7.

The Scholar, Outdone.

A little girl came to1 a scholar who was quite busy in his study, to ask him for some fire. "But you have nothing," said the doctor, "to take it in; "8 and while he was gone away to look for something for this purpose, the little girl stooped" down at the fire-place, and, taking some12 cold ashes in one hand, laid the glowing coals on them13 with the other. The doctor seeing this, threw down his books in15 astonishment, and exclaimed: "With all17 my learning, I should not have found out this experiment."

8. Simplicity.

"Patrick, you fool," cried a man to his neighbor, "what makes1 you steal after that rabbit, when your gun has no lock [on]?" "Hush! hush! my dear, the rabbit does not know that."

9.

Excessive Politeness.

Queen Elizabeth was' once making a journey in England: and on her approaching the city of Coventry, the mayor, with a numerous cavalcade, went out to meet her. On their return they had to pass over a wide brook, and the mayor's horse, being7 thirsty, attempted several times to drink, but his cavalier prevented him. The queen observing it, said to him: "Pray, Mr. Mayor, permit3 your horse to drink." The mayor, bowing very humbly, replied, "Madam, it would be the highest presumption for my unworthy horse to drink before your Majesty's royal steed has satisfied his thirst."

10. Troy.

Troy was a famous city. When' Priam was king, the

2

Greeks came to the city. They besieged it ten years without success. They could not take it by force, because3 its walls were high and broad: but at last it was taken by the stratagem of a wooden horse. This horse being filled with armed men, was admitted into the city as a gift to3 Minerva. In the middle of the night, when all were asleep, the armed men came out of the belly of the horse and burned the city.

11.

The Dangerous Wound.

6

х

A surgeon was brought to a gentleman who' had received a slight wound in a duel. He ordered' his servant to go home' with all conceivable haste to fetch a certain plaster. The patient turned somewhat pale, and said: “I hope there is really no danger." "Yes, indeed, to be sure there is really some"," said the surgeon, "for if the boy does not make haste, the wound will be healed before he gets here again."

12.

The Romans.

Romulus built the city of Rome. The inhabitants were called Romans, and were accounted2 very brave men. They loved their country, and fought to defend it. They chose3 rather to die than lose their liberty. It was dearer to them than life". They carried on many wars with the Carthaginians, with various success. At last the Carthaginians were conquered, and the city of Carthage was destroyed.

13.

The Ass and the Wolf.

An ass had the misfortune to meet a hungry wolf. "Have mercy on me," said the trembling animal; "I am a poor sick beast: look what a great thorn I have run3 into my foot!"

"Really, you quite grieve me," replied the wolf. "Conscientiously speaking, I feel myself compelled to put you out of your misery."

He had scarcely spoken, when he tore the supplicating donkey to pieces.

14. Stentor.

In the Grecian army it1 was usual to have three men in each battalion to communicate the commands of the officers to the men. Of these, one3 carried a standard, and another a trumpet. But in the confusion and din of battle, neither a signal could be seen, nor a trumpet heard. The third man (who for this purpose was the strongest in the army) communicated then the commands by word of mouth. Homer relates of one of these men, Stentor by name, that he shouted as9 loud as fifty other men. Hence a man with a powerful voice is said1o to possess the voice of Stentor, or a Stentorian voice.

15.

The Fearful Menace.

A student of medicine, having2 lost an important lawsuit, broke out into the most violent language against his judges, and said3 it might really yet cost more than a thousand men their lives. He was immediately apprehended on account of this fearful menace, and was asked for an explanation. "Nothing is clearer," said he; “having been deprived of all my property, I have no other resource left" me but12 to become a physician."

16.

Dr. Franklin.

Dr. Franklin, in the early1 part of his life, when he was a printer, had occasion to3 travel from Philadelphia toʻ

Boston. On his journey, he stopped at one of the inns, the landlord of which possessed all the inquisitive curiosity of his countrymen. Franklin had scarcely sat down to supper, when his landlord began to torment him with questions. He, well knowing the disposition of these people, and aware that answering1o one question would only pave the way for twenty more," determined to stop12 the landlord at once, by 13 requesting to see his wife, children and servants. When they were summoned, Franklin solemnly said: "My good friends, I sent1 for you here to give you an account of myself: my name is Benjamin Franklin; I am a printer, nineteen years of age; reside at15 Philadelphia, and am now going to Boston. I sent for you all, that if you wished for any further particulars, you might ask, and I inform you: which done," I hope that you will permit18 me to eat my supper in19 peace."

17.

Dean Swift and his Servant.

As the late Dean Swift, attended' by a servant, was once on a journey, they put up at an inn where2 they lodged all night;3 in the morning3 the dean1 called for his boots; the servant immediately took them to him uncleaned. When the dean saw them, he said: "How is this, Tom?" "As you are going to ride, I thought they would soon be dirty again." "Very well," said the dean, "go and get the horses ready."

In the mean time, the dean ordered the landlord to let his man have no breakfast. When the servant returned, he asked if the horses were ready. "Yes sir," answered the servant. "Go, bring them out then," said the dean. "I have not had my breakfast yet, sir," replied Tom. "Oh no matter for that," 10 said the dean, "if you had, you would soon be hungry again." They mounted and rode off. As they rode, the dean pulled a book out of his pocket, and began to read.

A gentleman met them," and seeing the Doctor read ing," was not willing to disturb him, but passed by, till he met the servant. "Who is that gentleman ?" said he to the man. "My master." "I know that, you blockhead," said the gentleman; "but where are you going?" "We are going to heaven, sir," replied Tom. "How do you know that?" asked the gentleman. "Because I am1 fasting, and my master is praying."

18. Honesty.

As1 Marshal Turenne was going along on the ramparts one night, he was assailed by a gang of robbers, who took everything from him except3 a valuable diamond, which they left him on his promise to give them the next day' a hundred louis d'or. In the course of the day one of the robbers had the audacity to come to him in his residence, and, in the midst of a large company, to demand3 of him the fulfillment of his promise. Turenne had9 the money paid out to him, and gave him time to get1o off, before he related the adventure. Everybody seemed surprised at11 such procedure. "An honest man," said he, "should never forfeit his word, when he has given it even to scoundrels

19. Ignorance.

Korsakof, a favorite of the Empress Catherine, had a handsome face and an extremely elegant1 figure, but as for the rest3 was entirely without knowledge. As soon as he was called to3 the court, he conceived that a man like him must of course have also a library. Accordingly he sent without delay to the most celebrated book-seller in St. Petersburg, and notified him that he wanted some books for his house, of which the empress had just made