4. At the moment, then, if the choice had been offered to me whether the mayor should let off a speech at my head, or a pistol, I should unhesitatingly have taken the latter alternative. I had really nothing to say, not an idea in my head, nor-which was a good deal worse-any flowing words or embroidered sentences in which to dress out that empty nothing, and give it a cunning aspect of intelligence, such as might last the poor vacuity the little time it had to live.

5. But time pressed; the mayor brought his remarks, affectionately eulogistic of the United States, and complimentary to their distinguished representative at that table, to a close, amid a vast deal of cheering; and the band struck up "Hail Columbia," I believe-though it might have been "Old Hundred," or "God Save the Queen" over again, for anything that I should have known or cared.

6. When the music ceased, there was an intensely disagreeable instant, during which I seemed to rend away and fling off the habit of a lifetime, and rose, still void of ideas, but with preternatural composure, to make a speech. The guests rattled on the table, and cried, "Hear!" most vociferously; as if now, at length, in this foolish and idly garrulous world, had come the longexpected moment when one golden word was to be spoken; and in that imminent crisis I caught a glimpse of a little bit of an effusion of international sentiment which it might, and must, and should do to utter.

7. Well, it was "nothing," as the sergeant had said. What surprised me most was the sound of my own voice, which I had never before heard at a declamatory pitch, and which impressed me as belonging to some other person, who—and not myself-would be responsible for the

speech a prodigious consolation and encouragement under the circumstances!

8. I went on without the slightest embarrassment, and sat down amid great applause, wholly undeserved by anything that I had spoken, but well won from Englishmen, methought, by the new development of pluck that alone had enabled me to speak at all. "It was handsomely done!" quoth Sergeant Wilkins; and I felt like a recruit who had been for the first time under fire.

9. I would gladly have ended my oratorical career then and there forever; but was often placed in a similar or worse position, and compelled to meet it as I best might; for this was one of the necessities of an office which I had voluntarily taken on my shoulders, and beneath which I might be crushed by no moral delinquency on my own part, but could not shirk without cowardice and shame. My subsequent fortune was various.

Nathaniel Hawthorne.

FOR PRERARATION.-I. In what country is the mayor called "his worship" (worth-ship)? Of what country was this mayor probably, judging by his allusions? (5, 8.)

II. Lis'-ten-ing (lis'n-), ser'-geant (sär'jent), deignş (dānz), al-ter'-native, mis-fôr'-tune, re-eruit' (-krut').

III. Fellow-guests, methought, long-expected. Correct the following expressions: "The mayor have got up"; "His worships remarks." Difference in meaning between good and best and better. Why "Fate" with a capital?

IV. Consternation, predicament, alien, phenomenon, subsequently, vacu. ity, eulogistic, preternatural, vociferously, garrulous, crisis, effusion, voluntarily, delinquency, "crack of doom," shirk.

V. "Getting on inexorably." Do you think the description (3, 4, and 5) of the feelings of the author on this occasion would apply to other cases that you know of? “Had come the long-expected moment" (6)—is this ironical? What is irony? Write out at length in your own language the 6th paragraph.

CIX.-CONFESSIONS OF A BASHFUL MAN.

1. You must know that in my person I am tall and thin, with a fair complexion and light flaxen hair; but of such extreme sensibility to shame, that on the smallest subject of confusion my blood all rushes into my cheeks. Having been sent to the university, the consciousness of my unhappy failing made me avoid society, and I became enamored of a college life. But from that peaceful retreat I was called by the death of my father and of a rich uncle, who left me a fortune of thirty thousand pounds.

2. I now purchased an estate in the country, and my company was much courted by the surrounding families, especially by such as had marriageable daughters. Though I wished to accept their offered friendship, I was forced repeatedly to excuse myself, under the pretense of not being quite settled. Often, when I have ridden or walked with full intention of returning their visits, my heart has failed me as I approached their gates, and I have returned homeward, resolving to try again the next day. Determined, however, at length to conquer my timidity, I accepted of an invitation to dine with one, whose open, easy manner left me no room to doubt a cordial welcome.

3. Sir Thomas Friendly, who lives about two miles distant, is a baronet, with an estate joining to that I purchased. He has two sons and five daughters, all grown up, and living with their mother and a maiden sister of Sir Thomas's at Friendly Hall.

4. Conscious of my unpolished gait, I have, for some time past, taken private lessons of a professor, who teaches "grown gentlemen to dance"; and though I at first found wondrous difficulty in the art he taught, my knowledge of mathematics was of prodigious use in

teaching me the equilibrium of my body, and the due adjustment of the center of gravity to the five positions.

5. Having acquired the art of walking without tottering, and learned to make a bow, I boldly ventured to obey the baronet's invitation to a family dinner, not doubting but my new acquirements would enable me to see the ladies with tolerable intrepidity; but, alas! how vain are all the hopes of theory when unsupported by habitual practice!

6. As I approached the house, a dinner bell alarmed my fears, lest I had spoiled the dinner by want of punctuality. Impressed with this idea, I blushed the deepest crimson as my name was repeatedly announced by the several livery servants who ushered me into the library, hardly knowing what or whom I saw. At my first entrance, I summoned up all my fortitude, and made my new-learned bow to Lady Friendly; but, unfortunately, in bringing my left foot to the third position, I trod upon the gouty toe of poor Sir Thomas, who had followed close at my heels, to be the nomenclator of the family.

7. The confusion this occasioned in me is hardly to be conceived, since none but bashful men can judge of my distress. The baronet's politeness by degrees dissipated my concern; and I was astonished to see how far good breeding could enable him to suppress his feelings, and appear with perfect ease after so painful an accident.

8. The cheerfulness of her ladyship and the familiar chat of the young ladies insensibly led me to throw off my reserve and sheepishness, till, at length, I ventured to join the conversation, and even to start fresh subjects. The library being richly furnished with books in elegant bindings, I conceived Sir Thomas to be a man of liter

ature, and ventured to give my opinion concerning the several editions of the Greek classics, in which the baronet's opinion exactly coincided with my own.

9. To this subject I was led by observing an edition of Xenophon in sixteen volumes, which (as I never before had heard of such a thing) greatly excited my curiosity, and I rose up to examine what it could be. Sir Thomas saw what I was about, and, as I supposed, willing to save me trouble, rose to take the book, which made me more eager to prevent him, and hastily laying my hand on the first volume, I pulled it forcibly; but, lo! instead of books, a board, which, by leather and gilding, had been made to look like sixteen volumes, came tumbling down, and, unluckily, pitched upon a Wedgwood inkstand on the table under it.

10. In vain did Sir Thomas assure me there was no harm. I saw the ink streaming from an inlaid table on the Turkey carpet, and, scarcely knowing what I did, attempted to stop its progress with my cambric handkerchief. In the height of this confusion, we were informed that dinner was served up; and I, with joy, perceived that the bell, which at first had so alarmed my fears, was only the half-hour dinner bell.

11. I will not relate the several blunders which I made during the first course, or the distress occasioned by my being desired to carve a fowl, or help to various dishes that stood near me-spilling a sauce boat, and knocking down a saltcellar; rather let me hasten to the second course, when fresh disasters overwhelmed me quite.

12. I had a piece of rich, sweet pudding on my fork, when Miss Louisa Friendly begged to trouble me for a pigeon that stood near me. In my haste, scarce knowing