Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση
[blocks in formation]
[graphic]
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

Well, having separated the supernatant layer of fluid, deposit it on a watch-glass, and allow evaporation to take place. Ether is a fluid so exceedingly volatile in its nature, that the application of a very slight amount of heat is necessary to effect this volatilisation. It suffices for this purpose to hold the watch-glass in the palm of the hand. Evaporation having ceased, that is to say, all the ether having been removed, the watch-glass will be found to contain a portion of white solid material. If the white solid material be viewed through a lens it will be seen to be crystalline. What is it? Nothing more nor less than solid bichloride of mercury, which happens to possess the quality of being more soluble in ether than in water; hence ether removes it from water as we have seen. This is a very elegant test, and most useful under certain conditions. It is not, however, a good quantitative test; that is to say, the operator can never depend on removing by its agency the whole of the bichloride actually existing in a liquid. This fact was first demonstrated by the French chemist Devergie. Nevertheless we must not underrate the value of the test. In poisoning cases it is a great point to make out the existence of a poison in any quantity, seeing that the law does not propound to the analytical chemist the question-"Have you extracted all the poison?" but, "Have you extracted a sufficiency to account for death?" Again, the ether test has the rare advantage of acting equally well in animal and vegetable fluids as in pure water.

The next test we will employ is the white of egg. For this purpose it will be well to beat up the substance, white of egg, with water, and strain through muslin; by proceeding thus we shall get rid of much animal membrane that would be embarrassing to the result. Having prepared the test as described, add a portion of it to the bichloride solution, and remark the white curdy deposit which results. At one time this precipitate was imagined to be calomel,-the action of the white of egg being assumed to accomplish the removal of one half of the chlorine. It is not thus: the precipitate is an actual chemical compound of white of egg (albumen) and the bichloride. At any rate it is almost, if not quite, insoluble in water and the gastric fluids; hence it is innocuous, and this is the great point to be remembered in practice. Under the head of "Tin" (during the investigation of which metal we had occasion to employ bichloride of mercury as a test), I stated that white of egg was the antidote to bichloride of mercury. You will now clearly see why, for what reason, in virtue of what chemical reactions, it

is an antidote.

In our next lesson we will consider the best means of extract-ing bichloride of mercury from complex animal and vegetable -solutions.

[blocks in formation]

You thus see that the root of the form is Au. This is called the root because it remains permanent under all the changes. Thus you find it in λυσω, in λυσομενος, ελύθην, &c. By prefixing certain letters to Av, and by adding certain letters to Xu, you make all the varieties of form and signification. Thus, if you want to say I loose, you add w as Av-w; if you want to say they loosed, you prefix ɛ and add cav, thus, e-λv-oav. The prefixes and suffixes, by whose aid the root is thus modified, may be termed formative syllables. A knowledge of these formative syllables, combined with a knowledge of the several roots, will make you proficient in the grammar of the verbs. You will do well to make a distinction between the root of a verb and the stem. The root of a verb is the verb reduced to its ultimate or most simple form. It agrees with the stem in being generally the stem of the present tense, active voice. But it differs from the stem, inasmuch as it is one primitive form; and there are several stems-the stem of the present, the stem of the imperfect, the stem of the perfect, &c. The stem of a tense is that form which remains when the personal endings and the mood characteristics are taken away. present the stems of the root, and of several tenses of TUπTW, I strike., Personal-endings.

Root

τυπ

I τύπτω,

Stems.

[blocks in formation]

TUTT ETUTT

ε he strikes

εis thou, &c.

[ocr errors]

he struck

ες

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Present Stem Imperfect Stem First Aorist Stem εrv Perfect Stem Pluperfect Stem That is to say, if to the present stem I add et, I get TUTTEL, which means he strikes; if to the pluperfect stem I add εiç, I get εrɛrupes, which means thou hadst struck. So, if from Terupas I take away aç, I get the perfect stem rerup. If I want to make the perfect stem into the pluperfect stem, I prefix the augment &, and make εTεrup. If, again, I wish to resolve rerup into the root, I cut off the augment re, and change the aspirate o into the corresponding soft 7, and so obtain run. This the root I may raise into the present stem by affixing 7, thus-TUTT. And runr I may change into the imperfect stem by prefixing the augment of that tense, namely, ɛ.

τυπτ

THE AUGMENT.

