McGuffey's Fourth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson XVIII · Part 3: Courage, the sea and the frost

22. The Sailor's Consolation, by Charles Dibdin

Goal: Your child reads a humorous sea poem aloud and explains why the sailor feels sorry for people on land.

⏱ About 25 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A notebook or lined paper and a pencil

What's in the book

A comic poem: in a hurricane at sea, the sailor Barney Buntline pities the poor landsmen at home. A note about Charles Dibdin, Definitions and Notes follow.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Words and meanings

    The new words are at the end of the lesson, under Definitions. The small number in front of each word is the paragraph or verse where it is used. Read them together before the lesson. A few of them:

    Hurricane, a violent wind-storm.

    Foolhardy, reckless.

    Spouses, wives.

    Chimney-pots, earthenware tops of chimneys.

    The book also has Notes: "Barney Buntline" and "Billy Bowling" are supposed to be two sailors; a "Norwester" is a sailor's name for a north-west storm; and "landsmen" is what sailors call everyone who lives on shore.

  2. About the author

    The book's note says Charles Dibdin was born at Southampton, England, in 1745, and that he is best known as the writer of a number of fine sea songs.

  3. Read it aloud

    Read the poem aloud to your child first, then let your child read it. It is meant to be funny, so read it with a twinkle. It begins:

    One night came on a hurricane,

    The sea was mountains rolling,

    When Barney Buntline turned his quid,

    And said to Billy Bowling:

    Then have your child read it a second time, more smoothly: the first reading is for the meaning, the second for the sound and rhythm.

  4. Talk about it

    SayWhere are Barney and Billy during the storm? Where are the landsmen?

    SayWhat dangers does Barney think people on land face?

    SayWho is really in more danger? Why is that funny?

    Let your child look back at the page to find answers.

  5. Tell it back

    Your child retells Barney's speech in ordinary words, as if Barney were telling it.

  6. Copywork

    These are the poem's closing words. Your child copies them as verse:

    Then, Bill, let us thank Providence

    That you and I are sailors.

  7. Words to learn

    Learn: hurricane, foolhardy, quaking, notion, spouses, undone. Spell each aloud, then write it with its meaning.

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