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coveries he had yet to make, which would add realms of incalculable wealth to the dominions of their majesties, and whole nations of proselytes to the true faith.

The words of Columbus were listened to with profound emotion by the sovereigns. When he had finished they sunk on their knees, and, raising their clasped hands to heaven, their eyes filled with tears of joy and gratitude, they poured forth thanks and praises to God for so great a providence; all present followed their example; a deep and solemn enthusiasm pervaded that splendid assembly, and prevented all common acclamations of triumph. The anthem of Te Deum Laudamus, chanted by the choir of the royal chapel, with the melodious accompaniments of the instruments, rose up from the midst in a full body of sacred harmony, bearing up as it were the feelings and thoughts of the auditors to heaven; that," says the venerable Las Casas, "it seemed as if in that hour they communicated with celestial delights." Such was the solemn and pious manner in which the brilliant court of Spain celebrated this sublime event, offering up a grateful tribute of melody and praise, and giving glory to God for the discovery of another world.

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WASHINGTON IRVING.

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HOME AND CLASS WORK.

Learn the spellings and meanings at the top of the page; and write sentences containing these words.

THE INCHCAPE BELL.

No stir on the air, no swell on the sea,
The ship was still as she might be:
The sails from heaven received no motion;
The keel was steady in the ocean.

With neither sign nor sound of shock,
The waves flow'd o'er the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

The pious abbot of Aberbrothock

Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On the waves of the storm it floated and swung;
And louder and louder its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the tempest swell,
The Mariners heard the warning bell.
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blessed the abbot of Aberbrothock.

The float of the Inchcape Bell was seen,
A darker spot on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk'd the deck,
And he fixed his eye on the darker speck.

His eye was on the bell and float,-
Quoth he, "My men, put down the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,-
I'll plague the priest of Aberbrothock!"

The boat is lower'd, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go.
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And cut the bell from the Inchcape float.

Down sunk the bell with a gurling sound;
The bubbles rose and burst around.
Quoth he, "Who next comes to the Rock
Won't bless the priest of Aberbrothock!"
Sir Ralph the Rover sail'd away;
He scour'd the sea for many a day;
And now, grown rich with plunder'd store,
He steers his way for Scotland's shore.

So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale all day;
At evening it hath died away.

"Canst hear" said one, "the breakers roar?
For yonder, methinks, should be the shore.
Now, where we are, I cannot tell,—

-

I wish we heard the Inchcape Bell."

They hear no sound-the swell is strong, Though the wind hath fallen they drift along; Till the vessel strikes with shivering shock,Oh heavens ! it is the Inchcape Rock!"

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Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,
And cursed himself in his despair;
And waves rush in on every side,
The ship sinks fast beneath the tide.

SOUTHEY.

THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLE.

Xerxes-Persian King Lacedemonia-Sparta Sparta-in South Greece Thebes-in North Greece manhood-virtue; valour issue-come out

inconvenience-trouble

valiant-brave

incredible-not to be be-
lieved

Arcadia-state in South
Greece

Mantinca-city in South
Greece

At this

After such time as Xerxes had transported the army over the Hellespont, and landed in Thrace (leaving the description of his passage along that coast, and how the river of Lissus was drunk dry by his multitudes, and the lake near to Pissyrus by his cattle, with other accidents in his marches towards Greece), I will speak of the encounters he had, and the shameful and incredible overthrows which he received. As first at Thermopyla, a narrow passage of half an acre of ground, lying between the mountains which divide Thessaly from Greece, where sometime the Phocians had raised a wall with gates, which was then for the most part ruined. entrance, Leonidas, one of the kings of Sparta, with 300 Lacedæmonians, assisted with 1000 Tegeate and Mantineans, and 1000 Arcadians, and other Peloponnesians, to the number of 3100 in the whole; besides 100 Phocians, 400 Thebans, 700 Thespians, and all the forces (such as they were) of the bordering Locrians, defended the passage two whole days together against that huge army of the Persians. The valour of the Greeks appeared so excellent in this defence, that, in the first day's fight, Xerxes is said to have three times leaped out of his throne, fearing the destruction of his army by one handful of those men whom not long before he had utterly despised; and

when the second day's attempt upon the Greeks had proved vain, he was altogether ignorant how to proceed further, and so might have continued, had not a runagate Grecian taught him a secret way, by which part of his army might ascend the ledge of mountains, and set upon the backs of those who kept the straits. But when the most valiant of the Persian army had almost enclosed the small forces of the Greeks, then did Leonidas, king of the Lacedæmonians, with his 300, and 700 Thespians, which were all that abode by him, refuse to quit the place which they had undertaken to make good, and with admirable courage, not only resist that world of men which charged them on all sides, but, issuing out of their strength, made so great a slaughter of their enemies, that they might well be called vanquishers, though all of them were slain upon the place. Xerxes having lost in this last fight, together with 20,000 other soldiers and captains, two of his own brethren, began to doubt what inconvenience might befall him by the virtue of such as had not been present at these battles, with whom he knew that he shortly was to deal. Especially of the Spartans he stood in great fear, whose manhood had appeared singular in this trial, which caused him very carefully to enquire what numbers they could bring into the field. It is reported of Diences, the Spartan, that when one thought to have terrified him by saying that the flight of the Persian arrows was so thick as to cover the sun, he answered thus-'It is very good news, for then we shall fight in the cool shade.'

HOME AND CLASS WORK.

Learn the spellings and meanings at the top of the page; and write sentences containing these words.

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