After these general explanations, you are, I presume, prepared to enter into particulars. First, then, let us consider because its function is to denote past time; and I call it a the augment or temporal prefix. I call the augment temporal, prefix, because it is put at the beginning of the root or stem. The augment is of two kinds; first, syllabic; second, temporal. It is syllabic when it adds a syllable to the verb; it is temporal when it lengthens the initial vowel of the verb. The syllabic augment is of two kinds, it is simple or reduplicative; for instance, it is simple when it merely prefixes a vowel, as in Eλεɩπov, I was leaving; it is reduplicative when it doubles

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

the initial consonant, as AɛAvka; here & is called the simple syllabic augment, and As the reduplicative. The syllabic augment is employed when the verb begins with a consonant. If the verb begins with a vowel, the temporal augment is used, the vowels a and being changed into ŋ or ε, and ĭ and (iota short and upsilon short) being changed into i and ; o is changed into w. The simple syllabic augment is found in only the indicative mood; the reduplicative extends through all the moods. The simple syllabic augment is used with the imperfect tense and with the aorist. The reduplicative augment is used with the perfect tense, the pluperfect - tense, and the third future, sometimes called the paulo-postfuture. If, however, the verb begins with a vowel, the perfect and the pluperfect have, instead of the reduplicative, merely the temporal augment. The pluperfect has a double augment, inasmuch as it prefixes the simple augment & to the reduplicative rɛ, &c.; for instance, &TETUOEI. Fulier details will be given hereafter. My object in these general remarks is to afford you assistance to understand and commit to memory a general paradigm of the verb.

[ocr errors]

CHARACTERISTIC LETTERS.

The letter

I have previously used the terms pure verbs. This is one class into which verbs are divided. Verbs are divided generally into classes, according to the characteristic letters of the present tense, or the stem of the present tense. which stands immediately before the w of the present tense is called the verbal characteristic; thus, in Avw, the v is the characteristic of the verb; and in ruπTw the r is the characteristic of the verb; and in σTEAλw, the A is the characteristic of the verb. If the characteristic is a vowel, the verb is called pure, e.g. Xvw; if the characteristic is a consonant, the verb is called mute, e.g.ruπTw; if the characteristic is a liquid, the verb is called liquid, e. g. OTEλw, I send. Thus there are three kinds

of verbs.

Pure. τιμαω, I honour.

Mute. τριβω, Ι 73.

FLEXIONAL TERMINATIONS.

Liquid. paivw, I show.

[blocks in formation]

Augment.

Root. βουλευ

α

VTO

0

μαι

α

μην Person Sign. กบ

Voice Sign. Ꮎ The tense sign, in union with the person sign, is termed the tense-ending. Thus, in Avow the σ is the tense sign, being the sign of the future, and ow is the ending of the future tense, active voice, commonly called the first future active. The stem of the verb, in connexion with the tense sign and with the augment, is called the tense-stem. Thus, in eßovλevca the tense-stem is eßovlevo, that is, the stem of the first aorist active.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

σω

ον

σομαι ομην

θην θησομαι ην ήσομαι

Future first Aorist second Future second This arrangement places under the middle voice some tenses, those marked with an asterisk, which are commonly ascribed to the passive voice. If the student bears in mind what was said in the last lesson of the intimate relation of the two, he will see a ground for this diversity of view. Of course, the arrangement here presented is believed to be the best.

PERSONAL ENDINGS AND VOWEL SIGNS.

The personal endings are the terminations by which the variations of person are indicated. They are closely connected with the mood-signs, which are the vowels that indicate the several moods. For example:1Per. Sin. Ind.Pres. M. Bovλev-o-μai Pers. Sing. Ind. Fut. Sovλεv-o-ε-Taι βουλευ-σ-ε-ται Pers. Plur. Ind. Pres. Bovλev-o-pela 2 Pers. Plur.Ind. Pres. Bovλɛv-e-σ0ɛ 1Pers. Sin. Ind.Aor. 1 εßavλev-o-a-μny

[blocks in formation]

3 Pers. Sin. Ind. Aor, 1 Bouλev-a-a-To Opt. ẞovλev-o-ai-To In these instances Boulev is the root, and eßovλevo is the stem of the first aorist, while Bouλevo is the stem of the future. Thepersonal endings are μαι, ται, μεθα, το, &c. And the moodsigns are the vowels o, w; ε, ni a, al. Mark how readily the one permanent form Bovλev takes to itself other forms, to suit modifications in the sense. Mark, also, that the short vowels represent the indicative, and that these short vowels are changed into their corresponding long ones for the subjunctive. You may also note that enters as an essential into the optative forms, as in βουλευτοιτο and βουλευσαιτο. These two tenses are, you see, very near in form, differing in this only, that the latter has an a where the former has an o.

