1. Express the sense of the first verse in your own words.

2. In what important particulars does man differ from the irrational animals? Gather your answer from the poem.

3. Explain the words tyrant, unweaned, heir, destined, illumines.

OVER HE GOES! OR, HOW LOBSTER LEAPED OVER THE WALL.

I. "

OMETHING gone wrong on the line!" was the general remark, as the train stopped with a prolonged creak and a bump, and a hundred heads are thrust out, now on this side and now on the other, to see what is the matter. A goods train has run off the rails and is encumbering the line. The passengers alight. The passengers of another train, running in the contrary direction, had done the same, and now they are assembled together, leisurely observing, while the porters, and the plate-layers, and all the tribe of railway hangers-on, are busily removing all obstructions to the traffic.

2. The spectators are a miscellaneous assemblage. There is the usual complement of commercial travellers with their swollen leathern packages, of market-women with their baskets. There is an ignoble army of betting men, bound for the neighbouring races; and my lord Judge, with counsel learned in the law amongst them, the Attorney

General-on their way to the Assizes; and my lord Bishop of the diocese, unhappily belated for his visitation.

3. One by one the obstacles are now removed, and but a single truck remains; but he is immovable. Stained all over a deep blood red with iron ore, the crowd unanimously agree to dub him “lobster," as was only natural, and exhort him indignantly to "move on "; but it is all in vain. A monstrous cable is attached to him, and a busy little engine puffs and blows away to tug him from his place, but the rope snaps and is swung across the line with dangerous violence.

4. And now they apply levers and move him inch. by inch, and the lookers-on lend a hand by pushing, and nobody is idle. At length they bring him to the brink of the embankment, at the bottom of which runs a low wall. Slowly, majestically, he moves down the slope. The crowd is breathless. "Will he clear the wall, or will he not?" Bets are freely offered and accepted. He pauses near the bottom then with a graceful bound he clears the wall and alights safely in the field beyond, amidst general shouts of "Over he goes! well done, Lobster !" accompanied by cheering, and laughter, and clapping of hands.

5. "There's not a truck in the diocese that would have done it better," exclaimed the Bishop, mopping his forehead and radiant with satisfaction.

"Truly the English are a sport-loving people!' remarked the Attorney-General. "I do believe your

lordship took as keen an interest in the performances of poor Lobster as the greatest betting man amongst us."

6. "Mr. Attorney," replied the Bishop, "you do not know what thoughts were passing through my mind as I helped that helpless truck to take his leap.

7. "To me the whole scene was a parable of human life under certain, not very unusual, circumstances. The truck was a poor fellow-creature, rooted in ignorance, crimson-stained with sin, helpless of himself, an obstruction in the path of others. The spectators were the company of the Faithful. The spirit which moved them to assist him was the spirit of brotherly kindness, which is from above.

8. "Were we but half as ready to unite in helping a fellow-mortal in his trouble as we were to push that truck, depend upon it, there is many a one-heavyladen, desolate, bleeding-who would be able to say in the strength with which we supplied him, 'With the help of my God I shall leap over the wall.

U.

The Attorney-General is the head of the barristers' profession. Next to him comes the Solicitor-General.

1. Give a description of the nearest railway station to where you live. 2. Give the names of twelve sports, or games, such as cricket.

3. Parse: "A goods train has run off the rails and is encumbering the line."

I.

ADRIANOPLE.

DRIANOPLE is so called from the Emperor Adrian; it was the first European seat of the Turkish empire, and has been the favourite residence of many sultans. I can give you no reason for this partiality. 'Tis true the situation is fine and the country all round very beautiful; but the air is extremely bad, and the seraglio itself is not free from the ill effect of it.

2. The town is said to be eight miles in compass; I suppose they reckon in the gardens. There are some good houses in it, I mean large ones; for the architecture of their palaces never makes any great show. It is now very full of people, but they are most of them such as follow the court, or camp; and when they are removed, I am told, 'tis no populous city.

3. The river Maritza (anciently the Hebrus), on which it is situated, is dried up every summer, which contributes very much to make it unwholesome. It is now a very pleasant stream. There are two noble

bridges built over it.

4. I had the curiosity to go to see the Exchange in my Turkish dress, which is disguise sufficient. Yet I own I was not very easy, when I saw it crowded with janizaries; but they dare not be rude to a woman, and made way for me with as much respect as if I had been in my own figure.

5. It is half a mile in length, the roof arched, and kept extremely neat. It holds three hundred and

sixty-five shops, furnished with all sorts of rich goods, exposed to sale in the same manner as at the new Exchange in London. But the pavement is kept much neater; and the shops are all so clean, they seem just new painted.

6. Near it is the sherski, a street of a mile in length, full of shops of all kind of fine merchandise, but excessively dear, nothing being made here. It is covered on the top with boards, to keep out the rain, that merchants may meet conveniently in all weathers. The besiten near it is another Exchange, built upon pillars, where all sorts of horse-furniture is sold glittering everywhere with gold, rich embroidery, and jewels, it makes a very agreeable show.

7. From this place I went in my Turkish coach to the camp, which is to move in a few days to the frontiers. The sultan is already gone to his tents, with all his court; the appearance of them is indeed very magnificent. Those of the great men are rather like palaces than tents, taking up a great compass of ground, and being divided into a vast number of apartments.

8. They are all of green, and the basses of three tails have those ensigns of their power placed in a very conspicuous manner before their tents, which are adorned on the top with gilded balls, more or less, according to their different ranks. The ladies go in coaches to see the camp, as eagerly as ours did to that of Hyde Park; but 'tis very easy to observe, that the soldiers do not begin the campaign with any great cheerfulness.