INDEX OF FIRST LINES. ABOU-BEN-ADHEM (may his tribe increase), A chieftain, to the Highlands bound, All day the low-hung clouds have dropt, Alone stood brave Horatius, Attend, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise, Father of all! in every age, Friends, Romans, countrymen! lend me your ears, Good name, in man and woman, Hark! I hear the tramp of thousands, Hear the sledges with the bells, Heat me these irons hot; and look thou stand, 9 143 138 61 92 139 How are Thy servants blest, O Lord! I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers, If thou should'st ever come to Modena, I looked far back into other years, and lo! in bright array, In that delightful land which is washed by the Delaware's waters, It is growing dark! yet one line more, It was a summer's evening,. John Gilpin was a citizen, King Francis was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport, Men have done brave deeds, My ear-rings! my ear-rings! they've dropt into the well! No stir in the air, no stir in the sea, Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, Not far advanced was morning day Oh, come you from the Indies? and, soldier, can you tell, Oh a dainty plant is the Ivy green, Oh, many a shaft, at random sent, Oh, that those lips had language! Life hath passed, Oh, young Lochinvar is come out of the west, Oh, where is the knight or the squire so bold, On Linden, when the sun was low, Our bugles sang truce, for the night-cloud had lowered, Since our country, our God-O my sire! Some murmur, when their sky is clear, Tell me not, in mournful numbers, mha A carrion came down like the wolf on the fold. Under a spreading chestnut tree Up from the meadows, rich with corn, Vital spark of heavenly flame! Wee, modest, crimson-tippéd flower, Wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie, THE CODE POETICAL READER. AN APRIL DAY.-Chaucer.* GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1328-1400) was closely connected with the court of Edward III. He is looked upon as the father of English poetry. His chief work is the Canterbury Tales, consisting of stories told by pilgrims to the shrine of St. Thomas at Canterbury. 5 ΙΟ ALL day the low-hung clouds have dropt All day that soft grey mist hath wrapt There has not been a sound to-day Nor motion, I might almost say, Of life, or living creature, Of waving bough, or warbling* bird, I could have half believed I heard I stood to hear-I love it well, The rain's continuous* sound 15 Small drops, but thick and fast they fell, 20 Down straight into the ground. For leafy thickness is not yet Earth's naked breast to screen,* Though every dripping branch is set With shoots of tender green. Sure, since I looked at early morn, Those honeysuckle* buds Have swelled to double growth; that thorn Hath put forth larger studs. Garnered, stored up. Grove, a collection of trees, or wood of small size. Warbling, gently singing. Lowing, the bellowing or cry made by cattle. Continuous, not leaving off. Screen, to hide. Honeysuckle, a climbing plant. * These verses are given in the spelling of the present day, as Chaucer's old mode of orthography would not be intelligible to young readers. A * That lilac's cleaving cones* have burst, Methinks their sweets are stealing.* The very earth, the steamy air And grace and beauty everywhere 25 30 Down, down they come-those fruitful stores! A momentary * deluge* pours, Then thins, decreases, stops. And ere the dimples on the stream Lo! from the west a parting gleam light. 35 40 A PSALM OF LIFE.-Longfellow. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW (1807- ) is an eminent American poet. He was born at Portland, Maine, U.S., and has been for many years Professor of Languages at Harvard College, Massachusetts. Chief poems: Voices of the Night, Evangeline, Song of Hiawatha, Golden Legend, and Tales of a Wayside Inn. Numbers, verse or poetry. Goal, the place one is trying to reach; the end of a race-course. Dust thou art, &c., referring to the death of the body and its decay in the grave. Destined, appointed, intended. TELL me not, in mournful numbers,* Life is real! Life is earnest ! And the grave is not its goal;* Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, 5 ΙΟ |