erished condition of the country
to-day. Read from Sicily, in the Story of the Nations series (Putnam),
and some translations from Thucydides and Theocritus.

Malta, a possession of Great Britain, is of interest especially in
connection with the Knights of Saint John. Minorca may be looked up also
for a special paper. See "Sicily, the Garden of the Mediterranean," by
W. S. Monroe (The Page Company).

III--THE ISLANDS NEAR SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND

The wild, mountainous islands of Scotland are peopled with fishing folk
whose language is still mostly Gaelic and whose customs are singularly
primitive. Read "A Daughter of Fife," by Amelia E. Barr, to show their
strong character. The Hebrides, lower down on the west coast, are
wonderfully picturesque. Read William Black's "A Princess of Thule."
Mull is remarkable for its beauty and for its Gaelic population and
traditions. Iona, a tiny island with a most important early Christian
history, has a ruined cathedral and graveyard containing many striking
and very ancient Celtic crosses. Staffa, near by, has a famous basaltic
formation and cave.

Most of England's islands are not grouped but stand singly. The Isle of
Man, off the west coast, is a somewhat wild place. Read Hall Caine's
"The Deemster," to learn of its people. The Isle of Wight, on the south,
is a garden spot. Note the famous places and people connected with them
and show pictures of Osborne House and Tennyson's home. The Scilly
Islands have a romantic past, partly legendary; see Besant's "Armorel of
Lyonesse." The Channel Islands, a group, are foreign, quaint, wild, and
beautiful. Their history is fascinating and they have been the home of
political refugees almost to the present day. Read "The Channel
Islands," by J. E. Morris (Macmillan Co.), and "Toilers of the Sea," by
Victor Hugo.

IV--ISLANDS NEAR AFRICA

Off the west coast of Africa are a few well-known islands. Toward the
north lies Madeira, long famous for its wine; to-day it is being
developed into a highly successful market garden, supplying England with
fruits and vegetables. Its picturesque population and the old city of
Funchal are charming. See "The Story of Madeira," by D. Dimmit (The
Methodist Book Concern).

Just below this lie the volcanic islands known as the Canaries, which
are thought to be the Fortunate Isles of antiquity. Strangely enough,
they seem to have dropped out of history for a time, and were
rediscovered in the fourteenth ce