The personal endings join on immediately to the mood-signs, and may appear as one; e.g., Bovλevo-ys, instead of ẞovλevoand unite so closely with them that they are blended together, η-ις, and βουλευ-η instead of βουλευ-ε-αι.

ου,

The distinction between the principal tenses and the historical tenses is important. The principal tenses, that is, the present, the perfect, and the future, form the second and the third person of the dual with the same ending; that is, ov, as βουλευ-ε-τον, βουλευ-ε-τον, βουλευ-ε-σθον, βουλευ-ε-σθον; while the historical tenses form the second person of the dual in but the third in ην; as, εβουλευε τον, εβουλευε την; εβου λευ-ε-σθον, εβουλευ-ε-σθην. Further, the principal tenses form the third person plural, active voice, with the termination σɩ, which before a vowel becomes ov (abbreviated from vri, voi), and the third person plural middle with vra: but the historical or secondary tenses have in the active v, and in the middle vro; as

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]
[merged small][ocr errors]

3

As already intimated, the mood-vowel of the subjunctive of the historical tenses differs from that of the indicative in its being lengthened: thus o is lengthened into w; ɛ and a into n; and & into y; as,

Indicative βουλευ-ο-μεν, βουλευεις, βουλευ-ε-σθε
Subjunctive βουλευ-ω-μεν, βουλευτης, βουλευ-η-σθε.

The mood-vowel, or mood-sign, of the optative is, in connexion with the preceding mood-vowel of the first person singular indicative; the pluperfect forms an exception, since its optative assumes the mood-vowel of the present; e.g.

1 Sin. Imp.Act. Indic. o Opt. ol e-Bovλev-o-v βουλευ-οι-μι Plural Aor. 1 αι εβουλευσ-α-μεν βουλευσαι,

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

α

οι

Indicative.

Optative.

Plpf. Aor. 1. M. Aor. 1, A. & Pf. A. Aor. 1. A. & MI. Aor. 1. A. & M.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

αι

αι

αι

αι

αι

[ocr errors]

αι

| ♠ ♠ |

[ocr errors]

α

α

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

3

M

E

ů

0

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors]

n

OL

E

οι

οι

οι

[ocr errors]

Mid.; Pres. and Fut. Mid.
Imp.; Aor., 2. Act. and
Indicative.

GENERAL TABLE of Mood-Vowels.
Subjunctive.

Act.

Opt. Imper. Inf.

Mid.

Part.

[blocks in formation]

(1) The neuter pronoun, e3, is used in a general and indefinite way to represent words of all genders and numbers: as, 18 ist der Mann, it is the men; es ist die Frau, it is the woman; es ist das Kind, it is the child; es sind die Männer, they are the men, &c. In like manner, also, often are used the pronouns das, (that): vies, (this); was, (what); as also the neuter adjective alles, (all); as, das sind meine Richter, these are my judges.

(2) When the antecedent is a personal appellation formed by one of the diminutive (neuter) terminations, chen and letn, the pronoun, instead of being in the 'neuter, takes generally the gender natural to the person represented: as, wo ist ihr Söhnchen? Ist er (not es) im Garten? Where is your little son? Is he in the garden? The same remark applies to Weib (woman) and Frauenzimmer, (lady). When, however, a child or servant is referred to, the neuter is often employed.

(3) A collective noun may in German, as in English, be represented by a pronoun in the plural number: as, die Geistlichkeit war für ihre Rechte sehr besorgt, the clergy were very anxious about their rights.

(4) The relative in German, can never, as in English, be sup pressed: thus, in English, we say, the letter (which) you wrote; but in German it must be, ber Brief, welchen du schriebest.

(5) The neuter pronoun es, at the beginning of a sentence, is often merely expletive, and answers to the English word "there" in the like situation: as, es war niemand hier, there was no one here; es kommen Beute, there are people coming. (6) The English forms, he is a friend of mine; it is a stable of ours, &c., cannot be literally rendered into German; for there we must say, er ist mein Freund, he is my friend; or, er ist einer meiner Freunde, he is one of my friends, &c.

(7) The definite article in German is often used where in English a possessive pronoun is required: as, er winkte ihm mit der Hand, he beckoned to him with his (the) hand.

