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8. At this, galled Renard winced, and swore
Such language ne'er was given before.
"What's lamb to me?-the saucy hint;
Show me, base knave, which way you squint.
If t'other night, your master lost
Three lambs-am I to pay the cost?
Your vile reflections would imply
That I'm the thief. You dog, you lie."

9. "Thou knave, thou fool," the dog replied,
"The name is just, take either side;
Thy guilt these applications speak ;
Sirrah, 'tis conscience makes you squeak "
So saying, on the fox he flies :-
The self-convicted felon dies.

LESSON LVIII.

The Hare and the Tortoise.-LLOYD.

1. IN days of yore,* when time was young,
When birds conversed as well as sung,
When use of speech was not confined
Merely to brutes of human kind,

A forward hare of swiftness vain,
The genius of the neighboring plain,
Would oft deride the drudging crowd,
For geniuses are ever proud:

He'd boast, his flight 'twere vain to follow;
For dog, and horse, he'd beat them hollow;
Nay, if he put forth all his strength,
Outstrip his brethren half a length.

2. A tortoise heard his vain oration,
And vented thus his indignation:
"O puss! it bodes thee dire disgrace,
When I defy thee to the race.
Come, 'tis a match; nay, no denial:

I lay my shell upon the trial."

"Twas "Done !" and "Done !" "All fair!" "A bet!"

Judges prepared, and distance set.

3. The scampering hare outstripped the wind;

The creeping tortoise lagged behind,

*Yore, long ago of old time.

And scarce had passed a single pole,
When puss had almost reached the goal.
"Friend tortoise," quoth the jeering hare,
"Your burden's more than you can bear;
To help your speed it were as well
That I should ease you of your shell:
Jog on a little faster, pr'ythee;
I'll take a nap, and then be with thee."
4. So said, so done, and safely, sure;
For say, what conquest more secure?
When'er he waked, (that's all that's in it,)
He could o'ertake him in a minute.
The tortoise heard his taunting jeer,
But still resolved to persevere;
Still drawled along, as who should say,
"I'll win, like Fabius,* by delay;"
On to the goal securely crept,
While puss, unknowing, soundly slept.

5. The bets were won, the hare awoke,
When thus the victor-tortoise spoke :-
"Puss, though I own thy quicker parts,
Things are not always done by starts;
You may deride my awkward pace,
But slow and steady wins the race."

LESSON LIX.

The Painter who pleased Nobody and Every Body.-GAY

1. LEST men suspect your tale untrue,
Keep probability in view,

The trav'ller, leaping o'er those bounds,
The credit of his book confounds,

Who with his tongue hath armies routed,
Makes e'en his real courage doubted.

2. But flatt'ry never seems absurd;
The flatter'd always take your word;
Impossibilities seem just;

They take the strongest praise on trust;
Hyperboles, though e'er so great,

Will still come short of self conceit.

An illustrious Roman General who opposed Hannibal in Italy. He died 203 years B. C.

3. So very like a painter drew,
That ev'ry eye the picture knew;
He hit complexion, feature, air,
So just that life itself was there;
No flatt'ry with his colors laid,
To bloom restor'd the faded maid;
He each muscle all its strength;
gave
The mouth, the chin, the nose's length,
His honest pencil touch'd with truth,
And mark'd the date of age and youth.
4. He lost his friends; his practice fail'd,
Truth should not always be reveal'd;
In dusty piles his pictures lay,
For no one sent the second pay.

5. Two busto's, fraught with ev'ry grace,
A Venus* and Apollo'st face,

He plac'd in view-resolv'd to please,
Whoever sat, he drew from these;
From these corrected every feature,
And spirited each awkward creature.

6. All things were set; the hour was come,
His palette ready o'er his thumb:
My Lord appear'd, and seated right,

In

proper attitude and light,

The painter look'd, he sketch'd the piece;
Then dipt his pencil, talk'd of Greece,
Of Titian's tints, of Guido's air,
"Those eyes, my Lord, the spirit there,
Might well a Raphael's hand require,
To give them all the native fire;
The features, fraught with sense and wit,
You'll grant, are very hard to hit :
But yet, with patience, you shall view
As much as paint or art can do:

7. Observe the work."-My Lord reply'd,
"Till now, I thought my mouth was wide:
Besides, my nose is somewhat long;

Dear sir, for me 'tis far too young.'

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* Venus, one of the most celebrated of the heathen deities. She was the goddess of beauty. Copies of her statue are used as models by painters. † Apollo, another of the ancient heathen deities. The Apollo-Belvidere is an ancient statue of the first class in excellence.

Palette, a little oval table, or board, on which the painter places his colors to be used. and mixes them to obtain the requisite tints.

An Italian painter.

"O pardon me," the artist cry'd,
"In this, we painters must decide.
The piece e'en common eyes must strike;
I'll warrant it extremely like."

My Lord examin'd it anew,

No looking-glass seem'd half so true.
8. A lady came. With borrow'd grace,
He from his Venus form'd her face,
Her lover prais'd the painter's art,
So like the picture in his heart!
To ev'ry age some charm he lent;
E'en beauties were almost content.

9. Through all the town his art they prais'd,
His custom grew, his price was rais'd.
Had he the real likeness shown,

Would any man the picture own?
But when thus happily he wrought,
Each found the likeness in his thought.

LESSON LX.

Story of the Siege of Calais.

1. EDWARD the III. 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 defence.

2. 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. At length, famine did more for Edward than arms.

3. After suffering unheard of calamities, they 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.

4. The command devolving upon Eustace St. Pierre, a man of mean birth, but of exalted virtue, he offered to capitulate with

*

Cressy, a town of France, situated on the river Maye, 100 miles north of Paris. It is celebrated for the great victory gained on the 26th of August, A. D. 1346, by Edward III. of England, over Philip VI. of France.

+Cal-ais, a town of France, situated on the Straits of Dover, taken by Edward III. in 1347.

Edward, provided he permitted him to depart with life and liberty. 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.

5. When the 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 addressed the assembly:

6. " 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.

7. "Is there any expedient left whereby we may avoid the guilt and infamy of delivering up those who have suffered every misery with you, on the one hand; or the desolation and horror of a sacked city, on the other? There is, my friends; there is one expedient left; a gracious, an excellent, a godlike expedient! Is there any 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.”

8. He spoke but an universal silence ensued. Each man looked around for the example of that virtue and magnanimity, which all wished to approve in themselves, though they wanted the resolution. At length St. Pierre resumed, "I doubt not but there are many as ready, nay, more zealous of this martyrdom, than I can be; though the station to which I am raised, by the captivity of Lord Vienne, imparts a right to be the first in giving my life for your sakes. I give it freely; I give it cheerfully.

9. "Who comes next ;" "Your son," exclaimed a youth, not yet come to maturity. "Ah, my child!" cried St. Pierre, "I am then twice sacrificed. But, no; I have rather begotten thee a second time. Thy years are few, but full, my son. The victim of virtue has reached the utmost purpose and goal of mortality. Who next, my friends? This is the hour of heroes!"' "Your kinsman," cried John de Aire. "Your kinsman," cried James Wissant. "Your kinsman," cried Peter Wissant.

10. "Ah!" exclaimed Sir Walter Mauny, bursting into tears, "Why was I not a citizen of Calais ?" The sixth victim was

* Plebeian, one of the common people, or lower ranks of men.

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