The extracts are such as an ordinary village boy, from twelve to sixteen years of age, can understand. Each is complete in itself, and, when read by a class of imperfect readers, will occupy about twenty minutes. The few footnotes are intended to be of use in cases-not unfrequent-where a clergyman is assisted in his work at the night school by some villager older and better educated than the class he is teaching, but not able to explain the hard words or allusions in the lesson. My best thanks are due to those authors who have kindly allowed me to use extracts from their works. The book will probably suffice for a winter's work; the cost but not the usefulness of it would have been increased had it consisted of a larger number of extracts. C. K. P. February 1864. The Story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Arabian Nights 115 Siege and Taking of Calais by the King of England, A.D. 1347 READING-BOOK FOR ADULTS. THE STORY OF A DISABLED SOLDIER. (GOLDSMITH.) I MET, Some days ago, a poor fellow whom I knew when a boy, dressed in a sailor's jacket, and begging at one of the outlets of the town, with a wooden leg. I knew him to have been honest and industrious when in the country, and was curious to learn what had reduced him to his present situation. Wherefore, after having given him what I thought proper, I desired to know the history of his life and misfortunes, and the manner in which he was reduced to his present distress. The disabled soldier, for such he was, though dressed in a sailor's habit,-scratching his head, and leaning on his crutch, gave me his history as follows: B 'As for my misfortunes, master, I can't pretend to have gone through any more than other folks; for, except the loss of my limb, and my being compelled to beg, I don't know any reason, thank Heaven, that I have to complain. There is Bill Tibbs, of our regiment, he has lost both his legs, and an eye to boot: but, thank Heaven, it is not so bad with me yet. 'I was born in Shropshire; my father was a labourer, and died when I was five years old; so I was put on the parish. As he had been a wandering sort of man, the neighbours were not able to tell to what parish I belonged, or where I was born, so they sent me to another parish, and that parish sent me to a third. I thought in my heart, they kept sending me about so long, that they would not let me be born in any parish at all; but at last, however, they fixed me. I had some disposition to be a scholar, and was resolved at least to know my letters, but the master of the workhouse put me to business as soon as I was able to handle a mallet, and here I lived an easy kind of life for five years. I only wrought ten hours a day, and had my meat and drink provided for my labour. It is true, I was not suffered to stir out of the house, for fear, as |