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command, there were airy tongues that mocked it from every cliff.

2. Dolph gazed about him, in mute delight and wonder, at these scenes of nature's magnificence. To the left, the Dunderberg reared its woody precipices, height over height, forest over forest, away into the deep summer sky. To the right strutted forth the bold promontory of Antony's Nose, with a solitary eagle wheeling about it; while beyond, mountain succeeded to mountain, until they seemed to lock their arms together and confine this mighty river in their embraces.

3. In the midst of his admiration, Dolph remarked a pile of bright, snowy clouds peering above the western heights. It was succeeded by another, and another, each seemingly pushing onward its predecessor, and towering, with dazzling brilliancy, in the deep blue atmosphere; and now muttering peals of thunder were faintly heard rolling behind the mountains. The river, hitherto still and glassy, reflecting pictures of the sky and land, now showed a dark ripple at a distance, as the wind came creeping up it. The fish hawks wheeled and screamed, and sought their nests on the high, dry trees; the crows flew clamorously to the crevices of the rocks; and all nature seemed conscious of the approaching thunder-gust.

4. The clouds now rolled in volumes over the mountain tops; their summits still bright and snowy, but the lower parts of an inky blackness. The rain began to patter down in broad and scattered drops; the wind freshened, and curled up the waves; at length, it seemed as if the bellying clouds were torn open by the mountain tops, and complete torrents of rain came rattling down. The lightning leaped from cloud to cloud, and streamed quivering against the rocks, splitting and rending the stoutest forest trees. The thunder burst in tremendous explosions; the peals were echoed from mountain to mountain; they crashed upon Dunderberg, and then rolled up the long love

defile of the Highlands, each headland making a new echo, until old Bull Hill seemed to bellow back the storm.

5. For a time the scudding rack and mist and the sheeted rain almost hid the landscape from the sight. There was a fearful gloom, illumined still more fearfully by the streams of lightning which glittered among the rain-drops. Never had Dolph beheld such an absolute warring of the elements; it seemed as if the storm was tearing and rending its way through the mountain defile, and had brought all the artillery of heaven into action.

DEFINITIONS. -1. Lăn’guor (pro. lănggwur), exhaustion of strength, dullness. 3. Re-märked', noticed, observed. Prěd-e-çès'sor, the one going immediately before. Clăm'or-oŭs-ly, with a loud noise. 4. Běl'ly-ing, swelling out. De-file', a long, narrow pass. 5. Răck, thin, flying, broken clouds. El'e-ments, a term usually including fire, water, earth, and air.

NOTES.-1. The Highlands are a mountainous region in New York, bordering the Hudson River above Peekskill.

2. The Dunderberg, and Antony's Nose are names of two peaks of the Highlands.

4. Bull Hill, also called Mt. Taurus, is 15 miles farther north.

XXXVI. APRIL DAY.

Caroline Anne Southey (b. 1787, d. 1854), the second wife of Southey the poet, and better known as Caroline Bowles, was born near Lymington, Hampshire, England. Her first work, "Ellen Fitz-Arthur," a poem, was published in 1820; and for more than twenty years her writings were published anonymously. In 1839 she was married to Mr. Southey, and survived him over ten years. Her poetry is graceful in expression, and full of tenderness, though somewhat melancholy. The following extract first appeared in 1822 in a collection entitled, "The Widow's Tale, and other Poems."

1. ALL day the low-hung clouds have dropped

Their garnered fullness down;

All day that soft, gray mist hath wrapped
Hill, valley, grove, and town.

2. There has not been a sound to-day
To break the calm of nature;
Nor motion, I might almost say,
Of life or living creature;

3. Of waving bough, or warbling bird,
Or cattle faintly lowing;

I could have half-believed I heard
The leaves and blossoms growing.

4. I stood to hear-I love it well-
The rain's continuous sound;

Small drops, but thick and fast they fell,
Down straight into the ground.

5. For leafy thickness is not yet

Earth's naked breast to screen,
Though every dripping branch is set
With shoots of tender green.

6. Sure, since I looked, at early morn,
Those honeysuckle buds

Have swelled to double growth; that thorn
Hath put forth larger studs.

7. That lilac's cleaving cones have burst, The milk-white flowers revealing; Even now upon my senses first

Methinks their sweets are stealing.

8. The very earth, the steamy air,
Is all with fragrance rife!

And grace and beauty every-where
Are flushing into life.

9. Down, down they come, those fruitful stores,
Those earth-rejoicing drops!
A momentary deluge pours,

Then thins, decreases, stops.

10. And ere the dimples on the stream
Have circled out of sight,

Lo! from the west a parting gleam
Breaks forth of amber light.

11. But yet behold — abrupt and loud,
Comes down the glittering rain;
The farewell of a passing cloud,
The fringes of its train.

DEFINITIONS.-1. Gär nered, laid up, treasured. 6. Studş, knobs, buds. 7. Cleav'ing, dividing. 10. Dim'ples, small depressions. Am'ber, the color af amber, yellow.

XXXVII. THE TEA-ROSE.

1. THERE it stood, in its little green vase, on a light ebony stand in the window of the drawing-room. The rich satin curtains, with their costly fringes, swept down on either side of it, and around it glittered every rare and fanciful trifle which wealth can offer to luxury, and yet the simple rose was the fairest of them all. So pure it looked, its white leaves just touched with that delicious, creamy tint peculiar to its kind; its cup so full, so per

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fect, its head bending, as if it were sinking and melting away in its own richness.-Oh! when did ever man make any thing to equal the living, perfect flower!

2. But the sunlight that streamed through the window

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