Not to be thought captious for nothing, we will let that "_farrago libelli_"--that sausage of all the sciences--that "Teacher's Assistant," speak for itself. It has gone through we know not how many editions, and continues to perpetuate in each succeeding one all the blunders of its predecessors. To begin at the beginning,--The scholars have to learn therefrom as many alphabets as there are letters; a historical, a geographical, a profane, and a biblical alphabet, &c., &c., not to attempt an enumeration of the whole. In the biblical, each letter is put opposite to some proper or _improper_ person mentioned in Scripture, for whom it is said to stand representative--(leaving it to be supposed that it has been called into existence for no other purpose.) By this means the _written_ character of course becomes associated in the child's mind with the _moral_ character of the individual whose initial it is; and thus a certain prejudice is apt to arise against certain letters. For instance, the letter _H_ is rendered fearfully significant,-- "_H_ stands for Herod, who spilt _infants'_ blood!" [C] Epistle to the Hebrews, v. 13, 14. [D] In an otherwise admirable lecture on schools, which was lately delivered by Professor Blount, at Cambridge, we were surprised to hear a general commendation passed on these books. We feel persuaded, that neither the gravity of the class nor the approval of the Professor would have held out long against the recital of a few extracts. A theorist might, perhaps, trace the absence of the aspirate in the speech of maturer years to the awe created by that dread tetrarch's name in infancy, when it is first feebly articulated, then dropped, and not recovered afterwards.[E] But we are not theatrical; in proof whereof, we observe that a child's natural aspirations are for tarts, dolls, or marbles; while, to counteract such propensities, these little hypocrites, before their time, are taught to sing out, among other _Scripture wishes_, the following formulary, which must, of course, act as a specific:-- "May Isaiah's _hallow'd_ fire, _All_ my _fervent_ heart inspire; Joseph's _purity_ impart! Isaac's _meditative_ heart!!!" 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.