Exercises:-1. Parse and analyze: He told them to remember Uncle Tom. 2. Change into Adjectives-rock, crime, law, universe, nation.

3. Make Sentences containing-told, tolled; trait, tray; treaties, treatise. 4. Write from memory a short sketch of "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

NOTE. In 1860-61, soon after the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, the Southern States revolted, and formed themselves into a new Confederacy. Civil war ensued, and a deadly struggle began between North and South. Under the stern teaching of war, the North soon saw that to preserve the national life it was necessary that slavery should die,-that as the slave system had taken the sword it must perish by the sword.

The President issued a proclamation giving freedom to all slaves in the rebel States. This proclamation gave freedom to over three million slaves. Though it did not at first touch slavery in the loyal States (for there for the time the President had no right to interfere), all men well understood that it rendered slavery henceforth impossible in any portion of American territory. And so it quickly proved. Before the war closed, the loyal States freed themselves by their own choice of the taint of this unhappy system.

The war was fought out to its bitter end. The North triumphed; and the South lay wholly at the mercy of the conqueror. Slavery was extinguished, and a clause was added to the Constitution prohibiting slavery for ever on American soil.

POETRY, STANDARD V.-To recite one hundred lines from some standard poet, and to explain the words and allusions.

POETRY FOR RECITATION.*

THE LAST MINSTREL.

THE POEM.-The Lay of the Last Minstrel, Sir Walter Scott's first great poem, is a story of Border chivalry of the middle of the sixteenth century (1500 to 1600). It was written to illustrate the customs and manners which anciently prevailed on the borders of England and Scotland." The story is put into the mouth of a poor wandering Minstrel, about the close of the seventeenth century (1700). The following lines form the introduction to the poem. They allude to the low repute into which the calling of the Minstrel had fallen, compared with former times, when the wandering Bard was courted and caressed, high placed in hall, a welcome guest." They then describe the kind reception of the old Minstrel at Newark Castle, and the gathering of the Duchess of Buccleuch and Monmouth and her household in the great hall to hear him recite his story.

THE AUTHOR.-Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), a great Scottish novelist and poet. The poet Wordsworth calls Scott the "Border Minstrel," because he wrote ballads or stories in verse about Border life. The Border country and its wild history were the source of some of his finest poems and tales. On the banks of the Tweed is his well-known mansion, Abbotsford, near Melrose. The country of the Tweed and the Teviot-in the south of Scotland—is called “The Land of Scott." Scott is also called the "Wizard of the North," in allusion to the extraordinary charm and descriptive power of his writings, which "reproduced old Scotland, refought its battles, remounted its steel-harnessed warriors, and reenacted its Border feuds. He wrote the Waverley Novels (Waverley, Ivanhoe, The Heart of Midlothian, etc.); a number of poems (The Lay of the Last Minstrel, The Lady of the Lake, Marmion, etc.); Tales of a Grandfather (being the History of Scotland in the form of stories), etc.

These pieces have been marked for expressive reading or for recitation by Dr. Moxey, M.R.C.P., London, Lecturer on Elocution.

EXPLANATION.- rising inflection; falling inflection; | pause.

Melancholy narrative.

Quicker time.

Slow again.

The way was long, the wind was cold, |
The Minstrel was infirm | and old; |
His withered cheek, and tresses gray,
Seemed to have known | a better day; |
The harp, | his sole | remaining joy, |

Was carried by an orphan boy. |
The last of all the Bards | was he |
Who sung of Border chivalry.

For, well-a-day! | their date was fled
His tuneful brethren | all were dead; |
And he, neglected and oppressed, |
Wished to be ¦ with them | and | at rest.
No more, | on prancing palfrey | borne, |
He carolled, | light | as lark at morn; |
No longer, courted | and caressed, |
High placed in hall, | a welcome guest,
He poured, to lord | and lady gay, |

The unpremeditated lay: |

Old times were changed, | old manners | gone; |

A stranger | filled | the Stuarts' throne; |

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Line 2. Minstrel, wandering ballad- 13 Prancing palfrey, spirited little singer; a musician who sang to the

horse.

14 Carolled, sang.

15 Courted, receiving attention. Caressed, fondled; made much of. 18 Unpremeditated, not prepared beforehand.

Lay, song.

20 A stranger. At the Great Revolution, 1688, William III., Prince of Orange, was placed on the throne of the Stuarts.

Stuarts, a line of monarchs who reigned over Scotland for more than two hundred years, and over England and Scotland from 1603 to 1688.,

Descriptive of disappointment and hesitation in an old man.

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The harp | a king | had loved to hear.

He passed where | Newark's | stately tower |
Looks out from Yarrow's | birchen bower: |

The Minstrel gazed | with wishful eye- |
No humbler resting-place | was nigh.
With hesitating step, | at last,

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And bade her page | the menials tell |

That they should tend the old man | well: |

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