The Lyceum and Debating Society are among the best means for the improvement of talents and the discipline of the mind. It was in a Debating Society that Brougham first displayed his superior talents and unrivalled eloquence, and Henry Clay commenced his brilliant career in a village Debating Club. If the marble is rough, the Debating School will polish it and bring to light its inherent beauty. It is the refiner's fire; it burnishes and purifies the fine gold, brings order out of confusion, light out of darkness, and beauty out of deformity: yea, it transforms pebbles into diamonds.

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C. M.

DIRECTIONS FOR FORMING SOCIETIES.

You who wish the advantages of a Lyceum or Debating Society in your village or town either for your own or others' benefit, call on your neighbours, propose the subject, state the objects of such a society, and obtain as many as you can to co-operate with you in this noble work. Appoint a meeting to organize a society-either state to the audience the importance of such an institution or prevail on a clergyman, or some other influential individual, to do it-appoint a committee to draft a constitution, or have one already prepared.

Be not discouraged, if but few attend the meeting or co-operate with you. The most efficient literary society of the world had its origin with two individuals, who by accident met at a hotel in London, and in conversation on the deplorable ignorance of the great mass of the people. One proposed to the other the formation of a society, that would have a direct influence in the diffusion of useful knowledge, to which the other heartily assented. They made arrangements, and advertised a meeting for the purpose of organizing a society; but no one attended with them; one appointed the other president and he in turn his associate secretary-they discussed and passed resolutions, which

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6 DIRECTIONS FOR FORMING SOCIETIES.

were published in the papers, with the statement, that they were passed at a respectable meeting called for the purpose of forming a society for the diffusion of useful knowledge, and that another meeting would be held at such a time, which was attended by a large audience of the wealthy and influential, not only of London, but from many parts of the British empire; and since that time the society has with constant increasing energy been scattering light, knowledge and innumerable blessings over the civilized world. Several of our national benevolent societies had an equally small beginning. The ocean is composed of drops.

CONSTITUTION FOR A LYCEUM.

PREAMBLE.

WE, the undersigned, believe with the wise man, that "Wisdom is the principal thing; that she is more precious than rubies; and that all things that can be desired are not worthy to be compared with her; and in order to store our minds with it, and for mutual improvement, as well as the diffusion of useful knowledge, we form ourselves into a Society for these noble purposes; and agree to be governed by the following Constitution and By-laws.

CONSTITUTION.

ART. 1st. The name of this Society shall be the .

ART. 2d. Its Officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian, and an Executive Committee of . . . . and all the Officers shall perform their respective duties as is customary.

ART. 3d. The President, at the request of any five members, may call special meetings of the Society.

ART. 4th. Any gentleman of good moral char. acter may become a member of this Society by

ART. 5th. The stated meetings shall be held on ... and the exercises shall be either a lecture, essays read, or a discussion on some subject calculated to promote the general objects of the Society, avoiding whatever is of a sectarian or party nature.

ART. 6th. The annual meeting of the Society for the election of Officers, &c., shall be held on

BY LAW S.

1st. At the time appointed for the meeting, the Chairman shall call the members to order, and the Secretary shall proceed to call the roll, then read the minutes of the last meeting, and after being accepted by the Society, state the order of exercises, &c.

2d. Absentees and those tardy shall be fined unless they render an excuse satisfactory to the Society.

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3d. Any member for improper conduct may be expelled from the Society, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present, at any regular meeting of the Society.

4th. At each regular meeting, there shall be a subject for discussion selected for the next. Any member may propose a question for debate, and the Society shall decide by vote on the selection.

5th. Each speaker in debate shall be limited to