Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

III. Elegance.

50. What qualities of style have we studied thus far? Define each. If a selection is both clear and forcible, is there any further quality to be desired? Do you find any such quality in any of the following selections? How does it differ from Force? What shall we call it? Read aloud the following selections and tell what qualities you find in them and in what passage each quality is most prominent.

1. As I came down from Lebanon,

Came winding, wandering slowly down
Through mountain passes bleak and brown,
The cloudless day was well-nigh done;
The city like an opal set

In emerald, showed each minaret
Afire with radiant beams of sun;
And glistened orange, fig, and lime.
Where song-birds made melodious chime,
As I came down from Lebanon.

As I came down from Lebanon,

I saw strange men from lands afar
In mosque and square and gay bazaar;
The Magi that the Moslem shun,
And grave Effendi from Stamboul
Who sherbet sipped in corners cool;
And from the balconies o'errun
With roses, gleamed the eyes of those
Who dwell in still seraglios,

As I came down from Lebanon.

[blocks in formation]

3.

There was a sound of revelry by night,
And Belgium's capital had gathered then
Her Beauty and her Chivalry, and bright

The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men;
A thousand hearts beat happily; and when

Music arose with its voluptuous swell,

Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,

And all went merry as a marriage bell;

But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell !

Did ye not hear it?

No; 'twas but the wind,
Or the car rattling o'er the stony street;

On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;
No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet
To chase the glowing Hours with flying feet.
But hark! that heavy sound breaks in once more,
As if the clouds its echo would repeat;

And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before!

Arm! arm! it is it is- the cannon's opening roar !

Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro, And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, And cheeks all pale, which but an hour ago Blush'd at the praise of their own loveliness; And there were sudden partings, such as press The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs Which ne'er might be repeated: who could guess If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, Since upon night so sweet, such awful morn should rise!

And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed,
The muttering squadron, and the clattering car,
Went pouring forward with impetuous speed,

And swiftly forming in the ranks of war;
And the deep thunder peal on peal afar;
And near, the beat of the alarming drum
Roused up the soldier ere the morning star;
While throng'd the citizens with terror dumb,

Or whispering with white lips-"The foe! they come! they come !" BYRON.

[blocks in formation]

Here Ischia smiles

O'er liquid miles;

And yonder, bluest of the isles,
Calm Capri waits,

Her sapphire gates

Beguiling to her bright estates.

I heed not, if

My rippling skiff

Float swift or slow from cliff to cliff; With dreamful eyes

My spirit lies

Under the walls of Paradise.

Over the rail

My hand I trail

Within the shadow of the sail,

A joy intense,

The cooling sense

Glides down my drowsy indolence.

Yon deep bark goes

Where Traffic blows,

From lands of sun to lands of snows:

This happier one,

Its course is run

From lands of snow to lands of sun.

O happy ship,

To rise and dip,

With the blue crystal at your lip!

O happy crew,

My heart with you

Sails, and sails, and sings anew!

« ZurückWeiter »