Page images
PDF
EPUB

9. The effect was inconceivable. The whole house resounded with the mingled groans, and sobs, and shrieks of the congregation. It was some time before the tumult had subsided so far as to permit him to proceed.

10. Indeed, judging by the usual but fallacious standard of my own weakness, I began to be very uneasy for the situation of the preacher. For I could not conceive how he would be able to let his audience down from the height to which he had wound them, without impairing the solemnity and dignity of his subject; or, perhaps, shocking them by the abruptness of the fall. But, no; the descent was as beautiful and sublime as the elevation had been rapid and enthusiastic.

11. The first sentence with which he broke the awful silence was a quotation from Rousseau: "Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God!" I despair of giving you any idea of the effect produced by this short sentence, unless you could perfectly conceive the whole manner of the man as well as the peculiar crisis in the discourse. Never before did I completely understand what Demosthenes meant by laying such a stress on delivery.

William Wirt.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. From "The British Spy." "Orange County" (in Virginia, near the source of the Rapidan River). The preacher was the Rev. James Waddell, D. D., who had been blind a few years.

II. Trǎv'-el-ing, ap-pear'-ançe, shriv'-eled (-eld), pal'-sy, ǎs-çertained', Sav'-ior (-yer), ex-haust'-ed (egz-ast'ed), pa'-thos, eru-çi-fix'ion (-fik'shun), col'-ored (-erd), e-nun-ci-a'-tion (-shi-a'shun), de-lib'-erate, hånd'-ker-chief (hån'ker-chif), ir-re-press'i-ble, in-eon-çēiv'-a-ble, shrieks (shreeks), fal-la'-cious, de-sçent', Rous-seau' (roo-so), Sŏe'-rateş, De-mos'-the-nēs.

III. Make a list of words with like used as a suffix to form describingwords (e. g., man-like, war-like). Like has been contracted to ly in most words where it was once used (as man-ly for man-like). Make two lists of

describing-words ending in ly (as lovely, friendly). Let one list belong to name-words and the other to action-words, and express the manner of action.

IV. Preternatural, palsy, ascertained, pathos, mystic symbols, enunciation, deliberate, unison, distortion, fallacious.

V. This piece depicts for us in an impressive manner the importance of deliberateness of utterance in aiding the expression of strong feeling.

LI. AMERICA.

1. The Muse, disgusted at an age and clime
Barren of every glorious theme,

In distant lands now waits a better time,
Producing subjects worthy fame.

2. In happy climes, where from the genial sun
And virgin earth such scenes ensue,
The force of art by nature seems outdone,
And fancied beauties by the true:

3. In happy climes, the seat of innocence,
Where nature guides and virtue rules,
Where men shall not impose for truth and sense
The pedantry of courts and schools:

4. There shall be sung another golden age, The rise of empire and of arts,

The good and great inspiring epic rage,

The wisest heads and noblest hearts.

5. Not such as Europe needs in her decay:
Such as she bred when fresh and young,
When heavenly flame did animate her clay,
By future poets shall be sung.

6. Westward the course of empire takes its way; The four first acts already past,

A fifth shall close the drama with the day :

Time's noblest offspring is the last!

Bishop Berkeley.

FOR PREPARATION.—I. Having published a “Proposal for Converting the Savage Americans to Christianity” in 1725, and after collecting money to found a college for the purpose, Berkeley set sail for Rhode Island in 1728. In his enthusiasm he wrote this short poem.

II. Dis-gust'-ed, beau'-tieş (bū'tiz), pěd'-ant-ry, scenes, Eu'-rope (ū'rup), off'-spring.

III. The suffix y is added to name-words to mean full of (or nearly the same as ous and ful), thus forming describing-words, as dew-y, rock-y, water-y, ston-y, slipper-y, etc. It is also used to make name-words from describing-words, as honest-y the state of being honest. The suffix ty also has the same meaning, and is used to form name-words (e. g., ability the state of being able). Make lists of words thus formed.

IV. Barren, impose, epic, animate, drama, climes, pedantry, "another golden age" (when was the former ?).

"Shall not im

V. "The Muse" (i. e., the personification of poetry). pose for truth and sense the pedantry" (shall not put pedantry in the place of truth, etc.). "Epic rage' " (the "rage," or inspiration, of the poet to sing epic or heroic deeds). "When fresh and young" (5) (i. e., the time of Greece and Rome). "Four first acts" (there are commonly five acts, or "Westward the course" (he has in mind the course of the sun, and so says, "close the drama with the day "-i. e., with evening).

parts, in a drama).

LII. THE ASCENT TO THE EAGLE'S NEST.

1. Almost all the people in the parish were loading in their meadow hay on the same day of midsummer, so drying was the sunshine and the wind; and huge, heapedup wains, that almost hid from view the horses that drew them along the sward, beginning to get green with second growth, were moving in all directions toward the snug farmyard. Never had the parish seemed before

so populous. Jocund was the balmy air with laughter, whistle, and song.

2. But the tree gnomons threw the shadow of " one o'clock" on the green dial face of the earth; the horses were unyoked and took instantly to grazing; groups of men, women, lads, lasses, and children collected under grove, and bush, and hedgerow; graces were pronounced, some of them rather too tedious in presence of the mantling milk cans, bullion bars of butter, and crackling cakes; and the great Being who gave them that day their daily bread looked down from His eternal throne, well pleased with the piety of His thankful creatures.

3. The great golden eagle, the pride and pest of the parish, swooped down and flew away with something in its talons. One single, sudden, female shriek arose, and then shouts and outcries, as if a church spire had tumbled down on a congregation at a sacrament. "Hannah Lamond's bairn! Hannah Lamond's bairn!" was the loud, fast-spreading cry. "The eagle has ta'en off Hannah Lamond's bairn!" and many hundred feet were in another instant hurrying toward the mountain.

4. Two miles of hill and dale, and copse and shingle, and many intersecting brooks, lay between; but in an incredibly short time the foot of the mountain was alive with people. The eyrie was well known, and both old birds were visible on the rock ledge. But who shall scale that dizzy cliff, which Mark Stewart, the sailor, who had been at the storming of many a fort, attempted in vain?

5. All kept gazing, weeping, wringing their hands in vain, rooted to the ground, or running back and forward, like so many ants essaying their new wings in discom

fiture. "What's the use-what's the use o' ony puir human means? We have no power but in prayer!" and many knelt down-fathers and mothers thinking of their own babies-as if they would force the deaf heavens to hear!

6. Hannah Lamond had all this while been sitting on a rock, with a face perfectly white, and eyes like those of a mad person, fixed on the eyrie. Nobody had noticed her; for, strong as all sympathies with her had been at the swoop of the eagle, they were now swallowed up in the agony of eyesight. "Only last Sabbath was my sweet wee wean baptized in the name o' the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost!" and on uttering these words, she flew off through the brakes and over the huge stones, up-up-up-faster than ever huntsman ran in to the death, fearless as a goat playing among the precipices.

7. No one doubted-no one could doubt that she would soon be dashed to pieces. But have not people who walk in their sleep, obedient to the mysterious guidance of dreams, climbed the walls of old ruins, and found footing, even in decrepitude, along the edge of unguarded battlements, and down dilapidated staircases, deep as draw wells or coalpits, and returned with open, fixed, and unseeing eyes, unharmed, to their beds at midnight?

8. It is all the work of the soul, to whom the body is a slave; and shall not the agony of a mother's passion, who sees her baby, whose warm mouth had just left her breast, hurried off by a demon to a hideous death, bear her limbs aloft wherever there is dust to dust, till she reach that devouring den, and, fiercer and more furious

« PreviousContinue »