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

(8) The datives of the personal pronouns are often in familiar style employed in a manner merely expletive: as, ich lobe mir den Nheinwein, I like Rhenish wine for me, i. e. I prefer Rhenish wine. See § 129. 3.

§ 135. THE ADJECTIVES.

RULE.

Adjectives, when they precede their nouns (expressed or understood), agree with them in gender, number, and case; as, Diese schöne Dame, this handsome lady.

Ein gütiger und gerechter Vater, a good and just father.

Den zwölften dieses Monats, the twelfth (day) of this month, &c. Hier ist ein Mißverstand,—ein Handgreiflicher, here is a misunderstanding,―a palpable (one)..

OBSERVATIONS.

(1) This rule of course has reference to those adjectives which are used attributively; for predicative adjectives, it will be remembered, are not declined. For the several circumstances under which adjectives are varied in declension, consult § 27., § 28., &c

(2) This rule applies equally to adjectives of all degrees of comparison; as, bessere Bücher, better books; der beste Wein, the best wine; des besten Weines, of the best wine, &c. So, too, it applies equally to all classes of adjectives; as, adjective pronouns, numerals, and participles.

(3) The word "one," which, in English, so often supplies the place of a preceding noun after an adjective, cannot be translated literally into German: its office being rendered needless in the latter tongue by the terminations of declension. See last example under the rule.

(4) So, also, the English "one's" is the proper equivalent of the German fein in such cases as the following: gibt es etwas Edleres, als seinen Feinden zu vergeben? is any thing more noble than to forgive one's enemies?

(5) When the same adjective is made to refer to several singular nouns differing in gender, it must be repeated with each and varied in form accordingly; as, ein gelehrter Sohn und eine ges lehrte Tochter, a learned son and a learned daughter. The adjectives are, also, often repeated, though the nouns be all of the same gender.

§ 136. THE VERBS. RULE.

A verb agrees with its subject or nominative in number and person; as,

Jeder Augenblick ist kostbar, every moment is precious.
Die Bäume blühen im Frühling, the trees bloom in spring.

OBSERVATIONS.

$ 137. USE OF THE TENSES.
RULE.

The Present tense properly expresses what exists or is taking place at the time being; as, die wahre Tapferkeit beschüßt den Schwachen, true valour protects the weak.

OBSERVATIONS.

(1) The Present in German, as in other languages, is often, in lively narrative, employed in place of the Imperfect; as, Die Sonne geht (for ging) unter, da steht (for stand) er am Thor, 2c., the sun goes down, while he stands at the door, &c. (2) The Present is not unfrequently used for the Future, when the true time is sufficiently clear from the context; or when, for the sake of emphasis, a future event is regarded and treated as already certain; as,

Ich reise morgen ab, I start (1. e. will start) to-morrow. Wer weiß, wer morgen über uns befiehlt, who knows who commands (i. e. will command) us to-morrow?

Bald sehen Sie mich wieder, soon you (wiil) see me again. Dies Schloß ersteigen wir in dieser Nacht, this castle scale we (i. e. will we scale) this very night.

(3) It should be noted that the Present is, moreover, the proper tense for the expression of general or universal truths or propositions; as, die Vögel fliegen ta der Luft, birds fly in the

air.

(4) In English we have several forms of the Present tense; as, I praise, I do praise, or I am praising. In German there is but one form (ich lobe) for the expression of these several shades of meaning.

(5) The Present in connection with the adverb schon (already) often supplies the place of a Perfect; as, wir wohnen schon sieben Jahre hier, already dwell we here (i. e. have we dwelt) seven years.

(6) In English, often we say, "I do walk, I did walk," and the like: where the verb do (Present and Imperfect) is employed as an auxiliary. This cannot properly be done with the corresponding verb (thun, to do) in German.

§ 138. RULE.

The Imperfect tense is used to express what existed, or was taking place at some past time indicated by the context: as, ich schrieb an Sie, als ich Ihren Brief erhielt, I was writing to you, when I received your letter.

OBSERVATIONS.

(1) The Imperfect is the historical tense of the Germans. Its proper office is to mark what is incomplete, or going on, while something else is going on. It is the tense adopted by the narrator, who speaks as an eye-witness; though it may be used by such as have not been eye-witnesses of the events narrated: provided the statement be introduced or accom

they say (fagt man). When the speaker has not been an eyewitness, the Perfect should be used.

