Oliver Cromwell-his blindness-the Restoration-his povertypoetical labours' Paradise Lost'-'Paradise Regained'-purity of his genius contrasted with the literary character of his own age -his death and character.

490. Write a brief account of the Life of: 1. Oliver Cromwell. 2. Mary Queen of Scots. 3. Queen Elizabeth. 4. The Duke of Wellington. 5. Lord Clive. Write a character of: 1. Richard I. 2. King John. 3. Henry V. 4. General Wolfe. 5. Sir John Moore.

SUBJECTS FOR COMPOSITION.

1. On the advantages of Early Rising.

2. Habit is second Nature.

3. Abilities without exercise cannot ensure success.

4. The journal of a day's occupation.

5. A description of any town or city with which you may be acquainted.

6. A description of any Game that you have played or seen played. 7. A public Library.

8. The value of Time.

9. A Battle; or a Review.

10. A Shipwreck; or a Storm at Sea.

11. The Opening of Parliament, or any similar Pageant.

12. A visit to a Picture Gallery.

13. A visit to Windsor Castle, or to any other castle.

14. A Snow-storm.

15. A Sail down the Thames, or any other river.

16. A Fire in a City.

17. A Walk along Regent-street, or any other street.

18. On Extravagance.

19. The Crusades, or any of them.

20. The Execution of Mary Queen of Scots.

21. A Life and Character of Queen Elizabeth.

22. Some great Discovery, such as, Electricity, Gravitation, etc. 23. Some great Invention, such as Printing, the Steam-engine, Photography, etc.

24. Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

25. The Instinct of Birds. 26. On Spring.

27. On Summer. 28. On Winter.

29. On Autumn.

30. A Voyage to Australia.

31. Biography of Alfred the Great. 32. Contrast Freedom and Slavery.

33. Contrast Peace and War.

34. Draw a parallel between Oliver Cromwell and Napoleon. 35. What makes a Country prosperous?

36. Write an imaginary description of a Retreating Army pursued by a Superior Force.

37. Describe the Roman Invasion of Britain.

38. Describe the Rebellion of Leicester against Henry III.
39. Give some account of the Discovery of America.
40. A Biography of Charles XII of Sweden.

41. Give a description of the International Exhibition.
42. Give some account of Magna Charta.

43. Give a brief account of the Indian Mutiny. 44. On the importance of Method in Daily Life. 45. On the advantages obtainable by Travelling. 46. Describe Rural Life in England.

47. A Biography of Columbus.

48. Idleness is the Rust of the Mind.

49. Evil Examples are like pestilential Diseases. 50. Honesty is the best Policy.

51. A Biography of Sir William Wallace.

52. Describe the defeat of the Armada.

53. Describe any one of the following Battles:-Hastings, Northallerton, Damme, Evesham, Bannockburn, Cresy, Poitiers, Shrewsbury, Agincourt, Barnet, Bosworth Flodden Field, Marston Moor, Blenheim, Dettingen, Preston-Pans, Plassey, Leipsic, Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman.

54. Knowledge is Power.

55. Works of Taste have a social Benefit on Man.

56. Forgiveness is the noblest Revenge.

57. Science is the Handmaid of Religion.

58. Give a brief account of the Peninsular War, or of the Crimean War.

59. On the advantages of Historical Reading.

60. The Power of Conscience.

61. Effects of the Invention of Gunpowder.

62. On the Influence of Religion on Happiness. 63. The Usefulness of Mathematical Learning. 64. Importance of Trifles.

65. Learning conduces to moral and private Virtues.

66. Resist the Beginnings of Evil.

67. On the Pleasures of Imagination.

68. On the Pleasures of Memory.

69. On the Power of Prejudice.

70. On the Influence of Scenery on the Mind.

71. On the Liberty of the Press.

72. On the Influence of Climate, on the character of a Nation. 73. Nature has given to mortals nothing without great labour. 74. The Literature of the reign of Queen Anne.

75. National Amusements.

76. Advantages conferred on Society by Literary Men.

77. Draw a parallel between William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, and his son, William Pitt.

78. Draw a parallel between Louis XIV of France, and William

III of England.

79. On Common Sense.

80. On Criticism.

81. Give a brief account of the War of the Roses.

82. A Biography of Peter the Great.

83. Describe the process of Paper-Making.

84. Describe a Rifle Shooting-match.

85. Write a letter giving an account of a Summer Tour.

86. Write a letter in the third person, containing instructions to a tradesman, or any person in your employment.

87. Write a letter describing "London."

88. Write an essay comparing town with country life.

89. Describe a course of study.

90. What changes in the world, have resulted, or are likely to result, from the discoveries of the various uses of steam?

91. On Ambition : its good and bad effects.

92. What advantages does a nation derive from an insular posi

tion?

93.

"The evil that men do, lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones." 94. "A little learning is a dangerous thing;

Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring." 95. On the good and evil effects of Competition. 96. On the changes in the meaning of English words.

