follow them. In one place, where a high steep. sand-bank rose directly above the river, I observed many of them go in and out of holes with which the bank was bored full.

Mr. A. Those were sand-martins, the smallest of our species of swallows. They are of a mouse colour above, and white beneath. They make their nests, and bring up their young, in these holes, which run a great depth, and, by their situation, are secure from all plunderers.'

W. I then turned homeward across the meadows, where I stopped a while to look at a large flock of starlings which kept flying about at no great distance. I could not tell at first what to make of them; for they all rose together from the ground as thick as a swarm of bees, and formed themselves into a kind of black cloud, hovering over the field. After having made a short round, they settled again, and presently rose again in the same manner. dare say there were hundreds of them.'

I

Mr. A. Perhaps so, for in the fenny countries their flocks are so numerous, as to break down whole acres of reeds by settling on them.'

"W. I got to the high field next our house, just as the sun was setting, and I stood looking at it till it was quite lost. What a glorious sight! The clouds were tinged with purple, and crimson, and yellow, of all shades and hues, and the clear sky varied from blue to a fine green at the horizon. But how large the sun appears just as it sets! I think it seems twice as big as when it is over head.'

Mr. A. It does so; and probably you have observed the same of the moon at its rising.'

'W. I have; but pray what is the reason of this?'

'Mr. A. You will scarcely be able to understand this at present. What a number of new ideas this

afternoon's walk has afforded you! I do not wonder that you found it amusing: it has been very instructive. Did you see nothing of all these sights, Robert?'

'R. I saw some of them, but I did not take particular notice of them.'

'Mr. A. Why not?'

'R. I don't know. I did not care about them, and I made the best of my way home.'

'Mr. A. That would have been right, if you had been sent with a message; but, as you only walked for amusement, it would have been wiser to have sought out as many sources of it as possible. But so it is-one man walks through the world with his eyes open, and another with them shut; and upon this difference depends all the superiority of knowledge the one acquires above the other. I have known sailors who had been in all the quarters of the world, and could tell you nothing but the signs of the public-houses they frequented in different ports, and the price and quality of the liquor; while the observing eye and enquiring mind find matter of improvement and delight in every ramble in town or country. Do you, then, William, continue to make use of your eyes; and you, Robert, learn that eyes were given you to use.-Dr. Aikin.

drift (v.), to be driven before the wind

whoop'-ing, shouting

ca'-ble, a rope to hold a ship at fleec'-y, white like wool

anchor

weath'-er (v.), to endure

spar (n.), a small beam
sleet, snow and rain together

card (v.), to comb wool

gore (v.), to wound with horns
a-ghast', struck with fear
lash'-ed, tied

bil'.low, a wave

It was the schooner Hesperus

That sailed the wintry sea,

And the skipper had taken his little daughter,

To bear him company.

Blue were her eyes as the fairy flax,

Her cheeks like the dawn of day,
And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds
That ope in the month of May.

Down came the storm, and smote amain
The vessel in her strength;

She shuddered and paused, like a frighted steed,
Then leaped her cable's length.

Come hither! come hither! my little daughter, And do not tremble so;

For I can weather the roughest gale

That ever wind did blow.'

He wrapped her warm in his seaman's coat
Against the stinging blast;
from a broken

He cut a rope
And bound her to the mast.

spar,

O father! I hear the church bells ring;
O say, what may it be?'

'Tis a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast!'
And he steered for the
open sea.

O father! I hear the sound of guns;
O say, what may it be?'
'Some ship in distress, that cannot live
In such an angry sea!'

'O father! I see a gleaming light ;
O say, what may it be?'

But the father answered never a word,
A frozen corpse was he.

And fast through the midnight, dark and drear,
Through the whistling sleet and snow,
Like a sheeted ghost, the vessel swept
T'wards the reef of Norman's woe.

To the rocks and breakers right ahead
She drifted, a dreary wreck;

And a whooping billow swept the crew
Like icicles from her deck.

She struck where the white and fleecy waves
Looked soft as carded wool;

But the cruel rocks they gored her side
Like the horns of an angry bull.

At daybreak, on the bleak sea-beach
A fisherman stood aghast,

To see the form of a maiden fair

Lashed close to a drifting mast.

The salt sea was frozen on her breast,

The salt tears in her eyes;

And he saw her hair, like the brown sea-weed,
On the billows fall and rise.

lo'-cust, an insect something like a | de-lib'-er-ate (adj.), not hasty,

grasshopper ex-er-tion, labour court'-i-ers, persons courts of princes

thoughtful

gran'-a-ry, a storehouse for corn

about the en-ga'-ged, occupied

pro-cla-ma'-tion, public announce-
ment of the king's will
heir, one who inherits
prin-cess', a lady of royal birth
com-po'-sed, quiet, settled
re'-qui-site, necessary

in-ter-rupt', to stop or hinder
another

cap-rice', fancy, whim
a-bom'-i-na-ble, hateful
in-ge'-ni-ous, skilful, clever
de-vice', scheme, plan

There was a certain king, who, like many eastern kings, was very fond of hearing stories told. To