nd, many lessons are spoiled by too constant inquiry into
meanings. There is much mere learning of meanings without reference to
the thought or emotion that they are intended to explain. Many words are
explained that are already understood. The fault may be due to the
teacher's experience with annotated text-books of literature. The
teacher, who has been prepared for his examination by this method, is
disposed to carry it into Elementary School work, till even _The
Recessional_ becomes merely a theme for learning verbal meanings.

ALLUSIONS

There are many references in the text-books to geographical, scientific,
and historical matters. If these allusions. In poems such as _The
Armada_ there must be a preliminary lesson such as has been indicated.
Very often the enthusiast in these subjects will make literature a mere
peg on which to hang much information. Teachers often make long
digressions in connection with these allusions, till the mood of the
poem is completely lost in the mist of the disquisitions. The same
method should be adopted in teaching allusions as in teaching the
meanings of words. Only such explanation is necessary as will show the
purpose of the author in introducing the allusions. In poems such as
_The Armada_ there must be considerable explanation given, before the
pupils will feel the emotion that the author hopes to kindle by the
mention of the names that are used in it. With Canadian children, the
effect in the case of this poem cannot be so great as with English
children, who are more familiar with the special geographical and
historical associations.

The teacher of young people cannot hope, by explanation of the
allusions, to arouse all the pleasure and the vitality of emotion that
will be induced in the reader who has the culture that comes of wide
reading; nor can the teacher communicate this emotion when the
information is new. The pleasure comes, later on, from the recall of
information that was assimilated in earlier years.

THE IMAGERY

The language of poetry is generally concrete. The artist may wish to
give expression to a general truth, or philosophical principle, or
ethereal fancy. These appear very abstract, but the artist embodies in
material forms the idea he wishes to convey. The poet expresses his
thought by the suggestion of material imagery, and emotion is most
readily aroused by these images.

Antony, in his funeral oration after Caesar's death, knew how to arouse