to air and sun on the deck, where its life, of which it retained no symptoms, was despaired of by all.

5. The captain's humanity, if I may so call it, did not so totally destroy his philosophy as to make him yield himself up to affliction on this melancholy occasion. Having felt his loss like a man, he resolved to show he could bear it like one and, having declared he had rather have lost a cask of rum or brandy, betook himself to thrashing at backgammon with the Portuguese friar, in which innocent amusement they had passed about two thirds of their time.

6. But as I have, perhaps, a little too wantonly endeavored to raise the tender passions of my readers in this narrative, I should think myself unpardonable if I concluded it without giving them the satisfaction of hearing that the kitten at last recovered, to the great joy of the good captain, but to the great disappointment of some of the sailors, who asserted that the drowning a cat was the very surest way of raising a favorable wind: a supposition of which, though we have heard several plausible accounts,. we will not presume to assign the true original reason. Henry Fielding.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Where is Spithead ?-Portsmouth ?-Ryde? II. Swag'-gered (-gerd), in-hăb'-it-ants, eon-çern', steers'-man, phrāşe, eon-çēiv'-ing, pos-si-bĭl'-i-ty, bōat'-swain.

III. Make a list of the sailors' words and phrases in the piece (nautical language). "The drowning [of] a cat" (when "the" is used before a participle ending in ing, “of" should be used after it).

IV. Feline, slackened, sanguine, backgammon, "making a sudden tack," "about three (o'clock) he gave up the victory,” “stood in for the shore," 66 came to an anchor," "tragical incident fell out," "making no great way," "under sail," "sails slackened," wantonly, plausible, "east end bore but little ahead of us" ("bear" means, in sailors' language, to be situated in a direction).

V. Is this piece sober, or satirical? Is the occupation of sailors such as to make them tender, or rough, in their feelings?—careful of life, or careless of it? Would not this piece be very ludicrous to a people like the English, who are all quite familiar with the manners and habits of sailors? Note the points of contrast: Swaggering captain; bitter oaths and utmost concern at the loss of one of four cats; stopped the vessel; one of the high officers of the boat throws off his clothes, and risks his life in the sea; saves the kitten in his mouth; general despair of the life of the animal; recovery, great joy of the captain. Then a hint is thrown in at the real feeling of sailors, who believe that the drowning of a cat will bring a favorable wind. Note the mock pathetic of the description: “tragical incident,” etc.

XXVI. SUNSET ON THE BORDER.
1. Day set on Norham's castled steep,
And Tweed's fair river broad and deep,
And Cheviot's mountains lone;
The battled towers, the donjon keep,
The loophole grates where captives weep,
The flanking walls that round it sweep,
In yellow luster shone.

2. The warriors on the turrets high,
Moving athwart the evening sky,

Seemed forms of giant height;
Their armor, as it caught the rays,
Flashed back again the western blaze
In lines of dazzling light.

3. St. George's banner, broad and gay,
Now faded, as the fading ray

Less bright, and less, was flung;
The evening gale had scarce the power
To wave it on the donjon tower,
So heavily it hung.

4. The scouts had parted on their search,
The castle gates were barred;
Above the gloomy portal arch,
Timing his footsteps to a march,

The warder kept his guard,
Low humming, as he paced along,
Some ancient border-gathering song.

5. A distant tramping sound he hears;
He looks abroad, and soon appears,
O'er Horncliff hill, a plump of spears

Beneath a pennon gay:

A horseman, darting from the crowd,
Like lightning from a summer cloud,
Spurs on his mettled courser proud,
Before the dark array.

6. Beneath the sable palisade,
That closed the castle barricade,
His bugle horn he blew;
The warder hasted from the wall,
And warned the captain in the hall,
For well the blast he knew;
And joyfully that knight did call
To sewer, squire, and seneschal.

Sir Walter Scott.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. From Scott's "Marmion": the opening verses describing a scene very common on the border line between England and Scotland in the days before these two countries were united under one king. Point out on the map the Tweed, Cheviot Hills, and Flodden Field, where the battle subsequently described in "Marmion was fought.

II. Don'-jón (dén'jun), tŭr'-rets, sen'-es-çhal (-e-shal, formerly -és-kal).

III. Norham (North Home North Town-situated in the north of England). Make a list of the words of the lesson that begin with capitals, and opposite each write the reason for it. Note the rhymes of search with