes, however, who were roundly admonished by their father, conceived an invincible aversion for poor Spurdzer, and they swore to victimize him in every possible manner. They immediately commenced the attack, and unfortunately for Sebaltus, their imagination was in no way void of malignant trickery. Sometimes, when they were in the carriage with Master Spurdzer, they would lower the windows, and the gusts of wind blowing through caused him to utter exclamations and exhortations to those imprudent young lads, who were deaf to his entreaties, and they railed at his fear of catching rheumatism. In their walks out in the country, they would rush on with such speed that it

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was utterly impossible for S low them, and in vain would them to stop. Very fortunat they did not contrive to thrusting adroitly a stool or ject in his way, or not to se with an overdose of salt. awoke with a sudden star groans and the tinkling of a what does he behold at the e his room, in the shade? in long white robes. The te fortunate man can easily be i remained motionless, speechl adhered to his palate, his ey upon the apparition which st in a most sinister-like attitu Spurdzer," said the ghost, chral voice, "thou shalt leave t which thou hast profaned by Here, in this place where posest, formerly slept the kni Walkenstern. It is I,. that very plaće I was mur vassals, and since then tho dared to occupy the knight's then, thou art still there to-m thou shalt die by my own ha

....

After that terrible threat disappeared, Sebaltus knew n night following he was again the same infernal noise. How Sebaltus thought of putting eccentric nonsense, the a which was most probably co disturb his rest. A brave Captain Fritztroffen, comma palace guards, having becom confidant in the matter, said own martial way, "If I were fellow, ghosts should not tro long. Nevertheless, if you w own safety to take this do pistol, your unfortunate visit make his escape. Ghosts do smell of powder."

Thus provided with fire-ar fell into a profound sleep; b preceding night, the sound o awoke him from his dreams. ghost brandishing a sword. Se bis pistol.

"Back!" cried he. "If th vanish, I fire!"

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The ghost made a retrogressive moveent, but as if ashamed of its pusillanim, it advanced toward Sebaltus, who, essing the trigger with his finger, fired double shot that re-echoed throughout e palace with a frightful sound. A groan as heard, the specter seemed to lean a oment against an arm-chair, then slowly sappeared.

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inoffensive of men!-I never dreamed of entering this palace. My sovereign has sought me, and when I thought that I was unworthy of this honor, and that I strove by dint of zeal to justify the confidence of this excellent prince, his sons have sworn my ruin. They have scoffed at me and tormented me; my age, and the respect they owe to their father-nothing has impressed them with reverence!-O my

God! my God! was I then destined to endure such cruel afflictions!"

While Spurdzer was pausing in a halfised posture, striving to realize the presat state of affairs, a loud knock was heard this door. "Open! open! in the name of his high- erick was moved. "Be not troubled, my ess," cried they.

Spurdzer sprang to his feet, donned preipitately his robe de chambre, and opened. Several persons belonging to the palace entered: among them was Count Pilnitz. "What is this, sir?" said the chamberlain. Have you been attacked? Did you fire a pistol? Speak, speak then."

"Eh? my God! yes, sir Count, yes, I have been attacked. I forewarned and I fired."

"What do I see !" exclaimed the chamberlain, "blood upon this arm-chair?On the floor a sword!-this is rather more serious."

After reflecting a little, the Count bent toward Captain Fritztroffen, and added: "I have the key to this mystery; our brave preceptor did not know that there was a door of communication. Come, captain, come and see if some dreadful accident has not taken place."

The next morning, Spurdzer, as it was his custom, went to the apartments of his royal pupils for breakfast, and for his lessons: he was astonished to find Frederick alone. "Where is Prince Otho?" asked he, with an instinctive inquietude.

"My brother?" answered Frederick, slightly embarrassed, "he is-rather indisposed."

"Wounded, perhaps !"

This exclamation was uttered as if by inspiration. The young prince hung down

his head and blushed.

Then poor Sebaltus saw clearly into the mystery of the preceding nights. His heart smote him with anguish. "O my

God!" said he his ores filling with toove

Though of a thoughtless nature, Fred

dear preceptor," said he, "and let the past be forgotten, I entreat you. You must make allowances for the petulance of our dispositions. Be not troubled, my brother's hand was slightly wounded; in five or six days he will be well again."

"I feel that this accident will increase the hatred with which I have inspired the Prince Otho."

"Not at all. We are in the wrong. Henceforth we wish to be on good terms with you. So be composed, and let us breakfast."

