Clitus. Now is that noble vessel full of grief, That it runs over even at his eyes. Brutus. Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word. Brutus. Why, this, Volumnius: The ghost of Cæsar hath appear'd to me Not so, my lord. Brutus. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit. [Low alarums. It is more worthy to leap in ourselves Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, Thou know'st that we two went to school together; Hold thou my sword-hilts whilst I run on it. Volumnius. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. [Alarum still. Clitus. Fly, fly, my lord! there is no tarrying here. My heart doth joy that yet in all my life Night hangs upon my eyes; my bones would rest, [Alarum. Cry within, "Fly, fly, fly!" Clitus. Fly, my lord, fly! Brutus. Hence, I will follow.— [Exeunt Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius. I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord. Thy life hath had some smatch of honor in it. While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? Strato. Give me your hand first; fare you well, my lord. I kill'd not thee with half so good a will. [He runs on his sword, and dies. Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, Octavius. What man is that? Messala. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy master? The conquerors can but make a fire of him; For Brutus only overcame himself, And no man else hath honor by his death. Lucilius. So Brutus should be found.-I thank thee, Brutus, That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true. Octavius. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them.— Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? Strato. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. Octavius. Do so, good Messala. Messala. How died my master, Strato? Strato. I held the sword, and he did run on it. Messala. Octavius, then take him to follow thee That did the latest service to my master. Antony. This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators, save only he, Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar; He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up Octavius. According to his virtue let us use him, Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie, Most like a soldier, ordered honorably. So, call the field to rest, and let's away, THE END [Exeunt. COMMENT AND QUESTION RIP VAN WINKLE 1. Why do travelers often refer to the Hudson River as "The Beautiful Hudson"? To what extent do historical memories contribute to make this stream "beautiful"? Locate Treason House; Stony Point; Verplanck's Point; Tarrytown; West Point. 2. The noted actor, Joseph Jefferson, won great fame portraying the character of Rip Van Winkle. How could Jefferson make such strong appeal to real men with such an unreal character? 3. The streams in the early days abounded in fish, the woods were filled with game, and the soil was responsive to the merest touch. Trace a connection, if you can, between these facts and Rip Van Winkle's attitude toward farm work. Could the wars of the period have inspired slothfulness among the people? What, evidently, did Irving have in mind when he wrote this selection? 4. Rip Van Winkle does not say ten lines in the entire story. Why is he not made to declare himself more freely? Why was taciturnity a characteristic of the pioneer? What subjects of conversation were probably of largest interest to the dwellers of Dutch New York? 5. If one were to visit the scenes of this narrative to-day, evidences of a marvelous development would abound. Trace a similar and equally marked change in the manners, customs and attainments of the people. 6. Is the deep fascination of this story to be found in its quaint characters, its outdoor scenes, its unreality, or in them all? To what extent does each contribute to the interest? 7. You will wish to know much about the gifted author of Rip Van Winkle, a namesake of The Father of His Country, who has written the best biography of Washington we have. A MOUNTAIN HUNT 1. This selection is from Doctor Parkman's The Oregon Trail. Can you name some other of the author's works? You will be interested in learning how he came to write about the Indians. Read his life. 2. Cooper's Leather Stocking Tales possess unusual interest for youth. Is it because American youth love adventure? Compare the feeling roused by this selection with that wakened by one of Cooper's tales. 3. We still read with pleasure the rovings of sea-captains, voyagers, and even pirates. We study the migrations of nations in their attempts to subjugate the wilderness-to blaze the path of progress. Shall we ultimately find similar pleasure in the perusal of such stories as Parkman's? 4. With what portions of our country are Parkman's stories particularly identified? How do you account for the meagerness of literature relating to those regions? 5. Doctor Jordan declared once: "The reason why the Indian had to give place to the white man was because it required too many acres of land to keep one Indian." Can a similar reason be found for the disappearance of the huge herds of buffalo, and the vast numbers of other game animals which once inhabited this country? 6. As one reads this selection one feels irresistibly a desire to participate in such excitement. How do you account for this feeling? When shall we be free from such appeal, if ever? 7. When the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia visited this country during General Grant's administration as president, a great hunting party was organized as a means of entertainment for him. Thousands of buffalo were wantonly slaughtered on the plains. What difference is apparent in such an expedition and the one described here? 8. What great hunter and scout has recently died-the last of that group which made the West famous fifty years ago? JENNY LIND IN AMERICA 1. Poeta nascitur; non fit. (The poet is born, not made.) To what degree is this true of Jenny Lind? Of Melba? Where do you draw the line between the born artist and the made artist? How much importance is attached to the claims of some people that they are self-made? 2. Compare the other charms of Jenny Lind-her girlish attractiveness, her remarkable modesty, her marked generosity—with her marvelous musical talent. Which do you prefer the singing woman, or the woman, singing? 3. In later life, P. T. Barnum succeeded in making millions of people |