But no one knew what beautiful things she had seen, nor with what splendor she had entered, with her grandmother, into the joys of a New Year.

HANS ANDERSEN.

[The little match girl described. How she lost her slippers. Had she succeeded in selling matches? Where did she seek shelter from the storm? Why did she fear to go home? How did she try to warm her fingers? Where did she seem to be, and what did she think she saw after each match which she lighted? The table, the roasted goose, the Christmas-tree, the falling-star, the grandmother, etc. What occurred on New Year's morning?

Under which class of prose writings does this lesson fall? What do Novels include? Why is this lesson in the narrative form? Why is it descriptive also? (See p. ix.) Why is it written in the simple style? Why is it pathetic? (See pp. xii. and xiii.)]

LESSON V.

THE TEMPEST.

1. WE were crowded in the cabin,
Not a soul would dare to sleep;
It was midnight on the waters,
And a storm was on the deep.
2. "Tis a fearful thing in winter,

To be shattered in the blast;
And to hear the rattling trumpet
Thunder, "Cut away the mast!"
3. So we shuddered there in silence;
For the stoutest held his breath,
While the angry sea was roaring,

And the breakers talked of death.

4. As thus we sat in darkness,

Each one busy with his prayers—
"We are lost!" the captain shouted,
As he staggered down the stairs.
5. But his little daughter whispered,
As she took his icy hand,
"Isn't God upon the ocean,

Just the same as on the land'?"

6. Then we kissed the little maiden,
For we felt in better cheer;
And we anchored safe in harbor
When the morn was shining clear.
JAMES T. FIELDS.

[What is described in this lesson? What time of the day was it? What time of the year? What moral lesson is taught?

Is the expression, "angry sea," plain, or figurative language? (See page x.) The expression, "the breakers talked of death?" (What is figurative language?)]

1. Ir was only once in a great while that George was not willing to do what his mother wished him to do; and he was generally very ready to run and get any thing for her, and save her steps in any way. He was often called upon to aid her in winding a ball of yarn; and he always held the skeina for this purpose very willingly.

2. One day, while he was holding the skein for his mother, he was heedless for a moment, and the yarn be came very much tangled. He tried to get it straight; and, becoming a little vexed, he pulled this way, and that, and at length the thread broke.

3. Impatiently seeking for the lost end, he soon found one; but the more he pulled on it, the more tangled the skein became; and before his mother could check him, he had broken the thread again!

4. "My child'! my child'!" said his mother, "that's' not the way'. You only make it all the more difficult' for me. Get the right end, and then, with a little patience, we can disentangle the skein."

5. So, as she was working over the tangled mass, she thought it a good time to give her little boy some good advice. "As you grow up," said she, "almost every thing will at times appear to be in a tangle; and if you get vexed, and lose command of your temper, all your efforts to get matters straight will be of no avail.d

6. "When you go out into the world, you will see men, vexed at finding things wrong, and impatient to set them right, pulling this way and that, just as you have been doing, and only making matters worse, because they do not begin at the right end.

7. "The impatient' man, the vexed' man, the angry' man, are always taking hold of things at the wrong end. They walk blindly right into difficulties; and they are so obstinatee that they will not turn back; and so they flounderf about until they sink down exhausted by their vain efforts.

8. "The way in which the world is managed does not suit some people. They do not see why some are rich' and others poor', some honored' and others despised', some happy' and others wretched', and so they complain about every thing', and find fault with every body`, and are vexed because they can't make things change' to suit' them. But they fail in their efforts to mend' matters', because they do not begin at the right end.

9. "The world was once all right, just as it should be; but when sin came into it', every thing was thrown into confusion'; and from that day to this, wicked fingers have so tangled the skeins', that it sometimes seems impossible to unwind' them. Many of the skeins, indeed, are never unwound, but are all broken in pieces.

10. "And now, my son, don't you see that life itself is a great tangled skein, with broken threads'? But God has

told us, in his Bible, what he would have us be', and what he would have us do', in order that we may put the skein all right again. We must get hold of the right end of the thread; and if we do that, and patiently persevere in our good work, we may be certain that the tangle will soon disappear; and then, how smoothly the skein will unwind!

a SKEIN (skāne), several folds of thread, silk, OB'-STI-NATE, stubborn; unyielding. or yarn.

HEED-LESS, careless; inattentive.

VEX ED, irritated; provoked.

d A-VAIL', use; profit; advantage.

FLOUNDER, struggle, as a horse in the mire.

8 EX-HAUSTED (egz-awst'- ed), worn out,

overcome.

[The story of a tangled skein of thread, with a moral. Narrate the story. To what kind or class of writings do stories belong? (To novels, or fictions. See p. ix.) What kind of a story is this? (A moral story.) In what form is the story part of the lesson written? (In the narrative form.) Why is the moral part of the lesson didactic? (Because it contains precepts, or principles, designed for instruction.) What principles are taught in this lesson? (The folly of ever being impatient, vexed, angry, or obstinate; and the importance of beginning at the right end, if we would mend matters, and overcome difficulties.) How is life represented in the 10th verse?]

3. Little White Lily
Droopeth in pain,
Waiting and waiting
For the soft rain.
Little White Lily
Holdeth her

cup;

Rain is fast falling,
And filling it up.

4. Little White Lily
Said, "Good again,
I was so thirsty,
Longing for rain.

Now I am stronger,

Now I am cool;

Heat can not harm me,
My veins are so full."

5. Little White Lily
Smells very sweet;
On her head sunshine,
Rain at her feet.

Thanks to the sunshine!
Thanks to the rain!
Little White Lily
Is happy again.

[This is a pretty, fanciful description of the lily-chilled by the cold, and revived by the sunshine; and then drooping for the want of rain, and revived by the gentle shower. What kind of language is it in which the lily is represented as sitting, waiting, liftin her head, drooping in pain, etc.? (See p. x.) What figure of speech is it in which the lily is spoken of as "drest like a bride?" The whole lesson is, also, an example of personification. Why? (See p. xi.)]

LESSON VIII.

THE OLD EAGLE TREE.

1. In a remote field stood a large tulip-tree, apparently" of a century's growth, and one of the most gigantic of that splendid species. It looked like the father of the surrounding forest. A single tree, of huge dimensions, standing all alone, is a sublime object.

b

2. On the top of this tree, an old eagle, commonly called the "Fishing Eagle," had built her nest every year for many years, and there, unmolested, had raised her young. What is remarkable, as she procured her food from the ocean, this tree stood full ten miles from the sea-shore. It had long been known as the "Old Eagle Tree."

3. On a warm, sunny day, the workmen were hoeing corn in an adjoining field. At a certain hour of the day the old eagle was known to set off for the sea-side, to gather food for her young. As she this day returned with a large fish in her claws, the workmen surrounded the tree; and, by yelling, and hooting, and throwing stones, so scared