5. "So faint I am-these tottering feet 6. "Open your hospitable door, And shield me from the biting blast: 7. With hasty step the farmer ran, And close beside the fire they place 8. The little children flocking came, A comfortable mess prepares. 9. Their kindness cheer'd his drooping soul, And slowly down his wrinkled cheek The big round tears were seen to roll, And told the thanks he could not speak. 10. The children too began to sigh, And all their merry chat was o'er ; More glad than they had done before. CHAP V. The Poet's New-Year's Gift. 1. Pru'-dent, a. wise, cautious. Spright'-ly, a. brisk, lively. In-ge-"nu-ous, a. candid, generous. Tem'-per-flaws, s. faults in one's temper. -Un-sight-ly, a. unpleasingly to the sight; ugly. 4. Bliss, s. happiness. Di-vi'ne, a. heavenly. 5. Fu'-ture, s. that which shall be; that which never has existed, but is approaching. Fate, s. destiny, fortune. (Destruction, death). I. MARIA! I have ev'ry good For thee wish'd many a time, 2. To wish thee fairer is no need, More prudent or more sprightly, 3. What favour then, not yet possess'd, In wedded love already blest, 4. None here is happy but in part; There dwells some wish in ev'ry heart, 5. That wish, on some fair future day CHAP. VI. Ode to the Cuckoo.↑ Ode, s. a song or poem to be sung or set to music. 1. Hail, v. to salute, to call to. Hail, in this sense, is seldom used but in poetry. Hail, s. drops of rain congealed or frozen in the air. Beau'-te-ous, a. beautiful, charming. Grove, s. a walk formed by trees, whose branches meet over. 3. Bow'-er, s. a small arbour made of branches; but here it means groves or woods. 4. Lay, s. a song. Vo'-cal, a. relating to the voice. An'-nu-al, a. yearly. Guest, s. a visitor. 6. Globe, s. the earth. Any round body is called a globe. 1. HAIL beauteous stranger of the grove! Now heaven repairs thy rural seat, * This word is written in Elision, by the grammatical figure Apheresis, which cuts off the initial letter or syllable of a word, as "Tis, for it is, 'gan, for began; but this should only take place in Poetry, being a license granted the poets, in order to make each verse contain the same number of syllables, &c. + Cuckoo, a bird that appears in the spring, and is very remarkable It builds for the singularity of its note, whence it receives its name. no nest, but sucks the eggs of other small birds, and leaves its own in the same place. (It is sometimes used figuratively, as a word of res proach, or contempt). 2. Soon as the daisy decks the green, 3. Delightful visitant! with thee. And hear the sound of music sweet 4. The schoolboy wand'ring thro' the wood Starts-thy curious voice to hear, 5. Soon as the pea puts on the bloom, 6. Sweet bird! thy bower is ever green, Thou hast no sorrow in thy song, 7. O! could I fly, I'd fly with thee! LOGAN. *Figuratively, the vale may be said to be vocal, as being filled. with the voices of birds. CHAP. VII. On the Departure of the Nightingale. 1. Min'strel, s. a musician, or one that sings. 2. Pen'-sive, a. thoughtful. Muse, s. In Heathen mythology, one of the nine sisters who presided over the liberal arts; but here means the writer of this poem. Mate, s. a companion, whether male or female. 3. Love'-lorn, a. forsaken of one's love. Glide, v. to move or pass gently without any noise. Pro-fane', a. wicked. Pi"-ty, s. the quality of feeling the pains of another. 1. SWEET poet of the woods, a long adieu ! Farewell, soft minstrel of the early year! Ah! 'twill be long ere thou shalt sing anew, And pour thy music on the night's dull ear! 2. Whether on spring thy wand'ring flight await, Or whether silent in our groves you dwell, The pensive muse shall own thee for her mate, And still protect the song she loves so well. 3. With cautious step the love-lorn youth shall glide SMITH. |