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FOR PRACTICE IN TONE.

CASABIANCA.*

THE boy stood on the burning deck,
Whence all but he had fled;

The flame that lit the battle's wreck
Shone round him o'er the dead.

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,
As born to rule the storm;
A creature of heroic blood,

A proud, though childlike form.

The flames roll'd on-he would not go,
Without his father's word;
That father, faint in death below,
His voice no longer heard

He call'd aloud:-"Say, father, say,
If yet my task is done?"

He knew not that the chieftain lay
Unconscious of his son.

"Speak, father!" once again he cried,
If I may yet be gone!

And" but the booming shots replied,
And fast the flames roll'd on.

* A boy so named, about thirteen years old, son to the captain of the Orient, remained at his post, in the battle of the Nile, after the ship had taken fire, and all the guns had been abandoned. He perished in the explosion of the vessel when the flames had reached the powder.

CASABIANCA,

Upon his brow he felt their breath,
And in the waving hair,

And look'd from that lone post of death,
In still yet brave despair,

And shouted but once more aloud,

"My father! must I stay?"

While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud,

The wreathing fires made way.

They wrapp'd the ship in splendour wild,

They caught the flag on high,

And stream'd above the gallant child,

Like banners in the sky,

There came a burst of thunder sound,-
The boy,-oh! where was he!

Ask of the winds that far around
With fragments strew'd the sea!

With mast, and helm, and pennon fair,
That well had borne their part,-

But the noblest thing which perish'd there,
Was that
young and faithful heart.

Mrs. Hemans.

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48

ON READING POETRY.

In reading verse, it is important to bear in mind that every syllable should have the same accent, and every word the same emphasis, as in prose. In like manner, all necessary inflections (by which is meant those inflections which are essential to the expression of the sense) are the same in verse as in prose, although they may be often less strongly marked. If, therefore, you are ever at a loss as to the particular tone or inflection required for any word in poetry, you cannot do better than pronounce it precisely as you would in earnest conversation, and, in so doing, you will probably fall into those very inflections which ought to be adopted in reading verse.

As, however, in every sentence, words are to be found, the inflections of which are matters of taste, and as in poetry these are mostly left to be decided by the judgment of the reader, it is well to remember that the rising inflection prevails as much in verse as the falling does in prose. Still, care must be taken not to adopt the rising inflection where the falling one is necessary, or your reading of verse will speedily degenerate into that whine which injudicious readers fall into, and which is so very disagreeable.

Two or three other rules may be mentioned.

1. Almost every verse admits of a pause somewhere about the middle of the line. This is called the Casura, and attention to it is important, in order to avoid losing the beauty of the rhythm.

The following example will serve to illustrate this rule.

ON READING POETRY.

49

The seas shall waste || the skies in smoke decay,
Rocks fall to dust || and mountains melt away;
But fixed his word || his saving power remains.
Thy realm for ever lasts || thy own Messiah reigns.
A slighter pause, as shown by this line | in the
following verse, is called the demi-cæsura:-

Warms in the sun | refreshes | in the breeze,
Glows in the stars || and blossoms | in the trees;
Lives | thro' all life || extends | thro' all extent,
Spreads undivided || operates | unspent.

2. A slight pause should be made at the end of every line, whether the sense requires it or not, as by this means the poetical character of the composition is materially developed. It should, however, sometimes be very slight indeed, merely indicating the termination of the line.

3. Similes, in poetry, and sublime or magnificent descriptions, frequently require a lower tone of voice, and sometimes an almost unvaried tone.

She never told her love,

But let concealment, like a worm i' the bud,

Feed on her damask cheek; she pined in thought,
And with a green and yellow melancholy,

She sat, like patience on a monument,

Smiling at grief.

4. As a rule, it is well to begin the reading of a poem in as simple a style as possible, reserving any expression of emotion till both reader and hearer may be supposed to be somewhat warmed by the subject.

Bearing these rules in mind, you will not find it difficult to read poetry with ease, grace, and expression.

E

SPECIMENS OF THE POETS.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER.
BORN, 1328: DIED, 1400.

Principal Works.-Canterbury Tales, House of Fame, Chaucer's
Dream, Assembly of Fowls, The Flower and the Leaf.

TO MY SOUL.

FAR from mankind, my weary soul, retire,
Still follow truth, contentment still desire.
Who climbs on high, at best his weakness shows,
Who rolls in riches, all to fortune owes.

Read well thyself, and mark thy early ways,
Vain is the muse, and envy waits on praise.

Wav'ring as winds the breath of fortune blows,
No pow'r can turn it, and no pray'rs compose.
Deep in some hermit's solitary cell,

Repose, and ease, and contemplation dwell.
Let conscience guide thee in the days of need;
Judge well thy own, and then thy neighbour's deed.

What heav'n bestows, with thankful eyes receive; First ask thy heart, and then through faith believe. Slowly we wander o'er a toilsome way,

Shadows of life, and pilgrims of a day.

Who restless in this world, receives a fall,

"Look up on high, and thank thy God for all!"