The Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth LongfellowCambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012 - 408 páginas This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886. Excerpt: ... PART THREE THE NEW ENGLAND TRAGEDIES JOHN ENDICOTT % DRAMATIS PERSONiE. John Endicott Governor. John Endicott His son. Richard Belltngham... Deputy Governor. John Norton Minister of the Gospel. Edward Butter.... Treasurer. Walter Merry Tithing-man. Nicholas Upsall.... An old citizen. Samuel Cole Landlord of the Three Mariners. Simon Kempthorn I _ Sea-Captains. Ralph Goldsmith J Wenlock Christison J Edith, his daughter .. Quakers. Edward Wharton ) Assistants, Halberdiers, Marshal, etc. The Scene is in Boston in the year 1665. PROLOGUE. To-night we strive to read, as we may best, This city, like an ancient palimpsest; And bring to light, upon the blotted page, The mournful record of an earlier age, That, pale and half effaced, lies hidden away Beneath the fresher writing of to-day. Rise, then, O buried city that hast been; Rise up, rebuilded in the painted scene, And let our curious eyes behold once more The pointed gable and the pent-house door, The Meeting-house with leaden-latticed panes, The narrow thoroughfares, the crooked lanes! Rise, too, ye shapes and shadows of the Past, Rise from your long-forgotten graves at last; Let us behold your faces, let us hear The words ye uttered in those days of fear! Revisit your familiar haunts again, --The scenes of triumph, and the scenes of pain, And leave the footprints of your bleeding feet Once more upon the pavement of the street! Nor let the Historian blame the Poet here, If he perchance misdate the day or year, And group events together, by his art, That in the Chronicles lie far apart; For as the double stars, though sundered far, Seem to the naked eye a single star, So facts of history, at a distance seen, Into one common point of light convene. "Why touch upon such themes?" perhaps some friend May ask, inc... |