for thee to kick against the goads. And I said', Who art' thou, Lord'? 5. And he said', I am Jesus', whom thou persecutest. But rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear' unto thee; delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, by faith that is in me. 6. Whereupon, O king Agrippa', I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision; but showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts. of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having, therefore, obtained help of God', I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small' and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come; that Christ should suffer', and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles. 7. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning hath made thee mad. But he said, I am not mad', most noble Festus', but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are. hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner'. King Agrippa', believest thou the prophets'? I know' that thou believest. 8. Then Agrippa said unto Paul'; Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost' and altogether' such as I am, except these bonds. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor and Bernice, and they that sat with them. And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying: This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar. XLIII.-HENRY V. TO HIS TROOPS. [Tais lesson requires a high key.] 1. ONCE more unto the breach, dear friends', once more; But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Let it pry through the portage of the head O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, 2. Now set the teeth`, and stretch the nostril wide, 3. Have, in these parts, from morn till even, fought, And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen', Whose limbs were made in England, show us here The mettle of your pasture; let us swear That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not, XLIV.-HECTOR'S ATTACK ON THE GRECIAN WALLS. ALEXANDER POPE was born in London, in 1688, and received an excellent private education. His whole life was devoted to literary pursuits, and he soon became the first poet of his day. He died at Twickenham, in 1744. 1. THEN godlike Hector and his troops contend To force the ramparts and the gates to rend; In arms he shines, conspicuous from afar, And bears aloft his ample shield in air, And, while two pointed javelins arm his hands, 2. (1) So, pressed with hunger, from the mountain's brow, So, stalks the lordly savage o'er the plain, He foams, he roars', he rends the panting prey. 3. Unmoved, the embodied Greeks their fury dare, 4. (1) As, on the confines of adjoining grounds, Two stubborn swains' with blows dispute their bounds; Thus, obstinate to death, they fight', they fall`; 5. (1) As when two scales are charged with doubtful loads, From side to side the trembling balance nods, (While some laborious matron, just and poor, With nice exactness weighs her woolly store), Till, poised aloft, the resting beam suspends 6. (h) Fierce as a whirlwind up the walls he flies, 'Advance, ye Trojans'! lend your valiant hands', 7. A ponderous stone bold Hector heaved to throw, 8. Now rushing in, the furious chief appears, The shore is heaped with death, and tumult rends the sky XLV. RIENZI'S ADDRESS TO THE ROMANS. FROM MISS MITFORD. [THIS Lesson is marked for inflection, emphasis, and modulation, and is an admirable exercise for them all.] 1. I COME not here to talk'. You know too well The story of our thralldom. We are-slaves! (1) But-base-ignoble-slaves; slaves to a horde 2 Rich' in some dozen paltry villages`; Strong in some hundred spearmen'; only greať -a NAME. Each hour, dark fraud, Or open rapine, or protected murder, Cries out against them. (h) But this very day, Nor lifted up his voice in servile shouts, At sight of that great ruffian! (hh) Be we men', And suffer such' dishonor? men', and wash not The stain away in blood'? (1) Such shames are common. (1) I had a brother once- —a gracious boy, 3. Full of all gentleness, of calmest hope, Of sweet and quiet joy,—there was the look How I loved That gracious boy! Younger by fifteen years', The cōrse, the mangled cōrse, and then (h) I cried For vengeance! (hh) Rouse', ye ROMANE! ROUSE', ye SLAVES! |