4

Almost too small for sight. The murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high :-I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
5 Topple down headlong.

King Lear.

chough (pronounced chuff), a bird resembling the crow in size and appearance. 2samphire, a species of plant, growing on the sea coast. It has a pleasant flavour when mixed with vinegar and spice. cock, cock-boat; a small boat carried on board a ship. chafes, rubs; grinds. topple, tumble.

5

A PURE CONSCIENCE.

What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted?
Thrice is he arm'd, that hath his quarrel just :
And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel,
Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.

Henry VI.

APPENDIX.

A.

ADDISON. Joseph Addison, one of our best prose writers, was born at Milston, in Wiltshire, 1672. He was educated at Charterhouse School, in London, and afterwards at Magdalen College in Oxford. A quiet path, shaded by an avenue of trees, in the beautiful grounds of Magdalen College, is still known as Addison's Walk. His poetry first made him famous, and he was appointed to an important office under the Government. His chief works are papers published in the Spectator, Tatler, and Guardian. His writings are composed in a quiet, graceful style, peculiarly his own. He died at Holland House, Kensington, 1719, and was buried at Westminster Abbey, where a monument has been erected over his grave

AMERICAN War of INDEPENDENCE. The country in North America now called the United States was formerly an English Colony, dependent on the mother country, as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc., are now. A dispute arose between the English Government and the colonists, during the reign of George III. The former claimed the right of levying taxes in the colonies, and endeavoured to enforce the payment of duties on glass, tea, and some other articles. The colonists declared this to be tyranny, and resisted these impositions, saying that as they were not represented in the English Government it had no right to tax them without their consent. The quarrel at length led to a civil war, which broke out in 1775. The colonists met at Philadelphia, where they issued a Declaration of Rights, and afterwards a Declaration of Independence, in 1776. They appointed George Washington commander-in-chief, and after a war which lasted till 1783, succeeded in gaining a complete independence from the

mother country. Several battles were fought during the war; among which may be mentioned Lexington, Bunker's Hill, and Brandywine. During the latter part of the war, the colonists were assisted by France, Spain, and Holland.

ARMADA. The Spanish Armada was an expedition sent against England by Philip, King of Spain, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Philip was greatly enraged against the English on account of the attacks they had made on the Spanish fleets and colonies, and also because they had become Protestant. It is also stated that he was angry because Elizabeth had refused to marry him on the death of his first wife, Queen Mary. He fitted out an immense fleet of one hundred and thirty great ships, which the Spaniards called the "Invincible Armada." It sailed from Lisbon in 1588, under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia. A large Spanish army was also collected in the Netherlands, to be embarked in the fleet at Dunkirk. The whole English nation, Protestants and Roman Catholics, were united in resisting the invasion. Queen Elizabeth reviewed her army at Tilbury, and filled the soldiers with courage. The English fleet, under Lord Howard, attacked the Armada in the Channel, and cut off several vessels. The rest met with bad weather; many were destroyed by tempests; only about fifty returned to Spain, and these were in a very shattered condition.

ARNOTT. Neil Arnott was born at Arbroath, in Forfarshire, Scotland, 1788. He was educated at Aberdeen, and became one of the most celebrated physicians of his time. He wrote several works bearing on the connection between medicine and physical science. The best known is his "Elements of Physics; or, Natural Philosophy, General and Medical." He also wrote several works of a practical kind on such subjects as Ventilation, Chimneyvalves, etc., and a book entitled "A Survey of Human Progress." He died at London in 1874.

B.

BAROMETER. A word derived from the Greek baros, weight, and metron, a measure. The barometer is properly an instrument for measuring the weight of the atmosphere. It consists chiefly of a vessel of mercury, or quicksilver, in which is inserted a narrow glass tube, from which the air has been exhausted. The pressure of the atmosphere acts on the mercury in the vessel, and causes it

to rise or fall in the tube, according to the changes in the weight of the air outside. The height of a mountain may be discovered by means of a barometer. The pressure of the atmosphere becomes less and less as the distance from the surface of the earth increases ; hence, if a barometer be carried up the side of a mountain, the mercury gradually falls as the instrument approaches the summit. The weight of the atmosphere also varies according to the amount

of moisture it contains, and therefore the barometer gives us information with respect to the dampness or dryness of the air, and often enables us to judge of the weather for a few hours beforehand.

BRUTUS. Marcus Junius Brutus was born 85 B.C. He was one of the most eminent of the Roman public leaders. During the civil war between the followers of Julius Cæsar and Pompey, he took the side of the latter, but when Pompey was overthrown

at the battle of Pharsalia, 48 B.C., Brutus was reconciled to Cæsar, and became his intimate friend. Afterwards, when he believed Cæsar to be aiming at the overthrow of Roman liberty, he joined with the conspirators in assassinating the man whom he regarded as an enemy of his country. Brutus and Cassius fled from Italy' and endeavoured to oppose Octavian and Antony, who were at the head of the party of Cæsar. Being defeated at the battle of Philippi, 42 B.C., he put an end to his own life by poison.

BUNYAN. John Bunyan is a famous writer of allegories, or instructive works written in the form of stories, each part of which has a meaning. The parables of Christ are allegories, but John Bunyan's allegories are much longer. He was born at Bedford in 1628, and was brought up as a tinker. After a time he took to preaching, but was cast into jail for not conforming to the established religion. Those were the days of religious persecution. While in prison he wrote his most favourite work, the "Pilgrim's Progress," in which the life of a Christian on earth is described as a journey from the City of Destruction to the Heavenly Jerusalem. He wrote another allegory called the "Holy War," and "Grace Abounding," a work which relates a portion of Bunyan's own life. He died in London, 1688.

BURCKHARDT. John Lewis Burckhardt, a celebrated traveller, was born at Lausanne, in Switzerland, 1784. After various travels in Syria, Egypt, Nubia, and other parts of Africa, he died at Cairo, 1817, when preparing to cross the great desert of Africa. He wrote many works describing his travels in Nubia, Syria, and other countries.

BURLEIGH. William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, Queen Elizabeth's chief minister of state. He was born at Bourne, in Lincolnshire, 1520, and educated at the University of Cambridge. He studied the law, and under the favour of King Henry VIII. attained to the office of Secretary of State. He occupied this post during the greater part of the reign of Edward VI., but being a Protestant, he resigned on the accession of Queen Mary. Queen Elizabeth restored him to office, made him her chief minister, gave him the title of Lord Burleigh, and treated him with the greatest confidence. Elizabeth relied on his sound judgment and careful policy in all difficult matters, and constantly consulted him on occasions of perplexity. He was created Lord High Treasurer in 1572, and held this high office till his death in 1598.