13. Near the city of Sevilla, years and years ago, And her eyes were starry bright; Ah! that lady of the villa,—and I loved her so, Near the city of Sevilla, years and years ago. "The Spanish Duel." 14. Sail forth into the sea, O ship! WALLER. Through wind and wave, right onward steer! Are not the signs of doubt or fear. With all the hopes of future years, "Building of the Ship." LONGFELLOW. 15. Now clear, pure, hard, bright, and one by one, like to hailstones, Now with a sprightlier springiness, bounding in triplicate syl- Dance the elastic Dactylics in musical cadences on; STACY. 16. The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world's joy. The lonely pine upon the mountain top waves its somber boughs, and cries, "Thou art my sun." And the little meadow violet lifts its cup of blue, and whispers with its perfumed breath, "Thou art my sun." And the grain in a thousand fields rustles in the wind, and makes answer, "Thou art my sun." And so God sits effulgent in Heaven, not for a favored few, but for the universe of life; and there is no creature so poor or so low that he may not look up with childlike confidence and say, "My Father. Thou art mine." BEECHER. 17. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, nor wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn't know where to have him. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did. "A Christmas Carol." DICKENS. 18. Prudence, indeed, will dictate, that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. "Declaration of Independence." 19. All in the wild March-morning, I heard the angels call; It was when the moon was setting, and the dark was over all; The trees began to whisper, and the wind began to roll; And in the wild March-morning I heard them call my soul. "The May Queen." TENNYSON. 20. Breathes there a man, with soul so dead, Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd, "Lay of the Last Minstrel." 21. It was an eve of autumn's holiest mood. Its maker. Now and then the aged leaf SCOTT. Vesper looked forth ROBERT POLLOK. 22. She sleeps: her breathings are not heard The fragrant tresses are not stirred She sleeps: on either hand upswells A perfect form in perfect rest. "The Day Dream." TENNYSON. OROTUND 1. True eloquence, indeed, does not consist in speech. It can not be brought from far. Labor and learning may toil for it, but they will toil in vain. Words and phrases may be marshaled in every way, but they cannot compass it. It must exist in the man, in the subject, and in the occasion. Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire after it,they can not reach it. It comes, if it comes at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force. The graces taught in the schools, the costly ornaments and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men, when their own lives, and the fate of their wives, their children, and their country hang on the decision of the hour. Then words have lost their power, rhetoric is vain, and all elaborate oratory contemptible. Even genius itself then feels rebuked and subdued, as in the presence of higher qualities. Then patriotism is eloquent; then self-devotion is eloquent. The clear conception, outrunning the deductions of logic, the high purpose, the firm resolve, the dauntless spirit, speaking on the tongue, beaming from the eye, informing every feature, and urging the whole man onward, right onward to his object, this, this is eloquence; or, rather, it is something greater and higher than all eloquence: it is action,-noble, sublime, Godlike action. "The Eloquence of Adams." DANIEL WEBSTER. 2. O thou Eternal One! whose presence bright "God." Being above all beings! Mighty One, Whom none can comprehend, and none explore, 3. Suddenly the notes of the deep laboring organ burst upon the ear, falling with doubled and redoubled intensity, and rolling, as it were, huge billows of sound. How well do their volume and grandeur accord with this mighty building! With what pomp do they swell through its vast vaults and breathe their awful harmony through those caves of death and make the silent sepulcher vocal! And now they rise in triumphant acclamation, heaving higher and higher their accordant notes, and piling sound on sound. And now they pause, and the soft voices of the choir break out into sweet gushes of melody; they soar aloft and warble along the roof, and seem to play about those lofty vaults like the pure airs of heaven. Again the pealing organ heaves its thrilling thunders, compressing air into music, and rolling it forth upon the soul. What long-drawn cadences! What solemn sweeping concords! It grows more and more dense and powerful,—it fills the vast pile, and seems to jar the very walls, the ear is stunned, the senses are overwhelmed. And now it is winding up in full jubilee, it is rising from earth to heaven; the very soul seems wrapt away and floating upward on this swelling tide of harmony. WASHINGTON IRVING. "Westminster Abbey" in "The Sketch Book." O now, forever, 4. Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content! |