Doth glow beneath it with a richer hue
Than tinged its earliest flower!

Ximena. It well may be!

There are far deeper and far warmer hues

Than those which draw their coloring from the founts
Of youth, or health, or hope.

Why should not He, whose touch dissolves our chain,
Put on His robes of beauty, when He comes
As a Deliverer? He hath many forms;
They should not all be fearful. If His call
Be but our gathering to that distant lană,

For whose sweet waters we have pined with thirst,
Why should not its prophetic sense be borne
Into the heart's deep stillness, with a breath
Of summer winds, a voice of melody,
Solemn, yet lovely? Mother, I depart !—
Be it thy comfort, in thy after days,
That thou hast seen me thus !

Elmina. Can I bear

When thou art gone?

on with life

Thy voice, thy step, thy smile

Passed from my path! Alas, even now thine eye

Is changed-thy cheek is fading!

Ximena. Aye, the clouds

Of the dim hour are gathering o'er my sight.
Oh, weep thou not, save with a gentle sorrow!
Elmina. Must it be? Art thou, indeed, to leave me
Ximena (exultingly). Be thou glad!

I say, rejoice above thy favored child!
Joy, for the soldier when his field is fought,
Joy, for the peasant when his vintage task

Is closed at eve! But, most of all, for her
Who, when her life changed its glittering robes
For the dull garb of sorrow, which doth cling
So heavily around the journeyers on,
Cast down its weight-and slept!

[She dies

DIRGE.

(p.) Calm on the bosom of thy God,
Fair spirit, rest thee now!

E'en while with ours thy footsteps trod,

His seal was on thy brow.

Dust, to its narrow house beneath!

Soul, to its place on high!

They that have seen thy look in death,
No more may fear to die.

QUESTIONS.-1. Why the rising inflection on child, secord stanza See Note I., page 30. 2. Why the falling inflection on away, fourto stanza? See Rule VIII., page 31.

Dark and drear, the mountain lowers,
There no flowers rear their head.
"Let the flowers bloom and blow!
Mother, mother, let me go!"

1. And the boy went forth to chase, (=) On, on, up the craggy pile, With blind daring's reckless pace, Through the mountain's dark defile! On before him, like the wind, Trembling flees the panting hind.

"Wherefore, in my airy land

Bring'st thou with thee death and woe?
Earth for all hath ample space,

Why dost thou my flocks then chase?"

EXERCISE XCIX.

STORY OF ALCANDER AND SEPTIMIUS.

OLIVER GOLDSMITH.

1. Athens, even long after the decline of the Roman Empire, still continued the seat of learning, politeness, and wisdom. The emperors and generals, who, in these periods of approaching ignorance, still felt a passion for science, from time to time, added to its buildings, or increased its professorships. Theodoric, the Ostrogoth, was of the number; he repaired those schools which barbarity was suffering to fall into decay, and continued those pensions to men of learning which avaricious governors had monopolized to themselves.

2. In this city, and about this period, Alcander and Septimius were fellow-students together. The one the most subtle reasoner of all the Lyceum, the other the most eloquent speaker in the academic grove. Mutual admiration soon begot an acquaintance, and a similitude of disposition made them perfect friends. Their fortunes were nearly equal, their studies the same, and they were natives of the two most celebrated cities in the world; for Alcander was of Athens, Septimius came from Rome.

3. In this mutual harmony they lived for some time to gether, when Alcander, after passing the first part of his youth in the indolence of philosophy, thought, at length, of entering into the busy world; and, as a step previous to this, placed his affections on Hypatia, a lady of exquisite beauty. Hypatia showed no dislike to his addresses. The day of their mtended nuptials was fixed, the previous ceremonies were

performed, and nothing now remained but her being conducted in triumph to the apartment of the intended bride groom..

4. An exultation in his own happiness, or his being unable to enjoy any satisfaction without making his friend Septimius a partner, prevailed upon him to introduce his mistress to his fellow-student, which he did with all the gayety of a man who four.d himself equally happy in friendship and love. But this was an interview fatal to the peace of both. Septimius no sooner saw her but he was smit with an involuntary passion. He used every effort, but in vain, to suppress desires at once so imprudent and unjust. He retired to his apartment in inexpressible agony, and the emotions of his mind, in a short time, became so strong, that they brought on a fever, which the physicians judged incurable.

5. During this illness, Alcander watched him with all the anxiety of fondness, and brought his mistress to join in these amiable offices of friendship. The sagacity of the physicians, by this means, soon discovered the cause of their patient's disorder, and Alcander, being apprised of their discovery, at length, extorted a confession from the reluctant dying lover.

6. It would but delay the narrative to describe the conflict between love and friendship in the breast of Alcander on this occasion; it is enough to say, that the Athenians were at this time arrived to such refinement in morals, that every virtue was carried to excess. In short, forgetful of his own felicity, he gave up his intended bride, in all her charms, to the young Roman.

7. They were married privately by his connivance; and this unlooked-for change of fortune wrought as unexpected a change in the constitution of the now happy Septimius. In a few days he was perfectly recovered, and set out with his fair partner for Rome. Here, by an exertion of those talents of which he was so eminently possessed, he, in a few years, arrived at the highest dignities of the state, and was constituted the city judge or prætor.