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3. And the stately ships go on,

4.

To the haven under the hill;

But oh, for the touch of a vanished hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!

Break, break, break,

At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!

But the tender grace of a day that is dead

Will never come back to me.

Alfred Tennyson.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Have you read Tennyson's "In Memoriam," in which he portrays his grief and consolation for the death of his friend Hallam? This poem is an expression of the same grief. Compare this with the elevation of his "Ode on the Death of Wellington" (CXLIII.), or "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (LXV.). Tennyson is a master of meter, and never allows the rules of meter to cramp the expression of his thought. II. Break, gray, tỏngue (tŭng), a-rīşe', thôughts (thawts), sail'-or, boat, touch.

III. Note the meter of the first line as compared with the others. It seems as though the poet makes the expression of grief cut off all short— unaccented-syllables in that line, and break, break, break (see XCVIII., vi.). lowing lines: cold, stones, sea, mould, These are the essential words.

IV. Haven, stately, tender grace.

merely use the final accented oneNote the accented ones in the foltongue, utter, thoughts, arise, me.

V. "Under the hill." Does the poet seem to locate himself in view of the sea? What is the pathos-pathetic quality—in the word "cold" (gray stones)? What contrast does the presence of shouts from the playing children and the song of the sailor-lad suggest to his mind? (A voice that is still.) Also the coming in of the ship (safe return)? "Tender grace" (when he touched the vanished hand). Does the poet suggest any consolation?

LXXX. THE PONDS OF CONCORD.

1. The scenery of Walden is on a humble scale, and, though very beautiful, does not approach to grandeur, nor can it much concern one who has not long frequented

it or lived by its shore; yet this pond is so remarkable for its depth and purity, as to merit a particular description. It is a clear and deep green well, half a mile long and a mile and three-quarters in circumference, and contains about sixty-one and a half acres a perennial spring in the midst of pine and oak woods, without any visible inlet or outlet except by the clouds and evapora

tion.

2. The surrounding hills rise abruptly from the water to the height of forty to eighty feet, though on the southeast and east they attain to about one hundred and one hundred and fifty feet respectively, within a quarter and a third of a mile. They are exclusively woodland. All our Concord waters have two colors at least, one when viewed at a distance, and another, more proper, close at hand. The first depends more on the light, and follows the sky. In clear weather, in summer, they appear blue at a little distance, especially if agitated, and at a great distance all appear alike. In stormy weather they are sometimes of a dark slate-color. The sea, however, is said to be blue one day and green another, without any perceptible change in the atmosphere.

3. I have seen our river, when, the landscape being covered with snow, both water and ice were almost as green as grass. Some consider blue "to be the color of pure water, whether liquid or solid." But, looking directly down into our waters from a boat, they are seen to be of very different colors. Walden is blue at one time and green at another, even from the same point of view. Lying between the earth and the heavens, it partakes of the color of both. Viewed from a hill-top it reflects the color of the sky, but near at hand it is of a yellowish tint next the shore where you can see the sand,

then a light-green, which gradually deepens to a uniform dark-green in the body of the pond. In some lights, viewed even from a hill-top, it is of a vivid green next the shore.

4. Some have referred this to the reflection of the verdure; but it is equally green there against the railroad sand-bank, and in the spring, before the leaves are expanded, and it may be simply the result of the prevailing blue mixed with the yellow of the sand. Such is the color of its iris. This is that portion, also, where in the spring the ice, being warmed by the heat of the sun reflected from the bottom, and also transmitted through the earth, melts first and forms a narrow canal about the still frozen middle.

5. Like the rest of our waters, when much agitated in clear weather, so that the surface of the waves may reflect the sky at the right angle, or because there is more light mixed with it, it appears at a little distance of a darker blue than the sky itself; and at such a time, being on its surface, and looking with divided vision, so as to see the reflection, I have discerned a matchless and indescribable light-blue, such as watered or changeable silks and sword-blades suggest, more cerulean than the sky itself, alternating with the original dark-green on the opposite sides of the waves, which last appeared but muddy in comparison.

6. It is a vitreous greenish-blue, as I remember it, like those patches of the winter sky seen through cloud vistas in the west before sundown. Yet a single glass of its water held up to the light is as colorless as an equal quantity of air. It is well known that a large plate of glass will have a green tint, owing, as the makers say, to its "body," but a small piece of the same

will be colorless. How large a body of Walden water would be required to reflect a green tint, I have never proved.

7. The water of our river is black, or a very darkbrown, to one looking directly down on it, and, like that of most ponds, imparts to the body of one bathing in it a yellowish tinge; but this water is of such crystalline purity that the body of the bather appears of an alabaster whiteness, still more unnatural, which, as the limbs are magnified and distorted withal, produces a monstrous effect, making fit studies for a Michael Angelo.

Henry D. Thoreau.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Walden Pond, near the village of Concord, Mass. See Thoreau's "Battle of the Ants" (VII.), and "Ascent of Mount Ktaadn" (XLIV.). Have you read any of his books relating to the Maine woods, Cape Cod, or Canada ? "Our river" (3) (Concord river). "Fit studies for Michael Angelo"-who is referred to, and what are fit studies"? (The artist attempts a sketch from Nature, either for the sake of practice, or for use in a larger work; this is called a study.)

II. Sçên'-er-y, hŭm'-ble, seāle, beaū'-ti-fụl (bū'-), grănd'-eūr (-yur), fre-quĕnt'-ed, a'-cres (-kerz), blue, ǎg'-i-tāt-ed, ap-pear', weath'-er, ǎt'mos-phere, view (vū), lỹ'-ing, re-ferred', diş-çẽrned' (diz-zernd), chärġe'a-ble, erys'-tal-līne.

III. Correct "It is like them patches"; "An single glass of it's waters' are colorless as air."

IV. Concern, circumference, perennial, inlet, evaporation, abruptly, respectively, exclusively, landscape, gradually, uniform, "body of the pond," vivid, reflection, verdure, expanded, prevailing, iris, transmitted, agitated, "right angle," "divided vision," reflection, cerulean, alternating, original, opposite, comparison, vitreous, vistas, alabaster, magnified, distorted, monstrous.

V. Why call the lake a well" (1)? (Because of its depth.) Does the author seem to you in earnest in his description of minute details? Do not these details seem trivial? (see LXXVII., notes). Are there not just as important details about every pond in the world? (The great interest in Walden Pond is due almost solely to Thoreau.)

LXXXI.-LOCHINVAR.

1. Oh, young Lochinvar is come out of the west! Through all the wide border his steed was the best; And, save his good broadsword, he weapons had none; He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone.

So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,

There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.

2. He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone;

He swam the Eske River, where ford there was none;
But, ere he alighted at Netherby gate,

The bride had consented-the gallant came late;
For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war,
Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.

3. So boldly he entered the Netherby hall,

Among bridesmen, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all;

Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word), "Oh, come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal, young lord Lochinvar?"

4. "I long wooed your daughter-my suit you denied ; Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide; And now I am come, with this lost love of mine, To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine. There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far, That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar."

5. The bride kissed the goblet, the knight took it up; He quaffed off the wine and he threw down the cup;

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