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it is for the fruit of their own doings that such things do befall them there.

-3. “This Valley of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a place as any the crow flies over; and I am persuaded, if we could hit upon it, we might find somewhere hereabouts something that might give us an account why Christian was so hardly beset in this place."

4. Then said James to his mother: "Lo! yonder stands a pillar, and it looks as if something was written thereon; let us go and see what it is." So they went, and found there written, "Let Christian's slip, before he came hither, and the battles that he met with in this place, be a warning to those that come after." "Lo!" said their guide, "did not I tell you that there was something hereabouts that would give intimation of the reason why Christian was so hard beset in this place?" Then turning himself to Christiana, he said: "No disparagement to Christian more than to many others whose hap and lot it was; for it is easier going up than down this hill; and that can be said but of a few hills in all these parts of the world. But we will leave the good man; he is at rest. He also had a brave victory over his enemy. Let Him grant, that dwelleth above, that we fare no worse when we come to be tried, than he!

5. "But we will come again to this Valley of Humiliation. It is the best and most fruitful piece of ground in all these parts. It is fat ground, and, as you see, consisteth much in meadows; and if a man was to come here in summer-time, as we do now, if he knew not anything before thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see that which would be delightful to him. Behold how green this valley is! also how beau

tiful with lilies! I have known many laboring men that have got good estates in this Valley of Humiliation; 'for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble;' for, indeed, it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some also have wished that the next way to their Father's house were here, that they might be troubled no more with either hills or mountains to go over; but the way is the way, and there is an end."

6. Now, as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his father's sheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a fresh and well-favored countenance, and as he sat by himself he sang. "Hark!" said Mr. Greatheart, "to what the shepherd's boy saith; and so they hearkened, and he said:

"He that is down, needs fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;

He that is humble, ever shall

Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much;

And, Lord, contentment still I crave,

Because thou savest such.

Fullness to such a burden is,

That go on pilgrimage;
Here little, and hereafter bliss,

Is best from age to age."

7. Then said their guide: "Do you hear him? I will dare to say this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that herb called heart's-ease in his bosom, than he that is clad in silk and velvet! But we will proceed in our discourse."

John Bunyan.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Have you read the "Pilgrim's Progress"? (This is from "The Fifth Stage" of the Second Part.)

II. A-pŏl'-ly-Ŏn, lil'-ieş, slip'-per-y, fiend (fend), eŏm'-bat, dis-păr′age-ment.

III. On in "thereon; " give a list of words formed in the same waythere-to, there-at, etc.

IV. Humiliation, “fruitful a place as the crow flies over," well-favored. V. In the poem (6), see if you can find the thoughts of the prose passages before it, which are wrapped up in a story. Why is the descent steep toward humility (humbleness)? Do most people get down the hill of Pride without a fall? Did you ever hear of any people who would laugh at one whose pride had caused him to slip and fall? (Think of Apollyon.) Is humility profitable to the soul? Name some of its good results? "Shepherd's boy"-was it David?

LXXI. THE VILLAGE PREACHER.

1. Near yonder copse, where once the garden smiled,
And still where many a garden flower grows wild,
There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose,
The village preacher's modest mansion rose.
A man he was to all the country dear,
And passing rich with forty pounds a year.

2. Remote from towns he ran his goodly race,

Nor e'er had changed, nor wished to change, his place;
Unpractised he to fawn, or seek for power,

By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour;
Far other aims his heart had learned to prize,
More bent to raise the wretched, than to rise.

3. His house was known to all the vagrant train;
He chid their wand'rings, but relieved their pain;
The long-remembered beggar was his guest,
Whose beard descending swept his aged breast;
The ruined spendthrift, now no longer proud,
Claimed kindred there, and had his claim allowed;

The broken soldier, kindly bade to stay,
Sat by his fire, and talked the night away,
Wept o'er his wounds, or, tales of sorrow done,
Shouldered his crutch and showed how fields were

won.

4. Pleased with his guests, the good man learned to glow,
And quite forgot their vices in their woe;
Careless their merits or their faults to scan,
His pity gave ere charity began.

Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride,
And e'en his failings leaned to virtue's side.

5. But in his duty prompt at every call,

He watched and wept, he prayed and felt for all;
And, as a bird each fond endearment tries,
To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies,
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay,
Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way.

6. Beside the bed where parting life was laid,
And sorrow, guilt, and pain by turns dismayed,
The reverend champion stood. At his control,
Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul;
Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise,
And his last falt'ring accents whisper'd praise.

7. At church, with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks adorned the venerable place;
Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway,
And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray.
The service past, around the pious man,
With steady zeal, each honest rustic ran;
Even children followed with endearing wile,

And plucked his gown, to share the good man's smile.

8. His ready smile a parent's warmth exprest;

Their welfare pleased him, and their cares distrest;
To them his heart, his love, his griefs were given,
But all his serious thoughts had rest in heaven.
As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form,

Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm,
Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head.

Oliver Goldsmith.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Have you read "Dr. Primrose in Prison"? (IX.) Do you see any resemblance in character between Dr. Primrose and "The Village Preacher"? (Henry Goldsmith, brother of the poet, occupied the parsonage at Lissoy, and is doubtless the original of the "Vicar," and of the "Village Preacher.")

II. De-scend'-ing, běg'-gar, wõe, mid-way.

III. E'er, wished, remembered. Difference between bade and bid?—weep and wept?-win and won?

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IV. Copse, forty pounds, vagrant, scan, accents, ran his goodly race" -note the quotation of this by the author in his "Elegy on a Mad Dog."

V. Explain, "His pity gave ere charity began." Which is a higher virtue-pity, or charity? How could "his failings lean to virtue's side"? Make a list of the positions in which the “village preacher" is portrayed ((a) at church, (b) at the bedside of the dying, (c) as kind host, etc.). Is the metaphor of the "tall cliff" accurately expressive of the character portrayed in the preacher ?

LXXII. HOW TO RENDER HUMOROUS IDEAS.

Under this head we include good-natured wit, raillery, pleasantry, jesting, punning, etc. They require the same "compound slide" (or "circumflex," as it is often called), with smoother stress than belongs to sarcasm and scorn.

As the spirit of this class is agreeable, the compound stress used must be free from all offensive abrupt

ness.

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