A rhythmical dispute between two children, entitled a "Sabbath Dialogue," brings to our mind a similar farce at Ferrara, which we have formerly described. In this lively piece of absurdity, the naughty boy invites the good one to play instead of going to church, and, waxing warm as the other proves intractable, at length becomes absolutely abusive on finding he is not to prevail.
Once again. Behold a class of children with the picture of a sheep before them—to be taught, one would have supposed, the natural history of that animal, and to learn something about the material of which their little flannel petticoats and worsted stockings are made; when lo! in place of this, they are informed that "though their sins are red as crimson, they shall be as wool!!" If it were necessary to use any interjection here, surely a loud ovine bah! would be the most appropriate and natural. But revenons à nos moutons, for presently afterwards occurs this question—"What does the Bible tell us about wool?" Answer: "Gideon wrung a fleece!" Bah! again, for what other commentary can be made on such instruction as this? Why, Jason filched one; and the Lord Chancellor sits upon a woolsack; and either of these answers would convey as much useful knowledge to a child's mind, though they are not to be met with in the Bible.
These unfortunate babes are to know a little of every thing: so, after going through versified weights and measures—arithmetic, including the higher branches—geometry—we hardly know what is omitted in this most comprehensive miscellany—they arrive at philosophy, and learn a great deal to the tune of "Miss Bailley." We give one stanza out of many, as an example:—
"The wondrous globe on which we live,
Is close surrounded every where
By something quite invisible,
And callèd atmospheric air!
This air is fluid, light and thin,
And formed of gases well combined!
It carries sound and odour well,
But put in motion it is wind!"
At the end of each verse, the infant chorus repeats with enthusiasm, not "Poor Miss Bailley! unfortunate Miss Bailley!" &c., but—
"Oh how curious,—wonderfully curious,
The laws of nature are indeed
Most wonderfully curious!"
The geography is as good as the physics:—
"A channel is a passage wide
That flows from sea to sea;
When narrow it is call'd a strait,—
Thanks to Geography!"
. . . . .