wrote in all seventy-two or perhaps ninety-two plays, of which eighteen are still extant: among which the most admired are the "Alcestis," "Medea," "Hecuba," "Ion," "Iphigenia at Tauris," and "Iphigenia at Aulis." The "Cyclops" is interesting, as the only specimen left us of what was called the satiric drama. To Euripides chiefly was owing the introduction of the prologue, and the Deus ex machinâ, or the practice of solving the difficulties of the plot by direct visible intervention of a god.

SOPHOCLES: the great Greek tragic poet, was the son of Sophilus; and was born at the Attic demus or village of Colonus B.C. 495, thirty years later than Eschylus. He received a good education, and at an early age gained the prizes in music and gymnastics. He was fifteen when the battle of Salamis was fought, and for his remarkable beauty and skill in music, he was chosen to lead the chorus which sang the paan of victory. His first appearance as a dramatist was in 468, when, under memorable circumstances, he had Eschylus for his rival, and won the victory. Of the next twenty-eight years of his life nothing is recorded; but it is known that he made poetry his business, and that he composed a great many plays during that period. Not one of them, however, is now extant. The "Antigone" (which, by the way, was the only Greek work selected by the special Examiners for the last Examination) was the earliest of his extant tragedies, and was brought out in 440, and won the prize. It may not be out of place to say that the interest of the play turns on the conflict between the claims of the state and the family, and the wisdom of its sentiments on public affairs led to the appointment of the poet as one of the ten Strategi (Generals) for the next year. The number of plays attributed to him without question was 113, of which eightyone were probably produced after the "Antigone." Seven only are extant, viz., "Antigone," "Electra," "Trachinian Women,” “ King Edipus," "Ajax," "Philoctetes," and "Edipus at Colonus." These exhibit his art in its maturity, and sustain the verdict of ancient and modern critics, that Sophocles carried the Greek drama to its highest perfection. "Of all the poets of antiquity," says K. O. Müller, "Sophocles has penetrated most deeply into the recesses of the human heart." He died B.C. 406.

HERODOTUS: the great Greek historian, usually named the father of history; was born of a distinguished family of Halicarnassus, in Caria, B.C. 484. He undertook extensive travels, not for trading or political purposes, but for the purpose of satisfying his love of knowledge; visited all the principal towns of Greece, the Greek islands, Asia Minor and Syria, Thrace, Egypt and Libya. He embodied the results of these wide journeyings in his great work, but it is uncertain at what period of his life he undertook them. From Samos, whither he had gone in consequence of the civil dissensions in which his family was involved, he again went to Halicarnassus and succeeded in liberating the city from the tyranny of Lygdamis. Continued political strife, however, drove him away once more, and he spent the latter years of his life at Thurii in Italy. It was probably

during the leisure of this part of his life that he composed his history; although it is possible that detached passages of it may have been at an earlier date recited, as alleged, at the great festival. The object of Herodotus, in his history, is to set forth the origin and progress of the great war between the Greeks and the Persians; and at the successive stages of the main story, he introduces episodes and branch stories of great interest, and which contribute to the illustration of the principal subject. Thus he gives the history of Croesus and the kingdom of Lydia; the conquest of Lydia by Cyrus, and the rise of the Persian monarchy; the Persian invasion of Egypt leads him to give a copious and minute account of Egypt, its early civilization and established institutions; the invasion of Scythia by Darius gives occasion for an account of that country; the history of Cyrene follows; and then the great Ionian insurrection and the Persian war. The history ends with the siege of Sestos B.C. 478. The style of Herodotus is more that of an animated talker than of a formal writer, and has a charm which can hardly be described.

