But the finer sentiments of the men around her touched 305 Elizabeth simply as the fair tints of a picture would have touched her. She made her market with equal indifference out of the heroism of William of Orange or the bigotry of Philip. The noblest aims and lives were only counters on her board. She was the one soul in her realm whom the 310 news of St. Bartholomew stirred to no thirst for vengeance; and while England was thrilling with its triumph over the Armada, its Queen was coolly grumbling over the cost, and making her profit out of the spoiled provisions she had ordered for the fleet that saved her. To the voice of grati- 315 tude, indeed, she was for the most part deaf. She accepted services such as were never rendered to any other English sovereign without a thought of return. Walsingham spent his fortune in saving her life and her throne, and she left him to die a beggar. But, as if by a strange irony, it was 320 to this very want of sympathy that she owed some of the grander features of her character. If she was without love, she was without hate. She cherished no petty resentments; she never stooped to envy or suspicion of the men who served her. She was indifferent to abuse. Her 325 good humor was never ruffled by the charges of wantonness and cruelty with which the Jesuits filled every court in Europe. She was insensible to fear. Her life became at last the mark for assassin after assassin, but the thought of peril was the one hardest to bring home to her. Even 330

such in 11. 282, 293, also 11. 25, 40, 95, 143, 180, preceding. — A thing that has constantly been noticed, too, and might be traced in much minuter detail, is the ceaseless play of antithesis, direct and hidden, so constant as to be well-nigh a mannerism. But it certainly has worked, along with skilful grouping of ideas, to produce a very unified and selfconsistent portrayal of an exceeding complex character.

when the Catholic plots broke out in her very household she would listen to no proposals for the removal of Catholics from her court.

From A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE.

From the indications that have been furnished in the notes, tabulate the points treated in the paragraphs, showing how they are related to one another, and how their subdivisions are related to them. Endeavor also, from the foregoing description and analysis, to express the character of Elizabeth, as to its most cardinal features, in one sentence.

NOTES ON DESCRIPTION IN PREVIOUS SELECTIONS.

SOME of the Selections already studied for their style are works of description, whose authors are celebrated for their masterly work in portrayal. Let us examine the workmanship of two or three of them. Ruskin: Pages 36-47. — Ruskin's description of St. Mark's, Venice, is widely celebrated as a masterpiece in its kind. Much of this celebrity is due, no doubt, to the gorgeousness of its language, which has already been examined; but it will be profitable to investigate also whether underneath this splendor of diction there is rigor and definiteness enough of outline to give solidity and practical value to the treatment.

Let us look first at the description of the exterior, ll. 138–180. Notice first by what narrative touches, ll. 127–130, and ll. 138–141, the first sight of the church is made impressive; explain by Rhet. P. 345, I. - What point of view do these lines determine? What contrast, detailed previously (11. 63–126) heightens the effect of the scene from this point of view, and how are the spectator's emotions thus enlisted? Cf. Rhet. pp. 342, 343. - For the comprehensive outline of this description, it is obvious that we are to investigate in two lines, – seeking the outline as to form, which is here the subordinate feature, and the outline as to color, material, decoration, which are the predominating features in the writer's mind. — As to form, what general shape is outlined, 1. 142? — Into what feature, beginning with the ground, is this general outline first broken, l. 144? This feature is traced in detail to 1. 170. — 167. The broad archivolts are the inner contour, or vaulted ceiling, of the arches, here described as seen from below. The façade of the church of St. Mark's appears to be divided by a long balcony into two divisions, the lower one of which has been outlined. No mention is here made of the balcony, or indeed of any feature not distinguished by rich artistic decoration; but from 11. 170, 171, what is the general make-up of the upper division? How are the arches surmounted, 1. 175? -We thus see that bits of outline are interspersed, merely enough to be a bare framework for the gorgeous wealth

of color and sculpture and design in which the writer revels. These latter have been largely studied in the examination of Ruskin's style; observe, however, what a surpassingly rich effect is produced by the narrative touches, ll. 175-178.

Let us now note a few features of the description of the interior, 11. 217–259. What general outline is given, ll. 221–223? What conditions, as to light, are given for observation? - What appropriateness in calling the church a vast cave, l. 221?—The description, from 1. 218 to 1. 235, centres in what feature? From 1. 235 to 1. 259 in what main feature? See Rhet. p. 257, examples. What characteristic, 11. 242–245, gives unity to the bewildering mass of artistic detail in this last section? This whole description, both exterior and interior, is not a matter-of-fact description but idealized by imagination, as the note, p. 47, preceding, says: "It is the idealized St. Mark's, as seen through the mist of time in the clear light of its first creation — and indeed farther back still, in the artist's mind that conceived it — that the writer has placed before us."

Carlyle: Pages 56-63. — We know from Carlyle's own testimony that he valued very highly the power of graphic description, and students of his writings have found his own describing power especially manifest in the portrayal of persons. See Rhet. p. 338, examples. Let us see how he describes Coleridge's personal appearance, in ll. 13–38 of this Selection.

What may be taken as the point of view, 1. 13? See Rhet. p. 329. Some of the details, as in 11. 25, 30, are such as would necessarily presuppose a somewhat elderly man; while all are fully in harmony with this initial note of his age. What most general feature of his appearance (11. 15-17) corresponding to the comprehensive outline is given, and how made picturesque and impressive? How summarized, 1. 29 ? Between this outline and its summary, trace now the regular order and sequence in which the details of his appearance are given. What two characteristics emerge from the examination, as the unifying traits of his character? - After the summary, 1. 29, in what characteristic is the description centred, and with what appropriateness is this feature singled out for special treatment? To what further summary, at the end of the paragraph, is this description conducted? - What means and what accessories of description are predominantly used here?

XIX.

THOMAS HUGHES.

ST. AMBROSE CREW WIN THEIR FIRST RACE.

HARK! - the first gun. The report sent Tom's heart into his mouth again. Several of the boats pushed off at once into the stream; and the crowds of men on the bank began to be agitated, as it were, by the shadow of the coming excitement. The St. Ambrose fingered their oars, put s a last dash of grease on their rollocks, and settled their feet against the stretchers.

"Shall we push her off?" asked bow.

This Selection and the two that follow will be studied for the manner in which they exemplify principles of Narration; and presuppose a knowledge of the Rhetoric as far as page 382. It is to be observed that this Handbook can exhibit only such aspects of narration as can be exemplified on a small scale, and must omit such larger features of movement, perspective, combined narratives, and the like, as can ordinarily be shown only in stories of too great length to be given here.

The present Selection exemplifies the kind of narration that is nearest like description; explain what this is, and its principle, by Rhet. p. 370. Accordingly, we look to find the interest of each part not subordinated to a coming dénouement, but concentrated in the individual details as they occur; and what modification of the style will this naturally produce?

As this account is taken from the middle of a chapter, we miss the descriptive introduction that is usually appended to stories standing independently. Nor is the account brought to a formal ending. How is its place in its larger story explained, Rhet. p. 370, bottom?