SPELL AND DEFINE. - 1. Magnificence, extraordinary: 2. promulgate: 3. caprices, drama, vindicated: 4. audacity: 5. espousing: 6. affectations, persecutor, denouncer: 7. inflexible, incomprehensible. LESSON XXXVIII. REMARK. The tones of the voice and the manner of reading should correspond with the nature of the subject. [The following is a very difficult sketch to read expressively. The old man dying under torture, and the painter striving to catch the expression of his countenance, and to transfer it to the canvas, are the two objects before the mind. The painter is sometimes talking to himself, sometimes directing his servant, and sometimes replying to the groans and entreaties of the dying man, and, in each of these characters, his supposed manner of expression is to be imitated.] Words to be Spelled and Defined. 1. Fes'-ter-ing, p. rankling, causing corruption. Rapi, a. transported in ecstacy. 2. Air'-i-ly, adv. gayly, merrily. 8. A-gape', adv. (pro. a-gahp) gaping, having the mouth open. 4. Sti'-fles, v. suppresses, stops. 6. Smoth'-er-ing, a. suffocating by covering up closely. 7. In-sa'-tiate, a. not to be satisfied. Yearn'-ing, n. strong emotions of tenderness or pity. Taunt, v. to upbraid, to revile. 9. E-clipse, v. to obscure, to darken. Here it means to surpass, to go beyond. Con-cep'-tion, n. the power of thinking. 11. Pomp, n. splendor, parade. PARRHASIUS. "Parrhasius, a painter of Athens. bought one of those Olynthian captives whichPhilip of Macedon brought home to sell; and, when he had him at his house, put him to death with extreme torture and torment, the better by his example, to express the pains and passions of his Prometheus, which he was then about to paint." In the fables of the ancients, Prometheus is represented as being, by the command of the gods, chained to the rocks of Mount Caucasus, and surrounded by vultures, which are constantly devouring his liver. This, however, grows again as fast as it is eaten. so that he is thus continually enduring the agonies of death, but never dies. It was this Prometheus, thus chained and tortured, that Parrhasius was attempting to paint. and the old man, his captive, was tortured to death, that the painter might copy the expression given by extreme pain to the countenance. 1. PARRHASIUS stood, gazing forgetfully Upon his canvas. There Prometheus lay, Of the lame Lemnian* festering in his flesh; * Vulcan, who was the fabled blacksmith of the gods, and who was lame. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And, as the painter's mind felt through the dim, Were like the winged god's breathing from his flight. "Bring me the captive now! My hand feels skillful, and the shadows lift Upon the bended heavens; around me play "Ha! bind him on his back'! Look'! as Prometheus in my picture here! Press down the poisoned links into his flesh'! "So'! let him writhe'! How long Will he live thus'? Quick', my good pencil', now! How fearfully he stifles that short moan"! "Pity' thee'? So I do'; I pity the dumb victim at the altar'; But does the robed priest for his pity falter'? A thousand lives were perishing in thine'; "Ah! there's a deathless name! Consumed my brain to ashes as it won me; "Ay', though it bid me rifle. My heart's last fount for its insatiate thirst'; * Mercury. 8. 9. 10. Though every life-strung nerve be maddened first; The yearning in my throat for my sweet child, "All! I would do it all, Sooner than die, like a dull worm, to rot; Oh heavens'! but I appall Your heart', old man'! forgive-ha! on your lives “Vain'—vain'—give o'er. His eye Glazes apace. He does not feel you now. Stand back! I'll paint the death dew on his brow! But for one moment-one-till I eclipse "Shivering! Hark! he mutters Brokenly now; that was a difficult breath; Is his heart still? Aha! lift up his head'! He shudders'-gasps'-Jove help' him-so', he's dead!" 11. How like a mountain devil in the heart Rules this unreined ambition! Let it once QUESTIONS. WILLIS. Who was Parrhasius? Where is Athens? What was Parrhasius painting? Relate the fable of Prometheus. Why did the painter torture the old man? Is such ambition justifiable? What caused the fallen angels to rebel? Explain the inflections. Parse the first "all" in the 8th paragraph. Parse“ vain in the 9th. The second one in the same. · Devil" in the 11th. PRONUNCIATION. - Pro-me-the-us, not Pro-me-thuse: Cau'-ca-sus, not Cou-ca'-sus victim, not vic-tum curl, not cull: death-less, not death hss: ap-påll, not ap-pål. (For the sounds indicated by the figures in words like this, see McGuffey's newly revised Eclectic Spelling Book, p. 12.) SPELL AND DEFINE.