the sense requires, but without any alteration in the tone of the voice.

In the same manner, if a question requires the second line of the couplet to adopt the rising slide, the first ought to have a pause at the end; but the voice, without any alteration, ought to carry on the same tone to the second line, and to continue this tone almost to the end.

The same principles of harmony and variety induce us to read a triplet with a sameness of voice, or a monotone, on the end of the first line, the rising slide on the end of the second, and the falling on the last.

This rule, however, from the various sense of the triplet, is liable to many exceptions. But, with very few exceptions, it may be laid down as a rule, that a quatrain or stanza of four lines of alternate verse, may be read with the monotone ending the first line, the rising slide ending the second and third, and the falling the last.

The plaintive tone, so essential to the delivery of elegiac composition, greatly diminishes the slides, and reduces them almost to monotones; nay, a perfect monotone, without any inflection at all, is sometimes very judiciously introduced in reading verse.

On Scanning.

A certain number of syllables connected form a foot. They are called feet, because it is by their aid that the voice, as it were, steps along through the verse, in a nieasured pace.

All fect used in poetry consist either of two or of

free syllables, and are reducible to eight kinds; four of two syllables, and four of three, as follow:

The hyphen marks a long, and the breve a short

syllable.

ل

THE

FIFTH PROGRESSIVE READER.

PART II.

L-POPE ST LEO THE GREAT AND ATTILA.

DARRAS.

Rev J. E. Darras is a French writer of eminence. The following is taken from his "General History of the Church," which has been translated into English, and enriched with a learned Introduction and Notes, by the Most Rev. M. J. Spalding, D.D., Archbishop of Baltimore. It is a work of great ability and research, and is written in a very clear and captivating style.

1. Whilst this great pontiff thus brought back peace and unity of faith to the Church in the East, he had in the West checked the onward course of the fierce king of the Huns,' who was pushing on his victorious hordes over the ruins of the Roman world.

2. Attila, the most formidable mower of men who had yet led on the barbarian invaders, seemed born for the terror of the world. He had come originally from the forests of Tartary, and his destiny appeared to be attended by something inexplicably terrific, which made a fearful impression upon the generality

of men.

His gait and carriage were full of pride and haughtiness; the movements of his body and the rolling of his eyes spoke his conscious power. His short stature, broad chest, and still larger head, thin beard, and swarthy features, plainly told his origin. His capital was a camp in the fields by the Danube. The kings he had conquered kept guard by turns at the door of his tent. His own table was set with wooden platters and coarse food, whilst his soldiers sported with gold and silver vases.

3. Enthroned upon a low stool, the Tartar chief received the ambassadors of Valentinian III. and Theodosius the Younger, whose credulity he deceived in a manner that would have done credit to the most practiced courtier of Constantinople or of Rome. He said of himself with savage energy: "The star falls, the earth trembles; I am the hammer of the universe. The grass never grows again where Attila's horse has once trod." He claimed the official title of Scourge of God.

4. The two emperors of Ravenna and of Constantinople thought to stop the barbarian at their gates, by allowing him the title of General of the Empire, and allowing him a tribute which they regarded as his pay. The Hun remarked on this subject: "The generals of emperors are servants; Attila's servants are emperors." He one day sent two Goths, one to Theodosius II., the other to Valentinian III., with this message: "Attila,