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Exercises-1. Name the Poems you like best. Try to give some reasons for your choice.

2. Write in your own words the substance of one of the Poems of your choice. 3. The Latin prefix post signifies after-as, postpone, to put after, to delay; postscript, something written after; post meridian, after mid-day, in the afternoon. Make sentences containing postpone, postscript, post meridian.

THE BUILDERS.

1. All are architects of Fate,

Working in these walls of Time:
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.

2. Nothing useless is, or low:

Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.

3. For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays

Are the blocks with which we build.

4. Truly shape and fashion these;

Leave no yawning gaps between :
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.

5. In the elder days of Art,

Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;

For the gods see everywhere.

6. Let us do our work as well,

Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house where gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.

7. Else our lives are incomplete,

Standing in these walls of Time
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.

8. Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.

9. Thus alone can we attain

To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
And one boundless reach of sky.

Notes and

1 Ar-chi-tects of Fate, builders of the
future we have the shaping of our
lives in our own hands.
Massive deeds, great deeds.

2 Idle show, useless; only ornamental.
3 Structure, the life we live.

5 Elder days of Art. Long ago, when

buildings were erected regardless of the time and money expended on them. Many of the chief buildings of the world-cathedrals, temples, pyramids, etc.-were so built. Mi-nute' and unseen part, smallest and most hidden. [many gods. Gods. Heathen nations worship

Meanings.

LONGFELLOW.10

7 Incomplete, unfinished; imperfect. Broken stairways. Duties left undone, and work badly done, affect our future progress, as broken stairways hinder the climber. We must do our duty to-day, if we would make satisfactory progress to-morrow.

8 Ample base, good broad foundation. 9 Turrets, towers, that is, heights. 10 Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth

(1807-1882), the most popular of American poets. He wrote The Village Blacksmith, The Wreck of the Hesperus, Hiawatha, etc.

Summary:-We are here likened to builders, and our lives to the buildings which they erect. And just as the building is what the builder makes it-strong or weak, useless or useful, ugly or beautiful-so our lives are what we make them. The builder has to keep before him the plan of the finished building all the time that he is at work, not only having respect to the material he uses, but also taking care to make the best use of that material. So we must be careful, not only not to do the wrong, but to do our daily duty, that the future may not be hindered by or wrecked on the incomplete past.

Exercises: 1. Write an essay on Painstaking and Accuracy.

2. Explain-"No gains without pains;" "What is worth doing at all is worth doing well;' Hasten slowly."

3. The Latin prefix pre signifies before-as, preface, something spoken or written before; prefix, to fix or place before; precede, to go before; prefer, to choose before another. Make sentences containing preface, prefix, precede, prefer.

SCENES FROM "IVANHOE."-Part IV.

XIV.---REBECCA AT THE LATTICE.

1. The noise within the castle, occasioned by the defensive preparations, which had been considerable for some time, now increased into tenfold bustle and clamour. The heavy yet hasty step of the men-at-arms traversed the battlements, or resounded on the narrow and winding passages and stairs which led to the various points of defence. The voices of the knights were heard animating their followers, or directing means of defence; while their commands were often drowned in the clashing of armour, or the clamorous shouts of those whom they addressed.

2. Ivanhoe, as a Saxon knight, had been treated with some show of respect by his captors. His. chamber was decently furnished; and he had been assigned a nurse and attendant in the person of the Saxon woman named Ulrica, who had vowed to Cedric in the castle that she would set fire to the building, and so help the besiegers to take it.

3. Rebecca had been confined in the same turret, but discovering that her door was unlocked, she lefther cell. There was a door opposite her own, and this she opened softly, stealing a look within. What was her surprise at seeing the wounded Ivanhoe. lying on a couch. He greeted the Jewess with delight.

4. He was like a war-horse patience at his own inactivity.

glowing with im"If I could but

drag myself," he said, "to yonder window, that I might see how this brave game is like to go;—if I had but bow to shoot a shaft, or battle-axe to strike were it but a single blow for our deliverance! It is in vain-it is in vain! I am alike nerveless and weaponless!"

5. "Fret not thyself, noble knight," answered Rebecca; "I myself will stand at the lattice, and describe to thee as I can what passes without."

"You must not you shall not!" exclaimed Ivanhoe. "Each lattice, each aperture, will be soon a mark for the archers; some random shaft—”

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It shall be welcome!" murmured Rebecca, as with firm pace she ascended two or three steps that led to the window of which they spoke.

6. "Rebecca! dear Rebecca!" exclaimed Ivanhoe, "this is no maiden's pastime. Do not expose thyself to wounds and death, and render me for ever miserable for having given occasion; at least, cover thyself with yonder ancient buckler, and show as little of thy person at the lattice as may be."

Following his directions, Rebecca, with tolerable security to herself, could witness part of what was passing without the castle.

7. She hastily communicated to Ivanhoe all that she saw. "The skirts of the wood," said she, "seem lined with archers, although only a few are advanced from its dark shadow."

"Under what banner?" asked Ivanhoe.

"Under no ensign of war which I can observe," answered Rebecca.

"A singular novelty," muttered the knight, "to

advance to storm such a castle without pennon or banner displayed!-Seest thou who they be that act as leaders?"

8. "A knight clad in sable armour is the most conspicuous," said the Jewess. "He alone is armed from head to heel, and seems to assume the direction of all around him."

Her description was suddenly interrupted by the signal for assault, which was given by the shrill blast of a bugle, and at once answered by a flourish of the Norman trumpets from the battlements, which retorted in notes of defiance the challenge of the enemy. The shouts of both parties augmented the fearful din; the assailants crying, "St. George for merry England!" and the Normans answering them with their battle-cries.

9. "And I must lie here like a bed-ridden monk !" exclaimed Ivanhoe, " while the game that gives me freedom or death is played out by the hands of others! Look from the window once again, kind maiden; but beware that you are not marked by the archers beneath. Look out once more, and tell me if they yet advance to the storm."

10. With patient courage Rebecca again took post at the lattice; sheltering herself, however, so as not to be visible from beneath.

"What dost thou see now, Rebecca?" asked the wounded knight.

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Nothing but the cloud of arrows flying so thick as to dazzle mine eyes, and to hide the bowmen who shoot them."

11. "That cannot endure," said Ivanhoe.

"If

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