ÆSCHYLUS, the great Athenian tragic poet, was born at Eleusis, B.C. 525. He distinguished himself at the great battles of Marathon, Salamis, and Platea, and his first fame was that of a heroic and patriotic soldier. He made poetry, however, his choice, and devoted himself to it as his serious business in life. He gained his first prize in 484. He is said to have written seventy tragedies, besides satiric dramas, but we possess only seven of them. These are "The Persians," acted in 472; the "Seven against Thebes;" the "Suppliants; one part of a trilogy of which the other parts are lost; the "Prometheus Bound," the only part preserved of another trilogy, and one of his sublimest works; and the complete trilogy of the Oresteia, comprising the "Agamemnon," the "Choephori," and the "Eumenides." Eschylus was the inventor of the trilogy, i.e., the first who made the three plays represented parts of a grand whole, each at the same time being complete in itself. About 471 he went to Sicily, and spent some time at the court of Hieron. After his return to Athens, he had a poetic contest with Sophocles, who won the prize. Soon after the exhibition of his last work, the Oresteia, he again retired to Sicily, where he died B.C. 456. In all his tragedies he recognizes, with a noble faith, a divine power guiding the course of events to the best issue, through all darkness and distress.

LUCIUS ANNÆUS SENECA: the Roman philosopher and tutor to the Emperor Nero; was the son of M. Annæus Seneca, an eminent rhetorician, and was born at Corduba in Spain, about the beginning of the Christian era. Taken early to Rome, he became an advocate, gained some distinction and was made quæstor. But being accused of immorality he was banished to Corsica, where he lived eight years. In A.D. 49 he was recalled, through the influence of Agrippina, who was just married to Claudius. He was made prætor, and then tutor to Agrippina's son, the future Nero. Seneca ingratiated himself with the young prince and continued to enjoy his favour

after his accession to the throne. How far the philosopher strove to correct the vices of the emperor or whether he did not rather wink at, or even pander to them, cannot perhaps be ascertained. But the philosopher grew immensely rich, had a palace sumptuously furnished at Rome, country seats and splendid gardens. After long profiting by the favour of Agrippina, he took her son's part against her, and probably sanctioned, tacitly, if not expressly, her murder by her son, and wrote Nero's letter of justification to the senate. In A.D. 65 Seneca was accused of taking part in the conspiracy of Piso, his intimate friend, and was ordered to put himself to death. He opened a vein in each arm, then in his legs; but the blood flowed very slowly; a dose of hemlock had no effect; and at last his tortures, which he bore with stoical fortitude, were ended by suffocation in a warm bath. His writings were very numerous, and many are still extant; among them are treatises "De Irâ," "De Consolatione," "De Providentiâ," "De Animi Tranquillitate" and "De Vitâ beatâ;" 124 letters to Lucilius, 10 tragedies and a remarkable work entitled "Quæstionum Naturalium, Lib. VII." Seneca's works abound in quotable maxims and sentiments; his language is lucid and vigorous; but he is over fond of antithesis. His style, like his conduct at his death, had a theatrical affectation about it.

STRABO: the celebrated Greek historian and geographer; was born at Amasia in Cappadocia, about B.C. 50, and travelled through Greece, Italy, Egypt, and Asia, endeavouring to obtain the most accurate information in regard to the geography, statistics, and political condition of the countries which he visited. His great work, in seventeen books, contains not only a description of different countries, but the chief particulars of their history, notices of eminent men, and accounts of the manners and customs of the people. The time of his death is unknown, but he is supposed to have died after 20 A.D.

PINDAR: the great Greek lyric poet; was born at or near Thebes, in Boeotia, about B.C. 522. He was of a noble family, said to have been skilled in music, and he learnt his father's art of flute playing. At Athens he was a pupil of Lasus of Hermione. Pindar made poetry and music the business of his life, and composed choral songs for princes and states in all parts of Greece, for which, as was the custom, he received money and gifts, yet he maintained such dignified position as befitted him as poet and man, and spoke truth fearlessly to all. Pindar excelled in all varieties of choral poetry, hymns to the gods, pæans, odes for processions, drinking songs, &c. But the only poems now extant are the Epinika or triumphal odes, composed in celebration of victories at the great public games,-the Olympian, Pythian, Nemean and Isthmian. The odes, sublime, enthusiastic, and full of lofty thought and sentiment, are marked by an extraordinary variety of style and expression. No two odes have the same metre. When Thebes was destroyed by Alexander, the conqueror bade spare the house of Pindar. He died probably B.C.

442.

CHAPTER VI.

THE QUESTIONS ASKED AT THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION HELD ON THE 16TH AND 17TH DAYS OF JULY, 1873, WITH THE ANSWERS.

