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tive, may be used for practice work. In order to illustrate the preliminary work on the manuscript I give herewith analyses of Patrick Henry's "Appeal to Arms," a description from Irving's "Westminster Abbey," a narrative extract from "David Copperfield," and Marmion's Defiance from Scott's "Marmion."

"AN APPEAL TO ARMS"

It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the songs of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged emphatic

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in a great and arduous struggle for question

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liberty? Are we disposed to be of
the number of those who, having
eyes, see not, and having ears, hear
not the things which so nearly con-
cern their temporal salvation? For
my part, whatever anguish of spirit
it may cost, I am willing to know the
whole truth; to know the worst, and entirety

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to provide for it.

unity and emphasis

I have but one lamp by which my

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feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of

future time, judging of the future but by the past.

past time

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And judging by the past I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British Ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes

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with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the house.

Is it that insidious smile with

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rejection

covering and extent

earnest appeal

which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will

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prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourself how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land.

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Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation?

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Have we shown ourselves so unwilling

to be reconciled that force must be

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called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and sub- suppression

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jugation, the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask, gentlemen, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it?

Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she

They are meant for us;

has none.

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they can be

meant for no other. They are sent

intense

negation

over to bind and rivet upon us those seizing

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chains which the British Ministry

have been so long forging.

And what have we to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to general ques

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offer upon the subject? Nothing.

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specific appeal

analysis

prostration

We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive

ourselves longer.

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Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned, we have remonstrated,

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we have supplicated; we have pros

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trated ourselves before the throne,

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and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament.

Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our

indifference supplications have been disregarded;

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suppression and

contempt

and we have been spurned, with

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contempt, from the foot of the throne.

In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope.

If we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! An appeal to arms, and to extreme

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the God of hosts, is all that is left us.

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They tell us, sir, that we are weak, - unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next

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week, or the next year? Will it be

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when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?

emphasis

Divine

reference

emphatic distinction

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