varies through euphony before a feminine noun commencing with a consonant or an h aspirate.

L'espérance, toute trompeuse qu'elle Hope, deceitful as it is, serves at est, sert au moins à nous mener

à la fin de la vie par un chemin

agréable. LA BRUYÈRE.

least to conduct us to the termination of life by an agreeable road.

left his room? 34. He has not yet left his room; he is too sick to leave it. 35. I should be under the greatest obligations in the world to you, if you would do this.

SECTION LXXXVIII.-SOME PECULIAR IDIOMS (continued). 1. Servir [2, ir.] is used in French in the sense of the English

Il nous sait mauvais gré de cela,

RÉSUMÉ OF Ne le ferez-vous pas be bon gré? Il s'est marié contre le gré de ses parents.

goodwill) for that action.

He is displeased with us for that. EXAMPLES.

Will you not do it willingly?

parents.

He married against the will of his Sa chevelure voltige au gré du His hair flutters at the will of the vent. wind. Je sais mauvais gré à votre frère de vouloir se mêler de mes affaires. Je lui en sais bon gré.

I am displeased with your brother for wishing to interfere with my affairs. I am thankful to him for it.

I hope that you will not be displeased with me if I do not write to you.

J'espère que vous ne me saurez pas mauvais gré, si je ne vous écris pas, C'est à mon gré le meilleur enfant He is, to my thinking, the best child du monde. in the world.

de ce qu'il a dit? 3. Ne me sauriez

1. Savez-vous mauvais gré à votre oncle 2. Je ne lui en sais aucun mauvais gré. vous pas bon gré si je vous menais avec moi? 4. Je vous en saurais le meilleur gré du monde. 5. Ne leur savez-vous 6. Je leur sais bon gré pas bon gré d'avoir gardé ce secret ? de l'avoir gardé. 7. Ne leur avez-vous pas recommandé de garder le silence ? 8. Je leur ai recommandé de le garder. 9. Ce malade garde-t-il encore le lit? 10. Il ne garde plus le lit, mais il est encore obligé de garder la chambre. 11. Votre chevelure est-elle bien nouée ? 12. Non, Monsieur, elle vole an gré du vent. 13. Garderez-vous votre domestique? 14. Je le garderai, il fait tout à mon gré. 15. Quelques offres qu'on lui fasse, il ne veut pas me quitter? 16. Quelque bonnes que soient ces dames, elles ne sont pas à mon gré. 17. Quelles que soient les suites de cette affaire, je vous sais bon gré de vos intentions ? 18. Toute belle qu'elle est, elle n'est pas à mon gré. 19. L'avez-vous fait malgré vous ? 20. Non, Monsieur; je l'ai fait de bon gré. 21. Bon gré, mal gré, il partira. 22. Me garderez-vous le secret ? 23. Je vous le garderai. 24. Il change d'opinion au gré des événements.

EXERCISE 170.

1. Will he marry against his father's consent? 2. He will not marry against his parent's consent. 3. Why are you displeased with me? 4. I am not displeased with you. 5. Is your little girl's hair tied? 6. It is not tied; it waves (flotte) with the wind. 7. What do you think of my book? 8. It is, in my opinion, the best book that I have read [Sect. LXXIII., 3, 4]. 9. Will you not be displeased with me if I do not come to-day? 10. I shall not be displeased with you. 11. Will you not read that letter? 12. However well written it may be, I will not read it. 13. Are those ladies handsome? 14. However handsome and good they may be, they do not strike my fancy. 15. Are you displeased with my brother? 16. No, Sir, I am thankful to him for his intentions, whatever may be the consequences of his conduct. 17. Will you keep this secret (for ine) 18. I will keep it willingly. 19. Does your sister keep her bed willingly? 20. She does not keep her room willingly. 21. Willingly or not, she must keep her room when she is sick. 22. Will you keep silent on this point? 23. I will willingly. 24. I am thankful to you for your good intentions. 25. Are you thankful to him for this (de cela)? 26. I am than'ul to him for it. 27. Will the judge keep his servant ? 28. He will keep him. 29. Does he do his work to his fancy? 30. He does it to his fancy. 31. Is your brother obliged to keep in the house? 32. He is obliged to keep his bed. 33. Has he not

Que vous servirai-je ?
Vous servirai-je de la soupe?
Vous n'avez pas servi, monsieur,

To what shall I help you? Shall I help you to some soup? You have not helped that gentleman. 2. Je vous remercie, I thank you, said in answer to an offer, is in French always a refusal. This phrase is never employed like the English expression, I thank you for (this or that), to signify a request. The French make use of other forms ::Oserai-je vous prier de . . . . Oserai-je vous demander. Je vous prie de . Je vous prierai de . Oserai-je vous demander une aile I will thank you for a wing of that de cette volaille, un morceau de fowl, a slice of that roast meat.

ce rôti ?

