EXAMPLE II.

5. Demosthenes, the great Grecian orator, although speaking on very important subjects, was listened to with great inattention and weariness by the Athenians. Once, he made them suddenly very attentive, by the following fable,

on

THE SHADOW OF AN ASS.

"A certain youth, on a summer day, being about to start from Athens for Megaras, hired an ass; being near mid-day, and the heat of the sun much stronger, he laid down himself under the shade of the animal. But Agaso, who had hired him the ass, began to importune him in earnest, affirming that he had hired him the ass only, and not the shadow of the ass. The youth, on the other hand, persisted in saying, that with the ass he had hired the shadow also.

At this point, when Demosthenes saw the judges convulsed with laughter, he made a semblance of leaving the audience abruptly. But the Athenians remonstrated, bidding him to finish the story; upon which, Demosthenes, changing his voice to a severe tone, replied, Of the shadow of the ass you wish to hear; but of serious and grave matters you will not.' In this manner, did he rebuke them for their torpor, and inattention."

6. In modern times, neither fables, nor parables, are used for the purpose of illustration, in

(5.) Relate a fable used for censure or reprimand.

struction, or censure; but in their stead, romances, novels, short tales, and anecdotes, have been introduced; which, like poetical imaginations, are often partly fictitious, and partly true, yet always probable; and for this reason, they are classed among narrations, of which we shall treat in the following Part.

7. Before closing this subject, it is well to remark upon the delicate regard for the offender, and for the society in which he lived, shown by the ancient fable writers, in their censure and insinuation of personal faults. They did not expose them, especially if private, to the public gaze, in offensive colors. Their object was to make the offender alone aware of his failings, and gently to induce him to reform. Hence, they neither wounded his feelings too severely, nor brought him to disgrace before society. Æsopus and Phædrus, two most eminent ancient writers of fables, invariably observed this rule.

8. This custom has been departed from, by many modern writers of vulgar tales, and

(6.) What kinds of composition have in in modern times been introduced, for the purpose of illustration, instruction, and censure?

(7.) What do you remark in ancient fable-writers, respecting the mode of censuring individual faults?

scurrilous papers, who, without any authority, literary qualification, or merit of life, impudently assume upon themselves the right of exposing, censuring and rebuking the faults of private individuals. Such ignoble writers, although living in this enlightened era, may well take a lesson from the ancient Pagan authors.

I.-EXERCISE.

In the foregoing examples, show the different qualities of the fable, to-wit, clearness; suitableness to the writer's object, of either illustration, instruction, or reprimand; pleasantness of subject and style; brevity; moral propriety.

II.-EXERCISE.

Find, if you can, other examples of fables, and indicate in the same manner their kind and quality.

III.-EXERCISE.

THEME: Relate the fable of Romulus and Remus nursed by a she-wolf, and draw a moral for maternal love. Or select any other subject, according to your liking.

IV.-EXERCISE.

Read your composition, point out the species to which your fable belongs; the style which you have used, and show how you have observed each of the above named qualities. Let other pupils criticise your composition afterwards.

(8.) Is their custom imitated by modern writers of tales and censorial papers?

PART IV.

OF NARRATIONS. THEIR DEFINITION AND
DIVISION.

1. A narrative is "the recital of some past event." Narrations of future events are called predictions, or prophecies, and do not belong to the present subject.

2. The subjects of narrations are generally human events; whereby narrations differ from descriptions, which refer to all things.

3. Narratives admit of a double division, according to the subject and object.

4. FIRST DIVISION, ACCORDING TO THE SUBJECT. The subject of a narration may be either true or fictitious, but yet probable, whereby a narration differs from a fable; or it may be partly true, and partly fictitious.

•

5. true, are divided into historical and oratorical.

Narratives that relate events which are

6. Narrations that relate human events, either wholly or partly fictitious, yet probable, if written in prose, and the subject is short, are termed parables; if the subject is long, are called novels, or romances; and if written in verse, are called poems..

7. SECOND DIVISION, ACCORDING TO THE OBJECT OF THE WRITER. In narrations, the object is generally three-fold, viz: to inform, persuade, and please. The first object is peculiar to the historian; the second, to the orator; the third, to the poet, novelist, and romancer.

8. Hence narrations, according to the subject and object, are divided into three principal classes, viz: historical, oratorical, poetical, or fictitious narrations. Of each of these classes, of their qualities, and style, we shall treat in three distinct chapters in this part.