The storm still followed me, when I retired into my cabin. The whistling of the wind through the rigging sounded like funereal wailings. As the ship labored in the weltering sea, the creaking of the masts, the straining and groaning of bulkheads were frightful. It seemed as if Death were raging round this floating prison, seeking for his prey, as I heard the waves rushing along the sides of the ship, and roaring into my very ear; the mere starting of a nail, the yawning of a seam, might give him entrance. A fine day, with a tranquil sea and a favoring breeze, soon put all these dismal reflections to flight. It is impossible to resist the gladdening influence of fine weather and fair wind at sea. How lofty, how gallant, a ship appears-how she seems to lord it over the deep, when the ship is decked out in all her canvas, every sail swelled, and careering gayly over the curling waves!

V. Composition.-I. Tell the story of the Passing of Arthur.

Note and copy the paragraph structure of the conversations between Arthur and Bedivere. Cf. p. 101, "unity."

2. Write the story of one of the following:-1. The Story of Enid.1 2. Lancelot and Elaine.1 3. The Story 4. Fortunatus. 5. Hereward the Saxon. 6.

of Faust.

Robin Hood.2 7. Sir Patrick Spens.3

1 See Tennyson, Idylls of the King.

2 See H. Pyle, Some Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.

3 See Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.

CHAPTER VIII.-STORIES FROM

MODERN

HISTORY.

LESSON XXXIV.

I. Memorize:-FROM "CONCORD MONUMENT."

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;

Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;

And Time the ruined bridge has swept

Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone,

That memory may their deed redeem

When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

To die, or leave their children free,

Bid Time and Nature gently spare

The shaft we raise to them and Thee.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson.

By permission of the publishers, Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co.

II. Theme: THE BLACK PRINCE AT CRÉCY.1

During the battle of Crécy, fought by the English and the French, King Edward III., posted on an eminence, stood watching the progress of the battle into which he had sent his son, Edward, the Black Prince. A messenger came in haste to the king, to tell him that the prince was hard pressed and to entreat him to come to his aid. The king replied, "Is my son dead, unhorsed, or so badly wounded that he cannot support himself?" "Nothing of the sort, thank God," rejoined the knight; "but he is in so hot an engagement that he has great need of your help." The king answered, "Now, Sir Thomas, return to those that sent you, and tell them from me not to send again for me this day, or expect that I shall come, let what will happen, as long as my son has life: and say that I command them to let the boy win his spurs; for I am determined, if it please God, that all the glory and honor of this day shall be given to him and to those into whose care I have entrusted him." The knight returned to his lords, and related the king's answer, which mightily encouraged them, and made them repent that they had ever sent such a message.

When the battle was over and the English had won the day, King Edward came down from his post, advanced to the Prince of Wales, embraced and kissed him, saying," Sweet son, God give you good perseYou are my son, for most loyally have you

verance.

1 REFERENCE FOR READING. Sidney Lanier, The Boy's Froissart.

acquitted yourself this day. You are worthy to be a sovereign."

-Adapted from Froissart.

III. Oral Composition.-I. Substitute equivalent expressions for the italicized words: -(1) Edward III. was posted on an eminence. (2) He watched the progress of the battle. (3) The prince was hard pressed. (4) They entreated the king to come to his aid. (5) Let the boy win his spurs. (6) The English won the day. (7) You have acquitted yourself loyally.

2. (1) If the first paragraph of the preceding were divided, where should the division be made? (2) Is the first sentence a good topic sentence? (3) Point out the steps in the development (continuity) of the story.

3. State the sentence "Now, Sir Thomas, entrusted him," in three or four short sentences.

IV. Principles-The Paragraph-9. Climax.-A subject can, at times, be so treated that the steps in its development rise higher and higher, increasing in intensity of force till the end. The paragraph has then the structure called climax.

EXERCISE. Study the steps of the development in this paragraph; show that its structure is climacteric:

"When I look upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of envy dies in me; when I read the epitaphs of the beautiful, every inordinate desire goes out; when I meet with the grief of parents upon a tombstone, my heart melts with compassion; when I see the tomb of the parents themselves, I consider the vanity of grieving for those whom we must quickly follow. When I see kings lying by those who deposed them, when I consider rival wits placed side by side, or the holy

men that divided the world with their contests and disputes, I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind. When I read the several dates of the tombs, of some that died yesterday, and some six hundred years ago, I consider that great day when we shall all of us be contemporaries, and make our appearance together."

V. Composition.-Tell the story of the Black Prince at Crécy.

Put each direct narration in a paragraph.

LESSON XXXV.

I. Memorize:-From "THE REVENGE."

And the stately Spanish men to their flagship bore him then, Where they laid him by the mast, old Sir Richard caught at last, And they praised him to his face with their courtly foreign grace, But he rose upon their decks, and he cried:

"I have fought for Queen and Faith like a valiant man and true; "I have only done my duty as a man is bound to do;

With a joyful spirit I, Sir Richard Grenville, die!"
And he fell upon their decks, and he died.

And they stared at the dead that had been so valiant and true,
And had holden the power and glory of Spain so cheap
That he dared her with one little ship and his English few;
Was he devil or man? He was devil for aught they knew,
But they sank his body with honor down into the deep,
And they mann'd the Revenge with a swarthier alien crew,
And away she sail'd with her loss and long'd for her own;
When a wind from the lands they had ruin'd awoke from sleep,
And the water began to heave and the weather to moan,
And or ever that evening ended a great gale blew,

And a wave like the wave that is raised by an earthquake grew,