Chapter II: Brevity (4)

The extent and fertility of the The extent and fertility of her
Russian territory are _such_ (54) territory furnish unparalleled
_as to_ furnish facilities of facilities for the increase of her
increase and elements of strength population and power. European
_which no nation_ (47 _a_) _in the Russia, that is, Russia to the
world enjoys_. European west of the Ural Mountains,
Russia--that is, Russia to the contains one million two hundred
westward of the Ural thousand square geographical
Mountains--contains a hundred and miles, or ten times the surface of
fifty thousand four hundred square Great Britain and Ireland.
marine leagues, or about one
million two hundred thousand
square geographical miles, being
ten times the surface of the
British Islands, which contain,
including Ireland, one hundred and
twenty-two thousand. Great part, This vast territory is intersected
no doubt, of this _immense_ (54, by no mountain ranges, no arid
see below) _territory is covered_ deserts; and though much of it is
with forests, or (40 _a_) _lies_ rendered almost unproductive of
so far to the north as to be food either by the denseness of
almost unproductive of food; but forests, or by the severity of the
no ranges of mountains or arid northern winter, yet almost all,
deserts intersect the _vast_ (54, except that part which touches
see above) _extent_, and almost the Arctic snows, is capable of
the whole, excepting that which yielding something for the use
touches the Arctic snows, is of man.
capable of yielding something for
the use of man. The (3) (54) The steppes of the south present
_boundless_ steppes of the south an inexhaustible pasturage to
present (54) _inexhaustible_ those nomad tribes whose numerous
fields of pasturage, and give and incomparable horsemen form the
birth to those nomad tribes, in chief defence of the empire.
whose numerous and incomparable
horsemen the chief defence of the
empire,[39] as of all Oriental
states, (15 _a_) _is to be found_.
The rich arable lands in the heart The rich arable lands in the
_of the_ (54) _empire_ produce an interior produce grain enough to
(2) _incalculable_ quantity of support four times the present
grain, capable not only of population of the empire, and yet
maintaining four times (5) _its_ leave a vast surplus to be
present inhabitants, but affording transported by the Dnieper, the
a vast surplus for exportation by Volga, and their tributaries, into
the Dnieper, the Volga, and their the Euxine or other seas.
tributary streams, (30) which
_form so many_ (54) _natural
outlets_ into the Euxine or other
seas; (44) while the cold and Lastly, the cold bleak plains
shivering plains which stretch stretching towards Archangel and
towards Archangel and the shores towards the shores of the White
of the White Sea are (48) covered Sea, and covered with immense
with immense forests of fir and forests of oak and fir, furnish
oak, furnishing at once (54)[40] materials for shipbuilding and
_inexhaustible_ materials for supplies of fuel that will for
shipbuilding and supplies of fuel. many generations supersede the
(54) _These ample stores_ for many necessity of searching for coal.
generations will supersede the
necessity of searching in the (14
_a_) _bowels_ of the earth for
_the purposes of_ (54) _warmth or
manufacture_.

Formidable as the power of Russia Much as we may dread Russia for
is from the vast extent of its the vastness of her territory and
territory, and the great and of her rapidly increasing numbers,
rapidly increasing number _of there is greater cause for fear
its_ (54) _subjects_, (5) _it_ is in the military spirit and the
still more (5) _so_ from the docility of her people.
military spirit and docile
disposition _by which they are_
(54)[41] _distinguished_. The
prevailing (54) _passion_ of the A burning thirst for conquest is
nation is the (54) _love of as prevalent a passion in Russia
conquest_, and this (54) _ardent_ as democratic ambition in the free
(54) _desire_, which (54) _burns states of Western Europe. This
as_ (54) _fiercely_ in them as passion is the unseen spring[2]
democratic ambition does in the which, while it retains the
free states of Western Europe, is Russians in the strictest
the unseen spring[42] which both discipline, unceasingly impels
retains them _submissive_ (54) their united forces against all
_under the standard of their adjoining states.
chief_ and impels their
accumulated forces in ceaseless The national energy, which is as
violence over all the adjoining great as the national territory,
states. The energies of the rarely wastes itself in disputes
people, great as[43] the territory about domestic grievances. For all
they inhabit, are rarely wasted in internal evils, how great soever,
internal disputes. Domestic the Russians hope to find a
grievances, how great soever, are compensation, and more than a
(54) overlooked in the thirst for compensation, in the conquest of
foreign aggrandizement. (15) In the world.
the conquest of the world the
people hope to find a
compensation, and more than a
compensation, (15 _a_) _for all
the evils of their interior
administration_.

FOOTNOTES:

[37] Apparently "it" means, not "progress," but the "Russian empire."

[38] Not "energy," but "a long succession of ages," needs to be emphasized.

[39] There is nothing in the context that requires the words, "as of all Oriental states."

[40] If they were really "inexhaustible," the "necessity of searching in the bowels of the earth" would be "superseded," not for "many," but for all generations.

[41] The words can be implied, and besides they are expressed in the following sentence.

[42] The metaphor is questionable; for a "spring," _qua_ "spring," does not retain at all; and besides, "a passion" ought not to "burn" in one line, and be a "spring" in the next.

[43] The meaning appears _not_ to be, "great as" (is), _i.e._ "though the territory is great."

