Upon the tyrant's throne, the sepulcher,1- Makes his own nourishment. For he came forth There have been holy men who hid themselves Deep in the woody wilderness, and gave Their lives to thought and prayer, till they outlived Retire, and in thy presence re-assure My feeble virtue. Here its enemies, The passions, at thy plainer 5 footsteps shrink The swift, dark whirlwind that uproots the woods. 1 sepulcher. With what noun | hood, bravery. This was deemed is this word in apposition? 2 ghastly, from Anglo-Saxon gast, a ghost, and hence literally ghost-like. the loftiest of "virtues" by the Romans; but with Christianity the word assumed a new meaning, and received application to the 3 makes his own nourishment. moral qualities. Illustrate. 5 plainer: that is, more visible 4 virtue. This word has an in-than in the turmoil of a city. teresting origin, being derived from the Latin vir, a man; virtus, man 6 scare. Would fright be better? 7 tempests. See Glossary. Uprises the great deep,1 and throws himself Its cities, -who forgets not, at the sight 6. THE FUTURE LIFE. [These lines were addressed by the poet to his wife, and tenderly voice his aspiration of a re-union with his companion in heaven.] How shall I know thee in the sphere which keeps2 When all of thee that time could wither 3 sleeps For I shall feel the sting of ceaseless pain 1 Uprises the great deep. The reference is to the "tidal waves that in some parts of the world bring terrible destruction. 2 sphere which keeps, etc. : that is, heaven. 3 all of thee ... wither. Explain. Will not thy own meek heart demand me there,- In meadows fanned by heaven's life-breathing wind, The love1 that lived through all the stormy past, A happier lot than mine, and larger light, And lovest all, and renderest good for ill. For me, the sordid 2 cares in which I dwell Has left its frightful scar upon my soul. 1 The love. Note the fine effect | scar," may be in part explained of this iteration of "the love" in the previous stanza. 2 sordid (from Latin sordidus, dirty): vile, mean. The poet's allusions to the "sordid cares" and the wrath which "has left its by the fact, that, as editor of a political paper (the New-York Evening Post), he was in an atmosphere which the finer spirit of the poet must have often loathed to breathe. Yet, though thou wear'st the glory of the sky, Shalt thou not teach me, in that calmer home, 7. O MOTHER OF A MIGHTY RACE. [In the following poem we have a fine specimen of Bryant's patriotic vein. The design of the piece is to set forth the grandeur of the country's theory and destiny, and to defend the United States against the sneers of foreign critics. At the time the poem was written (some thirty years ago), such taunts were common; but Bryant lived to see the fulfillment of the prophecy in his last stanza; for-slightly to alter the closing couplet, "Before thine eye Upon their lips the taunt did die."] O MOTHER of a mighty race,2 And taunts of scorn they join thy name. For on thy cheeks the glow is spread, Is bright as thine own sunny sky. Ay, let them rail-those haughty ones Its life between thee and the foe! They know not, in their hate and pride, 3 Spring, like thine oaks, by hill and glen; What cordial welcomes greet the guest, And where the solemn ocean foams. 1 bide = abide, dwell. 4 like oaks. Show the apposite 2 like flowers. Show the appo- ness of the simile. siteness of the simile. 3 men. Object of what verb? 5 cordial: from Latin cor, cordis, the heart. Give a synonym. |