E.—la.

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(1.) Now entertain conjecture of a time When creeping murmur and the poring dark Fills the wide vessel of the universe. From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, The hum of either army stilly sounds, That the fixed sentinels almost receive The secret whispers of each other's watch; Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames Each battle sees the other's umbered face; Steed threatens steed in high and boastful neighs Piercing the night's dull ear; and from the tents The armourers, accomplishing the knights, With busy hammers closing rivets up, Give dreadful note of preparation. ****** Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul, The confident and over-lusty French Do the low-rated English play at dice, And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night, Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp So tediously away. The poor condemned English, Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires Sit patiently, and inly ruminate The morning's danger ; and their gesture sad, Investing lank-lean cheeks and war-worn coats, Presenteth them unto the gazing moon So many horrid ghosts. — Henry V., Act IV., Prologue. (2.) " Nor ever yet had Arthur fought a fight Like this last dim, weird battle of the west. A death-white mist slept over sand and sea. ****** And friend slew friend, not knowing whom he slew; And some had visions out of golden youth, And some beheld the faces of old ghosts Look in upon the battle ; and in the mist Was many a noble deed, many a base, * * * * * * And ever and anon, with host to host, Shocks, and the splintering spear, the hard mail hewn, Shield-breakings, and the clash of brands, the crash Of battleaxes on shattered helms, and shrieks After the Christ, of those who falling down Looked up for heaven, and only saw the mist; And shouts of heathen and the traitor knights, Oaths, insult, filth, and monstrous blasphemies, Sweat, writhings, anguish, labouring of the lungs, In that close mist, and cryings for the light, Moans of the dying, and voices of the dead." — Tennyson (" Passing of Arthur "). 3". Write an essay on the life of Charles Lamb as he describes it in the " Essays of Elia." 4. Make an abstract of the following correspondence. [An abstract serves as an index, and'should give the date of each letter, the name of the writer and of the person addressed, and, in as few words as possible, the subject-matter of each letter.] 5. Draw up a precis of the same correspondence. [A precis is a brief and clear statement of what passed, not letter by letter, but in the form of a narrative. It should include everything material, and be expressed very clearly, and as briefly as is compatible with completeness and distinctness.] No. 1. The Local Manager, New Zealand Shipping Company, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. The New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), Sib,— Wellington, 14th January, 1898. I beg to inform you that the general manager of this Company has received cable advice from the London manager that a petition has been presented to the Court for an order to wind up the Canadian-Australian Steamship Company, and that, therefore, the New Zealand Shipping Company will continue the service without interruption, in conjunction with the mortgagee. I am instructed to ask for your cordial co-operation in the meantime, and to request that no subsidies under the mail contract shall be paid until new arrangements are completed. I am, &c, Heney Eose, Local Manager. W. Gray, Esq., Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.