...

...

3. S'il vous plait corresponds to the English if you please. The verb is used unipersonally in that sentence and in the following:

Comme il vous plaira,
Il ne me plait pas d'y aller,

Que vous plait-il ?

As you please.

It does not suit or please me to go there.

What would you please to have?

4. Au plaisir de vous revoir, au revoir, adieu, jusqu'au revoir, mean, till I have the pleasure of seeing you again, till I see you again, etc.

RÉSUMÉ OF EXAMPLES.

Qu'aurai-je le plaisir de vous servir?

Je vous demanderai un morceau de ce jambon.

Vous offrirai-je un morceau de ce roti?

Je vous remercie, Monsieur; je prendrai de préférence une aile de cette volaille.

N'a-t-on pas encore servi?
Je vous souhaite le bon soir.
J'ai souhaité le bonjour à Madame.

Ayez la complaisance de vous as

To what shall I have the pleasure of helping you?

I will thank you, or I will trouble you, for a slice of that ham.

Shall I offer you a slice of this roast meat?

I thank you, Sir; I would prefer a wing of that fowl.

Is not the dinner yet on the table?
I wish you good evening.

I have wished the lady a good morn ing.

Have the goodness to sit down. Gentlemen, have the kindness to walk

in.

VOCABULARY. Jambon, m., ham. Légume, m., vegetable. Mett-re (se), ir. ref., 4, to sit down. Ortolan, m., ortolan. Perdrix, f., partridge. Pri-er, to beg, to desire.

EXERCISE 171.

1. Monsieur, qu'aurai-je le plaisir de vous servir? 2. Je vous demanderai une tranche de ce jambon. 3. Je vous prie de servir ces messieurs. 4. Oserai-je vous demander un morceau de ce bouilli? 5. Vous offrirai-je une tranche de ce rôti? 6. Je vous remercie, Monsieur; j'en ai suffisamment. 7. Mademoiselle, aurai-je l'honneur de vous servir une aile de cette perdrix? 8. Je vous remercie, Monsieur; je prendrai de préférence un de ces ortolans. 9. Monsieur, vous enverrai-je de la soupe? 10. Madame, je vous prie de servir mademoiselle. 11. Je vous en demanderai après. 12. Jean, présentez cette côtelette à monsieur. 13. Ces légumes sont délicieux. 14. Monsieur, je suis bien aise que vous les trouviez bons. Monsieur, ne voulez-vous pas vous asseoir ? 16. Mille remerciments, Monsieur, mon père m'attend à la maison. 17. Ne leur avez-vous pas souhaité le bonjour ? 18. Je leur ai souhaité le bon soir. 19. Leur avez-vous dit adieu ? 20. J'ai dit adieu à mon frère. 21. J'ai pris congé d'eux. 22. Les avezvous priés d'entrer ? 23. Je les en ai priés. 24. Messieurs, on a servi. 25. Ayez la complaisance de vous mettre ici. EXERCISE 172.

15.

1. Madam, to what shall I help you? 2. I will trouble you for a slice of that ham. 3. Shall I send you a wing of that

place, lui écririez-vous ? 26. Je lui écrirais tous les jours. 27. Mlle. votre sœur se tromperait-elle ? 23. Elle no se tromperait pas, elle 29. Si vous vous leviez tous les matins à cinq heures, vous porteriez-vous mieux ? 30. Je ne me porterais pas mieux. 31. Aimeriez-vous mieux aller à pied ? 32. J'aimerais mieux aller à cheval. 33. Ne vous assiériez-vous pas ? 3. Je m'assiérais, si j'étais

fatigué.

EXERCISE 119 (Vol. II., page 174).

KEY TO EXERCISES IN LESSONS IN FRENCH.

EXERCISE 116 (Vol. II., page 173).

