back to the end of that century which is now commenced. 13. A hundred years hence, other disciples of Washington will celebrate his birth, with no less of sincere admiration than we now commemorate it. When they shall meet, as we now meet, to do themselves and him that honor, so surely as they shall see the blue summits of his native mountains rise in the horizon, so surely as they shall behold the river on whose banks he lived, and on whose banks he rests, still flowing on toward the ocean, so surely may they see, as we now see, the flag of the Union floating on the top of the Capitol; and then, as now, may the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country! XLIV. WAR SUMMONS OF THE CLAN. SIR WALTER SCOTT. For DANCE, LAST, MORASS, PASS, see § 22. Pronounce E'ER, air, LOCH KATRINE, lõk kăť'rin, MALISE, măľ'liz, VICH ALPINE, vik åľ'pin. See in Index, FALCONER, HENCHMAN, PLOW or PLough, scar, swARTHY, SWATH, WARRIOR, wound, Scott. Delivery. The following extract is from "The Lady of the Lake." The first stanza comprises the anathema of Brian, the hermit monk, upon such clansmen as shall fail to heed the summons to war signified in the fiery cross. Something of the guttural quality should be imparted to the tone here. The rate of utterance in other parts of the poem, especially in the language of Roderick, should be fast, the quality pure, and the pitch middle, though ir the last two lines it may be high. I. "WHEN flits this cross from man to man, - Wolves make the coward heart their prize! * And be the grace to him denied, II. Then Roderick, with impatient look, "The muster-place be Lanrick mead,— Instant the time III. Like heath-bird, when the hawks pursue, " The bubbles, where they launched the boat, Were all unbroken and afloat, Dancing in foam and ripple still, When it had neared the mainland hill: And from the silver beach's side Still was the prow three fathom wide, IV. Speed, Malise, speed! the dun deer's hide On fleeter foot was never tied. Speed, Malise, speed! such cause of haste Bend 'gainst the steepy hill thy breast; V. The crag is high, the scar is deep; Herald of battle, fate, and fear, Stretch onward in thy fleet career! The wounded hind thou track'st not now, VI. Fast as the fatal symbol flies, In arms the huts and hamlets rise; VII. The fisherman forsook the strand, VIII. So swept the tumult and affray Along the margin of Achray. Alas! thou lovely lake! that e'er Thy banks should echo sounds of fear! The lark's blithe carol from the cloud IX. Speed, Malise, speed! the lake is past, And peep, like moss-grown rocks, half seen, There may'st thou rest, thy labor done, This admirable reading exercise is from "The Fool of Quality," a work much admired a century ago, and still in the bookstores. The incidents upon which the following narrative is founded are historical; they occurred in the year 1347, and may be found in Hume's History of England. Pronounce MATURITY, ma-ture'i-ty; CALAIS, kal'is or (as in French) kä-lay'; VIENNE, ve-ěn; ST. PIERRE, saint-peer or (as in French) săng-peer'; WISSANT, wis-sänt'. See in Index, burgher, deFENSE or DEFENCE, BROOKE. The style is narrative and dramatic. See §§ 48, 53. 1. EDWARD THE THIRD, after the battle of Cressy, laid siege to Calais. He had fortified his camp in so impregnable a manner that all the efforts of France proved ineffectual to raise the siege, or-throw succors into the city. The citizens, under Count Vienne, their gallant governor, made an admirable defense. France had now put the sickle into her second harvest since Edward, with his victorious army, sat down before the town. The eyes of all Europe were intent on the issue. 2. At length famine did more for Edward than arms. After suffering unheard-of calamities, the citizens resolved to attempt the enemy's camp. They boldly sallied forth; the English joined battle; and after a long and desperate engagement, Count Vienne was taken prisoner, and the citizens who survived the slaughter retired within their gates. The command devolving upon Eustace St. Pierre, a man of mean birth, but of exalted virtue, he offered to capitulate with Edward, provided he permitted them to depart with life and liberty. 3. Edward, to avoid the imputation of cruelty, consented to spare the bulk of the plebeians, provided they delivered up to him six of their principal citizens with halters about their necks, as victims of due atonement for that spirit of rebellion with which they had inflamed the vulgar. When his messenger, Sir Walter Mauny, delivered the terms, consternation and pale dismay were impressed on every countenance. To a long and dead silence, deep sighs and groans succeeded; till Eustace St. Pierre, getting up to a little eminence, thus ad- . dressed the assembly: 4. "My friends, we are brought to great straits this day. We must either yield to the terms of our cruel and ensnaring conqueror, or give up our tender infants, our wives and daughters, to the bloody and brutal lusts of the violating soldiers. Is there any expedient left whereby we may avoid, on the one hand, the guilt and infamy of delivering up those who have suffered every misery with you; or, on the other hand, the desolation. and horror of a sacked city? 5. "There is, my friends, there is one expedient left! A gracious, an excellent, a godlike expedient! Is there any one here to whom virtue is dearer than life? Let him offer himself an oblation for the safety of his people! He shall not fail of a blessed approbation from that Power who offered up His only Son for the salvation of mankind." 6. He spoke. But a universal silence prevailed. Each man looked around for the example of that virtue and magnanimity which all wished to approve in |