Mary, the Maid of the Inn ....... The Frenchman and the Proverbs Christmas and its Emblems Mrs. Wm. Hey The Quarrel of Brutus and Cassius Shakspeare... The Young Husband's Complaint George Bennett The Old Stone-Breaker............ Edward Capern A Country Ball on the Almack's On Visiting the Falls of Niagara PENNY READINGS. HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX. ROBERT BROWNING. I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; "Good speed!" cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew; "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, 'Twas moonset at starting; but while we drew near And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half chime, So Joris broke silence with "Yet there is time!" At Aerschot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, And his low head and crest,'just one sharp ear bent back By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris "Stay spur! Your Ross galloped bravely, the fault's not in her, We'll remember at Aix"-for one heard the quick wheeze Of her chest, saw her stretched neck and staggering knees, And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. So we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff; Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, "How they'll greet us!" and all in a moment his roan Then I cast loose my buff-coat, each holster let fall, Called my Roland his pet-name, my horse without peer; Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, any noise, bad or good, Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. And all I remember is, friends flocking round As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground, (By permission of Messrs. Chapman and Hall.) THE CHARACTER OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. DAVID HUME. [David Hume, the historian, was born in Edinburgh, 1711; he was intended for the law, and received an education with that view; but his mind was bent on literature, and he returned to the Continent, residing some years in Paris. His first published work was his "Treatise on Human Nature," printed in 1738; it was followed by several others of a philosophical character, none of which had any success. In 1754 he issued the first volume of his "History of England," the merits of which were not fully admitted until several of the succeeding volumes appeared. He then took his position as the first historian of the age. Hume's work was brought down to the Revolution only. He died in Edinburgh 1776. In studying history, the bias of the author must always be considered, and Hume wrote much in justification of what the Stuarts had been blamed for, but his style is clear and calm, and his tone philosophical. The detail, which shows the character and life of a people, and which marks our modern historians, is not to be found in Hume.] At Aerschot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, And his low head and crest,'just one sharp ear bent back By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris "Stay spur! Your Ross galloped bravely, the fault's not in her, We'll remember at Aix"-for one heard the quick wheeze Of her chest, saw her stretched neck and staggering knees, And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. So we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff; Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, And "Gallop" gasped Joris, "for Aix is in sight! " "How they'll greet us!" and all in a moment his roan |