in its direction was acquired progressively. Sailors, unaccustomed to lose sight of land, dared not launch out at once, and commit themselves to unknown seas, and it was nearly half a century before any very distant voyages were undertaken.

The needle does not always point directly to the north, nor does it keep the same position in all latitudes, or at all times. This change in direction is called the variation of the compass, and is necessary to be known in order to steer correctly. The Spaniards on board the little fleet of Columbus, in 1492, were surprised and alarmed by observing that the magnetic needle did not point exactly to the polar star, but varied towards the west, and that, as they proceeded, this variation increased. They were filled with terror-far from land, and in an unknown sea-nature itself seemed to be altered, and the only guide which remained to them appeared about to fail them. Columbus invented a reason to explain the appearance, which satisfied them, and dispelled their fears; but neither he nor any future inquirer has been able to account for the change in a satisfactory manner : it still remains amongst the mysteries of nature. This variation is different in different places, being west at some, and east at others, while in some the needle points due north. It varies also with time: at London, about the year 1660, it was in the true meridian, it is now about twenty-four degrees to the west of it. The variations have a kind of libratory motion, traversing through the north to certain limits eastward and westward and indeed vacillating a little daily. They are sufficiently well known by nautical men to preserve them from dangerous errors in steering by the compass.

Between magnetism and electricity so much of connection has been shown, as that they stand to one another in the relation of effect and cause; at least so far as that all the phenomena of the former are producible by the latter; but no electric phenomena have hitherto been produced by magnetism.

It has been stated that the natural magnet will communicate its virtues to iron and steel. This it will do most readily; and the transfer may be made so effectually

that artificial magnets are superior to native ones, and are therefore preferred in experiments, and for all practical purposes.

Arithmetic-XVI. Liquid Measure-Subtraction. (1) gal. qts. pts. gils. (2) gal. qts. pts. gils. (3) gal. qts. pts. gils. 5629 3 0 1 4907 1 2 9710 0 0 3 3946 2 1 3 3683 3 1 3 7463 1 1 2

4. From 539 gallons 1 gill, take 396 gallons 2 quarts 1 pint, and from 187 gallons take 186 gallons 3 quarts 1 pint 3 gills.

THE APPROACH OF THE ARMADA.

BY LORD MACAULAY.

list........care, have any will to | ghast'-ly..............dismal, frightful in-vin'-ci-ble... not to be roused........awakened, stirred

......

..particular,

bea'-con....a watch fire lighted for the purpose of giving an alarm

un-bon'-net-ed......uncovered,

Attend, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise: I sing of the thrice famous deeds she wrought in ancient days,

When that great fleet invincible, against her bore, in vain, The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts in Spain. It was about the lovely close of a warm summer's day, There came a gallant merchant ship, full sail to Plymouth bay;

The crew had seen Castile's black fleet, beyond Aurigny's isle,

At earliest twilight, on the waves, lie heaving many a mile. At sunrise she escaped their van, by God's especial grace; And the tall Pinta, till the moon, had held her close in chase.

Forthwith a guard, at every gun, was placed along the wall;

The beacon blazed upon the roof of Edgecumbe's lofty hall; Many a light fishing-bark put out to pry along the coast, And with loose rein and bloody spur rode inland many a post.

With his white hair unbonneted, the stout old sheriff

comes;

Behind him march the halberdiers, before him sound the

drums;

His yeomen round the market-cross make clear an ample

space;

For there behoves him to set up the standard of Her Grace.

And haughtily the trumpets peal, and gaily dance the bells, As slow upon the labouring wind the royal blazon swells. Look how the Lion of the sea lifts up his ancient crown, And underneath his deadly paw treads the gay lilies down. So stalked he when he turned to flight, on that famed Picard field,

Bohemia's plume, and Genoa's bow, and Cæsar's eagle shield.

So glared he when at Agincourt in wrath he turned to bay, And crushed and torn beneath his claws the princely hunters lay.

Ho! strike the flagstaff deep, Sir Knight: ho! scatter flowers, fair maids:

Ho! gunners, fire a loud salute: ho! gallants, draw your blades;

Thou sun, shine on her joyously; ye breezes, waft her wide;

Our glorious "Semper Eadem "-the banner of our pride.

The freshening breeze of eve unfurled that banner's massy fold;

The parting gleam of sunshine kissed that haughty scroll of gold;

Night sank upon the dusky beach, and on the purple sea, Such night in England ne'er had been, nor e'er again shall be.

From Eddystone to Berwick bounds, from Lynn to Milford Bay,

That time of slumber was as bright and busy as the day; For swift to east and swift to west the ghastly war-flame spread;

High on St. Michael's Mount it shone: it shone on Beachy Head.

Far on the deep the Spaniard saw, along each southern shire,

Cape beyond cape, in endless range, those twinkling points of fire.

The fisher left his skiff to rock on Tamar's glittering waves: The rugged miners poured to war from Mendip's sunless

caves:

O'er Longleat's towers, o'er Cranbourne's oaks, the fiery herald flew :

He roused the shepherds of Stonehenge, the ranger of Beaulieu.

Right sharp and quick the bells all night rang out from Bristol town,

And ere the day three hundred horse had met on Clifton Down;

The sentinel on Whitehall Gate looked forth into the night, And saw o'erhanging Richmond Hill the streak of blood

red light.

The bugle's note and cannon's roar the death-like silence broke,

And with one start and with one cry, the royal city woke. At once on all her stately gates arose the answering fires; At once the wild alarum clashed from all her reeling spires; From all the batteries of the Tower pealed loud the voice of fear;

And all the thousand masts of Thames sent back a louder cheer:

And from the furthest wards was heard the rush of hurrying feet,

And the broad streams of pikes and flags rushed down each roaring street:

And broader still became the blaze, and louder still the din,

As fast from every village round the horse came spurring

in;

And eastward straight from wild Blackheath the warlike errand went,

And roused in many an ancient hall the gallant squires of Kent.

Southward from Surrey's pleasant hills flew those bright couriers forth ;

High on bleak Hampstead's swarthy moor they started for the north;

And on, and on, without a pause, untired they bounded still:

All night from tower to tower they sprang; they sprang from hill to hill:

Till the proud peak unfurled the flag o'er Derwent's rocky

dales,

Till like volcanoes flared to heaven the stormy hills of

Wales,

Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze on Malvern's lonely

height,

Till streamed in crimson on the wind the Wrekin's crest of

light,

Till broad and fierce the star came forth on Ely's stately

fane,