13. The winter is over and gone; the warm south wind blowing over the snow banks has melted them and they are now running away, joyous and free, down the hillsides, and through the meadows, singing such a merry song that the birds and flowers are waking up and listening to it. The day is gaining on the night, and the bright, lifegiving rays of the sun shining on the damp ground, have warmed it; the myriad forms of growing root, stem, and leaf feel the warmth, and are already stretching themselves, preparatory to getting up. MARY W. ALLEN. 14. He may study law, or medicine, or divinity, or may enter into business. No. II and No. 12 would be classed together grammatically, because both are made up of independent clauses. From the thought standpoint they are decidedly different. No. 12 contains two clauses that are entirely independent of each other in thought. No. II contains two clauses which, although independently constructed, are closely related to each other through the contrast purposely arranged. Read No. 12, placing the emphasis as you do in No. II, and this will be better appreciated. Compare Nos. 12 and 10.- No. 12 tells something concerning each of two subjects; No. 10 concerning but one subject. Read the two sentences with the difference in mind. cerning each subject. No. 10 tells us four things concerning one subject. Read with this difference in mind. 13. Determine the portions connected by each and. No 12 tells us but one thing con 14. Among how many callings has he a choice? 15. The sky, or firmament, is above us. 16. Education gives power; hence it is a blessing or a curse, according to how we use it. 17. O! many a shaft at random sent Canto Fifth SIR WALTER SCOTT. 15. An alternative in names. 16. How does Education give power? Meaning of hence? Note the strong contrast between the ideas pinned together by or. What is the use in the sentence of according to how we use it? Ans. It gives the condition. State some of the ways in which education may be used to become a blessing; a curse. 17. What does and connect? Ans. Not many a shaft and many a word, nor any word or group of words short of the complete thoughts: Many a shaft at random sent Finds mark the archer little meant! and Many a word at random spoken May soothe or wound a heart that's broken! Between which two ideas in the second sentence is a choice allowed? What Finds mark? What May soothe or wound? Preserve the balance, but phrase correctly. 18. Pleasures are like poppies spread, A moment white - then melts for ever; That flit ere you can point their place; 18. A choice among comparisons. To how many and what things are pleasures compared? Ans. Four: spread poppies (not poppies), snow-falls in the river (not snow-falls), borealis race (not borealis), and rainbow's lovely form evanishing amid the storm (not the rainbow). What relation does the second line bear to the first? Ans. It explains the comparison with poppies spread. What relation does line 4 bear to line 3? What relation does line 6 bear to line 5? Ans. It describes the borealis race. Trace the semicolons. Why do you think a dash was used in line 4, and a comma in lines 2 and 5? Explain poppies spread, borealis race, evanishing amid the storm. Memorize. Robert Burns gives us an entertaining description of his first inspiration to write poetry. It was their country custom to have men and women work together in the labors of the harvest. In his fifteenth year his partner was a "bonnie, sweet, sonsie lass," a year younger than himself, who numbered sweet singing among her love-inspiring qualities. She sang herself into the heart of the overworked, stoop 19. It is excellent discipline for an author to feel that he must say all he has to say in the fewest possible words, or his reader is sure to skip them; and in the plainest possible words, or his reader will certainly misunderstand them. Generally, also, a downright fact may be told in a plain way; and we want downright facts at the present more than anything else. John Ruskin. shouldered country lad, and she sang inspiration and ambition And then there's something in her gait the second thought to the first, and indicates to the reader the equal rank of the part to come with the part that he has just read. 20. Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing a laugh within, hurried away. 21. God sends every bird its food, but he does not throw it into the nest. CHARLES SPURGEON. 22. I know that I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a King of England, too. QUEEN ELIZABeth. 23. Not only is he idle who does nothing, but he is idle who might be better employed. 24. SOCRATES. Light lay the earth on Willy's breast, His chicken heart so tender; But build a castle on his head, His skull will prop it under. On a Noted Coxcomb ROBERT BURNS. (Complete.) Study the thought value of may, line 6. 20-22. Opposed ideas. 20. Opposition between what Trouble did, and what Trouble intended to do. Try to catch the spirit of the quotation. 21. Paraphrase. 22. Which idea in the second portion balances body in the first? What balances a weak and feeble woman? 23. Observe the force of the form not only . . . but. Omit not only and read and in place of but. Of whom are we reading in the first half? second? In the 24. What is a coxcomb? A chicken heart? What idea to be inferred from building a castle |