with a thick nap left on it, so that it is very warm.) "March, December, and July"-why select these three months? (whether in moderate, cold, or hot weather.) "From sea blasts the hawthorns lean" (i. e., owing to the incessant wind, they have grown in a leaning position). "For very cold to go to bed" (i. e., to be obliged to go to bed for reason of the cold; very= actual). "Right glad was he when he beheld her" (11)-what kind of a spirit did this show? What kind of a spirit did Goody Blake show when she prayed that Harry Gill might never be warm again?

LXXXIII-TWO VIEWS OF CHRISTMAS.

[The following is a good example for the very smooth and the very abrupt stress, from the "Christmas Carol," by Dickens. The part of the nephew is good and pleasing in spirit, and calls for the smooth, happy stress. The part of old Scrooge is hateful in spirit, and should have the most abrupt stress, to suit the sound to the sense.] Nephew-A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you! Scrooge-Bah! humbug!

Neph.-Christmas a humbug, uncle! You don't mean that, I am sure.

Scrooge-I do. Out upon "Merry Christmas"! If I had my will, every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!

Neph.-Uncle!

Scrooge-Nephew, keep Christmas time in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.

Neph.-Keep it? But you don't keep it!

Scrooge--Let me leave it alone, then! Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!

Neph.-I am sure I have always thought of Christmas as a good time—a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; and therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!

LXXXIV. THE THREE FISHERS.

1. Three fishers went sailing out into the westOut into the west, as the sun went down;

Each thought on the woman who loved him the best, And the children stood watching them out of the town:

For men must work, and women must weep,
And there's little to earn, and many to keep,
Though the harbor bar be moaning.

2. Three wives sat up in the lighthouse tower,

And they trimmed the lamps as the sun went down; They looked at the squall, and they looked at the shower,

And the night rack came rolling up ragged and
brown:

But men must work, and women must weep,
Though storms be sudden, and waters deep,
And the harbor bar be moaning.

3. Three corpses lie out on the shining sands,

In the morning gleam, as the tide goes down, And the women are weeping, and wringing their hands,

For those who will never come home to the town:

For men must work, and women must weep,
And the sooner it's over, the sooner to sleep,
And good-by to the bar and its moaning.

Charles Kingsley.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Harbor bar. (At the entrance of a harbor where the shores approach, the water is often very shallow, and the shoal thus formed is called a "bar." When the high waves break over it, a 66 moaning" sound is caused.)

II. Mōan'-ing, thought, wom'-en (wim'-), răg'-ged, wring'-ing.

III. What change, in pronunciation and spelling, in the word "woman," to make it mean more than one?

IV. Gleam, tide, "night rack," corpses.

V. What state of the waves is indicated by the "moaning" on the bar? By the fact of the three wives sitting up in the tower and trimming the lamps, do you infer that the men were lighthouse keepers? Write out, or tell, the story implied in the last stanza.

LXXXV. JULIUS CAESAR.

EXAMPLE OF ANGRY EARNESTNESS AND JESTING.

[The anger of Flavius and Marullus requires the very abrupt force, and their direct questions and earnestness demand the simple slides. The second citizen is jesting and fooling, and his part, therefore, should be read with the compound slides. The last answer alone is spoken directly, with straightforward honesty, and this only should have the straight or simple slides.]

Act I., Scene 1.

Flavius-Hence'! home', you idle' creatures-get
you home'!

Is this a holiday'? What! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk,

Upon a laboring day, without the sign'

Of your profession'? Speak-what trade' art thou? 1 Citizen-Why, sir, a carpenter'.

Marullus-Where is thy leather apron', and thy rule'? What dost thou with thy best' apparel on ?You', sir-what trade are you?

2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.

Mar.-But what trade' art thou? Answer me directly'. 2 Cit.-A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe con science; which is, indeed, sir, a mendˇer of badˇ soles^.

Mar. What trade', thou knave?-thou naughty knave, what trade'?

2 Cit.-Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

Mar.-What meanest thou by that'? Mend' me?— thou saucy fellow !

2 Cit. Why, sir, cob^ble you.

Flavius-Thou art a cobbler', art' thou?

2 Cit.—Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awł. I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recov^er them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork.

Flavius-But wherefore art not in thy shop' to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets'?

2 Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes^, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Cæsar', and to rejoice' in his triumph'.

Shakespeare.

LXXXVI. ROBIN HOOD.

1. A target was placed at the upper end of the southern avenue which led to the lists. The contending archers took their station in turn, at the bottom of the southern access; the distance between that station and the mark allowing full distance for what was called a "shot at rovers." The archers, having previously determined by lot their order of precedence, were to shoot each three shafts in succession. The sports were regulated by an officer of inferior rank, termed the provost of the games; for the high rank of the marshals of the lists would have been held degraded had they condescended to superintend the sports of the yeomanry.

2. One by one the archers, stepping forward, delivered their shafts yeomanlike and bravely. Of twenty-four arrows shot in succession, ten were fixed in the target, and the others ranged so near it that, considering the distance of the mark, it was accounted good archery. Of the ten shafts which hit the target, two within the inner ring were shot by Hubert, a forester in the service of Malvoisin, who was accordingly pronounced victorious.

3. "Now, Locksley," said Prince John to the bold. yeoman, with a bitter smile, "wilt thou try conclusions with Hubert, or wilt thou yield up bow, baldric, and quiver to the provost of the sports?"

"Sith it be no better," said Locksley, "I am content to try my fortune; on condition that, when I have shot two shafts at yonder mark of Hubert's, he shall be bound to shoot one at that which I shall propose."

"That is but fair," answered Prince John, "and it shall not be refused thee. If thou dost beat this braggart, Hubert, I will fill the bugle with silver pennies for thee.”