For Recitation:
A supercilious nabob of the East--
Haughty, being great--purse-proud, being rich--
A governor, or general, at the least,
I have forgotten which--
Had in his family a humble youth,
Who went from England in his patron's suit,
An unassuming boy, in truth
A lad of decent parts, and good repute.
This youth had sense and spirit;
But yet with all his sense,
Excessive diffidence
Obscured his merit.
One day, at table, flushed with pride and wine,
His honor, proudly free, severely merry,
Conceived it would be vastly fine
To crack a joke upon his secretary.
"Young man," said he, "by what art, craft, or trade,
Did your good father gain a livelihood?"--
"He was a saddler, sir," Modestus said,
"And in his line was reckoned good."
"A saddler, eh? and taught you Greek,
Instead of teaching you to sew!
Pray, why did not your father make
A saddler, sir, of you?"
Each flatterer, then, as in duty bound,
The joke applauded, and the laugh went round.
At length, Modestus, bowing low,
Said (craving pardon, if too free he made),
"Sir, by your leave, I fain would know
_Your_ father's trade!"
"_My_ father's _trade?_ Heavens! that's too bad!
My father's trade! Why, blockhead, are you mad?
My father, sir, did never stoop so low.
He was a gentleman, I'd have you know."
"Excuse the liberty I take,"
Modestus said, with archness on his brow,
"Pray, why did not your father make
A gentleman of you?"
_Selleck Osborne._
* * * * *
fain, gladly.
archness, sly humor free from malice.
suit (s[=u]t), the people who attend upon a person of distinction;
often written _suite_ (_sw[=e]t_).
Write the plural forms of _boy, man, duty, youth, family,
secretary._
Copy these sentences, using other words instead of those in italics:
He was an _unassuming_ boy, of decent _parts_ and good
_repute_. His _diffidence obscured_ his merit.
_Excuse_ the _liberty_ I take.
Memory Gems:
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,--
The man's the gold for a' that!
_Burns._
One cannot always be a hero, but one can always be a man.
_Goethe_ (_g[^u]' t[=e]_).
* * * * *
_30_