The Fireside Picture Alphabet or Humour and Droll Moral Tales; or Words & their Meanings Illustrated

Excerpt

TO PRECEPTORS.

With learning may laughter be found;

"'Tis good to be merry and wise;"

To gayly get over the ground,

As higher and higher we rise.

Some children their letters may learn,

While others will surely do more,

As the subjects suggestively turn

To matters not thought of before.

Descriptions and pictures combined

Are here made attractive and clear;

So suited that children may find

From error the truth to appear.

A a.Ablution,
The Act of Cleansing.

The little sweep has washed his face,

But not as we advise;

For black as soot he's made the soap,

And rubbed it in his eyes.

B b.Barter,
Exchange.

Here's Master Mack presenting fruit,

Of which he makes display;

He knows he'll soon have Lucy's rope,

And with it skip away.

C c.Catastrophe,
a Final Event, (generally unhappy.)

"O, here's a sad catastrophe!"

Was Mrs. Blossom's cry;

Then—"Water! water! bring to me—

Or all my fish will die."

D d.Delightful,
Pleasant,Charming.

These boys are bathing in the stream

When they should be at school;

The master's coming round to see

Who disregards his rule.

E e.Eccentricity,
Irregularity,Strangeness.

We often see things seeming strange;

But scarce so strange as this:—

Here every thing is mis-applied,

Here every change amiss.

F f.Fraud,
Deceit,Trick,Artifice,Cheat.

Here is Pat Murphy, fast asleep,

And there is Neddy Bray;

The thief a watchful eye doth keep

Until he gets away.

G g.Genius,
Mental Power,Faculty.

A little boy with little slate

May sometimes make more clear

The little thoughts that he would state

Than can by words appear.

H h.Horror,
Terror,Dread.

This little, harmless speckled frog

Seems Lady Townsend's dread;

I fear she'll run away and cry,

And hide her silly head.

I i. J j.Ichabod at the Jam.
——
Ichabod,a Christian Name.
Jam,a Conserve of Fruits.

Enough is good, excess is bad;

Yet Ichabod, you see,

Will with the jam his stomach cram,

Until they disagree.

K k.Knowing,
Conscious,Intelligent.

Tho' horses know both beans and corn,

And snuff them in the wind,

They also all know Jemmy Small,

And what he holds behind.

L l.Lucky,
Fortunate,Happy by Chance.

We must admire, in Lovebook's case,

The prompt decision made,

As he could not have gained the wood

If time had been delayed.

M m.Mimic,
Imitative,Burlesque.

The Gentleman, who struts so fine,

Unconscious seems to be

Of imitation by the boy

Who has the street-door key.

N n.Negligence,
Heedlessness,Carelessness.

The character Tom Slowboy bears

Would much against him tell,

For any work that's wanted done,

Or even play done well.

O o.Obstinacy,
Stubbornness,Waywardness.

The obstinacy of the pig

Is nature—as you see;

But boys and girls who have a mind

Should never stubborn be.

P p.Pets,
Favorites,Spoilt Fondlings.

Some people say that Aunty Gray

To animals is kind;

We think, instead, they are over fed,

And kept too much confined.

Q q.Quandary,
A Doubt,a Difficulty.

Dame Partlett's in difficulty,

And looks around with doubt;

Let's hope, as she some way got in,

She may some way get out.

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