Higher Lessons in English Part 87

III. +Habits+.--Regular. Four meals daily, each an hour long. Smoked and doubted eight hours. Slept twelve. As self-contained as an oyster. Rarely spoke save in monosyllables. But never said a foolish thing. Never laughed.

Perplexed by a joke. Conceived everything on a grand scale. When a question was asked, would put on a mysterious look. Shake his head. Smoke in silence. Observe, at length, he had doubts. Presided at the council, in state. Swayed a Turkish pipe instead of a scepter. Known to sit with eyes closed two hours. Internal commotion shown by guttural sounds. Noises of contending doubts, admirers said.

IV. +Exploits.+--Settled a dispute about accounts thus: sent for the parties; each produced his account-book; Van T. weighed the books; counted the leaves; equally heavy; equally thick; made each give the other a receipt; and the constable pay the costs. Demanded why Van Rensselaer seized Bear's Island. Battled with doubts regarding the Yankees. Smoked and breathed his last together.

+Direction.+---_Weave these facts into four paragraphs, write on the margin the special topic of each, and over the whole what you think it the general subject of the theme:--_

The prophets of Baal accept Elijah's challenge. They dress a bullock. Call on Baal. Are mocked by Elijah. Leap upon the altar. Cut themselves. Blood.

Cry till the time of the evening sacrifice. No answer by fire. Elijah commands the people to come near. Repairs an old altar with twelve stones, one for each tribe. Digs a trench. Sacrifices. Pours water three times upon it. Prays. Fire falls, consumes flesh, wood, stones, dust, licks up water.

People see it. Fall on their faces. Cry out twice, "The Lord, he is the G.o.d." Take the prophets to the brook Kishon, where they are slain. Elijah ascends Mount Carrael. Bows in prayer. "Go up now, look toward the sea."

Servant reports, "There is nothing." "Go again seven times." "Behold there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand." Orders Ahab to prepare his chariot. Girding up his loins, he runs before Ahab to Jezreel.

LESSON 159.

PARAGRAPHS AND THE THEME.

+Direction.+--_Weave these facts into as many paragraphs as you think there should be, using the variety of expression insisted on in Lesson 150, and write on the margin of each paragraph the special topic, and over the whole the general subject of the theme:--_

Fort Ticonderoga on a peninsula. Formed by the outlet of Lake George and by Lake Champlain. Fronts south; water on three sides. Separated by Lake Champlain from Mount Independence, and by the outlet, from Mount Defiance.

Fort one hundred feet above the water. May 7, 1775, two hundred and seventy men meet at Castleton, Vermont. All but forty-six, Green Mountain boys.

Meet to plan and execute an attack upon Fort T. Allen and Arnold there.

Each claims the command. Question left to the officers. Allen chosen. On evening of the 9th, they reach the lake. Difficulty in crossing. Send for a scow. Seize a boat at anchor. Search, and find small row boats. Only eighty-three able to cross. Day is dawning when these reach the sh.o.r.e. Not prudent to wait. Allen orders all who will follow him to poise their firelocks. Every man responds. Nathan Beman, a lad, guides them to the fort. Sentinel snaps his gun at A. Misses fire. Sentinel retreats. They follow. Rush upon the parade ground. Form. Loud cheer. A. climbs the stairs. Orders La Place, it is said, in the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress, to surrender. Capture forty-eight men. One hundred and twenty cannon. Used next winter at the siege of Boston. Several swords and howitzers, small arms, and ammunition.

+Direction+.--_These facts are thrown together promiscuously. Cla.s.sify them as they seem to you to be related. Determine the number of paragraphs and their order, and then do as directed above_:--

Joseph was Jacob's favorite. Wore fine garments. One day was sent to inquire after the other sons. They were at a distance, tending the flocks.

Joseph used to dream. They saw him coming. Plotted to kill him. In one dream his brothers' sheaves bowed to his. In another the sun, moon, and stars bowed to him. Plotted to throw his body into a pit. Agreed to report to their father that some beast had devoured Joseph. Joseph foolishly told these to his brothers. Hated him because of the dreams and their father's partiality. While the brothers were eating, Ishmaelites approached. They sat down to eat. Were going down into Egypt. Camels loaded with spices. At the intercession of Reuben they did not kill Joseph. Threw him alive into a pit. Ishmaelites took him down into Egypt. Sold him to Potiphar. Judah advised that he be raised from the pit. Jacob recognized the coat. Refused comfort. Rent his clothes and put on sackcloth. They took his coat. Killed a kid and dipped the coat in its blood. Brought it to Jacob. "This have we found; know now whether it be thy son's coat or no."

