soldier, which will not suffer the thief in the hulks to be ill-fed or overworked, and which has repeatedly endeavoured to save the life even of the murderer. 9. It is true that compassion ought, like all other feelings, to be under the government of reason, and has, for want of such government, produced some ridiculous and some deplorable effects. But the more we study the annals of the past, the more shall we rejoice that we live in a merciful age, in an age in which cruelty is abhorred, and in which pain, even when deserved, is inflicted reluctantly and from a sense of duty. Every class, doubtless, has gained largely by this great moral change; but the class which has gained most is the poorest, the most dependent, and the most defenceless. Macaulay. en-deavoured mur'-der-er gov'-ern-ment la'-bour-er so-ci'-e-ty in-flict'-ed scaf'-fold cen'-tu-ry re-flect' doubt'-less at-mos-phere de-fence'-less dis'-ci-pline, order; regulations. galled horse, a horse with a sore on di-ver'-sions, amusements. glad'-i-a-tors, men who fight for show. com'-bat-ants, fighters. sem'-in-ar-ies, schools, or places cul'-prits, criminals. dock, the box in a court in which the accused person stands. ju'-ry, a body of not less than twelve men met to declare the truth on evidence before them. com-pas'-sion, pity. pries, looks carefully into. em'-i-grant ship, a ship containing people leaving their Own country to settle in another. win'-ces, shrinks back. hulks, old ships, which were once EXERCISES.-1. The Greek prefix (1) epi- means upon; as epitaph, a writing upon a tombstone (tomb). (2) Eu- means well; as euphony, an agreeable sound; eulogy, a speaking well of. 2. Analyse and parse the following: 'It is pleasing to reflect that the public mind of England has softened while it has ripened.' 3. Make sentences of your own, and use in each one or more of the following words: Convenient, spectacle, reluctantly, abhor. WINTER EVENING IN THE COUNTRY. [In this extract from the Task, William Cowper describes a winter evening in the country, when surrounded by domestic comfort.] 1. Hark! 'tis the twanging horn o'er yonder bridge, With spattered boots, strapped waist, and frozen locks, News from all nations lumbering at his back. And, having dropped the expected bag, pass on. 2. He whistles as he goes, light-hearted wretch, Cold and yet cheerful: messenger of grief Perhaps to thousands, and of joy to some, With tears, that trickled down the writer's cheeks Or charged with amorous sighs of absent swains, Or nymphs responsive, equally affect His horse and him, unconscious of them all. 3. But, oh, the important budget! ushered in And bored with elbow-points through both his sides, Outscolds the ranting actor on the stage. M 5. O Winter, ruler of the inverted year, twang'-ing, sharp, quick sounding. re-flect'-ed, mirrored; imaged. locks, hair. lum'-ber-ing, hanging heavily. fall of stocks. Stocks is a term applied to the various funds which constitute the national debt, and which may be bought and sold. There are also railway stocks, bank stocks, &c. These stocks are said to fall when they become less valuable. e-pis'-tles, letters. tric'-kled, dropped quietly. flu'-ent quill, ready pen. am'-or-ous, loving. swains, lovers. nymphs, ladies. William Cowper. im-pa'-tient in'-ti-mate un-in-ter-rupt'-ed re-spon'-sive, replying. un-con'-scious, having no knowledge of. budg'-et, letters or newspapers containing the news. tur'-ban, an Eastern head-dress, har-angue', a loud speech addressed rant'-ing, shouting. the in-vert'-ed year, the winter is so decided a contrast to summer that the year is described as 'inverted' or turned EXERCISES.-1. The Greek prefix about, as an hourglass is turned. com-pen'-sat-ing, making up for. so'-cial con'-verse, friendly talk. dis-persed', scattered. (1) hemi- means half; as hemisphere, half a sphere. (2) Hyper- means over, above; as hypercritical, over-critical; hyperbole, a figure of speech representing things much greater or less than they really are. 2. Analyse and parse the first four lines of stanza 1. 3. Make sentences of your own, and use in each one or more of the following words: Unconscious, inebriate, compensate, disperse. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE-I. [Besides his charming Essays, Charles Lamb, with the assistance of his sister Mary, wrote prose versions of many of the plays of Shakspeare. This is his prose narrative of the Merchant of Venice. The trial scene, however, is given in Shakspeare's own words.] 1. Shylock, the Jew, lived at Venice: he was an usurer, who had amassed an immense fortune by lending money at great interest to Christian merchants. Shylock, being a hard-hearted man, exacted the |