NOTES ON REQUIRED READINGS IN “THE CHAUTAUQUAN.”

THE BONDS OF SPEECH.

P. 63, c. 1.—“Basques,” bask. The inhabitants of three Spanish provinces on the slopes of the Pyrenees. The government, customs and language of these people are peculiar and interesting. In government they are nearly republican. “Each province is governed by a parliament composed of representatives selected partly by election, partly by lot, among the householders of each county parish or town. A deputation, named by the parliament, insures the strict observance of the special laws and customs of the province, and negotiates with the representative of the Spanish crown. Delegates from the three parliaments meet annually to consider the common interests of the provinces; they employ a seal representing three interlaced hands, with the motto, ‘The three are one,’ but no written federal pact exists.” In their habits the people are very simple; agriculture is the principal occupation. They live on very equal terms, the class of nobles being small. The language was not written earlier than the fifteenth century. It is said to present some grammatical resemblance to the North American and certain East African languages.

P. 64, c. 1.—“Frisian,” frishˈe-ans. A Germanic people inhabiting at present the eastern coast of Holland, the fens of Saterland, the western shore of Schleswig, and a few adjacent islands. There exists now but a remnant of the ancient Frisians.

P. 66, c. 1.—“Cimmerian,” cim-mēˈri-an. An adjective derived from the Cimmerii, a mythical people represented by Homer as inhabiting a remote region of mist and darkness. Later writers locate this country near Lake Avernus, a lake of Italy about eight miles from Naples, or in the Crimea, or in Spain. “Their country was fabled to be so gloomy that the expression ‘Cimmerian darkness’ became proverbial; and Homer, according to Plutarch, drew his images of hell and Pluto from the dismal region they inhabited.”

“Comanches,” co-manˈches; “Piutes,” pi-utesˈ. Tribes of American Indians belonging to the Shoshone family. Only remnants of them now remain. The Piutes are one of the numerous divisions of the Utahs or Utes.

P. 67, c. 1.—“Primum Mobile.” The prime mover; first power; the beginning.

“Eddic.” Found in the Edda, the sacred books of the old Scandinavian tribes. These books contain almost all that we know of the mythology of the Northmen.

The original signification of “Edda” is “great-grandmother.” It is properly applied to but one collection, the other being a misnomer. The true Edda, or Younger Edda, is a prose collection, giving a history of the world and the gods. The Elder Edda is a collection of poems, dating from the eighth or ninth centuries. Many of them are only fragments. They treat of mythical and religious legends of an early Scandinavian civilization, and are composed in the simplest and most archaic form of Icelandic verse.

HOME STUDIES IN CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS.

P. 68, c. 2.—“Antiparos,” an-tipˈa-ros. A small island of the Grecian Archipelago. The grotto is its chief feature of interest. “It consists of an immense marble arch, the roof, sides and center of which are covered with stalactites and dazzling crystallizations, assuming the shapes of columns, screens, flowers, trees, etc. The stalactites hanging from the roof unite in several places with stalagmites rising from the floor, so that the arch is apparently supported by a continuous series of pillars. The grotto is entered by a natural arch of rugged rock, overhung with trailing plants.”

“Caverns.” To the caverns mentioned here must be added the “Fish River Caves” near Sydney, Australia. A writer in a late issue of the Scientific American thus describes them: “These caves are situated about eighty miles west of Sydney, Australia, and are some 3,000 feet above sea level, in an interesting mountainous locality. They were first discovered by a party of settlers in 1866, while in pursuit of bush-rangers. They are singularly attractive. The intricate galleries, halls, and passages in their subterranean scenes are so magnificent that a person having once seen them is desirous of viewing them again and again, new features being presented to his view at each visit and at every turn. The strange forms that have been assumed by the drippings from the limestone are almost infinite, and are in beauty unsurpassable in their own character elsewhere. When lighted up by the incandescent magnesium wire or other strong light, these sublime chambers, so strangely formed by nature’s hands, present a gorgeous spectacle, filled as they are with drooping sprays, coral growths, delicate pendants, gigantic columns, handsome shawls, huge curtains, and shadowy arches of the most fantastic kind.”

“Church,” F. E. (1826-⸺.) An eminent American landscape painter. His earliest pictures of note were scenes from the Catskills. Among his later productions are “Under Niagara,” “The Heart of the Andes,” “Cotopaxi,” and “Sunrise on Mount Desert Island.” “The Icebergs” is ranked among his best works.

P. 69, c. 2.—“Mer-de-Glace,” mer-deh-gläs. Sea of ice. A glacier in the valley of the Chamouni.

SUNDAY READINGS.

P. 71, c. 1.—“Payson,” Edward. (1783-1827.) An American clergyman of the Congregational Church, Portland, Me., and the author of several works.

“Cowper,” William. (1731-1800.) A celebrated English poet. He was subject to attacks of insanity, and fancied himself destined to eternal woe.

