A golden clasp, clasping a shred of gold; Engraven with a name, the name of both-- SUMMARY.-There is in Modena an old palace, which well deserves a visit. The gardens and terraces themselves are beautiful; but the chief interest will be found in connection with a picture in one of the galleries. It is of a lady in her earliest youth, a descendant of the Orsini family, by whom the house was formerly occupied. On her marriage day Ginevra suddenly disappeared, and search was made throughout the house in vain. She had concealed herself in an old oaken chest, when a secret spring closed upon her for ever! Weary of his life, her husband Francesco fled to the wars and died in battle. More than fifty years elapsed before the manner of Ginevra's death was accidentally discovered. EXERCISES.-1. Parse and analyse-A spring lock fastened her down for ever. 2. Adjectives are formed from nouns or verbs by adding ive, able, ible, uble, which imply power in an active or passive sense, as act, active; pay, payable; reduce, reducible; solve, soluble. In the same way form other adjectives from the following-sport, lament, controvert, dissolve. Make sentences to show the use of these words. [THOMAS HOOD (b. 1799, d. 1845) was born in London, and received a commercial education. He was the greatest wit and humorist of his day. He was engaged for a short time in a merchant's office, but it was found that the confinement hurt his health. He was then removed to Dundee, his father's native town. While there he contributed to the "Dundee Magazine," and to several newspapers. When his health had been restored, he returned to London, and was apprenticed to an engraver. In this way he learned to illustrate his own writings. In 1821 he became sub-editor of the "London Magazine," to which Lamb, Hazlitt, and other famous men, were at that time contributors. Hood's poetry may be described as that of three kinds-humorous, imaginative, and serious. The humorous poems are of most frequent occurrence, the longest and best being "Miss Kilmansegg and her Golden Leg." Of his imaginative poetry, "The Plea of the Midsummer Fairies and "Hero and Leander" are the best examples. Of his serious poems, the best are: "Eugene Aram," the " Bridge of Sighs," and the "Song of the Shirt."] 1. Young Ben he was a nice young man, a carpenter by trade; And he fell in love with Sally Brown, that was a lady's maid. But as they fetch'd a walk one day, they met a pressgang crew, And Sally she did faint away, whilst Ben he was brought to. 2. The boatswain said with wicked words, enough to shock a saint, That though she did seem in a faint, 'twas nothing but a feint. Come, girl," said he, "hold up your head, he'll be as good as me; For when your swain is in our boat, a boatswain he will be." 3. So when they'd made their game of her, and taken off her elf, She roused, and found she only was a-coming to herself. "And is he gone, and is he gone?" she cried, and wept outright; "Then I will to the water side, and see him out of sight." 4. A waterman came up to her, "Now, young woman," said he, "If you weep on so, you will make eye-water in the sea." "Alas! they've taken my beau Ben to sail with old Benbow;" And her woe began to run afresh, as if she'd said Gee Wo! 5. Says he, "They've only taken him to the tender ship, you see." "The tender ship," cried Sally Brown; "what a hard ship that must be! O! would I were a mermaid now, for then I'd follow him; But oh! I'm not a fish-woman, and so I cannot swim. 6. "Alas! I was not born beneath the Virgin and the Scales, So I must curse my cruel stars, and walk about in Wales." Now Ben had sail'd to many a place that's underneath the world, But in two years the ship came home, and all her sails were furl'd. 7. But when he call'd on Sally Brown, to see how she got on, He found she'd got another Ben, whose Christian name was John. "O Sally Brown, O Sally Brown, how could you serve me so! I've met with many a breeze before, but never such a blow." 8. Then reading on his 'bacco-box, he heaved a bitter sigh, And then began to eye his pipe, and then to pipe his eye. And then he tried to sing "All's Well," but could not, though he tried; His head was turn'd, and so he chew'd his pigtail till he died. His death, which happen'd in his berth, at forty-odd befell; They went and told the sexton, and the sexton toll'd the bell. -Thomas Hood. SUMMARY.-This poem is a specimen of the manner in which the author played upon words in the way of punning, and is given as an excellent sample of its kind. Ben, who is in love with Sally Brown, is met by a pressgang who carry him off to sea. Sally bewails her hard fate at the loss of Ben. The Benbow sailed away, and was absent for two years in various parts of the world. On Ben's return he found that Sally had forsaken him, and he was greatly grieved by her unfaithfulness. He drooped away, and died at forty-odd." Observe the poet's play on the words faint and feint, Benbow and beau Ben, tender-ship and hard-ship, breeze and blow, death and berth, told and tolled. Feint, pretence, sham. Furled, rolled up. Pig-tail, tobacco twisted so as to have a resemblance to a pig's tail. Press-gang, sailors sent out to compel others to go on board men-of-war. Ten-der, a small ship which attends others with stores. QUESTIONS. Who wrote this piece of poetry? What kind of poetry is it? Make a list of the words on which he puns? Who was Ben? Sally? Who seized Ben? Where was he carried? How long was he away? What happened on his return? EXERCISES.-1. Parse and analyse-They've only taken him to the tender ship. 2. Adverbs of manner are formed from adjectives by adding ly and wise; as rash, rashly; fierce, fiercely; like, likewise; other, otherwise. Form other adverbs from the following-clear, brave, cross, like. Make sentences to show the use of these words. [CHARLES WOLFE (b. 1791, d. 1823), an Irish divine, and a poet of great promise, was born at Dublin. Among other pieces possessing very considerable merit, he wrote the well-known "Ode on the Death of Sir John Moore," which acquired much posthumous celebrity, and was pronounced by Lord Byron, "The most perfect Ode in the language."]. 1. Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, As his corse to the ramparts we hurried; Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot O'er the grave where our hero we buried. 2. We buried him darkly, at dead of night, I.R. V. P |