· 1. Canvas, mystery: 2. divinity: 3. cordial : 4. agony: 5. falter: 6. steadfast: 7. rifle. LESSON XXXIX. RULE. Avoid reading in a monotonous way, as if you were not interested, or did not understand what is read. Words to be Spelled and Defined. 1. Gul'-lies, n. hollows in the earth worn 2. En-am'-el-ed, p. (used figuratively) cov- Wind'-ward, n. the point from which 5. Lar'-i-at, n. a long cord or thong of leather, with a noose, used in catching wild horses. 8. Flank'-ing, a. overlooking on the side. 9. Jack-o'lan'-tern, n. a kind of light seen in low, moist grounds, which disappears when approached. Cov'-ert, n a covering place, a shelter 10. Pan'-ic, n. sudden fright. 11 Scour'-ing. p. passing swiftly. CAPTURING THE WILD HORSE. 1. WE left the buffalo camp about eight o'clock, and had a toilsome and harassing march of two hours, over ridges of hills, covered with a ragged forest of scrub oaks, and broken by deep gullies. 2. About ten o'clock in the morning, we came to where this line of rugged hills swept down into a valley, through which flowed the north fork of Red River. A beautiful meadow, about half a mile wide, enameled with yellow autumnal flowers, stretched for two or three miles along the foot of the hills, bordered on the opposite side by the river, whose banks were fringed with cotton-wood trees, the bright foliage of which refreshed and delighted the eye, after being wearied by the contemplation of monotonous wastes of brown forest. 3. The meadow was finely diversified by groves and clumps of trees, so happily disposed, that they seemed as if set out by the hand of art. As we cast our eyes over this fresh and delightful valley, we beheld a troop of wild horses, quietly grazing on a green lawn, about a mile distant, to our right, while to our left, at nearly the same distance, were several buffaloes; some feeding, others reposing, and ruminating among the high, rich herbage, under the shade of a clump of cotton-wood trees. The whole had the appearance of a broad beautiful tract of pasture land, on the highly ornamented estate of some gentleman farmer, with his cattle grazing about the lawns and meadows. 4. A council of war was now held, and it was determined to profit by the present favorable opportunity, and try our hand at the grand hunting maneuver, which is called "ringing the wild horse." This requires a large party of horsemen, well mounted. They extend themselves in each direction, at certain distances apart, and gradually form a ring of two or three miles in circumference, so as to surround the game. This must be done with extreme care, for the wild horse is the most readily alarmed inhabitant of the prairie, and can scent a hunter at a great distance, if to windward. 5. The ring being formed, two or three ride toward the horses, which start off in an opposite direction. Whenever they approach the bounds of the ring, however, a huntsman presents himself, and turns them from their course. In this way, they are checked, and driven back at every point, and kept galloping round and round this magic circle, until, being completely tired down, it is easy for hunters to ride up beside them, and throw the lariat over their heads. The prime horses of the most speed, courage, and bottom, however, are apt to break through, and escape, so that, in general, it is the second rate horses that are taken. 6. Preparations were now made for a hunt of this kind. The pack horses were now taken into the woods, and firmly tied to trees, lest in a rush of wild horses, they should break away. Twenty-five men were then sent under the command of a lieutenant, to steal along the edge of the valley, within the strip of wood that skirted the hills. They were to station themselves about fifty yards apart, within. the edge of the woods, and not advance or show themselves until the horses dashed in that direction. Twenty-five men were sent across the valley, to steal in like manner along the river bank that bordered the opposite side, and to station themselves among the trees. 7. A third party of about the same number was to form a line, stretching across the lower part of the valley, so as to connect the two wings. Beatte and our other half breed, Antoine, together with the ever officious Tonish, were to make a circuit |