30 How it swells! How it dwells On the Future! how it tells Of the rapture * that impels To the swinging and the ringing Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, 35 To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells! In a clamorous* appealing to the mercy of the fire, 45 In a mad expostulation* with the deaf and frantic * fire, 50 55 60 65 Leaping higher, higher, higher, Now-now to sit, or never, By the side of the pale-faced moon. What a tale their terror tells Of Despair! How they clang, and clash, and roar ! What a horror they outpour On the bosom of the palpitating * air! Yet the ear it fully knows, By the twanging And the clanging, How the danger ebbs and flows; Yet the ear distinctly tells, In the jangling, And the wrangling, How the danger sinks and swells By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells Of the bells, Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, Bells, bells, bells, Rapture, very great delight or pleasure. Brazen bells, these are the bells that startle the sleepers in the night with the alarm of fire. Turbulency, tumult, great noise. Clamorous, noisy. Expostulation, re monstrance. Frantic, furious. Palpitating, beating quickly, throbbing. Clangour, clashing In the clamour and the clangour* of the bells! together." Iron bells. these are Hear the tolling of the bells- the death knell or What a world of solemn thought their monody* passing bells, which are tolled for a departing soul. Monody, lament. Menace, threat. compels ! In the silence of the night, At the melancholy menace * of their tone! 70 75 From the rust within their throats Is a groan. Monotone, a repetition of the same note in music. And the people-ah, the people— * And who, tolling, tolling, tolling On the human heart a stone- * And their king it is that tolls; Rolls A pæan from the bells! Keeping time, time, time, To the moaning and the groaning of the bells. THE SCRIPTORIUM.*-Longfellow. It is growing dark! Yet one line more, Let me pause awhile, and wash my pen; Thus have I laboured on and on, * Of this same gentle Evangelist,* 15 It has a very awful look, 20 * As it stands there at the end of the book, Ah me! when I think of that vision divine I stand in awe of the terrible curse, Like the trump of doom, in the closing verse. * Record, write down, inscribe. Blemish, stain or spot. Mystery, something difficult to understand. Evangelist, there Apocalypse, name of Eclipse, when the it. Take aught from the book of that Prophecy, Aught, anything. 25 From the Book of Life on the Judgment Day. This is well written, though I say it ! 30 Or of Theodosius, who of old Wrote the Gospels in letters of gold! Would not bear away the palm* from mine, 35 If we should compare them line for line. There, now, is an initial * letter! Saint Ulric himself never made a better ! Display, show. Folio, a book (literally, a leaf). The palm, the prize. Initial, the letter beginning a name. * Scriptorium, a place set apart for transcribing, illuminating, and writing books. This extract is taken from The Golden Legend. How the swallows twitter under the eaves ! Gospel, good tidings; there are four of them. Parley, to speak, to confer. I can just catch a glimpse of her head and breast. 60 I can see no more! Through the valley yonder The Devil's own and only prayer! 65 They do not parley,* they cannot wait, But hurry in at the convent-gate. 70 What a fair lady! and beside her What a handsome, graceful, noble rider ! Corridor, a passageway. Maries, the holy women who ministered to Jesus Christ. They will beg shelter for the night. I will go down to the corridor,* And try to see that face once more; It will do for the face of some beautiful Saint, * 75 THE SHIPWRECK.-Byron. THERE were two fathers in this ghastly* crew, * But he died early: and when he was gone, 5 His nearest messmate* told his sire, who threw ΙΟ Ghastly, ghost like, pale, hideous. Robust, strong, healthy. Messmate, a One glance on him, and said, "Heaven's will be mate or com done! I can do nothing ;" and he saw him thrown The other father had a weaklier child, Of a soft cheek, and aspect* delicate ; 20 With the deep, deadly thought, that they must part. And o'er him bent his sire,* and never raised His eyes from off his face, but wiped the foam come, And the boy's eyes, which the dull film half glazed, 25 The boy expired. The father held the clay, And looked upon it long; and when at last * panion who eats at the same table with another. Aspect, appearance. He smiled, &c., he appeared cheerful, so as to lighten grief. Wished-for 30 'Twas borne by the rude wave wherein 'twas cast; Then he himself sunk down all dumb and shivering,* Shivering, And gave no sign of life, save his limbs quivering.* Wistfully, longingly. trembling. Quivering, shaking. 'Twas twilight, and the sunless day went down 35 Which, if withdrawn, would but disclose the frown Assail, attack. Darkled, grew dark. G |