STUDY OF SELECTIONS

The sportive toil which, short and light,
Had dyed her glowing hue so bright,
Served too in hastier swell to show
Short glimpses of a breast of snow:
What though no rule of courtly grace
To measured mood had train'd her pace,
A foot more light, a step more true,
Ne'er from the heath-flower dash'd the dew;
E'en the slight harebell raised its head,
Elastic from her airy tread;

What though upon her speech there hung
The accents of the mountain tongue,
Those silver sounds, so soft, so clear,
The listener held his breath to hear!

A chieftain's daughter seemed the maid;
Her satin snood, her silken plaid,

Her golden brooch, such birth betrayed.
And seldom was a snood amid

Such wild luxuriant ringlets hid,

Whose glossy black to shame might bring

The plumage of a raven's wing;
And seldom o'er a breast so fair,
Mantled a plaid with modest care,
And never brooch the folds combined
Above a heart more good and kind.
Her kindness and her worth to spy,
You need but gaze on Ellen's eye;
Not Katrine, in her mirror blue,
Gives back the shaggy banks more true,
Than every free-born glance confess'd
The guileless movements of her breast;
Whether joy danced in her dark eye,
Or woe or pity claim'd a sigh,

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Or filial love was glowing there,

Or meek devotion poured a prayer,

Or tale of injury called forth

The indignant spirit of the north.— SCOTT.

What idea do you get, from the description, of General Logan's height? weight? eyes? hair? complexion?

In your own words write a description of General Logan, giving his exact height, weight, and other specific points which you get from this picture. What is the effect of the plain language used?

In what way does the description of Rose Maylie differ from that of General Logan? What interests you most about her? What traits of character are shown?

Describe Rose as you see her.

Compare the expressions used by the writer with your

own.

What idea do you get of Ellen's form? face? complexion? dress? eyes? hair? voice? What comparisons are used? What does Scott suggest as to her character and disposition? What do you notice in the description of her which is not observed in that of the other persons?

Which one of the persons described do you like best? In point of language which selection do you like the best?

As you read these descriptions you notice that, while these writers make use of the same material, each treats it differently. In the first description the writer gives the details, and from these the reader makes up the picture. In the description of Rose Maylie, some of the

CORRECTNESS OF EXPRESSION

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details of form and feature are given, and from these a suggestion of the appearance of the girl is made. The description of Ellen differs from both these in that the writer gives you the picture as a whole, merely suggesting the details, which he leaves you to imagine. What is suggested by the lines:

"E'en the slight harebell raised its head,
Elastic from her airy tread"?

LESSON XLII

COMPOSITION

Write a paragraph giving a clear and accurate description of some person whom you know. Do not mention the name of the person you are describing, but make your description so exact that your classmates will know whom you have in mind when they hear the description read.

Write a description of some one that you have seen, trying to present a picture of this person without making an enumeration of particular features as in your first description.

LESSON XLIII

CORRECTNESS OF EXPRESSION

If you note your own conversation, and that of your schoolmates, you will find many words that are used incorrectly. You hear persons say "I want," when they mean "I wish" or "I desire," and the word got is often