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EXERCISE II.

EARTHLY FAME. POLLOK.*

Blank-Verse.

In reading blank-verse, even when grammatical punctuation does noʻ require it, the pupil is generally instructed to make a slight pause at the end of sac line, sufficient to enable the hearer to distinguish it from prose.]

1. Of all the phantoms fleeting in the mist

Of time, though meager all, and ghostly thin,
Most unsubstantial, unessential shade,
Was earthly Fame. She was a voice alone,
And dwelt upon the noisy tongues of men.

2. She never thought, but gabbled ever on;
Applauding most what least deserved applause.
The motive, the result, was naught to her;
The deed alone, though dyed in human gore,
And steeped in widow's tears, if it stood out,
The prominent display, she talked of much,
And roared around it with a thousand tongues.

3. As changed the wind her organ, so she changed
Perpetually; and whom she praised to-day,
Vexing his ears with acclamation loud,
To-morrow blamed, and hissed him out of sight.

4. Such was her nature, and her practice such:
But oh! her voice was sweet to mortal ears,
And touched so pleasantly the strings of pride
And vanity, which in the heart of man
Were ever strung harmonious to her note,

* Pollok, (Robert,) a Scotch poet of great genius, and the author of that distinguished poem, the Course of Time, which he completed just before his death. He was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 1798; and he died in 1827, at the early age of twenty-nine.

5.

That many thought, to live without her song
Was rather death than life.

To live unknown,

6.

7.

Unnoticed, unrenowned! to die unpraised,
Unepitaphed to go down to the grave,
And molder into dust among vile worms,

And leave no whispering of a name on earth!
Such thought was cold about the heart, and chilled
The blood.

Who could endure it? Who could choose,

Without a struggle, to be swept away

From all remembrance, and have part no more
With living men? Philosophy failed here;
And self-approving pride.

Hence it became

The aim of most, and main pursuit, to win
to leave some vestige as they passed,
That following ages might discern they once

A name,

Had been on earth, and acted something there.

8. Many the roads they took, the plans they tried;
But all in vain. Who grasped at earthly fame,
Grasped wind; nay, worse, a serpent grasped, that through
His hand slid smoothly, and was gone; but left

A sting behind which wrought him endless pain.

QUESTIONS. -Which kind of poetry does this exercise illustrate? How is the pupil generally instructed to read blank-verse? What moral truth is taught in this lesson?

[blocks in formation]

1. FASHION-A-BLE, genteel, according to 3. HYP'O-CRITES, those who feign to be

the custom.

2. SU-PERB', grand, stately.

2. EL'E-GANT, graceful, refined.

2. EU-PHO'NI-OUS, agreeable in sound.

2. GESTURES, makes motions with the body or limbs.

what they are not.

3. PRO-FUSELY, lavishly, prodigally.
4. ES-SENTIAL, necessary, important.
6. EN-JOIN ED, commanded.

6. AF-FECTION-ED, kindly disposed.
8. As-so'CI-A-TED, joined in company.

ERRORS IN PRONUNCIATION.*- Avoid saying court'sy for court'e sy; gen'u-ine for gen'u-ine; yis for yes; ap-pear'unce for ap-pearance; sim'per-in for sim'per-ing; kinely for kind'ly.

BE COURTEOUS.

[This lesson is a specimen of didactic composition. For the manner of reading such pieces, see Rule 2, page 112.]

1. WHAT is courtesy? It is genuine politertess. And what is politeness? It is not a fashionable bow, a graceful wave of the hand, a beautiful smile, or an eloquent "How do you do, sir." All this may exist without real politeness.

2. Yes, you may be assured that not every well-dressed gentleman, with superb personal appearance, euphonious speech, and elegant form, who bows, and gestures, and smiles so charmingly, is a truly polite man.

* For the manner of correcting the errors in this and the following lessons, see the Exercise on the Special Rules in Articulation, page 44.