(1) When the subject is the pronoun es, das or dies, used in-panied by such expressions as, he said (fagte er), it is said, or definitely (See § 134. 1.), the predicate, if a noun, determines the number and person of the verb; as, es sind die Früchte Ihres Thuns, these are the fruits of your actions.

(2) In the second person (singular and plural) of the Imperative mood, the pronoun which forms the subject is commonly omitted; as, geher hin und faget Johanni wieder, was Ihr sehet und höret, go and tell John what ye see and hear.

! (3) When the verb has two or more singular subjects connected by und, it is generally put in the plural; as, aß und Eis fersucht sind heftige Leidenschaften, hatred and jealousy are violent passions.

(4) When the subject is a collective noun, that is, one conveying the idea of many individuals taken together as unity, the verb must (generally) be in the singular; as, das englische Volk hat große Freiheit, the English people have (has) great liberty. In a few cases only, as, ein Paar, a pair; eine Menge, I number; ein Dugend, a dozen, the verb stands in the plural.

(5) When a verb has several subjects, and they are of different persons, the verb agrees with the first rather than the third; as, du, dein Bruder und ich wollen spazieren gehen, thou, thy brother,' and I will go take a walk; du und dein Bruder vermöget viel, you and your brother avail much.

(2) From the use of the Imperfect in expressing the continuance of a thing, i. e. what was going on at a given time, comes the kindred power which it has of expressing repeated or customary action: as, er pflegte zu fagen, he used to say, i. e. was in the habit of saying.

(3) The Imperfect in German, like the Present, has but one form; which, according to circumstances, is to be rendered by any one of the three English forms of that tense. Ich lobte, therefore, is either I praised, did praise, or was praising.

§ 139. RULE.

The Perfect tense is that which represents the being, action, or passion, as past and complete at the time being: as, die Schiffe sind angekommen, the ships have arrived; er ist vorige Woche gestorben, he died last week.

OBSERVATIONS.

(1) The German Perfect, as a general thing, corresponds closely to our Imperfect, when used as an aorist; that is, when used to express an event simply and absolutely, and without

[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

regard to other events or circumstances. Hence it often happens, that where in English we use the Imperfect, the Germans employ their Perfect: thus, ich habe deinen Bruder gestern gesehen, aber nicht gesprochen, I saw your brother yesterday, but did not speak to him.

(2) The auxiliary participle (worden) in the perfect passive, is sometimes omitted. (See § 84. 2.)

(3) We may remark here also, that, though in English we have a double form for the Prefect (thus, I have written and I have been writing), the Germans have but the one. By which of the English forms, therefore, the German Perfect is, in any given case, to be rendered, must be determined by the context.

1

FRENCH READINGS.No. IV.
LE SAPEUR DE DIX• ANS.
SECTION VII.

d

6

[blocks in formation]

LE CHATEAU DE CARTES.

b

Un bon mari, sa femme, et deux jolis enfants,1
Coulaient en paix leurs jours dans le simple ermitage 2
Où, paisibles, comme eux, vécurent leurs parents.
Ces époux, partageant les doux soins du ménage,
Cultivaient leur jardin, recueillaient à leurs moissons ; 3
Et le soir, dans l'été soupant sous le feuillage,
Dans l'hiver devant leurs tisons,*

