"Be not too rigidly censorious; A string may jar in the best master's hand, And the most skillful archer miss his aim.” -Roscommon's Horace. 5. "Envy is a cursed plant; it condemns by wholesale." V. SUGGESTIVE ReferencES.-For the use of those members who may care to further pursue the subject of the right use of books the following are suggested: Libraries and Readers--W. E. Foster. F. Leypoldt, New York. publisher. 50 cts. Boston. On the Right Use of Books- W. P. Atkinson. R. G. 25 cts. 50 cts. BOONE. HISTORY. Green's Shorter History of the English People. I. General Review.-(a) We have taken a hasty view of the English People under their various kings, beginning with Egbert of the Cerdic line and reaching down to the death of Henry II, who was the first of the Plantagenet line of kings: we have seen these people meet amid the carnage of battle, the struggle of tyrants and the growth of principle until a race has been developed who knows how "To take Occasion by the hand, and make The bounds of freedom wider yet." We have seen this great people develop from the ruins and debris of the Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Danish, and Norman Conquests. (b) It was the repeated revolts of these indomitable English rather than the battle of Hastings that made William of Normandy a conqueror. (c) Among the innovations which the Conqueror introduced were,--the Feudal System, the Forest Laws, the Curfew, Peter's Pence, Doomsday Book, and the French Language.* (d) After the conquest of England William still held Normandy, and hence remained a vassal of the French king. This fact began a complication of English and French interests which became a fruitful source of strife, that culminated in bloody wars, which stretched along the wake of nearly five centuries. (e) Questions.-1. Give the principal results of the reign of Alfred the Great. 2. On what did William the Conqueror base his right to the English throne? 3. Name the Primates of England as far as the reign of King John; state some important step that each one took. 4. What were the leading traits in the characters of Dunstan and Becket? 5. Why was Henry II called a Plantagenet? Who was his mother? What territory did he obtain by his marriage? 6. State the cause of the Crusades and name three important results. *NOTES.-1. When the Northern barbarians became masters of Rome they rewarded their chief with large possessions from their con quered territories on condition that these chiefs would assist them in times of war. These chiefs allowed their subordinates to hold a part of these grants on the same condition of military service, and these subordinates again to others on similar conditions: thus originated a succession of classes held together by homage and service on the part of the subordinates, and protection on the part of the chiefs; thus originated that system of lords and vassals and serfs, the last of which were held in no higher estimate than beasts, and could be transferred along with the soil they tilled. Lands thus granted were called Feudes, and hence, Feudalism. It reached its height in continental Europe in the tenth century and was introduced into England by the Norman Conquest. The evil effects of this system were inevitable: These great lords held both civil and criminal jurisdiction over their feudes or fiefs, and often exercised it without regard to justice; secure in their castles they could defy their sovereigns, and were hence independent of control." 2. During these centuries of the so-called Dark Ages ignorance and superstition were supreme; in the midst of this mental and moral night some French nobles pledged themselves to defend the weak and the oppressed; the Church favored their proposition; and thus originated that institution called Chivalry, which formed the leading feature in the civilization of the Middle Ages. This custom was introduced into England along with other continental customs. II. Advanced Work-Pages 143 to 235. POINTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST.-(A) King John and Magna Charta. (B) The diplomacy of the Royal Houses of England, Scotland, and France. (c) The strong English cbaracter of Edward I. (D) The invasion of Scotland and the battle of Bannockburn. (E) Edward I, and the Barons. (F) The right of the King to tax the people without their consent forever withdrawn. (G) Origin of the term Prince of Wales. (H) Oxford and the revival of learning. (1) Roger Bacon and Science. (J) The British Parliament; reason for the two Houses. (Notice carefully the origin and development of the literature of those times.) NOTE. It will be impossible to anything more than simply develop our taste for History in the time allotted to it in the course; really this is all that is necessary at present, since a cultivated taste is the key to future endeavor. I have but little faith in any kind of mnemonics as a plan of study, but I will suggest a little plan of this kind which does not even have the merit of being original, but which has been really very helpful to me in fixing the names and time relations of the mythical line of English Kings in my memory. This of itself would be comparatively valueless, but it has been a nucleus around which I have collected other facts which are valuable. It is as follows: (1) Re member that Egbert heads the Royal line. (2) Remember the meaningless word Ethel-wolf-bald-best-red. (3) Remember always King Alfred. (4) Also the meaningless word Edward-mund-red-wy-garward-mund. (5) Remember Athelstan's reign occurred between the first and second Edward, and that Ethelred II reigned between the last and next to the last Edward. (6) Then come the Danes, Knut, Harold, and Hardi-Canut; then the restored Saxons, Edward the Conqueror and Harold the Second; then, "First William the Norman, Then William his Son, Edwards one, two and three, Two Edwards, then Richard, Two Henrys, sixth Edward, Then Jamie the Scotchman, Another Charles too; And next James the Second Ascended the throne; Then William and Mary together come on, When Ann, Georges four And William were passed, God gave us Victoria; May she long be the last! SUGGESTION.