to the degree of his knowledge or capacity, give equivalents for each one of these words in the sense in which they occur in the sonnet, and let him state in what other senses, if any, the words are used; and if he can quote any occurrence of any of them from any other poem he has ever learnt, so much the better. Then some attempt should be made at discovering what the first sense of any one word is, and connecting its other senses with that prime one. The discovery can usually, of course, be made at once by a reference to the dictionary; but this would involve a mere burdening of the memory without any exaction of intelligence, and such a course is to be avoided. A very useful process, I think, in investigating a word, is to make a pupil gather together all the words he knows that are connected with it. Signs of kinsmanship between words are often obvious enough-the family features are unmistakeable. Every one can see that" liquor," "liquefy," "liquid" are of one house. If the word is a compound word, then each part should be considered separately, and have grouped around it its own set of relations, its own family circle. This classification is in itself not unbeneficial: it will very often, as I have hinted, give help in the elucidation of the root meaning any particular word. In the midst of these verbal 'réunions' you may discover what the family character is. Of course, many words wander away into far countries, so to speak, and change their looks so much that their origin is scarcely recognisable; they get disguised and made strange. The pupil may require some help for the gathering in of these outcasts; which help should be judiciously given, and so the wanderers enrolled amongst their own people. The word "success" might well be dealt with in some such way as I have described. Taking the word as a whole, the words "succession," "successor," "succeed," might at once be collected around it; taking the parts separately, a few instances of sub in composition might be got together, and then a few when the final b, for obvious reasons, is modified or changed into m, t (compare our pronunciation of subtle,) and into c, as in the verb succumb, and in the word in question. It would surely be very possible to discover from the list now made, by an induction (are we not all perpetually inducting without knowing it?) the various meanings of the preposition. Now, let -cess be treated after a like manner. Such words as con-cess-ion, re-cess, will be readily quoted. Cessa-tion will perhaps be volunteered, but may be declined, with a reason given. De-cease may be suggested, and accepted. Of course, if when a list of words is thus put together the pupil fails-as he may do-to recognise what the common element of meaning is, the teacher may reveal it to him, and show how it enters into the signification of each word on the list. And now the two component parts, having been considered singly, must be considered together; their single life having been explored, their conjugal one must be studied. If the pupil cannot now interpret the combination, he will at any rate be in a condition to receive some account of it; he will be most apt and ready for the information. In some not dissimilar manner the word portend may be handled. Around this word, too, a goodly company of congeners may be gathered. So with the word "propitious," the derivatives will occur to the pupil at once. Probably "proximity" will have to be suggested to him; and then, if the teacher quotes such a phrase as "a very present help in the time of trouble," or "Be near me when my light is low," the metaphor involved in the word "propitious" will gradually dawn upon the learner's mind. Sure this sort of exercise cannot but be highly beneficial. In this way sundry fragments of knowledge may be bound together into a harmonious body. And surely a habit of discovering, or, indeed, of looking after, the common property in the various members of a group of things, is well worth cultivation. In connexion with such a word as "link," the pupil might be induced to notice how it is pretty much equivalent to "join," and told how often in English we can express the same idea in two (sometimes in more than two) languages-that is, in two of the ingredient languages, that make up our composite mother tongue, and reminded of such phrases as "assemble and meet together." Any respectable handbook would supply a list of such cases, if a list shall be found necessary. But perhaps I may now pass on to another part of the lesson. There is, indeed, no word that is wholly void of interest—that is not the centre, or at least the inhabitant, of some little world of its own. 4. Grammar must now receive some attention. Some questions on the subject of inflection are suggested by the form "warblest," "Jove's," "hast," "thee," "them," 66 sung, "link'd." Such terms as "inflection," "case," case," may be defined, to begin with. Here, too, the classification of facts already familiar may be usefully attempted; and of some of these facts an interpretation may be suggested. Without of course going into the derivation of verbal terminations, it is perfectly possible to make a pupil sensible of their general force and significance. How comes Milton to use am" without any grammatical subject? A thoughtful scholar would not be long in arriving at the true conclusion; he will then easily see that in such a phrase as "thou hast" there is, or was once, something superfluous—there is a repetition. He might be 66 led on to discover how such a repetition could find its way into a language, and to illustrate by other examples the verbal decay it implies. Under careful guidance, with his mental activity well aroused, there is nothing preposterous in expecting he would do so. Then the classification of words-the "parts of speech"-might be considered. What "part of speech" is "yon," in line 1; "on," in line 4; "first" and "before," in line 6; "timely," in line 10; "as," in line 11; "yet," in line 12; "both," in the last line? Then the sentences that compose the sonnet should be carefully analysed. What is a sentence? What is meant by analysis? These terms should, if they are strange to the pupil, be at once examined. They might be subjected to the method that has been indicated above, and the conclusion drawn that they mean, when combined, the un-loosening (ana-lysis, dis-solution,) or taking to pieces of a thought expressed in words. How many sentences are there