Page images
PDF
EPUB

EXTRACTS.

I. THE YOUNG PHILOSOPHER.

2

MR. LOVELL was one morning riding by himself,1 when, dismounting to gather a plant in the hedge, his horse got loose,3 and galloped away before him. He followed, calling the horse by name, but it was in vain. At length a little boy in a neighbouring meadow, seeing the affair,1 5 where the road made a turn, and getting before the horse, took him by the bridle, and held him till his owner came up. Mr. L. looked at the boy, and admired his ruddy, cheerful countenance."

ran across

"Thank you, my good lad," said he,

8

6

66

you have caught my horse very cleverly. What shall I give you for your trouble?" putting his hand into his pocket "I want nothing, sir," said the boy.

Mr. L. Don't you? 10 so much the better for you. Few men can say as much." But pray,12 what were you doing in the field?

B. I was tending the sheep.

Mr. L. And do you like this employment?

B. Yes, very well this fine weather.13

Mr. L. But had you not rather play ? 14

'See § 54, 1.-2 Dismounting, Mettant pied à terre.-3 Got loose, S'échappa. Seeing the affair, Voyant ce qui se passait.-5 Ran across, Courut à travers champs.—6 Made a turn, Faisait un coude. - His ruddy, cheerful countenance, Ses belles couleurs et son air enjoué.-8 You have caught, Tu as rattrapé.-9 Trouble, Peine.— 10 Don't you? Vraiment ?-11 See § 18.-12 Pray, Dis-moi.-13 Yes, very well, this fine weather, Oui, beaucoup, par ce beau temps.-14 But had you not rather play? Mais n'aimerais-tu pas mieux jouer ?

B. This is not hard work; it is almost as good1 as play.

Mr. L. Who set you to work?

B. My daddy, sir.

Mr. L. Where does he live ? 2

B. Just by, among the trees there.

Mr. L. What is his name?

B. Thomas Hurdle.

[blocks in formation]

3

B. I shall be eight at Michaelmas.

Mr. L. How long have you been out in this field?

B. Ever since six in the morning.5

Mr. L. And are you not hungry? 6

B. Yes; I shall go to my dinner soon.

Mr. L. If you had sixpence now, what would you do with it?

B. I don't know. I never had so much in
Mr. L. Have you no playthings?

B. Playthings! what are those ? 8

9

my life.

Mr. L. Such as balls, ninepins, marbles, tops, and wooden horses.

B. No, sir; but our Tom 10 makes footballs to kick " in the cold weather, and we set traps for birds; and then I have a pair of stilts to walk through the dirt with; and I had a hoop, but it is broken.

See

1 Good, Agréable.—2 To live, Demeurer.—3 See § 54, 14.-— 4 How long have you been out? Depuis quand as-tu été ? § 29, 13.6 See § 54, 42.7 Yes, Si.-8 What are those? Qu'estce que cela ?- Such as balls, Par exemple des balles.—10 Our Tom, Mon frère Tom.-11 Footballs to kick, Des ballons qu'on lance à coups de pied.

Mr. L. And do you want nothing else?

B. No, sir; for I always ride the horses to field, and tend the cows, and run to the town for errands;1 and that is as good as play, you know.2

Mr. L. Well, but you could buy apples or gingerbread at the town, I suppose, if you had money?

B. Oh! I can get apples at home; and as for gingerbread, I don't mind it much,3 for my mother gives me a pie now and then, and that is as good.

me.

Mr. L. Would you not like a knife to cut sticks?
B. I have one- - here it is.

brother Tom gave it

Mr. L. Your shoes are full of holes-don't you want 4

a better pair?

B. I have a better pair for Sundays.

Mr. L. But these let in water.5

B. Oh, I don't care for that."

Mr. L. You hat is all torn, too.

B. I have a better at home; but I had as lief have none at all, for it hurts my head.

7

Mr. L. What do you do when it rains?

B. If it rains very hard, I get under the hedge till it is over.

Mr. L. What do you do when you are hungry before it is time to go home?

B. I sometimes eat a raw turnip.

Mr. L. But if there are none?

You know, Voyez

1 For errands, Pour faire des commissions. vous.-3 I don't mind it much, Je n'y tiens pas beaucoup.* Don't you want, Ne t'en faut-il pas. See also § 18.-5 See § 54, 43.6 I don't care for that, Cela m'est bien égal.—7 I had as lief have none at all, J'aimerais autant n'en pas avoir du tout.

B. Then I do as well as I can; I work on, and never think of it.1

Mr. L. Are you not dry sometimes this hot weather? B. Yes, but there is water enough.

Mr. L. Why, my little fellow, you are quite a philosopher."

B. Sir?

Mr. L. I say, you are a philosopher, but I am sure you do not know what that means.

3

B. No, sir-no harm, I hope ! 3

Mr. L. No, no! (laughing). Well, my boy, you seem to want nothing at all, so I shall not give you money to make you want anything. But were you ever at school?

5

B. No, sir; but daddy says I shall go after harvest. Mr. L. You will want books then ?

B. Yes, the boys have all a spelling-book and a New Testament.

7

8

Mr. L. Well, then, I'll give you them. Tell your daddy so, and that it is because you are a very good little boy. So now go to your sheep again.

9

B. I will, sir. Thank you.

Mr. L. Good-bye, Peter.
B. Good-bye, sir.

J. AIKIN. 1747-1822.

1 See § 30, 5.-2 You are quite a philosopher, Tu es un vraj philosophe.-3 No harm, I hope! Ce n'est rien de mal, j'espère !4 Mr. L. No, no (laughing), Mr. L. (riant) Non, certainement.5 See § 53.6 A spelling-book, Un A B C.- Tell your daddy so, Dis-le à ton père.—8 And that it is, Et ajoute que c'est.-9 I will, J'y vais.

II. THE MONKEY AND THE TWO CATS.

2

3

5

Two cats, having stolen some cheese, could not agree about dividing their prize. In order, therefore, to settle the dispute they consented to refer the matter to a monkey. The proposed arbitrator very readily accepted the office, and producing a balance, put a part into each scale." Let me see," said he; "ay! this lump outweighs the other; " and immediately he bit off a considerable piece in order to reduce it, he observed, to an equilibrium. The opposite scale was now become the heaviest; which afforded our conscientious judge an additional reason for a second mouthful." Hold! hold!" said the two cats, who began to be alarmed for the event, "give us our respective shares, and we are satisfied." -"If you are satisfied," returned the monkey, "justice is not; a case of this intricate nature is by no means so soon determined." Upon which he continued to nibble first at one piece and then the other, till the poor cats, seeing their cheese gradually diminishing, entreated him to give himself no farther trouble, but deliver to them what remained." Not so fast, I beseech you, friends," replied the monkey; "we owe justice to ourselves as well as to you: what remains is

7

9

1 To refer the matter to a monkey, A soumettre le cas à un singe. 2 The proposed arbitrator very readily accepted the office, Notre arbitre accepta avec empressement.-3 Producing, Prenant.-4 This lump outweighs the other, Ce morceau est plus lourd que l'autre.— 5 He bit off, Il enleva d'un coup de dent.—6 To reduce it to an equilibrium, Pour rétablir l'équilibre. To be alarmed for the event, A craindre pour le résultat.-8 Give us our respective shares, Donnez à chacun de nous sa part.-9 See § 16.

E

7

« PreviousContinue »