Third Reading-Book in the Primary School (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843. Excerpt: ... LESSON LV..j4 BENJAMIN WEST, THE PAINTER. His early Attempt to make a Picture. How, at first, he obtained his Paints and Brushes. A Present from a Friend. His commencing Business at Philadelphia. His Celebrity in England. 1. In the year 1738, there was born, in the town of Springfield, Pennsylvania, a child, who was afterwards known by the name of Benjamin West. His father was a member of the religious society called Quakers, or Friends. 2. Little Benjamin lived to the age of six years, without having been known to do any thing that was at all uncommon or remarkable. But, one Summer afternoon, in his seventh year, his mother put a fan into his hand, and bade him fceep the flies away from the face of the little babe, who lay, fast asleep, in the cradle. She then left the room. 3. Benjamin waved the fan to and fro, and drove away the buzzing flies,1 whenever they had the impertinence to come near the baby's face. When they had all flown out at the window, or into distant parts of the room, he bent over the cradle, and delighted himself with gazing at the sleeping infant. It was, indeed, a very pretty sight. 4. The sweet little creature in the cradle slumbered peacefully, with its hands under its chin, looking as full of blissful quiet, as if angels were singing lullabies in its ear. Indeed, one would think it must have been dreaming, pleasantly; for, while Benjamin stooped over the cradle, the babe smiled. 5. How beautiful she looks said Benjamin to himself. What a pity it is that such a pretty smile should not last forever Now, Benjamin, at this period of his life, had never heard of that wonderful art, by which a look, that appears and vanishes in a moment, may be made, as it were, to last for hundreds of years. 6. But, though nobody had told him of su...