21.

1. Euverrez-vous chercher le médecin ? 2. Je l'enverrai chercher cette après-midi. 3. Le petite fille n'ira-t-elle pas chercher des pommes ? 4. Elle en enverra chercher. 5. Ne vous assiérez-vous pas, quand vous serez fatigué ? 6. Nous ne nous assiérons pas, nous n'avons pas le temps. 7. Que fera M. votre frère quand il sera fatigué? 8. Il fera ce qu'il pourra. 9. Vaudra-t-il la peine de lui écrire ? 10. П n'en vaudra pas la peine, car il ne veut pas venir. 11. Ne faudra-t-il pas parler au négociant? 12. Il ne faudra pas lui parler. 13. Nous faudra-t-il prendre des passe-ports? 14. Il le faudra. 15. Votre petit garçon ne marchera-t-il pas plus doucement, quand il sera fatigué ? 16. Quand il sera fatigué, il s'assièra. 17. Que fera Mile. votre sœur, demain ? 18. Ella ira à l'église et à l'école. 19. Ne viendra-t-elle pas ici ? 20. Elle ne pourra venir. 21. Irez-vous à pied ou à cheval? 22. J'irai à cheval. 23. Pourquoi n'allez-vous pas en voiture ? 24. Parceque ma voiture est à Londres. 25. Quand les verrez-vous ? 26. Je les verrai aussitôt que je pourrai. 27. Viendront-ils demain chez nous ? 28. Ils le feront avec beaucoup de plaisir. 29. Quand vous verrez ce monsieur, lui parlerez-vous ? 30. Je ne lui parlerai pas.

EXERCISE 117 (Vol. II., page 173).

1. What coat would you put on if you went hunting? 2. I would put on a green coat. 3. Would you not take off your boots, if they were wet? 4. I would take them off, and I would let them dry. 5. If you were cold, would you not draw near the fire? 6. I would certainly draw near it. 7. Would not your little boy go from it if he was too warm? 8. He would go from it very quickly. 9. Would you become weary of being here? 10. I would not become weary of it, I would amuse myself in reading. 11. Would you not make mistakes, if you made that calculation? 12. I would perhaps make mistakes, if I were interrupted. 13. Would you come, if you were invited? 14. I would come with much pleasure. 15. Would you not be better, if you read less? 16. I would be much better. 17. Would it not be necessary to speak to him about your business? 18. It would be necessary to speak to him of it. 19. How much money would you need? 20. I should want a thousand francs, if I made that journey. 21. Would it not be better to speak to him, than to write to him? 22. It would be better to write to him. 23. If you were in my place, what would you do? 24. If I were in your place, I would pay him what I owe him. 25. If I had time, I would willingly carry your letters to the post-office.

EXERCISE 118 (Vol. II., page 173).

1. Ne liriez-vous pas si vous aviez le temps? 2. Je lirais tous les jours, deux heures, si j'avais le temps. 3. Quel habit mettrait M.

5.

votre frère, s'il allait à l'église? 4. Il mettrait un habit noir. Mettriez-vous un chapeau noir ? 6. Je mettrais un chapeau de paille, s'il faisait chaud. 7. Ne vous approcheriez-vous pas du feu, si vous aviez froid? 8. Nous nous en approcherions. 9. N'ôteriez-vous pas votre habit ? 10. Je l'ôterais, s'il était mouillé. 11. Iriez-vous chez mon père, s'il vous invitait ? 12. J'irais chez lui et chez M. votre frère, s'ils m'invitaient. 13. Mettriez-vous vos bottes, si elles étaient mouillées ? 14. Si elles étaient mouillées, je ne les mettrais pas. Combien d'argent vous faudrait-il, si vous alliez en Angleterre ? 16.

15.

