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THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH

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THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH

Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;

His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,

And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night.
You can hear his bellows blow;

You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;

They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,

And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;

He hears the parson pray and preach.
He hears his daughter's voice,

Singing in the village choir,

And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!

He needs must think of her once more,

How in the grave she lies;

And with his hard rough hand, he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done.
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

SUGGESTIVE EXERCISES

1. What are you made to see clearly in the first two stanzas? 2. What beautiful sounds are mentioned?

3. What beautiful sights?

4. How many of the smith's emotions does the poet describe? 5. Where is pathos introduced?

6. Where are things usually regarded as opposite characteristics shown to be closely allied?

7. Mention as many of the smith's characteristics as you can.

8. Are any of these the result of inference alone?

9. What are we shown that makes up the smith's life?

10. How many maxims that go to make up a rule for right living are we given?

11. Just what lesson was the poet taught by the smith?
12. What is the key to a happy life according to Longfellow?

REFERENCES

LONGFELLOW: From My Arm Chair. Keramos.

WHITTIER: Cobbler Keezar's Vision. Among the Hills.
MACKAY: Tubal Cain.

W

VIRTUE

GEORGE HERBERT

HEN Shakespeare was at the height of his literary powers, there lived and wrote a poet whose life was spirit-filled. He was a strict churchman, a devout follower of the lowly Nazarene, and a writer whose songs have inspired all well-doers to rise heavenward on the wings of adoration. His life rang true; and his genuine sincerity is stamped on all he wrote. His poetry sounds forth two great strains. The major strain is the immortality of the soul. The minor strain is the mortality of all things earthly. Henry Morley, the great English writer and critic says of him, "When the mind is fastened to George Herbert's verse we may think we've an angel by the wings."

The following poem contains the essence of Herbert's teaching and is the briefest, tenderest, simplest, truest interpretation of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul yet found in English song and story.

VIRTUE

Sweet Day, so cool, so calm, so bright,
The bridal of the earth and sky,
The dew shall weep thy fall to-night;
For thou must die.

Sweet Rose, whose hue, angry and brave,
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye,
Thy root is ever in its grave,

And thou must die.

Sweet Spring, full of sweet days and roses,
A box where sweets compacted lie,
My music shows ye have your closes,
And all must die.

Only a sweet and virtuous soul,
Like seasoned timber, never gives;
But though the whole world turn to coal,
Then chiefly lives.

SUGGESTIVE EXERCISES

1. What tells of the passing nature of the day? 2. Why mention "so cool, so calm, so bright"? 3. Explain "bridal of the earth and sky."

4. Explain "The dew shall weep thy fall to-night."

5. Why "angry and brave" hue?

6. How does it bid the rash gazer wipe his eye?

7. To what is spring compared?

8. Explain "My music shows ye have your closes."

9. What in time besides Day and Spring must pass away? 10. What in nature besides the rose must decay?

11. What alone outlasts time and nature?

12. Then what should be the greatest concern of any person?

REFERENCES

KINGSLEY: The Farewell.

JOHNSON: The Noble Nature.

MACKAY: Song of Life.

RALEIGH: The Lye.

HOOPER: Duty.

DYER: Contentment.

LANIER: The Tournament.

SHAKESPEARE: Portia's Court-room Speech.

TH

THE VOYAGE

CAROLINE ATHERTON MASON

HE author of this poem spent many hours by the seashore where she loved to watch the laden ships from all lands entering the harbor and to see them depart with other merchandise for the markets of the world. In fancy, the scene widened until she seemed to see "a thousand fleets from every zone out upon a thousand seas," and the vision became to her a vast symbol of life in which every soul plays its part, "not alone" but in its proper relation to every other soul.

This poem is a vision which breaks in upon our souls like the glory of the sunrise. It needs no forerunner. It introduces itself, explains itself, and gently but effectively reveals itself with wonderful power to the soul that aspires to realize higher meanings of life. To every reader who rises above petty selfishness, and who reaches the point where he is genuinely glad at heart and not jealous when others succeed, this poem is a psalm of contentment.

THE VOYAGE

Whichever way the wind doth blow,
Some heart is glad to have it so;

Then blow it east or blow it west,
The wind that blows, that wind is best.

My little craft sails not alone:
A thousand fleets from every zone

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