“Tennents,” Gilbert and William. Two American clergymen of the Presbyterian Church, who lived during the first part of the eighteenth century. William was at one time seriously ill, and remained for several days in a condition of apparent death. His account of his emotions was, that at the moment of his seeming death he found himself surrounded by an unutterable glory, and saw a great multitude in the height of bliss; and that when he was about to join the happy throng some one came to him and said: “You must go back.” When he found himself in the world again he fainted. For three years the recollection of what he had seen and heard was so intense as to make earthly things seem worthless.

“Edwards,” Jonathan. (1703-1758.) An American divine and metaphysician, the greatest theologian of his century. Dr. Chalmers, of Scotland, said of him: “On the arena of metaphysics he stood the highest of all his contemporaries.” This American divine affords, perhaps, the most wondrous example in modern times of one who stood gifted both in natural and spiritual discernment.

P. 72, c. 1.—“Spurgeon,” Charles H. (spurˈjon). The great English preacher, born 1834. In 1854 he was called to the new Park Street Baptist Chapel in Southwark, London; and his preaching soon drew such crowds that the congregation removed first to Exeter Hall, and then to Surrey Music Hall, the largest public room in London. In 1861 a new chapel of great size was completed for his congregation. For several years he has preached an average of nearly a sermon a day, traveled extensively, and written several books.

P. 72, c. 2.—“Martineau,” marˌtēˌnoˈ. An English Unitarian clergyman, born about 1805. Author of several theological works.

P. 73, c. 2.—“Fuller,” Thomas. (1608-1661.) An English divine, court chaplain to Charles I. and II.

GLIMPSES OF ANCIENT GREEK LIFE.

P. 73, c. 2.—“Leotychides,” leˌo-tīkˈi-dēs.

“Aristocracies.” For account of the freedom of early Athens from anything like aristocracy, see “Brief History of Greece,” pp. 46 and 47.

P. 74, c. 1.—House decorations. The dwelling houses of the Greeks were small and insignificant, so that their skill in architecture would show to better advantage on their public buildings. In the time of Pericles they were forbidden by law to build fine houses or to have a display of any kind about them. See “Brief History of Greece,” p. 84, note. Alcibiades began to indulge his love of beauty by home decoration; and for a description of a Greek house in later times see “Brief History of Greece,” p. 83.

“Thasos.” All traces of its ancient gold mines which yielded such large revenues have entirely disappeared. When Xerxes marched through Thrace, the Thasians, on account of their great wealth, and possessions on the mainland, were compelled to provide for the Persian army as it passed through their territories, and their expenditure was four hundred talents, about $460,000. Some remains of the ancient city still exist.

P. 74, c. 2.—“Demes,” dēˈmēs. Originally the Athenians were divided, according to their places of residence, into a number of boroughs or wards, demes.

“Coutts.” (1731-1822.) The wealth of this great banker was estimated at between two and three millions sterling. It finally reverted to his granddaughter, Miss Frances Burdett, on condition she would assume the name of Coutts. By her this wealth was dispensed freely in various charities.

P. 75, c. 1.—“Talent.” A talent is about $1,180.

“Bucephalus,” bu-sephˈa-lus. See “Cyrus and Alexander.”

“Orchomenus,” or-komˈe-nus.

P. 75, c. 2.—“Châlets,” shä-lāˈ. Mountain huts, in which the herdsmen live. They are low and flat, and are covered with stones to protect them against the elements. The interior has scarcely anything beyond the apparatus of the dairy. In the loft above is a store of straw for beds. All the Swiss valleys are covered with huts of this kind. Each herdsman has to collect about a hundred cows twice a day, and make cheese, which is the principal occupation inside the abodes. The owners of the cattle sometimes reside also in châlets, but they are of a superior kind, and frequently offer a delightful retreat to weary travelers.

“Bees.” Hybla, in Megaris, and Mt. Hymettus, in Attica, were celebrated far and near on account of the honey produced there.

GREEK MYTHOLOGY.

P. 76, c. 1.—“Cosmogony.” Derived from two Greek words signifying the world, and to create; hence its meaning, the doctrine or science of the creation of the world.

“Gea.” This name appears in many of our words to-day, such as geography, geology, geometry, etc., and in each retains its primitive meaning.

P. 76, c. 2.—“Comus.” From a Greek word meaning revel. From it comes our word comedy. In Milton’s poem Comus is represented as a base enchanter who endeavors to beguile and entrap the innocent by means of his “brewed enchantments.”

P. 77, c. 1.—“Centimani,” hundred-handed. Three giants, sons of Uranus and Gea. They had each one hundred hands and fifty heads, and were of extraordinary size and terrible strength.

P. 77, c. 2.—“Phlegra,” phlegˈraˈ. The most westerly of three peninsulas running out from Chalcidice, in Macedonia.

P. 78, c. 1.—“Anthropomorphic,” an-thro-po-morˈphic. Pertaining to the representation of the deity under human form.

“Monotheism.” The doctrine that there is but one God.

“Polytheism.” The doctrine of many gods.