97. Relate, in your own words, some short tale selected from the works of any eminent English Novelist of the present century. 98. Write a brief account of any of the following :-(Shakespeare's) Tempest-Macbeth-Othello-Merchant of Venice(Milton's) Paradise Lost-Comus-(Sir Walter Scott's) IvanhoeTalisman—Lady of the Lake—(Lord Byron's) Prisoner of Chillon --(Wordsworth's) Wanderer-(Tennyson's) In Memoriam.

99. Write an essay on the Elizabethan era, considered as a Period in the History of our Literature?

100. On the general character of the Nineteenth Century, as a literary Period.

274

PRECIS OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.

491. A Précis or Abstract is a brief summary of some letter or letters usually relating to official business.

Obs.-Précis, in a general sense, means an abstract of any subject-such as, of a speech, of a narrative, of a poem, of some important trial, or some political or social event.

492. The object of Précis is 1. to extract the most important parts of a document and, 2. to exhibit those parts in a narrative as brief as possible.

493. The nature and requirements of Précis are fully explained in the following extract from the "Sixth Report of H. M. Civil Service Commissioners" :

"1. The object of the ABSTRACT (schedule or docket) is to serve as an index. It should contain the date of each letter; the names of the persons by whom and to whom it is written; and, in as few words as possible, the subject of it. The merits of such an abstract are (1.) to give the really important point or points, of each letter, omitting everything else; (2.) to do this briefly; (3.) distinctly; and (4.) in such a form as readily to catch the eye

"2. The object of the MEMORANDUM (or précis), which should be in the form of a narrative, is that any one who had not time to read the original letters might, by reading the précis, be put in possession of all the leading features of what passed. The merits of such a précis are-(1.) to contain a concise history of the correspondence, including all that is important in its substance, and nothing that is unimportant; (2.) to present this in a consecutive and readable shape, expressed as distinctly as possible; (3.) to be as brief as is compatible with completeness and distinctness.

494. Rules for forming a Précis :

1. Read over the whole document and select the most important parts.

2. Write down these parts in the fewest possible words, as an abstract or series of heads.

3. Extend these heads in the form of short sentences, so as to form a summary.

4. Number the letters or paragraphs (1, 2 etc.,) inthe original document and place corresponding numbers before the head of the abstract, and the sentences of the summary.

Obs. Sometimes it is requisite merely to condense the original document. In this case the result obtained is called in differently either an abstract or a summary.

Example 1. J. R. Godley, Esq., to Colonel Brownrigg. Sir, War Office, 10th Sept., 1859. With reference to your letter of the 22nd August, submitting the alterations in the establishment of your office, consequent on the retirement of Mr. [A], for the approval of the Secretary of State

for War, I have the honor to acquaint you, that Mr. Sydney Herbert approves of the appointments you have made, on the understanding that Mr. [B.] has passed the necessary examination before the Civil Service Commissioners for a permanent clerkship, and that Mr. [C.] has passed that for a temporary clerkship; (2.) and I am to request that the Commissioners' certificates may be forwarded in support of the charge for their pay in the current quarter's pay list. 1 am to add, that Mr. Secretary Herbert regrets the delay that has occurred in replying to your letter.

J. R. Godley, Esq.,

to

Col. Brownrigg.

Abstract of Example 1.

I have, &c.

War-Office, 10/9/59. (1) Giving Mr. Secry. Herbert's approval of Col. Brownrigg's having appointed Messrs. B. and C. as clerks, if they have passed their examinations. (2.) Requesting Commrs.' certificate to be forwarded in support of charge for their quarter's pay.

Example 2.-F. G. Gardner, Esq., to Mr. Maitland.

Sir, Custom House, 23rd August, 1859. With reference to your letter of the 18th instant, transmitting a certificate of qualification for Mr. David Berwick, who had been nominated to the office of Tidewaiter, at St. David's, in the Port of Borrowstoness,

I am directed to acquaint you, for the information of the Civil Service Commissioners, that the Lords of the Treasury have been pleased to direct that the title of the office to be held by Mr. Berwick be changed to that of " Principal Coast Officer," and I am therefore to signify the request of this Board to be informed whether, with reference to the proficiency exhibited by Mr. Berwick, as stated in the certificate of qualification, the Commissioners deem further examination necessary in his case.

F. G. Gardner, Esq.,

to

Mr. Maitland.

Abstract of Example 2.

1 an, &c.

Custom-Isuse, 24/8/59, (1) Transmitting certificate for Mr. Berwick, as nominated Tidewaiter of St. David's, Borrowstoness; and (2.) enquiring if further examination is necessary, since his title is to be changed to that of Principal Coast Officer.

No. 1-Glossop Union, 26th February, 1853. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

In consequence of their being no schoolmaster at the union workhouse, the board of guardians contemplate sending what few children there are in the workhouse to the Swinton school connected