in the "Sonnet to a Nightingale?" This question settled, each sentence could be taken in hand separately, and divided into its two main parts: (1), subject; and (2), predicate, in the broader sense of the terms, which, if they are not thoroughly familiar, should be without delay made so. Then the subject should be inspected by itself, and, if it is not of a simple kind, should be duly anatomized. The predicate should be treated in like manner. Thus the structure of each sentence should be carefully observed and traced, the relation of each word, phrase, clause, to the whole, thoughtfully ascertained. This anatomy will often demand the utmost dexterity and most active intelligence. The organism of a sentence is highly delicate and sensitive, and must not be handled roughly. In what relation do the words "with fresh hope" stand to the verb-the predicate, in the narrower sense of the term-" dost fill?" What adverbial clause qualifies that verb? The verb itself is worth noticing, and might serve as a text for a useful discourse, or rather a useful mæentic dialogue. In the next sentence, do the words "first heard before the shallow cuckoo's bill," belong to the subject or to the predicate? Do they hold an adjectival or participial relation to "notes," or an adverbial one to "portend?" In the third sentence, how many qualifying or modifying words, and phrases, and clauses surround the verb "sing?" This verb in this sentence holds a very levée of adverbs and adverbials. These courtiers should be properly marshalled. The position of the words "to thy soft lay,' should be defined. What difference would there be in the meaning of the conditional clause, if for "have" were substituted" has ?" Explain "that" in the phrase, "that amorous power." Explain the phrase "amorous power." Quote similar phrases to "bird of hate." With what words are "for my relief" connected? These and many similar questions could not be disposed of without much attention, and at least some intellectual activity on the part of the pupil. 5. The language and the syntactical form having been carefully explored, any proper names occurring should receive their share of attention, and any allusions to old beliefs or customs should be considered. In the present sonnet, who are the Hours? Some mention of them in some other poet might be found. The Classical Dictionary would probably furnish a reference to some classical poet-say Homer; this reference should be verified and made of use by means of an English translation of the poet named. Or some picture of these fair goddesses might be described. The word-picture, given by Milton of May advancing under bright conduct, should be realized. That other word-picture in the "Song on May Morning" should be quoted : "Now the bright morning star, day's harbinger, Comes dancing from the East, and leads with her Then the old fancy, on which the prayer to the nightingale to sing timely is founded, must be remembered. Chaucer's" Cuckow and Nightingale," where it is to be found in full bloom, might be read; or, should that poet's antique form make or seem to make him unintelligible, Wordsworth's modernised version-a version made with much reverence and love for the older poet— might be perused, or part perused, or extracted from instead. Other legends about the cuckoo might be quoted; and others, notably the old Greek one, about the nightingale. In the latter part of the sonnet, who is "the Muse?” 6. And now I should recommend a thorough paraphrasing of the sonnet. The pupil ought by this time to be in a condition to understand it; whether he does so, must be tested. First, he should state what the general meaning of the poem is; and then he should give the meaning of each part of it; and then he should paraphrase closely each separate sentence he should translate into his own words every sentence. As our language is so rich in synonyms, from the fact I have referred to above, this "construing" is excellently well possible. Two or three different versions might be required. This exercise, while it will sift the pupil's comprehension of the poem and test the benefit he has received from the time and labour spent upon it, will also develope and cultivate his powers of expression. 7. If it seemed well, as in some cases it might, the critical faculty also might be drawn forth. The word-pictures given might be examined as pictures-the words as colour, to speak metaphorically. The sonnet might now be recited again, as I suggested at the beginning of this paper; and, if good recitation depends on an intelligent masterly comprehension of what is recited, then there ought now to be a marked improvement in the style exhibited at the commencement of the lesson. I trust it is now clear that there need be no lack of matter in connection with an English lesson, nor of matter of a superior quality. No doubt much might be added to what has been suggested above. Some questions might be asked concerning Milton's life, his other works, his style, his relation to other great poets, &c. Any one of the leading divisions of treatment I have mentioned might be greatly expanded. Any one of them might be made sufficient, and more than sufficient, for a single one-hour's lesson, during which there should not be perpetual recalcitration, or utter listlessness, but the attention should be well sustained, and the mind actively working. RECREATION. By Prof. SEELEY, University College, London. Ir the word recreation implies that the time when labour is intermitted is the time when loss is repaired, and, as it were, the human being created anew, it is certainly true if not of the body, of the mind and thoughts. The mind's riches are not stored up in hours of mental tension, but in hours of mental recreation. Labour is necessary to set in order and arrange the store of observations, images, intuitions; but it is only when the mind is quite at ease that the store in creases. When the mind is quite at ease, when self-consciousness is suspended, and care dozes, at such times we have an apprehension of things far more tenacious and more intimate than when the shadow of ourselves falls upon them. The important thing is to paralyse the will, and to set in motion the involuntary part of the mind. If you can do this-which, alas! you never can by trying-it is as though a veil were withdrawn that had concealed the face of nature. In such moods images and forms pass into the very substance of the mind. It becomes per |