him into a reg'lar good humor, and at last shoves a twentypound note into his hand.、

8. "It's a wery bad road between this and London,' says the gen'l'm'n. Here and there it is a wery heavy road,' says my father. 'Specially near the canal, I think,' says the gen'I'm'n. 'A bad bit, that 'ere,' says my father. 'Well, Mr. Weller,' says the gen'l'm'n, 'you're a wery good whip, and can do what you like with your horses, we know. We're all wery fond of you, Mr. Weller; so in case you should have an accident when you're bringin' these here woters down, and should tip 'em over into the canal without hurtin' them, this is for yourself,' says he. 'Gen'l'm'n, you're wery kind,' says my father, ‘and I'll drink your health in another glass of wine,' says he; vich he did, and then buttons up the money and bows himself out.

9. "You vouldn't believe, sir," continued Sam, with a look of inexpressible impudence at his master, "that on the wery day as he came down with them woters his coach was upset on that 'ere wery spot, and ev'ry man on 'em was turned into the canal." "And got out again?" inquired Mr. Pickwick, hastily. "Why,” replied Sam, very slowly, "I rather think one old gen'I'm'n was missin'; I know his hat was found, but I ain't quite certain whether his head war in it or not. But what I look at is the hextrahordinary and wonderful coincidence that arter what that gen'l'm'n said, my father's coach should be upset in that wery place and on that wery day.” DICKENS.

SELECT ETYMOLOGIES.-Laudanum: L. lad'anum, the resinous juice of the shrub lada. . . . Messenger: old Eug. messager; fr. L. mit'to, mis'sum, to send: v. COMMIT. . . . Poll: fr. the Dutch polle, head, top. Summons: fr. the L. summon'eo, I remind privily; fr. sub, under, and mon'èo, I warn. Summons (says De Vere) is the contracted submo'netas, a well-known legal term, made of the verb after the manner of “fieri facias," "habeas," 'capias," etc. . . . Toilet: F. toilette; fr. toile, cloth; fr. L. tella, a web. . . . Usher: F. huissier; fr. L. ostia'rius, a doorkeeper; fr. os'tium, a door. Valet: old Eng. varlet, a servant; fr. old F. vaslet or

varlet, a boy.

66

XCIII-A SUMMER SHOWER.

I.

THE rain is o'er; how dense and bright
Yon pearly clouds reposing lie!
Cloud above cloud, a glorious sight,
Contrasting with the deep-blue sky.

II.

In grateful silence earth receives
The general blessing; fresh and fair,
Each flower expands its little leaves,
As glad the common joy to share.

III.

The softened sunbeams pour around
A fairy light, uncertain, pale;
The wind flows cool, the scented ground

Is breathing odors on the gale.

IV.

'Mid yon rich clouds' voluptuous pile Methinks some spirit of the air Might rest to gaze below a while,

Then turn to bathe and revel there.

V.

The sun breaks forth; from off the scene

Its floating veil of mist is flung;

And all the wilderness of green

With trembling drops of light is hung.

VI.

Now gaze on nature; yet the same,
Glowing with life, by breezes fanned,
Luxuriant, lovely, as she came,

Fresh in her youth, from God's own hand.

VII.

Hear the rich music of that voice

Which sounds from all below, above;
She calls her children to rejoice,

And round them throws her arms of love.

VIII.

Drink in her influence; low-born care

And all the train of mean desire

Refuse to breathe this holy air,

And in this living light expire.

NORTON.

XCIV. NO PEACE WITHOUT UNION.

1. OUR present topic is the importance of the Union. No lesson should be written more indelibly on the hearts of American citizens. Of all governments we may say that the good which they promote is chiefly negative, and this is especially true of the federal institutions which bind these States together. Their highest function is to avert evil. Nor let their efficiency on this account be disparaged. The highest political good, liberty, is negative. It is the removal of obstructions, it is security from wrong. It confers no positive happiness, but opens a field in which the individual may achieve his happiness by his own unfettered powers. The great good of the Union we may express almost in a word: It preserves us from wasting and destroying one another.

2. It preserves relations of peace among communities which, if broken into separate nations, would be arrayed against one another in perpetual, merciless and ruinous war. It indeed contributes to our defense against foreign States, but still more it defends us from one another. This we apprehend to be the chief boon of the Union, and its importance we apprehend is not sufficiently felt. So highly do we estimate it that we ask nothing of the General Government but to hold us together, to