Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) for use in the Lower School

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Title: Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) for use in the Lower
School
Author: O. J. Stevenson
Release Date: August 15, 2004 [EBook #13184]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
0. START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE
AND LYRIC POEMS ***
Produced by Al Haines
NARRATIVE AND LYRIC POEMS
(FIRST SERIES)
FOR USE IN THE LOWER SCHOOL
WITH ANNOTATIONS BY
O. J. STEVENSON, M.A., D.PAED.,
Professor of English, Ontario Agricultural College.
TORONTO
THE COPP, CLARK COMPANY, LIMITED

Copyright, Canada, 1912, by THE COPP, CLARK COMPANY,
LIMITED,
Toronto, Ontario.
PREFACE
The Narrative and Lyric Poems contained in this volume are those
prescribed by the Department of Education for examination for Junior
and Senior Public School Diplomas, and for the Senior High School
Entrance, and Entrance into the Model Schools. (Circular 58.)
In arranging the order of the poems, the Editor has taken into
consideration the character of the selections with the object both of
grading them in the order of increasing difficulty, and of securing
variety in the subjects treated. The teacher may, however, follow his
own judgment as to the order in which the poems should be taken up in
class.
In the annotations the chief points of difficulty have been explained. In
the case of a number of the poems, different editions of the poets'
works contain different readings. In such cases we have followed the
readings that are best known and that have been recognized by the best
authorities.
CONTENTS
The Meeting of the Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moore
Jock o' Hazeldean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott
Horatius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Macaulay
Alice Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott
The Solitary Reaper . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wordsworth
The Island of the Scots . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aytoun

Dickens in Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harte
A Musical Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Browning
Gradatim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holland
The Battle of the Lake Regillus . . . . . . . . Macaulay
The Vision of Sir Launfal . . . . . . . . . . . . Lowell
The Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Longfellow
British Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wordsworth
The Courtship of Miles Standish . . . . . . . . Longfellow
Sohrab and Rustum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arnold
NARRATIVE AND LYRIC POEMS
THE MEETING OF THE WATERS.
There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet
As that vale in whose
bosom the bright waters meet!
Oh! the last rays of feeling and life
must depart
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart.
Yet it was not that nature had shed o'er the scene 5 Her purest of crystal
and brightest of green;
'Twas not the soft magic of streamlet or hill,

Oh! no--it was something more exquisite still.
'Twas that friends, the beloved of my bosom, were near,
Who made
every dear scene of enchantment more dear, 10 And who felt how the
best charms of nature improve,
When we see them reflected from
looks that we love.
Sweet vale of Avoca![1] how calm could I rest
In thy bosom of shade
with the friends I love best,
Where the storms that we feel in this cold
world should cease, 15 And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in

peace!
--Moore.
[1] Avoca. A valley and river in the County of Wicklow, Ireland. The
name signifies "The Meeting of the Waters."
JOCK O' HAZELDEAN.
"Why weep ye by the tide, ladie?
Why weep ye by the tide?
I'll wed
ye to my youngest son,
And ye sall[1] be his bride:
And ye sall be
his bride,