Il nous faudrait trois mille francs. 17. Ne vous porteriez-vous pas mieux, si vous demeuriez à la campagne ? 18. Je ne me porterais pas mieux. 19. Ne vaudrait-il pas mieux écrire à votre frère ? 20. I vaudrait mieux lui écrire. 21. Liriez-vous le livre, si je vous le prêtais? 22. Je le lirais certainement. 23. Si vous étiez à sa place, iriez-vous à l'école ? 24. Si j'étais à sa place, j'irais. 25. Si vous étiez à ma

2. I shall have one built 1. When will you have a house built? next year, if I receive my money. 3. Have you boiled that leg of mutton? 4. I have roasted it. 5. Has the cook warmed your broth? 6. He has not warmed it yet, but he will do it by-and-by. 7. Have you not sent for books? 8. We have not, we have sent for engravings. 9. Have you not frightened those little girls? 10. We have frightened them. 11. Will you pay attention to your work? 12. I shall pay attention to it. 13. Have you hurt that little girl? 14. I have not hurt her. 15. Have you not hurt that dog? 16. I have hurt it. 17. Where have you hurt your son? 18. I have hurt his arm and hand. 19. Have you not hurt his foot ? 20. I have hurt his shoulder. 21. Whom has that mason hurt? 22. He has hurt nobody. 23. Have I hurt your foot? 24. You stepped on my foot and hurt me. 25. My head, shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand hurt me.

EXERCISE 120 (Vol. II., page 174).

1. Ferez-vous raccommoder votre habit? 2. Je ne le ferai pas raccommoder. 3. M. votre frère fera-t-il peindre sa maison? 4. Il la fera peindre l'année prochaine. 5. Ne ferez-vous pas faire un habit? 6. J'en ferais faire un si j'avais de l'argent. 7. Avez-vous fait mal à votre frère ? 8. Je lui ai fait mal, je lui ai marché sur le pied. 9. Le bras lui fait-il mal? 10. Oui, Monsieur, l'épaule, le bras et le poignet lui font mal. 11. Votre fils ne fera-t-il pas attention à son travail ? 12. Il y fera attention, il n'a rien autre chose à faire. 13. Vous ai-je fait mal à la main ou au coude ? 14. Vous m'avez fait mal aux doigts. 15. Votre cuisinier sait-il faire la cuisine? 16. II sait faire la cuisine. 17. Le cuisinier a-t-il fait rôtir ce giget de mouton P 18. Il l'a fait bouillir. 19. Ne l'a-t-il pas fait chauffer? 20. Il n'a pas eu le temps de le faire chauffer. 21. Le médecin a-t-il fait venir des gravures? 22. Il a fait venir des livres. 23. Lui avezvous fait mal au coude ? 24. Je ne lui ai pas fait mal au coude, mais à la main. 25. Ne vous ai-je pas fait mal aux doigts ? 26. Vous m'avez fait mal au poignet. 27. Où avez-vous fait mal à votre fils? 28. Je ne lui ai pas fait mal. 29. Le cuisinier ferait-il bouillir cette viande, s'il avait le temps ? 30. Il ne la ferait pas bouillir, il la ferait rotir.

RECREATIVE NATURAL HISTORY.
TORTOISES AND TURTLES.

FEW animals seem more sluggish than the common land tortoise.
"ridica-
In truth, all its motions are, as Gilbert White says,
lously slow," and its most active pace is but a hobble. But
all this gravity of movement is not peculiar to all the members
of this extensive order. The marsh, river, and sea species are
very active in their motions, and make long journeys with the
greatest ease, turtles having been found at sea more than 2,000
miles from land. Some of the huge land-tortoises of tropical
isles do actually manage to travel at the rate of four miles
a day. No trifling journey either for an animal with such
crutch-like legs, and so heavy that six men are required to lift
one from the ground. Let no one suppose that such limbs
are a defect; all this slowness of movement is evidently a
result of the remarkable structure which distinguishes these
animals. The reader will see this in a few minutes; in the
meantime let us pause to note how this absence of rapid move-
ment is compensated. An animal requires the gift of speed in
two cases only-either to escape from foes or to pursue its
prey. But tortoises need not run from their enemies, most
having an impregnable fortress in which they may bid defiance
to nearly every animal. When the tortoise has shut itself up
within the shell, even the hungry tiger can only grate his teeth
in vain against the solid armour. The boa-constrictor may,
indeed, swallow the reptile, shell and all, but this is an extreme
case. The most remarkable defensive armour is that of the box-
tortoise (pyris), the under-shell of which is furnished with a
movable plate, and this being drawn up by powerful muscles, com-
pletely closes the opening through which the reptile's head and
fore-feet have been withdrawn. The hind-feet and tail are pro-
tected by the overlapping shell behind. While danger remains,
the besieged tortoise has only to remain quiet and patient,
keeping its box firmly closed. The animal cannot be starved
into a surrender, as it can fast for months without suffering
much. When the foe retires, the shelly trap-door is let down,

apon which the head and feet are again thrust out, and the victorious tortoise has time to dine. Creatures furnished with such a defence have no need for rapid flight, and therefore the unnecessary power is withheld.

