21. THE EDDYSTONE LIGHT-HOUSE.

1. About fourteen miles south of Plymouth, and ten from the Cornish coast, lies a perilous reef of rocks, against which the long rolling swell of the Atlantic dashes with terrible force, and breaks up into those swirling eddies from which the reef is named the Eddystone.

2. On these treacherous rocks many a gallant vessel has foundered and gone down within sight of the shore it had scarcely left or had almost reached.

3. Nearly two hundred years ago, in 1696, Henry Winstanley built the first Eddystone lighthouse. It was made of timber, and looked not unlike a Chinese pagoda. But though the lantern rose sixty feet above the rock, the waves higher still and soon put out the light.

rose

4. Not to be beaten, Winstanley raised the tower to a height of one hundred and twenty feet. People said that this was not safe; but the builder had so much confidence in his work that he declared his wish to be in it during some great storm. Once when he was there his wish was granted. A terrible storm came on during the night, and the tall tower and its builder were swept away.

5. The second Eddystone light-house was built in 1708 by John Rudyerd. It was a strong tower of wood and stone, which lasted till 1755, when it was destroyed by fire.

6. Four years later John Smeaton finished the third light-house, which has stood till 1882. So

strong was this building, and so well did it withstand the storm, that it appeared as if it would last for generations. But it was found that though the building was still good, the rock on which it stood was being undermined by the action of the waves.

7. In 1879 the foundation-stone of the fourth light-house was laid on one of the rocks about forty

THE NEW EDDYSTONE LIGHT-HOUSE (1882).

yards from the old light-house. This building was completed in 1882.

8. The light is a white, double-flashing, halfminute light, and it can be seen in clear weather from a distance of seventeen and a half miles.

9. Two large bells are fixed under the lanterngallery, each of which weighs two tons. These bells

are sounded during foggy weather twice, in quick succession, every half-minute.

10. Around the top of the wall of the room beneath the lantern is inscribed the text adopted by Smeaton for his building:

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it."-PSALM CXxvii. 1.

SUMMARY.-The Eddystone reef of rocks is about fourteen miles south of Plymouth. In 1696 Winstanley built the first Eddystone light-house. It was swept away in a storm. Rudyerd built the second light-house here in 1708. In 1755 it was burned down. Smeaton's lighthouse stood from 1759 to 1882. The new light-house stands on a rock about forty yards from the old one.

EXERCISE.-Tell the story of Winstanley's Light-house in your own

words.

22. THE MARINERS OF ENGLAND,

1. Ye mariners of England!

Who guard our native seas,

Whose flag has braved a thousand years
The battle and the breeze,

Your glorious standard launch again,
To match another foe,

And sweep through the deep

While the stormy tempests blow;
While the battle rages long and loud,

And the stormy tempests blow.

2. The spirits of your fathers

Shall start from every wave!

For the deck it was their field of fame,
And Ocean was their grave:
Where Blake and mighty Nelson fell
Your manly hearts shall glow,
As ye sweep through the deep
While the stormy tempests blow;
While the battle rages long and loud,
And the stormy tempests blow.

3. Britannia needs no bulwarks,

No towers along the steep;

Her march is o'er the mountain waves,
Her home is on the deep:
With thunders from her native oak

She quells the floods below,
As they roar on the shore

When the stormy tempests blow;
When the battle rages long and loud,
And the stormy tempests blow.

4. The meteor-flag of England
Shall yet terrific burn,

Till danger's troubled night depart,
And the star of peace return.
Then, then, ye ocean-warriors!
Our song and feast shall flow
To the fame of your name,

When the storm has ceased to blow;
When the fiery fight is heard no more,

And the storm has ceased to blow.

THOMAS CAMPBELL.