NOTES AND REFERENCES.-a. from voir; L. part ii., p. 110. -b. entraîner, throw down.-c. from paraître; L. part ii., p. 98. -d. from pouvoir; L. part ii., p. 100.-e. à, by; L. S. 86, R. 4. -f. from suivre ; L. part ii., p. 106.-g. from faire; L. part ii., p. 92, also S. 31, R. 3.—h. en, on that account.—i. from abattre ; L. part ii., p. 76.—j. surnagent, float; L. part ii., § 49, R. (1). Le général qui commandait, voyant que le salut d'une k. se dirigeant vers, swimming towards; L. part ii., § 49, R. (1). partie de l'armée dependait de la destruction de ce pont,'-. L. S. 80, R. 1.-m. allez, allez, I assure you; literally, go, voulut envoyer quelques sapeurs pour abattre cette poutre gon. il y en a pour votre argent, there is the worth of your et entraîner le reste de la charpente: 2 mais, au moment money.-o. from prendre ; L. part ii., p. 100.—p. L. S. 41, R. 7. où ils s'apprêtaient à s'embarquer, l'ennemi arrive de l'autre côté de la rivière,3 et commence un feu si terrible de coups de fusil, qu'il ne paraissait pas probable qu'aucun sapeur pût arriver vivant jusqu'à la fatale poutre. Aussi allait-on se retirer en se défendant,5 lorsque tout à coup on voit s'élancer un soldat dans la rivière, une hache sur l'épaule; il plonge et reparaît bientôt,' et à sa grande barbes on reconnaît que c'est un sapeur qui se dévoue au salut de tous. Tout le régiment attentif le suit' des yeux9 tandis qu'il nage et que les ennemis fonts bouillonner l'eau autour de lui d'une grêle de balles; 10 mais le brave sapeur n'en h avance pas moins vigoureusement. Enfin il arrive après des efforts inouïs, monte sur le pied de la pile,11 et, en quelques coups de hache, abati le reste de la poutre qui de loin semblait énorme, mais qui était aux trois quarts brisée. Aussitôt la charpente des deux arches s'abîme dans la rivière,12 l'eau jaillit en l'air avec un fracas terrible, et l'on ne voit plus le brave sapeur. Mais tout à coup, parmi les débris qui surnagent, on l'aperçoit se dirigeant vers la rive.13 Tout le monde s'y élance rempli d'admiration et de joie; 1 car malgré tant de malheurs, on était joyeux de voir faire de si nobles actions; on tend des perches au nageur, on l'excite, on l'encourage; le général lui-même s'approche jusqu'au bord de l'eau, et n'est pas peu étonné de voir sortir Bilboquet avec une grande barbe noire pendue au menton.15

14

-Qu'est-ce que cela? s'écrie-t-il et que signifie cette mascarade ? 16

C'est moi1 dit le tambour, c'est Bilboquet,17 à qui vous avez promis qu'on lui donnerait la croix, quand il aurait de la barbe au menton. En voici une qui est fameuse, j'espère. 18 Allez, allez, je n'y ai rien épargné; il y en a pour votre argent, et vos vingt francs y ont passé.

Le général demeura stupéfait de tant de courage et de finesse à la fois.19 Il prit la main à Bilboquet, comme s'il eut été un homme et lui donna sur-le-champ la croix que lui-même portait à sa boutonnière,20 et qu'il avait gagnéer aussi, à force de bravoure et de services. Depuis ce temps, les anciens du régiment saluaient Bilboquet avec amitié,21 et le tambour-maître ne lui donna plus de coups de canne. E. MARCO DE SAINT-HILAIRE.

[blocks in formation]

e

f

5

Ils prêchaient à leurs fils la vertu, la sagesse;
Leur parlaient du bonheur qu'ils procurent toujours.
Le père par un conte égayait ses discours,
La mère par une caresse."
L'aîné de ces enfants, nés grave, studieux,
Lisaith et méditait sans cesse;8

Le cadet, vif, léger, mais plein de gentillesse,
Sautait, riait toujours, ne se plaisait qu'aux jeux.9
Un soir, selon l'usage, à côté de leur père,
Assis près d'une table où s'appuyait la mère,
L'aîné lisait Rollin: 10 le cadet, peu soigneuxk
D'apprendre les hauts faits des Romains ou des Parthes,
Employait tout son art, toutes ses facultés,
A joindre, à soutenir par les quatre côtés
Un fragile château de cartes."

m

Il n'en respirait pas d'attention, de peur.
Tout à coup voici le lecteur

n

Qui s'interrompt; Papa, dit-il daigne m'instruire
Porquoi certains guerriers sont nommés conquérants,
Et d'autres fondateurs d'empire:

[ocr errors]

Ces deux noms sont-ils différents ?12

Le père méditait une réponse sage,

13

Lorsque son fils cadet, transporté de plaisir,
Après tant de travail, d'avoir pu parvenir

A placer son second étage,1

14

S'écrie: Il est fini!15 Son frère murmurant,

P

Se fâche, et d'un seul coup détruit son long ouvrage 23
Et voilà le cadet pleurant.
Mon fils répond alors le père
Le fondateur c'est votre frère
Et vous êtes le conquérant.17
COLLOQUIAL EXERCISE.'

1. Combien de personnes y
avait-il dans cette famille ?
2. Quelle était leur habita-
tion?

3. Quelles étaient les occupa-
tions de ces époux ?

i

FLORIAN.

4. Où soupaient-ils dans l'été et dans l'hiver ?

5. Que recommandaient-ils à leurs enfants?

6. De quoi leur parlaient-ils ?

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »