coun'-sel, advice.

oc-ca'-sions, causes; leads to. a-void', keep from.

ne-ces'-si-ty, cause for; need.

e-quiv'-o-cate, speak in such a way

as to mislead.

au-thor'-i-ty, good reason for be-
lieving to be true.

con-jec'-ture, guess; supposition.
op-pon'-ent, a person who opposes
or takes a different side.
in-ter-rupt', stop.

hus'-band-ry, the business of a
farmer.

glean, gather.

ac-quire', gain; get.

con-tra-dict', speak in opposition

to.

im-pres'-sion

com-pos'-ure

Chris'-tian

cre-dul'-i-ty, belief of something on
very little evidence.

de-ceived', cheated; misled.
com-mend', speak well of.
re-pu-ta'-tion, good name.
ful-some, disgusting.
a-mend'-ment,

improvement;

being made better.
for-bear', keep from.
de-fects', imperfections.
men'-a-cing, threatening.
re-proved', censured.

ex-as'-per-ate, make very angry.
ex'-quis-ite, deeply felt.

a

re-venge', punishment in return for some injury.

in'-no-cence, blamelessness.

ser-en'-i-ty, peace; quietness.

EXERCISES.-1. The Latin prefix con- (which also takes the forms co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor-) means together; as conjoin, to join together; co-operate, to work together; cohere, to stick together; cognate, born together, of the same family; collect, to gather together; collide, to strike or dash together; compress, to press together; concur, to run together, to agree; corroborate, to strengthen together.

2. Analyse and parse the following: 'Consider before you speak, especially when the business is of moment.'

3. Make sentences of your own, and use in each one or more of the following words: Opponent, necessity, acquire, contradict.

MR WINKLE ON SKATES.

[This scene is from the Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, and affords an example of the genial and overflowing humour with which the doings of the different members of the Pickwick Club are there described.]

1. 'Now,' said Wardle, after a substantial lunch had been done ample justice to, 'what say you to an hour on the ice? We shall have plenty of time.'

'Capital!' said Mr Benjamin Allen.
'Prime!' ejaculated Mr Bob Sawyer.

'You skate, of course, Winkle?' said Wardle.
'Ye-es; oh yes,' replied Mr Winkle.

rather out of practice.'

'I-I-am

'Oh, do skate, Mr Winkle,' said Arabella. I like to see it so much.'

'Oh, it is so graceful,' said another young lady.

2. A third young lady said it was elegant, and a fourth expressed her opinion that it was 'swan-like.' 'I should be very happy, I'm sure,' said Mr Winkle, reddening; 'but I have no skates.'

This objection was at once overruled. Trundle had a couple of pairs, and the fat boy announced that there were half a dozen more downstairs: whereat Mr Winkle expressed exquisite delight, and looked exquisitely uncomfortable.

3. Old Wardle led the way to a pretty large sheet of ice; and the fat boy and Mr Weller having shovelled and swept away the snow which had fallen on it during the night, Mr Bob Sawyer adjusted his skates with a dexterity which to Mr Winkle was perfectly marvellous. He described circles with his left leg, and cut figures of eight, and inscribed upon the ice, without once stopping for breath, a great many other pleasant and astonishing devices, to the

excessive satisfaction of Mr Pickwick, Mr Tupman, and the ladies: which reached a pitch of positive enthusiasm, when old Wardle and Benjamin Allen, assisted by the aforesaid Bob Sawyer, performed some strange evolutions, which they called a reel.

4. All this time, Mr Winkle, with his face and hands blue with the cold, had been forcing a gimlet into the soles of his feet, and putting his skates on, with the points behind, and getting the straps into a very complicated and entangled state, with the assistance of Mr Snodgrass, who knew rather less about skates than a Hindu. At length, however, with the assistance of Mr Weller, the unfortunate skates were firmly screwed and buckled on, and Mr Winkle was raised to his feet.

5. Now, then, sir,' said Sam in an encouraging tone; 'off vith you, and show 'em how to do it.'

'Stop, Sam, stop!' said Mr Winkle, trembling violently, and clutching hold of Sam's arms with the grasp of a drowning man. 'How slippery it is, Sam!'

'Not an uncommon thing upon ice, sir,' replied Mr Weller. 'Hold up, sir!'

6. This last observation of Mr Weller's bore reference to a demonstration Mr Winkle made at the instant, of a frantic desire to throw his feet in the air, and dash the back of his head on the ice.

'These-these-are very awkward skates; ain't they, Sam?' inquired Mr Winkle, staggering.

'I'm afraid there's an awkward gentleman in 'em, sir,' replied Sam.

7. Now, Winkle,' cried Mr Pickwick, quite unconscious that there was anything the matter. 'Come; the ladies are all anxiety.'

'Yes, yes,' replied Mr Winkle, with a ghastly smile. 'I'm coming.'

'Just a-goin' to begin,' said Sam, endeavouring to disengage himself. Now, sir, start off!'

8. 'Stop an instant, Sam,' gasped Mr Winkle, clinging most affectionately to Mr Weller. I find I've got a couple of coats at home that I don't want, Sam. may have them, Sam.'

"Thank'ee, sir,' replied Mr Weller.

You

'Never mind touching your hat, Sam,' said Mr Winkle, hastily. You needn't take your hand away to do that. I meant to have given you five shillings

this morning for a Christmas-box, Sam. I'll give it to you this afternoon, Sam.'

'You're very good, sir,' replied Mr Weller.

'Just hold me at first, Sam; will you?' said Mr Winkle. There-that's right. I shall soon get in the way of it, Sam. Not too fast, Sam; not too fast.'

9. Mr Winkle stooping forward, with his body half doubled up, was being assisted over the ice by Mr Weller, in a very singular and unswanlike manner, when Mr Pickwick most innocently shouted from the opposite bank:

'Sam!' 'Sir?'

'Here. I want you.'

'Let go, sir,' said Sam. 'Don't you hear the governor a-callin'? Let go, sir.'

10. With a violent effort, Mr Weller disengaged himself from the grasp of the agonised Pickwickian, and, in so doing, administered a considerable impetus to the unhappy Mr Winkle. With an accuracy which no degree of dexterity or practice could have insured, that unfortunate gentleman bore swiftly down into the centre of the reel, at the very moment when Mr Bob Sawyer was performing a flourish of unparalleled beauty. Mr Winkle struck wildly against him, and with a loud crash, they both fell heavily down. Mr Pickwick ran to the spot. Bob Sawyer had risen to his feet, but Mr Winkle was far too wise to do anything of the kind, in skates. He was seated on the ice, making vain efforts to smile; but anguish was depicted on every lineament of his countenance.

11. 'Are you hurt?' inquired Mr Benjamin Allen, with great anxiety.