"Not much," said Mr. Winkle, rubbing his back. 16. "I wish you'd let me bleed you," said Mr. Benjamin, with great eagerness. "No, thank you," replied Mr. Winkle hurriedly. "What do you think, Mr. Pickwick?" inquired Bob Sawyer. He 17. Mr. Pickwick was excited and indignant. beckoned to Mr. Weller, and said in a stern voice, "Take his skates off." "No; but really I had scarcely begun," remonstrated Mr. Winkle. "Take his skates off," repeated Mr. Pickwick firmly. The command was not to be resisted. Mr. Winkle allowed Sam to obey it in silence. "Lift him up," said Mr. Pickwick. Sam assisted him to rise. 18. Mr. Pickwick retired a few paces apart from the by-standers; and, beckoning Winkle to approach, fixed a searching look upon him, and uttered in a low but distinct and emphatic tone, these remarkable words ::"You're a humbug, sir." 19. "A what?" said Mr. Winkle, starting. "A humbug, sir. I will speak plainer if you wish it; an impostor, sir." With these words Mr. Pickwick turned slowly on his heel, and rejoined his friends. SUMMARY.-Winkle, Pickwick, and Sam Weller are three of the principal characters in one of Dickens' most amusing sketches. In the present case Winkle is persuaded to show himself on skates, although trying to excuse himself on the ground of being "out of practice." He gets Sam Weller to lead him at first, and tries to induce him not to let go. Pickwick, however, calls for Sam, who is compelled to leave Winkle to his own resources. Sam sent him along the ice, on which he rushed wildly against Mr. Bob Sawyer, and came down with a loud crash. His skates were removed, and Pickwick eased his own mind of the indignation which he felt, by denouncing Winkle as "humbug" and "impostor." Ad-just-ed, fitted on. Dex-ter-i-ty, skill and deftness. QUESTIONS. From what book is this an extract? Who are among the principal characters? What was Winkle persuaded to do? Who helped him at first? What promises were made to Sam Weller? Who called him away? What happened then? Who was Bob Sawyer? How did he show his skill in skating? How did Pickwick describe Winkle? EXERCISES.-1. Parse and analyse-Old Wardle led the way to a pretty large sheet of ice. 2. Nouns are formed from other nouns, by adding ate, wic, ship, which mean 66 jurisdiction, office, or power;" as protector, protectorate; bailiff, bailiwic; master, mastership. Form other nouns from the following-elector, pontiff, clerk. Make sentences to show the use of these words. 66 bank-rupt-cy be-seech-ing re-bel-lious se-ni-or suc-cess-or be-nev-o-lence ex-ceed-ing-ly ex-cel-len-cy pa-tri-arch-al Penn-syl-va-ni-a Vir-gin-i-a [WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY (b. 1811, d. 1863) was educated at the Charter-house school in London, and at Cambridge, but he did not complete a collegiate course of study. He began his literary career as a contributor to "Fraser's Magazine," under the assumed name of Michael Angelo Titmarsh, and afterwards contributed to the columns of "Punch." The first novel published under Thackeray's own name was Vanity Fair," which is regarded by many as his greatest work. He afterwards wrote a large number of novels, tales, and poems, most of which were illustrated by sketches drawn by himself. His course of "Lectures on the English Humourists' was delivered in London in 1851, and the following year in several cities in the United States. He revisited the United States in 1856, and delivered a course of lectures on "The Four Georges," which he repeated in Great Britain soon after his return home. In 1860 he became the editor of "The Cornhill Magazine," one of the most successful serials ever published in England.] 1. Mr. Esmond called his American house Castlewood, from the home in the old country. The whole usages of Virginia, indeed, were fondly modelled after the English customs. It was a loyal colony. The Virginians boasted that King Charles the Second had been king in Virginia before he had been king in England. 2. The resident gentry were allied to good English families. They held their heads above the Dutch traders of New York, and the money-getting Roundheads of Pennsylvania and New England. Never were people less republican than those of the great province which was soon to be foremost in the memorable revolt against the British Crown. 