Most of our readers are probably aware that the upper shell of the tortoise is called the carapace and the under the plastron. These singular structures demand a few notices. The ribs of this reptile are really outside the body, the carapace being composed of eight pairs of flat ribs, which thus form an expanded bony covering. The spaces between the ribs are filled up by tough shelly plates, forming so rigid a shield that some naturalist declared the wheel of a heavily-laden wagon might pass over the whole without breaking any of the plates. The reader will now see why the ribs are placed outside the body. The problem was, to form an invulnerable covering with the least inconvenience to the animal. Had the ribs remained within the body, and a heavy case been placed on the outside, the tortoise would have been terribly over-weighted. This has been avoided by making the ribs themselves serve for the protecting-shield, while they still perform their usual work in the animal's system. The plastron, or breastplate, is formed on the same general plan, consisting of nine bony plates, eight being arranged in pairs. The unprotected spaces, seen between the various parts of the shield in young and fresh-water tortoises, are gradually filled with bone as the animals grow. The "sutures," which join the ribs of the carapace, resemble very much, especially in young turtles, the lines of union between the eight bones of an infant's head. In a few turtles, and in the species called "soft tortoises," some parts of the shield consist only of plates of cartilage, which connect the bony portions together.

The tortoise is far too peaceable to be a military teacher, but the readers of Roman history will not fail to remember the famous formation of a column of infantry called "a tortoise," a name evidently suggested by the buckler of the animal. When a column of men advanced to the walls of a hostile town, the troops sheltered themselves from the showers of stones and darts by firmly interlacing their shields. An iron roof was thus raised over the heads of the assaulting column. The manoeuvre was not inaptly described as "the making of a tortoise."

The carapace and plastron are not the only peculiarities of structure which call for notice. The position of the shoulderblade (scapula) is truly remarkable. The reader who will place his hand behind either of his shoulders will feel that the bone rests upon the ribs, but as these are outside the body of the tortoise it follows that the shoulder-blade must be inside the ribs. Thus an anatomist might describe the animal as "turned inside out," if he regard the position of the ribs; or "outside in," if he consider only the singular place of the shoulder-blade. These peculiarities of structure strongly influence the motions of the tortoise, but do not deviate from the unity of plan seen in vertebrated animals. The ribs and shoulder-blade are not absent, but wonderfully modified to suit the peculiar wants of the animal.

The brain and nervous system of the tortoise have received much attention from physiologists; the reason for this will soon be understood. When such men as the famous John Hunter, Cuvier, Professor Owen, and other great anatomists, make the brain and nerves of a tortoise their special study, we may be sure some deep problem awaits solution. Perhaps we shall best suggest the object sought in all these investigations by stating in a few words the experiments of the Italian naturalist, Redi. We have nothing here to do with the question whether such anatomical studies on living animals can be justified. Our space will not allow of the discussion of such a topic, and we must, therefore, simply take the facts as they are presented. The first experiment was performed on a common tortoise, the skull of which Redi opened, and removed the whole of the brain. Not satisfied with the mere extraction of the general mass, he actually scraped and washed out the cavity, so that no particle of nervous matter might remain. The Earl of Strafford would have called this part of the process thorough." Some readers may suppose that the immediate death of the tortoise was the result. No such thing; the creature simply closed its eyes, and then gently moved about as if nothing very important had happened. Muscular power clearly remained, nor were there any signs of suffering. The vital energies were unaffected, for so rapidly did the healing process go on that the wound in the skull was covered with new skin in the short space of three days. The operation was performed in November, and the animal lived and moved about until the 15th of May. When this tortoise was examined after death, no signs of the formation of any new brain appeared. The experiment was repeated upon other tortoises, both land and fresh-water, and also on a turtle. The results were by no means uniform. Some of the brainless reptiles were able to move about with ease, others lost the power of locomotion; some lived for a considerable time after the operation, others died in about a week. Redi next went a step further by cutting off the head of a tortoise altogether, and noting the results. The animal managed to live without its head for twenty-three days, and retained the power of moving the limbs, but not of walking about. Two tortoises which had lost their heads in a similar manner, preserved so much vital energy that their hearts continued to beat and the blood to circulate for twelve days after decapitation! All these facts demonstrate that life is not destroyed in the tortoise by the mere loss of brain or head. We admit that these and other experiments have not brought us to a clearer insight into the mystery called life: the problem is still unsolved. We see plainly enough, however, that in these reptiles life is not altogether dependent on the brain, as vital action continues long after the brain has gone.

