There groups of merry children played, 66 'For ever-never! Never-for ever!" From that chamber, clothed in white, Never here, for ever there, Where all parting, pain, and care, And death, and time shall disappear, For ever there, but never here! The horologe of Eternity Sayeth this incessantly, "For ever-never! Never-for ever! THE PAUPER'S DEATH-BED. This poem-as well as the following one-is by CAROLINE BOWLES SOUTHEY, the daughter of the Rev. W. L. Bowles, himself a poet, and the second wife, for a few years, of the poet Southey. Both poems are in a noble style, full of strong sympathy and religious feeling. Both should be read very slowly and very distinctly. TREAD Softly! bow the head In reverent silence bow! No passing bell doth toll; Yet an immortal soul Is passing now. Stranger, however great, With lowly reverence bow! CAUTIONS: a. The emphasis is on no, and not on passing. b. A deep falling inflection marks this thou. c. The pause after burst enables the reader to escape the verse-accent upon are. MEANING: 1. Soulless clod, piece of clay from which the soul has fled. CAUTION: a. The emphasis is on short, and not on grows. This song A GATHERING SONG. is supposed to be sung to the bagpipe (or pibroch), to summon the clan for war. It has an eager and impetuous rhythm; and the last verse gives the result of the summons. PIBROCH of Donuil Dhu, pibroch of Donuil, 1 Wake thy wild voice anew, summon Clan-Conuil! Come as the winds come faster come, Fast they come, fast they come-see how they gather THE PAUPER'S DRIVE. Cast your plaids, draw your blades, forward each man set! 179 WALTER SCOTT. CAUTION: This poem should be read quickly, but with the utmost clearness of articulation. The speed and eagerness go on increasing with each verse. MEANINGS: 1. Gentles and commons, chiefs and retainers. 2. Inverlochy, this was the place appointed for the clan to muster. 3. Uninterred, unburied. 4. Steer, bullock. 5. Targes, round shields made of bull-hide. THE PAUPER'S DRIVE. The idea of this poem is that the pauper has at last become a "gentleman," and drives out in his own carriage-but only after death. He makes a noise in the world-but only when he cannot enjoy it himseif. The gentle and pathetic conclusion of the poem recalls the reader to the true key-note: even the pauper as well as others, is one of God's children. THERE's a grim one-horse hearse' in a jolly round trot. He's only a pauper, whom nobody owns! there are Oh, where are the mourners ? Alas! nòne What a jolting, and creaking, and splashing, and din! Poor pauper defunct! he has made some approach You bumpkins! who stare at your brother conveyed- And be joyful to think, when by death you're laid low, But a truce to this strain;5 for my soul it is sad, Bear soft his bones over the stones! whom his Maker yet owns. NOEL. CAUTIONS: The chief point to attend to in reading this poem is, not to allow the verse to induce a jerky style; and this will be best avoided by paying the utmost attention to the sense and thought alone. a. The emphasis is on no. b. This but introduces a total change, from the almost wicked irony of the previous lines, to human pity and sympathy. c. Read these lines very slowly; and the last two with the greatest slowness and solemnity. MEANINGS: 1. Hearse, a coach in which coffins are carried. 2. Wot, know. 3. Dirge, funeral song. 4. Defunct, dead. 5. A truce to this strain, enough of such words as these. FLOWERS. SPAKE full well in language quaint and olden, Bright and glorious is that revelation, Writ all over this great world of ours- In these stars of earth, these golden flowers. LONGFELLOW. CAUTIONS: a. No accent on spake, but one on each of the words full and well. b. Avoid the verse accent on by. c. Avoid the verse-accent on in, and utter slowly the words those stars above. d. Not less to be said slowly and weightily. e. Emphasis on all. MEANINGS: 1. Firmament, sky. 2. Manifold, of many kinds. WAR. These lines are a prayer for the cessation of war, and a wish that the energy and the wealth contributed to war were diverted to the arts and sciences. WERE half the power that fills the earth with terror, There were no need, of arsenals nor forts. |