3. Real politeness is free from deception. But multitudes who have a high reputation for politeness are no better than nodding, simpering hypocrites; they feel nothing of what they so profusely exhibit.

4. Genuine politeness is a kind and honest heart, manifested in kind and honest speech and conduct. Hence, that which is most essential to true politeness is to feel kindly, and to act accordingly.

5. Politeness, courtesy, and agreeable manners are all the same thing; and they all imply delight in. the happiness of others, and a disposition to do to them as we would wish them to do to us. Hence politeness is properly regarded as a Christian duty.

6. It is, accordingly, directly enjoined in the Bible: "Be courteous, be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another," - "Bear ye one another's burdens," "Do good to all men as ye have opportunity."

7: This subject has far higher importance than most persons imagine. Are not agreeable manners worth having? And, if a person does not possess them, is it not well that he should take a little pains to acquire them?

8. Certainly it is. No one has any right to be indifferent to those traits of character or conduct by which he may contribute to the happiness of his fellow-creatures, or to do that which he knows will wound the feelings of others; and yet how often has the want of courtesy and kindness in our feelings and manners given pain to those with whom we have associated!

9. Who does not like to see a coach-driver, a railroad conductor, a farmer, or a mechanic, - as well as a merchant, a lawyer, or a minister,-pleasing in his address, and obliging in his manners? Depend upon it, courtesy is worth a thousand times more than it costs.

10. It costs only a little patience, love, and self-control; and, as to its worth, let it be remembered that the success of

hundreds is mainly the result of agreeable manners flowing from benevolence of feeling, while multitudes fail chiefly.

from the want of such manners.

QUESTIONS.-What is the subject of this reading-lesson? 1. What is courtesy ? 1-4. What is genuine politeness? 4. What is essential to it? 5. What disposition does it imply? 6. What passages in the Bible enjoin it? 7-9. What is said of cultivating it? 10. To what may the success of many persons be attributed? -- What is the first exercise in order under this lesson? What is the second? How are the Errors in Pronunciation in this and the following lessons to be corrected? Of what kind of composition is this reading-lesson a specimen? What is the rule for reading such pieces? Now read this lesson in accordance with the rule.

LESSON

1. PER-SE-VER'ING, steadfast in any pursuit.
2. SHEPHERD, a keeper of sheep.
2. COP'Y-ING, transcribing, writing.
3. TEND'ING, taking care of.

4. RID'I-CUL-ED, derided, laughed at.
4. AWK'WARD-NESS, clumsiness, ungrace-
fulness in manners.

5. BALLADS, Popular songs.

II.

6. REP-U-TA'TION, credit or character. 6. GLEN, a secluded valley.

10. MAG-A-ZINES', pamphlets published periodically.

13. A-VID'I-TY, intense interest, eagerness. 16. CEL'E-BRA-TED, having celebrity, dis tinguished, well known.

17. BI-OG'RA-PHY, the history of one's life.

ERRORS - Uv for of; mōss for most; ev'ah for ev'er; ăn'cient for an'cient; nex for next; writ'in for writ'ing; milds. is for miles ; wuz for was; skursꞌly for scarcely; o-bleeg'ed for o-blig'ed.

ALEXANDER MURRAY.-YOUTH'S COMPANION.

[Biographical Narration. See Rule 1, page 109.]

1. ALEXANDER MURRAY, although he died in the thirtyeighth year of his age, was one of the most learned men that ever lived. He understood many of the languages of Europe and Asia, † both ancient and modern. When he died, he held the office of Professor of Oriental Languages

Eu'rope, one of the principal divisions of the earth, forming the northwestern portion of the Eastern Continent.

† A'si-a (a'she-a), the largest of the great divisions of the globe, forming the north. eastern portion of the Eastern Continent.

+ O-ri-ent'al Lan'gua-ges, languages in or about Asia; as, the Hebrew, Arabic, Per sian, &c.

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