LESSON CXXV.

THE SHIP.-ANONYMOUS.

THE summer sun is on the wave,
The zephyr seeks the sea,

And ripples, dancing round her, lave
The bulwark of the free.

THIS Figure exhibits an attitude of discovery mingled with admiration. The course of the gesture begins at the word how; the stroke comes upon the b beautiful,

and the handsbeing suspended through the rest of the line-commence their downward course upon the word the, and come to rest upon the word swell.The pupil will notice that the position of the feet is

quite extended, the right hand well elevated, with the middle and little fingers curved considerably inward; the left hand has the palm downward. The right foot is firmly planted, and the knee well braced. Emotions of friendship, of warm salutation, applause, and the like, or the issuing of directions to or concerning a distant person or object, may employ this form of action.

Her decks, on which the sun-beams play,
Are girt by many a gun

That guard our fame by night and day,
Where laurels green are won.

And ever may she lift on high

The banner of our glory,

Bearing in every azure sky

The stars that tell our story.

And though the tempest clouds may lower

Above the angry deep,

And storms, with wild convulsive power,

Around that vessel sweep,

While yet there is one shattered sail
To flutter in the blast,

O may she bear, through gloom and gale,
That banner to the last.

LESSON CXXVI.

THE SNOW! THE SNOW!-KNIGHT.

THE Snow, the snow! I love the snow,
With its wild and frantic curl,
As it dances along on the frigid blast,
That flings it about as it whistles past,
In many an eddying whirl!

O give me the snow, the white-winged snow,
That falls from the wintry sky,

That robes the earth in a vest of white,

And sparkles and shines in the sun's rich light,
Like the starry arch on high!

The snow, the snow! I love the snow,

'Tis ever dear to me!

With the gladsome cry of the bright-cheek'd boy,
Who hails its flight with a shout of joy-

With a shout so full of glee!

Then give me the snow, the white-winged snow,
That falls from the wintry sky,

That robes the earth in a vest of white,

And sparkles and shines in the sun's rich light,
Like the starry arch on high!

LESSON CXXVII.

OLD IRONSIDES.-HOLMES.

THE United States frigate CoNSTITUTION is meant by Old Ironsides. She was a noble ship of war, and after waging many victorious battles, was condemned to be broken up. The indignant tone of public sentiment may be inferred from the following spirited verses.

Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,

Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
No more the conquered knee;
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea.

Oh! better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave:-
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave!
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,

THE course of this gesture begins at the word the; the hand passes up instantly to the word lightning, making its stroke there, with spread fingers; it falls to rest at the word gale. With the beginning of the gesture, the speaker slides into the second right position; as represented in the figure, and with the termination of it, he comes again into the first right. This gesture, as here applied, if

well executed, is appropriate and impressive. I have seen small boys in reciting the admirable poem of Marco Bozzaris,--see U.S. Speaker, page 316,-make quite a point with it, upon the expression,"As lightnings from the mountain cloud." It is proper to language of sudden alarm, fearful emergency,--wherever, indeed, the speaker designs to give force to a startling idea.

The lightning, and the gale!)

LESSON CXXVIII.

A LEAF-AUTHOR OF PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

As through a little glass we see
A wide expanse of air,

And earth, and sky, and field, and tree,
Spread out in beauty there;

So in the smallest thing of earth,
A leaf, a shell, a flower,
We may perceive the wondrous birth
Of an Almighty power.

A wondrous field is shown us then,
Whose end we cannot see,

So far above all thoughts of men
Is its infinity.

A field where nothing rank can grow,
A field for ever green;

We scarce can catch a glimpse below-
Above 'twill all be seen.

A billow, cloud, or even less,
Is more exalted far,

And fraught with greater loveliness
Than earthly temples are.

In Nature there are no degrees
Of beauty; all is one ;

Each leaf is formed as wondrously
As any star or sun.

Then spurn not e'en a little leaf
On this sepulchral clod;

Read, mark, and learn, and court belief, "Twill lead thy thoughts to God.

LESSON CXXIX.

INTEMPERANCE.-ANONYMOUS.

OH! take the maddening bowl away;
Remove the poisonous cup!
My soul is sick-its burning ray
Hath drunk my spirit up:
Take-take it from my loathing lip,
Ere madness fires my brain;|

THIS Figure exhibits an attitude of aversion mingled with fear.The course of the gesture begins immediately after the word brain; at the same instant the head turns from the object of dislike, the feet change from the first right to the first left position, and the arms dart out with the

Take-take it hence, nor let me sip
Its liquid) death again.

Oh! dash it on the thirsty earth,

For I will drink no more;

hands up-as seen in the picture-making the stroke upon the word take; the first right position is resumed, as before, on the word its, and the hands come to rest upon the word liquid. Sentiments of disgust, hate, abhorrence, and the like, are appropriate to this form of action.

It cannot cheer the heart with mirth
That grief hath wounded sore;
For serpents wreath its sparkling brim,
And adders lurk below;

It hath no soothing charm for him
Who sinks oppressed with wo.

Then, hence! away, thou deadly foe-
I scorn thy base control:

Away, away!-I fear thy blow,

Thou palsy of the soul!

Henceforth I drink no more of thee,

Thou bane of Adam's race,

But to a heavenly fountain flee,

And drink the dews of grace.