And bloodier yet the torrent flow 6. 'Tis morn, but scarce yon lurid sun 7. The combat deepens. On, ye brave, 8. Few, few shall part where many meet! Shall be a soldier's sepulcher. Thomas Campbell. FOR PREPARATION.-I. Campbell, at the age of twenty-three, on a visit te Germany to study its literature, witnessed, from a safe position, this battle between the French (" furious Frank "), under Moreau, and the Austrians ("fiery Hun," named from the Huns, who settled in Austria, or Hungary, after overrunning Europe in the fifth century), under Archduke John. (Hohenlinden means linden [kind of tree] heights.) Find, on the map, the Ï'şer, and trace its waters to the sea. Mu'nieh is the capital of Bavaria; find it on the map. II. Sçen'-er-y, neighed (nād), piērçe, sōl'-dier (-jer), sĕp'-ul-cher (kŭr), rōll'-ing, sight (sit), tor'-rent. III. " Sulph'rous "-why u omitted? Explain the meaning of the pre fix un and the suffix en in untrodden. Note the alliteration in this poem (recurrence of 7 (1), d (2), b, battle-blade (3), ƒ, far flashed (4), etc.). IV. "Dead of night," arrayed, charger, revelry, riven, "bolts of heaven," artillery, dun, canopy, combat, banners, chivalry, winding-sheet, "fires of death." V. Note the succession of scenes and their contrasts: (1) Snow un trodden; bloodless; near sunset; dark and rapid river. (2) The night fol lows; drums beat the alarm; torches light up the troops arrayed for battle. (3) The charging of squadrons, and the flashing and thundering of artillery. (4) Morning; but the sun is lurid as seen through the smoke rising from the field. (5) Munich (the Bavarians were allies of the French in this battle) troops are distinguished in the fierce charges. (6) On the hills of blood. stained snow lie seven thousand Austrian and five thousand French soldiers, dead or wounded. LXXIX. OVER THE RIVER. 1. Over the river they beckon to me, Loved ones who've crossed to the farther side; But their voices are lost in the dashing tide. And eyes the reflection of heaven's own blue; And the pale mist hid him from mortal view. My brother stands waiting to welcome me. 2. Over the river the boatman pale Carried another, the household pet; Her brown curls waved in the gentle gale- She crossed on her bosom her dimpled hands, And all our sunshine grew strangely dark. My childhood's idol is waiting for me. 3. For none return from those quiet shores, And catch a gleam of the snowy sail, And lo! they have passed from our yearning heart; That hides from our vision the gates of day; 4. And I sit and think, when the sunset's gold And list for the sound of the boatman's oar; I shall know the loved who have gone before, Nancy Priest Wakefield. FOR PREPARATION.-I. The authoress lived on the banks of the Connecticut River. Do you think there may be something in this fact that suggested the imagery of the piece (see fourth stanza), or was it, rather, the allegory in the "Pilgrim's Progress"? II. Běck'-on (běk'n), re-flěe'-tion (-shun), view (vu), ring'-lets, wěl'eome, boat'-man, veil. III. Why is ha omitted in who've ?-i in there's? Difference in meaning caused by adding let to ring? IV. Gleam, phantom, ransomed, mystic, dimpled, "childhood's idol." V. Is the metaphor, "their barks no more may sail with us o'er life's stormy sea" (3), in keeping with the fundamental metaphor of the poem, in which we stand on the bank of a river? (If they had had barks of their own, and were used to the terrors of the "stormy sea," a mere river would scarcely be the gulf of separation that it is. This is called "mixed metaphor.") LXXX. A LETTER OF DR. FRANKLIN. EASTON, PA., Saturday Morning, November 13, 1756. MY DEAR CHILD: I wrote to you a few days since by a special messenger, and inclosed letters for all our wives and sweethearts expecting to hear from you by his return, and to have the Northern newspapers and English letters, per the packet; but he is just now returned, without a scrap for poor us. So I had a good mind not to write you by this opportunity; but I can never be ill-natured enough, even when there is the most occasion. The messenger says he left the letters at your house, and saw you afterward at Mr. Dentic's, and told you when he would go, and that he lodged at Honey's, next door to you, and yet you did not write; so let Goody Smith give one more just judgment, and say what should be done to you. I think I won't tell you that we are well, nor that we expect to return about the middle of the week, nor will send you a word of news; that's poz. My duty to mother, love to the children and to Miss Betsey and Gracey, etc., etc. I am your loving husband, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. P. S.-I have scratched out the loving words, being written in haste by mistake, when I forgot I was angry. FOR PREPARATION.-I. A letter of Dr. Franklin to his wife (he married Deborah Read). II. Spě -cial (spěsh'al), judg'-ment, done, scratched. III. In the above letter, point out what is called the date. What items does it include? (Name of post-office, town, or city, and State [and, if the place is small, the county], day of month, and year.) Point out the address; -the subscription. Where should the superscription be? (On the envelope of the letter, thus: MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN, What does "P. S." mean? Philadelphia, Pa.) IV. Inclosed, return, packet, scrap, opportunity, occasion, lodged. V. Notice the humor of the style. (He pretends to be angry, and to forget that he is angry, then to remember it, and scratch out the loving words; calls himself "we," and "poor us"; calls his wife "all our wives and sweethearts"; playfully says that he won't tell her that he is well, etc., and tells it all.) "That's poz" (positively so). Write a letter to some friend, and give an account of your visit to the country, or of some other event that you may select, taking care to have the date, address, subscrip. tion, and superscription right. LXXXI. LITTLE HAL. EXAMPLE FOR VARIED AND IMPASSIONED EXPRESSION, "Old Ironsides' at anchor' lay, In the harbor of Mahon'; A dead c-a-l-m' rested on the bay- "A shudder' shot through every vein`; |
