Selections from American poetry Part 50

91. sulphurous: so terrible as to suggest the lower world.

BIGLOW PAPERS

Lowell attempted a large task in the "Biglow Papers," and on the whole he succeeded well. He wished to discuss the current question in America under the guise of humorous Yankee attack. The first series appeared in 1848 and dealt with the problem of the Mexican War; the second series in 1866 and refers to the Civil War. From the two series are given here only three which are perhaps the best known. Mr. Hosea Biglow purports to be the writer. He is an uneducated Yankee boy who "com home (from Boston) considerabul riled." His father in No. 1, a letter, describes the process of composition as follows: "Arter I'd gone to bed I hearn Him a thras.h.i.+n round like a shoot-tailed bull in flitime. The old woman ses she to me ses she, Zekle, sos she, our Hosie's gut the drollery or suthin anuther, ses she, don't you be skeered, ses I, he's oney a-makin poetery; ses I, he's ollers on hand at that ere busyness like Da & martin, and Shure enuf, c.u.m mornin, Hosy he c.u.m down stares full chizzle, hare on eend and cote tales flyin, and sot rite of to go reed his va.r.s.es to Parson Wilbur."

WHAT MR. ROBINSON THINKS

1. Guvener B.: George Nixon Briggs of Ma.s.sachusetts.

6. John P. Robinson was a lawyer (1. 59) of Lowell, Ma.s.s. Mr. Lowell had no intention of attacking the individual here; Mr. Robinson changed his party allegiance and the letter published over his signature called Lowell's attention to him.

lb. Gineral C.: General Caleb Gus.h.i.+ng, who took a prominent part in the Mexican War, and was at this time the candidate for governor opposed to Governor Briggs.

16. pelf: money.

23. vally: value.

32. eppyletts: epaulets, the mark of an officer in the army or navy.

39. debit, per contry: makes him the debtor and on the other side credits us.

THE COURTIN'

17. crook-necks: gourds.

19. queen's-arm: musket.

33-34. He had taken at least twenty girls to the social events of the town.

68. sekle: sequel, result.

94. The Bay of Fundy has an exceptionally high tide which rises with great rapidity.

SUNTHIN' IN THE PASTORAL LINE

2. precerdents: legal decisions previously made which serve as models for later decisions.

4. this-worldify. The women in early New England dressed very simply and sternly, but the odor of musk would make them seem to belong to this world, which has beauty as well as severity.

7. clawfoot: a piece of furniture, here a chest, having clawfeet.

38. pithed with hardihood. New England people had hardihood at the center of their lives.

50. The bloodroot leaf is curled round the tiny write flower bud to protect it.

56. haggle: move slowly and with difficulty.

100. vendoo: vendue, public sale.

117. What American poets express a similar need of nearness to nature?

144. Lowell's own education was four-story: grammar school, high school, college, law school.

165. A good application of the old story of the man who killed the goose that laid the golden eggs.

157. Cap-sheaf: the top sheaf on a stack and hence the completion of any act.

165. Lowell, himself, seems to be talking in these last lines, and not young Hosea Biglow.

209. English Civil War (1642-1649), which ended in the establishment of the Commonwealth.

241. As Adam's fall "Brought death into the world, and all our woe," it was considered by all Puritans as an event of highest importance; most men agree that their wives' bonnets stand at the other end of the scale.

2&I. Crommle: Oliver Cromwell, under whom the English fought for a Commonwealth. See note on line 219.

270. After the short period of the Commonwealth, Charles II became ruler of England (1660-1685).

272. Millennium: a period when all government will be free from wickedness.

AN INDIAN-SUMMER REVERIE

5. Autumn personified as Hebe, the cupbearer of the Greek G.o.ds.

11. projected spirit. The poet's own spirit seems to take on material form in the landscape before him.

28. See the book of Ruth in the Old Testament for this exquisite story.

32. Magellan's Strait: pa.s.sage discovered by Magellan when he sailed around the southern end of South America.

51. retrieves: remedies.

59. lapt: wrapped.

77. Explain this simile. Has color any part in it?

83. ensanguined: made blood-red by frost.

92. The Charles is so placid and blue that it resembles a line of the sky.

99. In connection with this description of the marshes. Lanier's "The Marshes of Glynn" may well be read, as it is the best description of marshes in American literature.

133. Compare Bryant's "Robert of Lincoln."

140. Compare this figure with Bryant's in "To a Waterfowl," 1. 2.