several years, the troops which he commanded having met with a repulse, he was obliged to take shelter in the city where he had lived with his wife. Here they suffered a siege, and the city was at length taken. Few histories can produce more various instances of cruelty than those which the French and Italians at that time exercised upon each other. It was resolved by the victors, upon this occasion, to put all the French prisoners to death, but particularly the husband of the unfortunate Matilda, as he was principally instrumental in protracting the siege. Their determinations were in general executed almost as soon as resolved upon. The captive soldier was led forth, and the executioner with his sword stood ready, while the spectators, in gloomy silence, awaited the fatal blow, which was only suspended till the general, who presided as judge, should give the signal. It was in this interval of anguish and expectation that Matilda came to take her last farewell of her husband and deliverer, deploring her wretched situation, and the cruelty of fate, that had saved her from perishing by a premature death in the river Volturna, to be the spectator of still greater calamities. The general, who was a young man, was struck with surprise at her beauty, and pity at her distress; but with still stronger emotions when he heard her mention her former dangers. He was her son, the infant for whom she had encountered so much peril. He acknowledged her at once as his mother, and fell at her feet. The rest may be easily supposed; the Captive was set free, and all the happiness that love, friendship, and duty could confer on each other was united.

4. It is more than a thousand years ago, since a wise and beautiful woman called Zenobia was queen of Palmyra, and reigned also over some of the neighbouring countries. She ruled her people so wisely, so kindly, and so well, that she was beloved in the greatest degree. The strangers who visited her kingdom carried to distant lands their admiration of the magnificence of Palmyra, and spread the fame of Zenobia's

greatness, so that more and more strangers from all countries were attracted towards Palmyra; and under her government it became the greatest city of all the East.

At that time the Roman people had conquered all the nations of southern Europe, and the emperor of Rome was the greatest monarch in the world. Aurelian was his name. He had fought with success in many of the different countries of Europe, and longed to carry his armies into the East, to humble the glory of Zenobia, and possess himself of her beautiful kingdom. At last he arrived on the borders of the desert with a great army of his bravest soldiers, and commenced his march towards Palmyra. Zenobia's soldiers fought two battles with him before he advanced very far, both of which they lost. They then retreated to the city. The city was surrounded by high and strong walls, and, by the prudence of Zenobia, had been so well furnished with provisions for the inhabitants, and warlike engines to resist Aurelian, that they hoped to be able to defend themselves longer than he would be able to attack them.

In his march through the desert, Aurelian was very much harassed by the Arabs, who were on friendly terms with Zenobia, and he feared that they would prevent the arrival of provisions for his soldiers while he was besieging the city. But he succeeded in purchasing their assistance, and that of some of the surrounding nations, by large sums of money, so that his army, contrary to the hopes of the Palmyrenes, was well provided for. Aurelian, weary of the siege, and angry with Zenobia for her long resistance, pressed harder and harder on Palmyra. At last Zenobia determined to leave the city secretly, and go herself into Persia, to obtain help of the king of that country. On a dark night she passed the Romans without being discovered, and, mounting a very swift dromedary, journeyed quickly on. But some one, unworthy of her confidence, betrayed the secret to Aurelian. He sent a

band of soldiers in pursuit of her, and just as she was about to cross the Euphrates, she was taken prisoner, and brought back to the camp of Aurelian.

As soon as it was known in Palmyra that Queen Zenobia was taken prisoner, all resistance was over. The walls were covered with suppliants. Aurelian promised to treat the city favourably, and the gates were opened to him. He spoiled the Temple of the Sun of its rich ornaments, took possession of all the treasures of Zenobia, as well as the splendid and tasteful furniture of her palaces, but otherwise did little harm to the city. He left a Roman governor and garrison of soldiers, and then departed for Rome, carrying captive with him Zenobia and all her powerful statesmen and generals. On his way he executed all his prisoners, except Zenobia and her two sons.

When Aurelian was fairly gone, the Palmyrenes were struck with grief and indignation at the capture of their city and the loss of their queen. At last, unable to bear with patience the government of a handful of foreign soldiers, they rose on the Roman garrison, overcame them, and regained the government of the city. Aurelian heard of this revolt before reaching Europe, and turning back, he crossed the desert with such amazing rapidity, that the unfortunate city was taken by surprise, and given up to the plunder of the soldiers. Enraged at the revolt, and their forced marches through the dreary desert, the soldiers spared neither age nor sex, old men nor young children; almost the whole inhabitants of Palmyra fell beneath their swords. They set fire to many of the buildings, threw down walls, pillars, and gateways, leaving the whole city a heap of ruins.

Palmyra never recovered from this terrible destruction. The beautiful oasis on which it was built was soon encroached on by the surrounding sands. Most of the numerous springs by which it had been watered were choked or dried up, and very soon little remained to mark where this lovely island of the desert had been,

save the ruins of the magnificent city which had once occupied a part of it.

SECTION V.

CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE NARRATIVES FROM MEMORY.

1. Give orally, then write, the substance of the following parables.

1. The Ten Virgins. 2. The Good Samaritan. 3. The Prodigal Son. 4. The Rich Man and Lazarus. 5. The Unjust Judge. 6. The Worldly Man. 7. The Unmerciful Servant. 8. The Talents. 9. The Labourers Hired. 10. The Wedding Garment.

2. Give orally, then write, the substance of the following miracles.

1. The Water turned into Wine. 2. The Tempest Stilled. 3. The Widow of Nain's Son. 4. The Lepers Cleansed. 5. The Walking on the Sea. 6. The Paralytic Healed. 7. Five Thousand Fed. 8. The Withered Hand Revived. 9. The Impotent Man at the Pool of Bethesda. 10. The Resurrection of

Lazarus.

3. Give orally, then write, the substance of the following fables.

1. The Fox and the Stork. 2. The Frogs who desired a King. 3. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. 4. The Ass and the Lion Hunting. 5. The Fox who lost his Tail. 6. The Lion and the other Animals. 7. The Hare and the Tortoise. 8. The Wolf and the Crane. 9 The Ant and the Fly. 10. The Goose with the Golden Eggs.

4. Give orally, then write, the substance of the following stories.

1. The Farmer and the Lawyer. and his Ass. 3. The Boy who cried Robber Sparrow and the Martins.

2. The Old Man "Wolf." 4. The 5. Sinbad and the

Whale. 6. Alfred and the Cakes. 7. Canute and the Waves. 8. Frederick the Great and the Miller. 9. Mungo Park and the Negress. 10. The Portuguese Brothers.

5. Give orally, then write, the substance of daily lesson.

6. Give orally, then write, a short account of yesterday's employment of time.

SECTION VI.

CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE NARRATIVE.

1. Write a short account of the following objects, describing their construction, materials, form, and

use.

EXAMPLE THE GUN.

The gun consists of a stock, lock, and barrel. The barrel is a long tube made of wrought iron, which is formed into the required shape, either by being beaten upon another piece of iron, or by being bored with a sharp steel instrument. Its use is to receive the charge, which consists of gunpowder and shot firmly pressed down to the end by means of a rod called the ram-rod. The lock consists of the spring, the trigger or handle for moving the spring, the doghead, and the nipple for fixing the percussion-cap. By means of this contrivance, a smart blow is given to the percussion-cap, upon the drawing of the spring. A spark is thus produced, which sets fire to the gunpowder contained in the barrel