THE END.

* * * * *

ENGLISH LESSONS

FOR

ENGLISH PEOPLE.

BY

THE REV. EDWIN A. ABBOTT, M.A.,

HEAD MASTER OF THE CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL;

AND

J. R. SEELEY, M.A.,

PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

"It is not so much a merit to know English as it is a shame not to know it; and I look upon this knowledge as essential for an Englishman, and not merely for a fine speaker."--ADAPTED FROM CICERO.

BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1883.

UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON & SON,
CAMBRIDGE.

TO THE

REV. G. F. W. MORTIMER, D.D.,

_Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral, late Head Master of the City of London School_.

DEAR DOCTOR MORTIMER,

We have other motives, beside the respect and gratitude which must be felt for you by all those of your old pupils who are capable of appreciating the work you did at the City of London School, for asking you to let us dedicate to you a little book which we have entitled "English Lessons for English People."

Looking back upon our school life, we both feel that among the many educational advantages which we enjoyed under your care, there was none more important than the study of the works of Shakspeare, to which we and our school-fellows were stimulated by the special prizes of the Beaufoy Endowment.

We owe you a debt of gratitude not always owed by pupils to their teachers. Many who have passed into a life of engrossing activity without having been taught at school to use rightly, or to appreciate the right use of, their native tongue, feeling themselves foreigners amid the language of their country, may turn with some point against their teachers the reproach of banished Bolingbroke:--

My tongue's use is to me no more
Than an unstringed viol or a harp,
Or like a cunning instrument cased up,
Or, being open, put into his hands
That knows no touch to tune the harmony;
Within my mouth you have engaoled my tongue,
Doubly portcullis'd with my teeth and lips,
And dull, unfeeling, barren ignorance
Is made my gaoler to attend on me.
I am too old to fawn upon a nurse,
Too far in years to be a pupil now.

It is our pleasant duty, on the contrary, to thank you for encouraging us to study the "cunning instrument" of our native tongue.

Our sense of the benefits which we derived from this study, and our recollection that the study was at that time optional, and did not affect more than a small number of the pupils, lead us to anticipate that when once the English language and literature become recognized, not as an optional but as a regular part of our educational course, the advantages will be so great as to constitute nothing short of a national benefit.

The present seems to be a critical moment for English instruction. The subject has excited much attention of late years; many schools have already taken it up; others are on the point of doing so; it forms an important part of most Government and other examinations. But there is a complaint from many teachers that they cannot teach English for want of text-books and manuals; and, as the study of English becomes year by year more general, this complaint makes itself more and more distinctly heard. To meet this want we have written the following pages. If we had had more time, we might perhaps have been tempted to aim at producing a more learned and exhaustive book on the subject; but, setting aside want of leisure, we feel that a practical text-book, and not a learned or exhaustive treatise, is what is wanted at the present crisis.

We feel sure that you will give a kindly welcome to our little book, as an attempt, however imperfect, to hand on the torch which you have handed to us; we beg you also to accept it as a token of our sincere gratitude for more than ordinary kindnesses, and to believe us

Your affectionate pupils,

J. R. SEELEY.
EDWIN A. ABBOTT.

* * * * *

_Messrs. Roberts Brothers' Publications._

ENGLISH LESSONS FOR ENGLISH PEOPLE. By Rev. E. A. ABBOTT, M.A., and Prof. J. R. SEELEY, M.A. Part I.--Vocabulary. Part II--Diction. Part III.--Metre. Part IV.--Hints on Selection and Arrangement. Appendix. 16mo. Price $1.50.

_From the London Athenaeum._

The object of this book is evidently a practical one. It is
intended for ordinary use by a large circle of readers; and
though designed principally for boys, may be read with advantage
by many of more advanced years. One of the lessons which it
professes to teach, "to use the right word in the right place,"
is one which no one should despise. The accomplishment is a rare
one, and many of the hints here given are truly admirable.

_From the Southern Review._

The study of Language can never be exhausted. Every time it is
looked at by a man of real ability and culture, some new phase
starts into view. The origin of Language; its relations to the
mind; its history; its laws; its development; its struggles; its
triumphs; its devices; its puzzles; its ethics,--every thing
about it is full of interest.

Here is a delightful book, by two men of recognized
authority,--the head Master of London School, and the Professor
of Modern History in the University of Cambridge, the notable
author of "Ecce Homo." The book is so comprehensive in its scope
that it seems almost miscellaneous. It treats of the vocabulary
of the English Language; Diction as appropriate to this or that
sort of composition; selection and arguments of topics; Metre,
and an Appendix on Logic. All this in less than three hundred
pages. Within this space so many subjects cannot be treated
exhaustively; and no one is, unless we may except Metre, to which
about eighty pages are devoted, and about which all seems to be
said that is worth saying,--possibly more. But on each topic some
of the best things are said in a very stimulating way. The
student will desire to study more thoroughly the subject into
which such pleasant openings are here given; and the best
prepared teacher will be thankful for the number of striking
illustrations gathered up to his hand.

The abundance and freshness of the quotations makes the volume
very attractive reading, without reference to its didactic value.

_Sold by all booksellers. Mailed, postpaid, by the Publishers_,

ROBERTS BROTHERS, BOSTON.