were determined to obtain the remission of the punishment of their three comrades. He said, it was impossible; the rules of the prison must be obeyed, and they must submit.

10. At the hint of submission, they drew a little nearer together, prepared their weapons for service, and, as they were dimly seen in the further end of the hall, by those who observed, from the gratings that opened up to the day, a more appalling sight can not be conceived, nor one of more moral grandeur, than that of the single man, standing within their grasp, and exposed to be torn limb from limb instantly, if a word or look should add to the already intense excitement.

11. That excitement, too, was of a most dangerous kind. It broke not forth in noise and imprecations, but was seen only in the dark looks and the strained nerves, that showed a deep determination. The officer expostulated. He reminded them of the hopelessness of escape; that the town was alarmed, and that the government of the prison would submit to nothing but unconditional surrender. He said, that all those who would go quietly away, should be forgiven for this offense; but, that if every prisoner was killed in the contest, power enough would be obtained to enforce the regulations of the prison.

12. They replied, that they expected that some would be killed, that death would be better than such imprisonment, and with that look and tone, which bespeaks an indomitable purpose, they declared, that not a man should leave the hall alive, till the flogging was remitted. At this period of the discussion, their evil passions seemed to be more inflamed, and one or two offered to destroy the officer, who still stood firmer, and with a more temperate pulse, than did his friends, who saw from above, but could not +avert the danger that threatened him.

13. Just at this moment, and in about fifteen minutes from the commencement of the tumult, the officer saw the feet of the marines, whose presence alone he relied on for succor, filing by the small upper lights. Without any apparent anxiety, he had repeatedly turned his attention to their approach, and now he knew that it was his only time to escape, before a conflict for life became, as was expected, one of the most dark and dreadful in the world.

14. He stepped slowly backward, still urging them to depart, before the officers were driven to use the last resort of firearms. When within three or four feet of the door, it was opened, and closed instantly again, as he sprang through, and was thus unexpectedly restored to his friends.

15. Major Wainright was requested to order his men to fire down upon the convicts through the little windows, first with powder and then with ball, till they were willing to retreat; but he took a wiser as well as a bolder course, relying upon the effect which firm determination would have upon men so + critically situated. He ordered the door to be again opened, and marched in at the head of twenty or thirty men, who filed through the passage, and formed at the end of the hall, opposite to the crowd of criminals huddled together at the other.

16. He stated that he was empowered to quell the rebellion, that he wished to avoid shedding blood, but that he should not quit that hall alive, till every convict had returned to his duty. They seemed balancing the strength of the two parties; and replied, that some of them were ready to die, and only waited for an attack to see which was the most powerful, swearing that they would fight to the last, unless the punishment was remitted, for they would not submit to any such punishment in the prison. Major Wainright ordered his marines to load their pieces, and, that they might not be suspected of trifling, each man was made to hold up to view the bullet which he afterward put in his gun.

17. This only caused a growl of determination, and no one blenched, or seemed disposed to shrink from the foremost exposure. They knew that their number would enable them to bear down and destroy the handful of marines, after the first discharge, and before their pieces could be reloaded. Again, they were ordered to retire; but they answered with more ferocity than ever. The marines were ordered to take their aim so as to be sure and kill as many as possible. Their guns were presented, but not a prisoner stirred, except to grasp more firmly his weapon.

18. Still desirous to avoid such a tremendous slaughter, as must have followed the discharge of a single gun, Major Wainright advanced a step or two, and spoke even more firmly than before, urging them to depart. Again, and while looking directly into the muzzles of the guns, which they had seen loaded with ball, they declared their intention "to fight it out." This intrepid officer then took out his watch, and told his men to hold their pieces aimed at the convicts, but not to fire till they had orders; then, turning to the prisoners, he said, "You must leave this hall; I give you three minutes to decide; if at the end of that time, a man remains, he shall be shot dead."

19. No situation of greater interest than this, can be conceived. At one end of the hall, a fearful multitude of the most desperate and powerful men in existence, waiting for the assault; at the other, a little band of disciplined men, waiting with arms presented, and ready, upon the least motion or sign, to begin the carnage;

and their tall and imposing commander, holding up his watch to count the lapse of three minutes, given as the reprieve to the lives of hundreds. No poet or painter can conceive of a spectacle of more dark and terrible sublimity; no human heart can conceive a situation of more appalling suspense.

