SUMMARY.-Bo-bo was the son of Ho-ti, a Chinese swineherd. The boy was a lubber, fond of playing with fire, and in the absence of his father let some sparks fall among the straw. Their poor make-shift of a building was soon destroyed by fire, and a litter of nine pigs perished in the flames. While thinking sadly over the accident Bo-bo was struck by a strange odour,-unlike any scent which he had ever felt before. He stooped to feel the pigs and burnt his fingers in doing so. To cool them he applie them to his mouth, and for the first time tasted-crackling! enjoyment was great and so was that of his father by-and-bye when they were eating the pigs. Judge and jury in a trial later on were also greatly delighted. Other fires followed, and the whole country was seized with a longing-for ROAST PIG. His Locke, John, a great English philosopher who lived in the seventeenth century. An-te-di-lu-vi-an, flood. As-size-town, a town where a court of justice is held. Cal-lous, hard, indifferent. Con-ster-na-tion, a state of horror that prostrates one. Cul-in-ar-y, pertaining to the art of cooking. before the Fire-brand, one who wilfully Dyn-as-ty, a succession of kings QUESTIONS. Who was Bo-bo? What accident happened by his carelessness? What did he smell? How did he ease his fingers? What were his feelings at the first taste of crack. ling? How did he show his grati fication? What did his father do on coming home? Why did the neighbours watch them afterwards? What happened at the trial? How did the judge act? What was the effect on the people? What other plans for roasting pigs were invented? EXERCISES.-1. Parse and analyse-By such slow degrees do the most useful arts make their way among mankind. 2 Adjectives are formed by adding able, ible, ile, which mean fit to be," or, "to be done easily;" as, eatable, fit to be eaten; audible, fit to be heard (audio, I hear); docile, fit to be taught easily (docco, I teach). Give the exact meaning of the following words-curable, flexible (flecto, I bend), tractile (traho, tractum, I draw). He was [WILLIAM C. BRYANT (b. 1794, d. 1878) was the son of a physician. At the age of thirteen he began to write poetry, and when he was eighteen he published his most important poem, the "Thanatopsis," or View of Death, a solemn and impressive work in blank verse. a member of the American bar, and practised with tolerable success. He abandoned the law, and was afterwards associated with several newspapers, to which he contributed many of his poems. He was remarkable for his power of painting American scenery, as well as for the clearness and beauty of his style.] Whither, midst falling dew, at-mo-sphere While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Far, through the rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way? I.R. V. G 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Vainly the fowler's eye Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, Seek'st thou the plashy brink There is a Power whose care Teaches thy way along that pathless coast- Lone wandering, but not lost. All day thy wings have fanned, And soon that toil shall end; Thou'rt gone! The abyss of heaven Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart He who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, Will lead my steps aright.-Bryant. SUMMARY.-Where is the water-fowl going as the dew falls at the close of day? In vain might the fowler try to hurt it as the bird floats along in the dim twilight. Is it hastening to the shores of the weedy lake, the wide river, or the rocky cliffs beside the ocean? There is a Power that guides it in its course, and soon the end of the long flight will be reached. Soon will it scream among its fellows, and find a resting-place in its reed-sheltered nest. It is gone, but I have learned a lesson from its flight! He who guides it through the skies will lead me safely in the long journey which I have yet to tread. How is the water-fowl going? | flight? What is meant by "the Where? Who guides its course? What will it soon find out? What lesson may be learned from its last steps of day?" "plashy brink?" "from zone to zone?" "chafed ocean?" EXERCISES.—1. Parse and Analyse-All day thy wings have fanned the cold thin atmosphere. 2. Adjectives are formed by adding ant or ent, having the force of a present participle; as, dormant, sleeping (dormio, I sleep); adherent, sticking to (ad, to, hæreo, I stick). Give the exact meaning of the following words-errant (erro, I wander), antecedent (ante, before, cedo, I go). [VICTOR HUGO (b. 1802, d. 1885), one of the most illustrious French writers of recent times. He was banished from France for life by Louis Napoleon, because of his democratic principles. He early acquired distinction by his poetic effusions; and before he was thirty years of age, his published works were numerous, and his name famous. Odes and ballads, romances, dramas, etc., flowed in quick succession from his prolific pen. Hugo's writings are often extravagant, although they are of great excellence, showing a wonderful command of language. In his novels he deals with great social questions, which he discusses with marvellous power, and in a rich but peculiar style. The following powerful pen-picture is an extract from "Les Miserables."] 1. A man overboard! What matters it? The ship does not stop. The wind is blowing. That dark ship must keep on her destined course. She passes away. 2. The man disappears, then reappears; he plunges, and rises again to the surface; he calls, he stretches out his hands; they hear him not. The ship, staggering under the gale, is straining every rope. The sailors see the drowning man no longer: his miserable head is but a point in the vastness of the billows. 3. He hurls cries of despair into the depths. What a spectre is that disappearing sail! He looks upon it with frenzy. It moves away; it grows dim; it diminishes. He was there but just now he was one of the crew; he went and came upon the deck with the rest, he had his share of the air and of the sunlight, he was a living Now, what has become of him? He slipped, he fell; and it is finished. man. 4. He is in the monstrous deep. He has nothing under his feet but the yielding element. The waves, torn and scattered by the wind, close round him hideously. The rolling of the abyss bears him along; shreds of water are flying about his head; a populace of waves spit upon him; confused openings half swallow him. 5. When he sinks he catches glimpses of yawning precipices full of darkness. Fearful unknown vegetations seize upon him, bind his feet, and draw him to themselves. He feels that he is merged into the great deep; he forms part of the foam; the billows toss him from one to the other; he tastes the bitterness; the greedy ocean is eager to devour him; the monster plays with his agony. It seems as if all this were the very essence of liquid hate. 6. But yet he struggles. He tries to defend himself; he tries to sustain himself; he struggles; he swims. He, with that poor strength that fails so soon-he combats the unfailing. |