-Read Shakespeare's King John; Mrs. Hemans' familiar poem on the death of the son of King Henry I, who was sunk in the White Ship, entitled, "He never smiled again"; also Mrs. Hartwick Thorpe's poem on the Curfew. MATTIE CURL DENNIS. BACK COURSES. Besides about three thousand sets of books already sold for 1886-7, it is evident there are many readers who, having failed from various reasons to complete the studies of previous years, are doing that reading this year. This is perfectly legitimate. Those who have the books for 1885–6 (or for 1884–5) can do the reading for those years, following the outlines and distribution of work for those years, and have an opportunity to take examination upon all, or any part of it, June 1887. Indeed when that work has been partly done, it is probably better that it be finished rather than new work (for 1886-7) be taken. There is so much work prescribed; when it has been completed in whole or in part, credit will be given for so much as is done. quered territories on condition that these chiefs would assist them in times of war. These chiefs allowed their subordinates to hold a part of these grants on the same condition of military service, and these subordinates again to others on similar conditions: thus originated a succession of classes held together by homage and service on the part of the subordinates, and protection on the part of the chiefs; thus originated that system of lords and vassals and serfs, the last of which were held in no higher estimate than beasts, and could be transferred along with the soil they tilled. Lands thus granted were called Feudes, and hence, Feudalism. It reached its height in continental Europe in the tenth century and was introduced into England by the Norman Conquest. The evil effects of this system were inevitable: These great lords held both civil and criminal jurisdiction over their feudes or fiefs, and often exercised it without regard to justice; secure in their castles they could defy their sovereigns, and were hence independent of control." 2. During these centuries of the so-called Dark Ages ignorance and superstition were supreme; in the midst of this mental and moral night some French nobles pledged themselves to defend the weak and the oppressed; the Church favored their proposition; and thus originated that institution called Chivalry, which formed the leading feature in the civilization of the Middle Ages. This custom was introduced into England along with other continental customs. II. Advanced Work-Pages 143 to 235. POINTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST.-(A) King John and Magna Charta. (B) The diplomacy of the Royal Houses of England, Scotland, and France. (c) The strong English character of Edward I. (D) The invasion of Scotland and the battle of Bannockburn. (E) Edward I, and the Barons. (F) The right of the King to tax the people without their consent forever withdrawn. (G) Origin of the term Prince of Wales. (H) Oxford and the revival of learning. (1) Roger Bacon and Science. (J) The British Parliament: reason for the two Houses. (Notice carefully the origin and development of the literature of those times.) NOTE. It will be impossible to anything more than simply develop our taste for History in the time allotted to it in the course; really this is all that is necessary at present, since a cultivated taste is the key to future endeavor. I have but little faith in any kind of mnemonics as a plan of study, but I will suggest a little plan of this kind which does not even have the merit of being original, but which has been really very helpful to me in fixing the names and time relations of the mythical line of English Kings in my memory. This of itself would be comparatively valueless, but it has been a nucleus around which I have collected other facts which are valuable. It is as follows: (1) Re member that Egbert heads the Royal line. (2) Remember the meaningless word Ethel-wolf-bald-best-red. (3) Remember always King Alfred. (4) Also the meaningless word Edward-mund-red-wy-garward-mund. (5) Remember Athelstan's reign occurred between the first and second Edward, and that Ethelred II reigned between the last and next to the last Edward. (6) Then come the Danes, Knut, Harold, and Hardi-Canut; then the restored Saxons, Edward the Conqueror and Harold the Second; then, First William the Norman, Next Henry the Third, Edwards one, two and three, Two Edwards, then Richard, Two Henrys, sixth Edward, Then Jamie the Scotchman, Yet received after Cromwell Another Charles too; And next James the Second Ascended the throne; Then William and Mary together come on, When Ann, Georges four And William were passed, God gave us Victoria: May she long be the last!" SUGGESTION. --Read Shakespeare's King John; Mrs. Hemans' familiar poem on the death of the son of King Henry I, who was sunk in the White Ship, entitled, "He never smiled again"; also Mrs. Hartwick Thorpe's poem on the Curfew. MATTIE CURL DENNIS. BACK COURSES. Besides about three thousand sets of books already sold for 1886–7, it is evident there are many readers who, having failed from various reasons to complete the studies of previous years, are doing that reading this year. This is perfectly legitimate. Those who have the books for 1885-6 (or for 1884-5) can do the reading for those years, following the outlines and distribution of work for those years, and have an opportunity to take examination upon all, or any part of it, June 1887. Indeed when that work has been partly done, it is probably better that it be finished rather than new work (for 1886–7) be taken. There is so much work prescribed: when it has been completed in whole or in part, credit will be given for so much as is done. |