8. What is life's probation task?

9. What does the soul of man create for itself?

10. What tends to give it a nobler strength in heaven ?

11. What does pride lead men to do?

12. Describe the softer path through life.

13. Where is the chart written that tells us how to traverse that

path?

14. What is it to walk in that delightful way?

15. What are we to do when life shall have become a weariness, and hope thirsts for serener waters?

SANITY OF TRUE GENIUS.

CHARLES LAMB.

1. What does Mr. Lamb think about the position.

taken by

some that high poetic genius is allied to insanity?

2. How does true poetic genius manifest itself?

3. How does Cowley speak of this supreme control of the judg

4.

ment?

What is the ground of the mistake which supposes a poet's mind to be in an abnormal state when he pours out his best effusions?

5. How does the true poet dream?

6. What position does he maintain toward his subject?

7. How does he walk the groves of his imaginary Eden?

8. What regions can his imagination traverse without becoming intoxicated?

9. To what sovereign is he beautifully loyal, even when he appears most to betray and desert her?

10. How are great and little wits [poets] distinguished? 11. What weakness does the would-be poet show, even in descri bing real and every-day life?

SUPERIORITY OF THE MORAL OVER THE INTELLECTUAL NATURE OF MAN.

GEORGE HENRY LEWES.

1. Why is it that strength of will is the quality that most needs to be cultivated in mankind?

2. Why are we apt to overestimate the value of talent, and underrate the importance of the will?

3. What are the offices of each ?

4. By what figure does the writer show why it is that the man with a strong intellect and a weak will so often goes astray?

5. Of what does the writer become more thoroughly convinced as he grows older?

6. How does he show that knowledge is not the greatest thing in the world?

7. What is the tendency of our gaping, wondering dispositions ? 8. What are worth more than all the talents in the world?

A PERFECT EDUCATION.

JOHN W. FRANCIS.

1. What does Mr. Francis regard as the real Hydra of free institutions?

2. What does he propose as a means of counteracting these evil tendencies?

3. What comparison does he make between these treasures of choice literature and other human agencies?

4. To what degree of elevation may these resources help to raise a man?

5. What do we find collected there?

6. For what may the volumes of the historian serve?

7. What patterns does literature afford?

8. What does it embody?

9. What charts may be found there? What testimony? 10. What harp stands there?

11. What instruments hang there?

12. What repose there in the sanctity of their self-emitted light? 13. How has the vast fane been raised and stored that contains

such wondrous treasures?

14. What constitutes the mysterious combination called human

nature?

15. What are the legitimate aims of a perfect education?

CHAPTER THREE.

Studies in Nature.

THE SKY.

JOHN RUSKIN.

1. In what part of creation does Nature seem to have done most for the mere purpose of pleasing man?

2. By what remarks does the author proceed to make this view apparent ?

3. In what uninteresting way might the sky answer every essential purpose, so far as we know?

4.

Of all the objects in nature, what is the sky alone continually producing for our delight?

5. Are these beauties and changes in the sky confined to any particular portions of the earth?

6. Does it require wealth, or facilities for traveling, in order to

enjoy them?

7. How is it, in this respect, with the noblest scenes of earth? 8. For what good influences is the sky fitted, in all its functions? 9. Through what varied aspects does it affect us?

10. What do most people fail to see in these wonderful manifes tations?

11. How do they look upon them?

12. If, in our moments of insipidity, we turn to the sky as a last resort, which of its phenomena are we most likely to speak of?

13. Are most people apt to look upon and admire those exquisite features which are meant to exalt the soul of man?

14. What significant questions are asked by the author of this article?

15. Can the highest effects of the sublime be produced by the fierce, destroying elements of the tempest and the whirlwind?

16. What allusion is made to the Scriptures?

17. What is the character of those susceptibilities of our nature which can be moved only through lampblack and lightning? 18. Enumerate and describe the means through which the lesson of devotion is chiefly taught.

REMARKS. This selection combines the strength of

prose with the charm of poetry.

In many parts, it is a prose poem; for the imagery is poetic. The author's views may appear visionary to some; but what he portrays is a reality to him, and may be made so to others.

The beauties he describes really exist, and when the scales have fallen from our eyes, we shall see them as he does. The genial and inspiring influences which he describes are also realities, and may become such to all who will open their hearts to them.

LINES WRITTEN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS.

MATTHEW ARNOLD.

1. How is the poet situated as he writes, or thinks, this poem ? 2. What stand at the head of the glade?

3. What sounds does he hear?

4. What movements does he behold?

5. What is he lead to exclaim, as he meditates upon the endless activity of the vegetable life about him?

6. What picture does he draw of the tired angler who has been fishing in a mountain stream?

7. Why cannot the poet be happy in the huge world which roars hard by ?,

8. What does he mean by being breathed upon by the rural Pan? He was early imbued with a love of rural scenes. 9. What has the poet often been made to think, when surrounded by the distracting turmoil of city life?

10. How does he express his pleasure at having found so peaceful a place as that in which he now rests?

11. How does he describe the change that will take place at the close of the day?

12. What does he pray that it may be his to feel?

13. What kind of will does he desire?

14. What power would he have given him?

15. What influence does he wish to have exerted upon him? 16. What does he mean by not wishing to die before he has begun to live? He wishes to live long enough to learn how to appreciate and enjoy life in the highest and truest sense.

17. Write a paraphrase of the poem.

THE BRIGHTNESS OF NATURE CONTRASTED WITH

HUMAN SORROWS.

GEORGE ELIOT.

1. What thoughts does one like to cherish at the opening of spring?

2. What creatures seem to share the same feeling with us? 3. How does the landscape appear?

4. How do these things impress one as he drives or rides over the valleys and hills?

5. How has the writer been reminded of these scenes when trav

eling in foreign countries?

6. What, standing by the roadside, has, at such times, saddened her feelings?

7. By what beauties of nature was it often environed?

8. How would this image of agony appear to a traveler who should suddenly come to this world, knowing nothing of the story of man's life upon it ?