“Archilocus,” ar-chilˈo-chus. (B. C. 714-676.) The first Greek poet who wrote according to fixed rules.

“Terpander.” (B. C. 700-650.) The father of Greek music, and through it, of lyric poetry.

“Epicharmos,” ep-i-charˈmos. Lived about B. C. 540. The chief comic poet among the Dorians, one of the races of the Greeks.

P. 78, c. 2.—“Theogony,” the-ogˈo-ny. That branch of heathen theology which taught the genealogy of their gods.

“Tytyus.” A son of Jupiter.

“Python.” A monster serpent. Apollo founded the Pythian games in honor of this victory.

P. 79, c. 1.—“Orestes.” Son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Agamemnon, on his return from Troy, was murdered by Ægisthus and Clytemnestra. Orestes avenged his father’s death by killing his mother and her guilty partner, for which he was pursued by the Furies.

“Orpheus.” One of the Argonauts. He enchanted with his music act only the wild beasts, but the trees and rocks, so that they followed the sound of his golden harp. He went after his lost wife, Proserpine, into the abodes of Hades, and suspended the torments of the lost, by his music. He won his wife back from the most inexorable of all deities, but had promised not to look back at her till they had arrived in the upper world. The anxiety of love overcame him, and he looked round to see that she was surely following. At that moment she was caught back to the infernal region.

TEMPERANCE TEACHINGS OF SCIENCE.

P. 79, c. 1.—“Bichat,” beˈshä. (1771-1803.) A French anatomist and physiologist.

“Pathological.” Pertaining to disease.

“Plethora,” plethˈo-ra. The state of the vessels of the human body when they are too full, or overloaded with fluids, and hence the state of being overfull in any respect.

“Must.” Wine pressed from the grape, but not fermented.

“Toxic.” Poison. The word intoxicate is derived from it.

“Ibn Hanbal,” ibˈn hanˈbäl.

“Father Mathew.” (1790-1856.) Theobald Mathew, D.D., Ireland’s “Apostle of Temperance.” He devoted his life to this cause, and in its interests visited every large town in Ireland and England, and the principal cities in the United States.

P. 79, c. 2.—“Lorenzo de Medici,” dŭh medˈĕ-che. (1448-1492.) He was styled the magnificent. He was distinguished by his liberal patronage of literature and art, and his munificent encouragement of the commercial and social development of Florence. He belonged to a distinguished Florentine family. From the early history of Florence the Medici were conspicuous in the service of the republic.

“Gamin,” ga-mangˈ. A neglected and unruly child in the streets.

P. 80, c. 1.—“Nepenthe,” ne-penˈthe. A drug used by the ancients to relieve from pain, and produce great exhilaration of spirits.

“Thoreau,” thoˈro. (1817-1862.) An American author who lived the life of a hermit for more than two years in a forest near Concord.

“Porson.” (1759-1808.) An Englishman, generally considered one of the greatest classical scholars of modern times; without a rival as a Greek critic. His memory was miraculous. The complaint against him is, that with such great capabilities he did so little. He bestowed considerable pains on the restoration of the Greek text on the Rosetta stone.

“Polydipsia,” polˈi-dipˈsi-a.

“Embrocation.” Any lotion used for washing or rubbing a diseased part of the body.

P. 80, c. 2.—“Lecky,” lĕkˈĭ. (1838.) A British author who devoted himself to political and philosophical literature. His most celebrated work was “History of European Morals from Augustus to Charlemagne.”

“Boswell.” (1740-1795.) An Englishman. His “Life of Johnson” is called the best biography extant.

P. 80, c. 2.—“Sir Hudibras,” huˈde-bräs. The title and hero of a celebrated satirical poem by Samuel Butler. Hudibras is a Presbyterian justice, who at the time of the Commonwealth, travels forth to correct abuses, and to enforce observance of the laws.

“A main forte,” ä mang fort. By main force.

“Sangrado,” Doctor, san-gräˈdo. The name of a physician in Le Sage’s novel, “Gil Blas” (zhēl bläs), who practices blood-letting as a remedy for all sorts of ailments.

“Asclepiades,” asˈcle-piˈa-dēs.

“Magendie,” maˈzhŏn-deeˈ. (1783-1855.) A French physiologist. He insisted that experimentation was the only source of knowledge, and resorted to vivisection constantly, saying it was the only method by which he could learn the nature of animals.

P. 81, c. 2.—“Jules Virey,” veˈraˈ. A French physician.

“Therapeutics,” therˈa-pūˈtics. The discovery and application of remedies for diseases.

STUDIES IN KITCHEN SCIENCE AND ART.

P. 82, c. 1.—“Gramineæ,” grä-minˈe-ē.

“Triticum.” Wheat. “Vulgare,” vul-gaˈrē.

P. 83, c. 1.—“Secale cereale,” se-cāˈle se-re-aˈle. The Latin word and the similar English word, cereal, are derived from Ceres, who was fabled to have invented agriculture, and was therefore styled the goddess of corn. Secale means a kind of corn.