3. The gentry of Virginia dwelt on their great lands after a fashion almost patriarchal. For its rough cultivation, each estate had a multitude of hands-of purchased and assigned servants-who were subject to the command of the master. The land yielded their food, live stock, and game. 4. The great rivers swarmed with fish for the taking. From their banks the passage home was clear. Their ships took the tobacco of their private wharves on the banks of the Potomac or the James River, and carried it to London or Bristol,-bringing back English goods and articles of home manufacture in return for the only produce which the Virginian gentry chose to cultivate. 5. Their hospitality was boundless. No stranger was ever sent away from their gates. The gentry received one another, and travelled to each other's houses, in a state almost feudal. The question of slavery was not born at the time of which we write. To be the proprietor of black servants shocked the feelings of no Virginia gentleman; nor, in truth was the despotism exercised over the negro race generally a savage one. The food was plenty: the black people were lazy and not unhappy. You might have preached negro emancipation to Madame Esmond of Castlewood as you might have told her to let the horses run loose out of her stables; she had no doubt but that the whip and the corn-bag were good for both. 6. Her father may have thought otherwise, being of a sceptical turn on very many points, but his doubts did not break forth in active denial, and he was rather disaffected than rebellious. At one period, this gentleman had taken a part in active life at home, and possibly might have been eager to share its rewards; but in latter days he did not seem to care for them. A something had occurred in his life, which had cast a tinge of melancholy over all his existence. 7. He was not unhappy,-to those about him most kind, most affectionate, obsequious even to the women of his family, whom he scarce ever contradicted; but there had been some bankruptcy of his heart, which his spirit never recovered. He submitted to life, rather than enjoyed it, and never was in better spirits than in his last hours when he was going to lay it down. 8. When the boy's grandfather died, their mother, in great state, proclaimed her eldest son George her successor and heir of the estate; and Harry, George's younger brother, by half an hour, was always enjoined to respect his senior. All the household was equally instructed to pay him honour: the negroes, of whom there was a large and happy family, and the assigned servants from Europe, whose lot was made as bearable as it might be under the government of the lady of Castlewood. 9. In the whole family there scarcely was a rebel save Mrs. Esmond's faithful friend and companion, Madame Mountain, and Harry's foster-mother, a faithful negro woman, who never could be made to understand why her child should not be first, who was handsomer, and stronger, and cleverer than his brother, as she vowed; though, in truth, there was scarcely any difference in the beauty, strength, or stature of the twins. 10. In disposition, they were in many points exceedingly unlike; but in feature they resembled each other so closely, that, but for the colour of their hair, it had been difficult to distinguish them. In their beds, and when their heads were covered with those vast, ribboned nightcaps, which our great and little ancestors wore, it was scarcely possible for any but a nurse or a mother to tell the one from the other child. 11. Howbeit, alike in form, we have said that they differed in temper. The elder was peaceful, studious, and silent; the younger was warlike and noisy. He was quick at learning when he began, but very slow at beginning. No threats would provoke Harry to learn in an idle fit, or would prevent George from helping his brother in his lesson. Harry was of a strong military turn, drilled the little negroes on the estate, and caned them like a corporal, having many good boxing-matches with them, and never bearing malice if he was worsted;-whereas George was sparing of blows, and gentle with all about him. 12. As the custom in all families was, each of the boys had a special little servant assigned him and it was a known fact that George, finding his little wretch of a blackamoor asleep on his master's bed, sat down beside it, and brushed the flies off the child with a feather-fan, to the horror of old Gumbo, the child's father, who found his young master so engaged, and to the indignation of Madame Estnond, who ordered the young negro off to the proper officer for a whipping. In vain George implored and entreated-burst into passionate tears, and besought a remission of the sentence. His mother was inflexible |