us be conjurors. I then pulled off my jacket and climbed the ash-tree like a squirrel, to the astonishment of all. Old Norburry slunk away, saying as he went, "That lad, whatever he sets about, will always be at the top of the tree, take my word for it." You cannot think how this affair raised me in the opinion of my schoolfellows. Ever after that, whenever I met with a difficulty, I thought of the knob on the ash-tree, and resolved to overcome it. The words of old Norburry followed me, and I determined to be, as he said, "at the top of the tree" in everything. I could go on talking about my school days till I wearied you, but that would be throwing words away. Make up your mind to be industrious, and wise, and virtuous, and be "at the top of the tree" in all your undertakings, remembering that,

What you will be, when age is impress'd on your brow,
May be seen at a distance by what you are now.

Aim at objects worth attaining while you are young, and your school days will be a foundation on which you will build the prosperity of manhood, and the comfort of old age.

BULL-FIGHT.

Now the dreadful strife is raging,
Bold attack, and fearful flight;
Many a high-born Spanish lady
Gazes on the cruel fight.

BULI-FIGHTS are the favourite amusements of

Spain. The young, the middle-aged, and the old, throng together to behold them, and beauty and fashion occupy the most conspicuous places to enjoy the spectacle. I remember being present at one of these exhibitions, rendered remarkable by the unusual strength and ferocity of a black bull, which was turned out on that occasion.

It was on a grand festival at Madrid, and the grandees of Spain were arrayed in their most splendid apparel. The arena was large, and the elevated seats, ranged in a circular form, were thronged with an innumerable multitude. The horsemen rode round the arena with as much apparent ease, dexterity, and safety, as though man and horse were one being. Many bulls were killed, many horses maimed, and many men disabled on that occasion; but I shall confine my description to the combat with the black

bull.

The bulls of Spain are by no means large, nor are the horses used in these combats equal to those we have in England; if they were, the loss sustained by so many being killed would be prodigious but on this occasion the bulls and horses were of the finest description. When the

door was drawn up to allow the bull to enter the arena, there was but one man on horseback to receive him; but he appeared to be young, active, and strong, and fully equal to his perilous undertaking.

The black bull was one of the largest ever seen, and his strength and ferocity were equal to his size. He rushed forwards, and then suddenly stopped, as though he knew not what object to attack; but the moment he saw the horseman, he bounded furiously towards him. The horseman wheeled round, evaded his attack, and at the same time speared him in the shoulder. The infuriated animal now turned in every direction to attack his opponent, but in vain; for so well trained and managed was the horse, that he avoided every encounter, until, making a rapid turn, the bull gored him to the ground.

I