carry through this great work. Good temper and honesty, diligence and method, overcame all obstacles. And the result reflected credit on the character of the country, and proved the deep fund of good nature and self-government existing in the mass of the people. Written words are powerless and weak to describe that great muster of worldly greatness and splendour-that mighty act of homage to industry and the peaceful arts.

5. A list of the great and distinguished persons present at the opening ceremony would only be a repetition to the public of names with which they are familiar. Let us rather look at the assemblage for a few minutes, and see what meaning we can gather from its movements. The heralds are there -a curious mixture of the ancient and the modern-one half of their dresses in strict fashion, the rest a tabard1 covered with the figures of shields and other devices of the middle ages. The beef-eaters 2 show themselves in great strength, health, and corpulence. Officers of the household troops brighten the effect, their showy uniforms giving brilliancy to the whole assemblage. And there is a Chinese mandarin,3 with a tail of fabulous length. He talks with nobody, yet he seems per

1 Tabard, a sleeveless coat, once worn by knights in the wars, but now worn only by heralds.

2 Beef-eater is perhaps derived from the French word buffetier. It was the business of the beef-eater to take care of the sideboard, or buffet.

3 Mandarin, an officer of the Chinese government, or one of the ruling classes.

fectly at home and on the most friendly terms with all. The uniforms and the costumes worn by the persons collected about the throne add a brightness to the scene, and this is still further increased by the decorations, which have been carefully arranged for that purpose.

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6. After all, there is no decoration which a building can possess which is equal to that presented by a vast and well-arranged assemblage of people. Living masses convey to a great structure a character of liveliness such as no inanimate 1 objects, however beautiful, can supply. The sun, too, for a moment, shines out through the envious clouds that for some time previously have dimmed his lustre, and a flood of light pouring in through the glittering roof seems to bathe the whole in a flood of glory.

7. When Her Majesty ascends the throne, attended by the royal family and the distinguished visitors of her court, the organ peals forth the notes of the National Anthem, and the immense choir collected for the occasion accompanies the strain. This produces a grand effect, and not a heart present remains unmoved at a scene so touching and so grand.

DARBY AND THE RAM.

I. IT was one of those lovely midsummer days when nature was laughing with sunshine, and mother earth in her gayest mood was lavishing 1 her smiles on her often ungrateful children. Everything seemed happy except the shepherd, Darby. Poor fellow he stalked about the field like a ghost, or leaned upon his crock in silent despair. Lord Amplefield and Squire Buckthorn were riding past to dinner.

2. 'I wonder,' said his lordship to the squire, 'what can be the matter with my shepherd, Darby; he seems like one in a galloping consumption,2 and were I to lose him I should not see his equal for many a day. He is the most honest, sober, steady, careful creature in the world, and he never, I believe, told a lie in his life.'

Never told a lie, my lord? Do you really believe such nonsense?'

'Decidedly I do.'

3. They now advanced nearer, and his lordship held up his hand as a signal, and over bounded Darby.

'Well, Darby, that shower last night will have done service to the grass?'

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' Lavishing, giving freely.

• Galloping consumption, rapid consumption.

'Yes, my lord.'

'Darby, bring over my favourite ram, that this gentleman may see it.'

'Yes, my lord.-Hallo, Sweeper! Away for Bullface.' '

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4. In a few moments the dog hunted the ram up from the flock.

That's a clever turn,' said the squire; 'here, my man, here's half a crown for drink.'

'Thank your honour,' said Darby, 'but the worth of that in strong drink would serve me a lifetime. I slake my thirst in pure water.'

'You are a worthy fellow,' said Lord Amplefield, with a look of triumph, as he and the squire rode off. What say you to my shepherd now?'

'A very fine fellow, my lord; yet, proud as you are of him, I'll wager a score of fine sheep that before two days I'll make him tell you a barefaced lie.'

5. The wager was laid, and the squire set out on his errand. He soon discovered the cause of

Darby's trouble. There had been a quarrel between him and the girl of his heart, the lovely Kathleen. Pride prevented their making it up, though both would have given the world to be friends again. To her, then, the squire bent his steps, succeeded in drawing out her secret-that she loved Darby with a heart and a half;' and then artfully contrived to draw her into a plan for becoming friends again with Darby, and while in 1 Bullface, the name of the ram.

the height of his happiness to make this agreement: that she would not be friends with him unless he gave her the favourite ram. His plan succeeded to admiration. Kathleen coaxed the ram from Darby after much persuasion, and the laughing girl tripped home leading the ram with a kerchief taken from her snow-white bosom.

6. Darby was now left to his own thoughts, and they were not pleasant. The hour was rapidly approaching when his lordship took his daily rounds, and he would be sure to miss his favourite ram. What was to be done? To tell a lie was to his honest mind the very height of meanness. Nevertheless, some excuse must be made.

7. A sudden thought seized him. He resolved to try how a lie would look before he told one. Accordingly, he planted his crook firm in the ground and hung his hat on it, in order to personate1 himself. He then retired a few paces, and in the character of his lordship, hailed the figure as follows: 'Good morning, Darby.'

'Good morning, my lord.'

'How are the flocks to-day, Darby?'

Bravely, my lord!'

'Darby, I don't see my favourite ram-where is he?'

Oh, my lord! he was drowned.'

'Darby, if I did not know your good character and general carefulness, I should be exceedingly

1 Personate, to act for another person; pretend to be another

person.