LESSON 160.

PARAGRAPHS AND THE THEME.

+Direction+.--_Cla.s.sify these promiscuous facts, determine carefully the number and the order of the paragraphs, and then do as directed above_:--

Trafalgar a Spanish promontory. Near the Straits of Gibraltar. Off Trafalgar, fleets of Spain and France, October 21, 1805. Nelson in command of the English fleet. The combined fleets in close line of battle.

Collingwood second in command. Had more and larger cannon than the English.

English fleet twenty-seven sail of the line and four frigates. Thirty-three sail of the line and seven frigates. He signaled those memorable words: "England expects every man to do his duty." Enemy had four thousand troops.

Signal received with a shout. They bore down. The best riflemen in the enemy's boats. C. steered for the center. C. in the _Royal Sovereign_ led the lee line of thirteen ships. A raking fire opened upon the _Victory_. N.

in the _Victory_ led the weather line. C. engaged the _Santa Anna_.

Delighted at being the first in the fire. At 1.15 N. shot through the shoulder and back. At 12 the _Victory_ opened fire. N.'s secretary the first to fall. Fifty fell before a shot was returned. "They have done for me at last, Hardy," said N. They bore him below. At 2.25 ten of the enemy had struck. The wound was mortal. At 4 fifteen had struck. The victory that cost the British 1,587 men won. These were his last words. At 4.30 he expired. "How goes the day with us?" he asked Hardy. "I hope none of our ships have struck." N.'s death was more than a public calamity. "I am a dead man, Hardy," he said. Englishmen turned pale at the news. Most triumphant death that of a martyr. He shook hands with Hardy. "Kiss me, Hardy." They mourned as for a dear friend. Kissed him on the cheek. Most awful death that of the martyr patriot. The loss seemed a personal one.

Knelt down again and kissed his forehead. His articulation difficult. Heard to say, "Thank G.o.d, I have done my duty." Seemed as if they had not known how deeply they loved him. Most splendid death that of the hero in the hour of victory. Has left a name which is our pride. An example which is our shield and strength. Buried him in St. Paul's. Thus the spirits of the great and the wise live after them.

TO THE TEACHER--Continue this work as long as it is needed. Take any book, and read to the cla.s.s items of facts. Require them to use the imagination and whatever graces of style are at their command, in weaving these facts together.

LESSON 161.

a.n.a.lYSIS OF THE SUBJECT OF THE THEME.

+a.n.a.lysis of the Subject+.--A Theme is made up of groups of sentences called Paragraphs. The sentences of each paragraph are related to each other, because they jointly develop a single point, or thought. And the paragraphs are related to each other, because these points which they develop are divisions of the one general subject of the Theme.

After the subject has been chosen, and before writing upon it, it must be resolved into the main thoughts which compose it. Upon the thoroughness of this a.n.a.lysis and the natural arrangement of the thoughts thus derived, depends largely the worth of the theme. These points form, when arranged, the +Framework+ of the theme.

Suppose you had taken _The Armada_ as your subject. Perhaps you could say under these heads all you wish: 1. _What the Armada was_.

2. _When and by whom equipped_.

3. _Its purpose_.

4. _Its sail over the Bay of Biscay and entrance into the English Channel_.

5. _The attack upon it by Admiral Howard and his great Captains--Drake and Hawkins_.

6. _Its dispersion and partial destruction by the storm_.

7. _The return to Spain of the surviving ships and men_.

8. _The consequences to England and to Spain_.

Perhaps the 1st point could include the 2d and the 3d. Be careful not to split your general subject up into very many parts. See, too, that no point is repeated, that no point foreign to the subject is introduced, and that all the points together exhaust the subject as nearly as may be. Look to the arrangement of the points. There is a natural order; (6) could not precede (5); nor (5), (4); nor (4), (1).

TO THE TEACHER.--Question the pupils carefully upon every point taken up in this Lesson.

+Direction+.--_Prepare the framework of a theme on each of these subjects_:--

1. The Arrest of Major Andre.

2. A Winter in the Arctic Region.

LESSON 162.

a.n.a.lYSIS OF SUBJECTS.

+Direction+.--_Prepare the framework of a theme on each of these subjects_:--

1. Battle of Plattsburg.

2. A Day's Nutting.

3. What Does a Proper Care for One's Health Demand?

LESSON 163.

a.n.a.lYSIS OF SUBJECTS.

+Direction+.--_Prepare the framework of a theme on each of these subjects_:--

1. A Visit to the Moon.

2. Reasons why one Should Not Smoke, 3. What Does a Proper Observance of Sunday Require of One?