20. For two minutes, not a person nor a muscle was moved, not a sound was heard in the unwonted stillness of the prison, except the labored breathings of the infuriated wretches, as they began to pant, between fear and revenge at the expiration of two minutes, during which they had faced the ministers of death with unblenching eyes, two or three of those in the rear, and nearest the further entrance, went slowly out: a few more followed the example, dropping out quietly and deliberately; and before half of the last minute was gone, every man was struck by the panic, and crowded for an exit, and the hall was cleared as if by magic.

21. Thus the steady firmness of moral force, and the strong effect of determination, acting deliberately, awed the most savage men, and suppressed a scene of carnage which would have instantly followed the least precipitancy or exertion of physical force. BUCKINGHAM.

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QUESTIONS. What is the use of the state prison? Where is the penitentiary of this state? What accounts for the conduct of the subordinate officer, who, though ordinarily the mildest, was on this occasion the firmest? Suppose Major W. had fired through the windows, as he was advised, what would have been, in all probability, the result? Narrate the substance of the 19th and 20th paragraphs. What gained this bloodless victory?

Explain the inflections, and point out the emphatic words in the last two paragraphs.

ARTICULATION.

When similar sounds come at the end of one word, and at the beginning of the next, they must not be blended.

He sinks sorrowing to the tomb. Man loves society. Time flies swiftly. The birds sing. Man never dies. The heart turns away. The lip pants. The dim mournful light tries vainly to enter. The quick creak comes grating. Give vantage-ground.

REMARK. — In reading poetry that rhymes, a slight pause should be made at the end of each line, in order that the harmony of the similar sounds may be perceived.

PRONOUNCE Correctly and ARTICULATE distinctly.-Heav-en-ly, pro. heav'n-ly: be-wil-der'd, not be-wild-ud: sounds, not souns: sweetest, not sweet-es: burst-ing, not bus't-in: dif-fer-ing, not diff'rin: health-i-est, not health-i-es: sa-tyrs, not sat-uz: fes-tal-sound-ing, not fes-t'ls-ound-in.

1. Shell, n. an instrument of music.
Cell, n. a cottage or place of residence.
Force'-ful, a. acting with power.

2. Re-coil'-ed, v. started back.
6. Mien, n. appearance, look.
7. Veer'-ing, a. turning, changing.
8. So-ques'-ter-ed, a. private, secluded.
Run'-nels, n. small brooks, rivulets.
9. Bus'-kin, n. a kind of half boot.

1.

THE PASSIONS.

+

WHEN Music, heavenly maid! was young,
While yet, in early Greece, she sung,
The Passions, oft, to hear her shell,
Thronged around her magic cell;
+Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting,
Possessed beyond the muse's painting:
By turns, they felt the glowing mind
Disturbed, delighted, raised, refined;
Till once, 't is said, when all were fired,
Filled with fury, rapt, inspired,
From the supporting myrtles round,
They snatched her instruments of sound;
And, as they oft had heard apart,
Sweet lessons of her forceful art,
Each, (for madness ruled the hour),
Would prove his own expressive power.

2. First Fear, his hand, its skill to try,
Amid the chords bewildered laid;
And back recoiled, he knew not why,
E'en at the sound himself had made.
3. Next Anger rushed, his eyes on fire

In lightnings owned his secret stings;
In one rude clash he struck the lyre,
And swept, with hurried hand, the strings.
4. With woeful measures, wan Despair

+

Low sullen sounds his grief beguiled;
A solemn, strange, and mingled air;

'T was sad, by fits; by starts, 't was wild.
5. But thou, O Hope! with eyes so fair,
What was thy delighted measure!
Still it whispered promised pleasure,
And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail:
Still would her touch the strain +prolong;
And from the rocks, the woods, the vale,
She called on Echo still through all her song;
And where her sweetest theme she chose,

A soft responsive voice was heard at every close:
And Hope, enchanted, smiled, and waved her golden hair.

6. And longer had she sung, but with a frown,

Revenge impatient rose.

He threw his blood-stained sword in thunder down,

And, with a withering look,

The war-denouncing trumpet took,

And blew a blast so loud and dread,

Were ne'er prophetic sounds so full of woe;

And ever and anon, he beat

The doubling drum with furious heat;

And though, sometimes, each dreary pause between,
Dejected Pity at his side,

Her soul-subduing voice applied,

Yet still he kept his wild, unaltered mien;

While each strained ball of sight seemed bursting from his

head.

7. Thy numbers, Jealousy, to nought were fixedSad proof of thy distressful state;

8.

Of differing themes the veering song was mixed;
And now it courted Love; now, raving, called on Hate

With eyes upraised, as one inspired,

Pale Melancholy sat retired;