_The King of the Golden River_ (Volume II, page 405) and _A Christmas Carol_ (Volume VI, page 244) are especially rich in material of this kind. On page 408 of the former selection the King is described at his first appearance. An analysis of the paragraph is to be found on page 445 of the same volume, under the title _First Appearance_. By comparing the analysis and the descriptive paragraph it will be seen that the former gives the facts only, while in the latter there are comparisons and descriptive words that make the whole vivid and artistic. The outline is a good description of an imaginary person. After the children have studied paragraph and outline, give them another outline like this: 1. General statement, or introduction. 2. Nose. 3. Cheeks. 4. Eyes. 5. Beard. 6. Hair. 7. Height. 8. Clothing. _a._ Hat. _b._ Coat. _c._ Vest. _d._ Trousers. _e._ Shoes. Require each child to follow the outline and to write a smooth, readable description of a man whom he knows. Vary the exercise by asking the children to describe some man whose picture you show; some man whom all have seen, or, if it can be done in the proper spirit, one of the other children who is willing to pose. Then ask them to describe some fanciful character about whom you make a general statement, as, for example, "He was the most amusing man I ever saw in my life," or, "He was certainly the most dignified man in appearance and the best-dressed man I ever saw." A comparison of the descriptions given by the different members of the class will be amusing and instructive. Try to secure descriptions which in style are in harmony with the subject. III. In many of the selections the authors have not tried to describe things very fully. In such cases you have fine opportunities to train the imagination by asking the children to supplement the descriptions. For instance, _On the Receipt of My Mother's Picture_ (Volume VII, page 331) raises among other subjects for descriptive writing the following: 1. Describe Cowper's mother. 2. Describe the picture he received. 3. Describe the home of his infancy. 4. Describe the "well-havened isle." Children should be taught to look through the entire poem for facts that bear on the topics. When writing, they must not misrepresent these facts nor give others that contradict those in the poem. Where nothing is said, the child may see what he likes. Such exercises tend to make children appreciate good literature, and, when they are reading, to visualize the things to which allusion is made. EXPOSITION. In Volume IV, beginning on page 14, is the story of Martin Pelaez, the Asturian, which will offer good material for a composition of another kind. The introduction to _Cid Campeador_, page 9, will give you information you are likely to need to answer questions.