The eye of the tortoise might be described at great length, but want of space compels us to be very brief on this topic. The possession of three eyelids is common in birds, but we should not have expected to find such a defensive organisation in these slow-moving reptiles. Each eye has also two tearglands, the object of the small one-called the Harderian gland

give facility to its horizontal motion across the eye.

We should have supposed that reptiles which sometimes weigh above 1,500 pounds must not only have good digestion but also a most perfect circulating system, to convey the rich blood to every part. So far from this being the case, it is ascertained that some of the blood which has gone round the body, and is therefore vitiated, does not pass through the lungs to undergo the purifying process. It is actually sent round again in its deteriorated state, and the turtles do not die of consumption, but produce the richest food for human epicures. This is another puzzling peculiarity in the structure of these creatures.

The tortoise family cannot rank very high among the animals useful to man. They supply food to a few tropical tribes, who use the huge carapaces of the larger species for vessels, and even for canoes. Some may remind us of the beautiful tortoiseshell furnished by one species of turtle; but pretty or even elegant combs and ornaments do not, after all, materially influence the happiness of man. These reptiles appear to possess a fair share of animal intelligence. Even the slow common tortoise learns to recognise those who pet it; but it is chiefly among the large tropical species that "cleverness" is found. Many of the volcanic islands near the equator swarm with giant tortoises, which are said to find out the remote mountain springs when the ingenuity of the natives is entirely at fault. We must admit, too, that the turtles show what may be called "judgment" in selecting and forming the nests for their eggs. These are not mere holes in the sand; the reptile constructs a covering over her eggs thin enough to allow the heat of the sun to enter, and yet sufficiently solid to protect the contents of the nest from the chilling damps of night. The mere position of the nests is a matter of importance, for if not placed above highwater mark, the first tide would sweep away the eggs. reader smile incredulously if we venture to allow some degree

Let no

when in that position. Probably, then, these animals are not so stupid as some may suppose. There are, indeed, naturalists who contend that the turtles, at least, are really clever, and are never tired of quoting the case of the one which found its way back to its native haunts through thousands of miles. As some readers may not have met with the incident, we will give the facts as reported. A ship carried away some turtles from Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic Ocean. One became the pet of the sailors, who named it Lord Nelson, and marked the carapace with a hot iron. As the ship was beating up the

turtle had found its way back through such an expanse of ocean. The marks made by the hot iron seemed, however, to place his "lordship's" identity beyond a doubt. Mr. Jesse evidently believes the turtle did really find its way back.

Many interesting topics connected with tortoises have been unavoidably passed over, and we are now compelled to conclude this paper. We may easily infer from the above brief remarks, that there is not an animal on the land or in the waters which does not disclose to an inquirer some fresh glimpse of endless diversity in structure, combined with beautiful urity in plan.

the student.

will, we have no doubt, make the process sufficiently clear to Having given these directions, we will now suppose ourselves to be placed before a subjec: having an angle presented to us; in other words, all its sides retiring. In this case we must be guided solely by the rules of angular perspective. Here, ence more we advise our pupils to refer to the instructions upon Angular Perspective in "Lessons in Drawing," No. V., Vol. I, page 136. After this there will be no difficulty in understanding that a building in parallel perspective can have but one position; whilst one in angular perspective may have many, according to the angle of inclination the side of the building

VOL. III.

that if we held the paper up before us, between the objects and the eye (supposing the paper to be transparent), we should find that each line in the drawing would coincide with the corresponding line of the object. To do this exactly, or even to make an approximation to it, would indeed prove the ability of the draughtsman to be very great; and although to some of our pupils this view of the question may seem somewhat strange, yet a little consideration will quickly put aside all doubts that may arise as to the reasonableness of it; and if the meaning it conveys be rightly understood, we shall have got over half the difficulty in comprehending the meaning of the term 66 our position."

67