Candidates were requested to write an essay or letter, not less than two pages in length, on one of the following subjects:

(1.) Dogs.

(2.) Music.

(3.) Early rising.

(4.) Meals-which you prefer, and why.

(5.) "For forms of government let fools contest,
Whate'er is best administered is best."

(6.) "He tires betimes who spurs too fast betimes."

1. Classify the English alphabet according to the organs employed in the enunciation. Of what improvemnts has the alphabet been thought susceptible? How do the imperfections of the alphabet influence spelling? Give six examples of false analogies.

II. English Language,

Classification according to the organs of speech employed :-
Labials (labia, the lips), P, B, F, V, M.

Dentals (dentes, the teeth), T, D, TH, S, Z, SH, CH,
Linguals (lingua, the tongue), L, N, R.
Palatals (palatum, the palate), G, R, J.
Gutturals (guttur, the throat), K, R, H.

It has been thought that the alphabet is not full enough, since many articulate sounds have no corresponding signs whereby they may be expressed. It is uncertain, inconsistent, erroneous, deficient, and redundant.

In a perfect alphabet each simple sound should have a corresponding letter to represent it; and one sound should not be represented by more than one letter.

The following are examples of the expedients employed to remedy the defects of the alphabet :

(1) The i in bite is considered as the long sound of the i in pit; whereas it is a diphthongal sound.

(2) The u in duck is looked upon as a modification of the u in bull; whereas it is a specifically distinct sound.

(3) A consonant when not final is often doubled to show that

the preceding vowel is short; as carry, folly, sully.

In could the l is inserted from a false analogy to would and should.

NN

2. Explain the presence of the italic letters in coast, chief, scent, chamber, tender, kindred, amiss, dribble, seam, guilt. loved, mistrust, neither.

3. Give rules for the syllabification or the division of words into syllables.

4. Give the rules

for the formation of degrees of com

Sprightly is written for spritely from a false analogy to words like bright.

Sovereign is written for sovran (Italian sovrano) from a false idea that the word was connected with reign.

Shamefaced is written as if it meant having a modest face, while it is really the Saxon shamefeast.

Mussulmen is often written instead of Mussulmans as the plural of Mussulman, from a false idea that the word was a compound of the English "man.”

Beefeaters for Buffetiers hardly requires explanation.

In coast (Lat. costa) the a is inserted to distinguish it from the word cost.

In chief (Fr. chef) the i is part of the original French word, which has been lost in the modern language.

Scent (Lat. sentire) should have no c. It may have been
inserted to distinguish the word from the participle of send.
In chamber (Lat. camera) the b has been inserted from the
French.

In tender (Lat. tener) the d comes from the French tendre. In kindred there has been some confusion between the two words kind and kin, which are themselves allied.

In amiss the prefix is equivalent to the preposition in or on.
In dribble the termination has a diminutive force.

Seam comes directly from the Anglo-Saxon seam or seim. Guilt is derived from Anglo-Saxon gelt, which means gold, and hence payments of all kinds. Fines in ancient times were applied in the nature of punishments to all crimes, and the general term for punishment was naturally applied to the criminality by which the punishment was occasioned, which was called "guilt."

In loved the ed is the termination of the Anglo-Saxon past participle.

In mistrust the mis is a Teutonic prefix having a privative force.

Neither is a compound of the negative and the pronoun either.

(1) A single consonant between two vowels must be joined to the latter syllable; as ty-rant, stu-pid; except the letter x; as ex-ample, ax-iom.

(2) Two consonants which can begin a syllable must not be separated; as sta-ble, tri-fle, when the preceding vowel is long. But when the preceding vowel is short, they ought to be separated; as ras-cal, fis-cal, das-tard.

(3) When two vowels meet together in a word, and do not form a diphthong, they are to be separated; as uni-on, sobri-ety, fu-el.

(4) Grammatical terminations are to be separated from the rest of the word; as larg-er, bright-est; except when a double consonant occurs immediately before the termination; as carries, bet-ter.

(5) Compound words must be divided according to their component parts; as de-stroy, com-plete.

The comparative degree is formed by suffixing er to the positive; as bright, brighter.

When the positive ends in y, the y is changed into i, and er is suffixed as before; as holy, holier.