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Books.-Books are the true levelers. They give to all, who will faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual presence of the best and greatest of our race. matter how poor I am, no matter though the prosperous of my own time will not enter my obscure dwelling. If the Sacred Writers will enter and take up their abode under my roof, if Milton will cross my threshold to sing to me of Paradise, and Shakspeare to open to me the worlds of imagination and the workings of the human heart, and Franklin to enrich me with his practical wisdom, I shall not pine for want of intellectual companionship, and I may become a cultivated man though excluded from what is called the best society in the place where I live.— W. E. Channing.

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physical training that are performed without the aid of technical apparatus, are now reduced to a more satisfactory form than ever before. They are equally well adapted to classes and individuals. The general divisions embrace Chest, Shoulder, Elbow, Arm and Hand, Head and Neck, Trunk and Waist, Knee, Leg and Foot, and Combined Exercises.

In these divisions there are one hundred and thirty positions, and two hundred and fifty classes of movements, which require about seven thousand separate motions for their execution.

After the positions and elementary movements are mastered, an almost innumerable variety of combined ones may be executed without further instruction, simply by employing appropriate words of command. These exercises may be formed by the combined efforts of the students arranged in pairs, as in Figs. 1 and 2, as well as by a combination of two or more elementary movements.

While the Head and Neck, the Hand, and several of the Foot exercises, cannot be executed with ap paratus, and while Calisthenic exercises are so numerous, varied, and beautiful-bringing into play all the joints, sinews, and muscles, and insuring a

FIG. 2.

The illustrations used in this series of articles are taken from "WATSON'S II CALISTHENICS AND GYMNASTICS."

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metrical physical development-yet nastic apparatus adds so greatly to variety, precision, and effectiveness of athletic exercises, that it may be reded as indispensable.

The apparatus used in our modern gymiums seems to have been almost wholly known among the ancients. Holding as ey did, especially in the Grecian States, at there could be no health of the mind less the body were cared for, and viewg exercise also as a powerful remedial ent in disease, they adopted the gymnaam as their school, making the public mes and festivals its annual exhibitions. ymnastics, instead of being made a mere pendage in their system of education, cupied a position certainly not inferior › Grammar, Music, Architecture, and culpture. The results were, "living modls of manliness, grace, and beauty"—an qual development of the powers of the hind and of the body. If, however, with he discus, or quoit; the leaden dumb-bell; heir games of ball; the sport called skaberda, in which a single rope drawn over pulley was employed; and by running, leaping, wrestling, and boxing, such splendid results were secured, what ought we not reasonably to expect, having all the modern appliances of the gymnasium!

Parallel bars, both vertical and horizontal, vaulting bars, Indian clubs, dumb-bells, peak-ladders, horizontal ladders, weights and pulleys, suspended rings, hand-rings, the wooden horse, the spring-board, the leaping-pole, the wand-in a word, every piece of gymnastic apparatus worthy of the name, probably has peculiar advantages, affording new positions from which interesting movements may be executed that bring into play, more vigorously than any thing else, certain classes of muscles. As, however, our gymnasiums are usually private, and only accessible to the few; and as it is better to know every thing with regard to the use of a few pieces of apparatus than to know something of many, we have restricted ourselves to those only that are easily secured and cheap; that afford the most and best exercise in the shortest time; that may be used with equal facility under cover, or in the open

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all ages, either individually or in classes; and that insure geniality and generous emulation alike in the family, the school, and the gymnasium.

The apparatus is all made of wood. If not given the French polish, it should be varnished with SHELLAC, at least three coats. It should be well rubbed with fine sand-paper, both after the first and second coats of varnish are applied. Thus prepared, the more it is used the smoother it becomes.

I. WANDS.

WANDS furnish such an extended course of beautiful and peculiarly effective exercises, that they may be regarded as almost indispensable in the formation of a system of physical training. Intelligently and ingeniously employed, they call into play, separately and in combination, all the muscles and joints.

Firm and uncompromising, the wand is only equaled by the Indian club in giving flexibility to the ligaments and muscles of the arms and shoulders. As a promoter of digestion, and a curative for dyspepsia, it surpasses all other gymnastic apparatus.

It may be used by persons of all ages, and is alike accessible to the rich and the poor. Any straight, smooth stick of moderate size will answer. A staff from the commonest sapling becomes, in the hands of a gymnast, more potent than any magician's wand; the limbs of the beech, the birch, of nearly all of our forest trees, more precious than fabled boughs, heavy with their golden apples, fresh from the gardens of the Hesperides.

The form of the wand, illustrated by Fig. 3, is superior to all others. It has eight plane, equal faces, or sides. It is seven-eighths of an inch thick for men and women, and three-fourths for boys and girls. When held vertical by the side,

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