The Hon. WILLIAM ROBERT SPENCER (1770-1834). His poems, though written in a simple and unaffected style, are marked by deep and genuine pathos. 20 That day Llewellyn little loved The chase of hart* or hare : And scant and small the booty * proved; Unpleased Llewellyn homeward hied; * His truant Gelert he espied,* * 25 But when he gained the castle-door, Aghast the chieftain stood; 30 35 40 45 50 55 The hound was smeared with gouts of gore; Llewellyn gazed with wild surprise, His favourite checked his joyful guise, Onward in haste Llewellyn passed, He called his child-no voice replied; * Devoured, eaten as by a beast of prey. Frantic, mad, furi ous. Hilt, the handle of a sword. Suppliant, one who prays humbly. Yell, a dreadful loud cry. Nigh, close by, near. B RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803-1882) is a distinguished essayist and journalist, and was born at Boston, U.S. In style and manner he greatly resembles Carlyle. This poem is taken from his essays on Society and Solitude. Bard, a poet and singer of the ancient Celts. MEN have done brave deeds, And bards have sung them well: I of good George Nidiver Now the tale will tell. JEPHTHA'S DAUGHTER.*—Byron. LORD BYRON (1788-1824) was born in London, and died at Missolonghi in Greece, whither he had gone to aid in the struggle for Grecian independence. He was one of the greatest English poets, but it is much to be regretted that he degraded his genius in his last poem. Chief poems: English Bards and Scotch Reviewers; Childe Harold, one of the greatest poems of the century; The Prisoner of Chillon; Manfred; and Don Juan. Sire, father. Vow, a solemn promise. Mourning, sorrowing for the dead. Ere, before. Soothes, comforts. SINCE Our country, our God—0 my sire ! * And the voice of my mourning * is o'er, And of this, O my father! be sure- And the last thought that soothes * me below. 5 ΙΟ * Jephtha, one of the judges of Israel. Before going to battle with the Ammonites he swore that on his return, if he gained the victory, he would offer in sacrifice the first thing he met coming out of his house-it happened to be his own daughter. |