For a' that, and a' that, It's coming yet, for a' that- Shall brothers be for a' that! Robert Burns. FOR PREPARATION.-I. A list of the Scotch words in this poem, and their equivalent English expressions: Wha for who, a' for all, gowd for gold, hamely for homely, hodden gray for homespun, undyed woolen cloth, gie for give, sae for so, birkie for clever fellow, ca'd for called, coof for blockhead, mak for make, aboon for above, guid for good, maunna for must not, warld for world, fa' for afford, bear the gree for be the victors. II. Knāveş (nāvz), guin'-ea (ğin'-e), e'er (ār), läughs (lāfs), dig'-nities. III. What is omitted in man's, it's (5), o'er? IV. "Toils obscure," "tinsel show," riband, star, "belted knight," marquis, duke, pith, "aboon his might" (above his power to make). V. Arrange in one list the qualities and possessions of the poor man, and in another those of the rich or noble, as mentioned in this piece. XXIX. HOW TO RENDER JOYOUS IDEAS. Ideas represented by such words as animated, lively, gay, merry, pleasing, happy, exquisite, lovely, beautiful, delightful, charming, etc., are included under this head. Quick, swelling, "smooth stress," and "pure quality," are the special vocal elements in the expression of this joyous spirit. The "time" grows "faster" and the "force louder" as the degree of joyousness accumulates. The "slides" are long, as in the expression of earnest and noble ideas. EXAMPLES. "What change has made the pastures sweet, And clouds that wore a golden hem? But YESTERDAY' had finished them." (Jean Ingelow.) "It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the Queen of France, then the dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she just began to move in, glittering like the morning star, full of life and splendor and joy." JOYOUS AND NOBLE IDEAS. (Burke.) When this joyous spirit blends with noble ideas, the same "pure quality" and "long slides" are required, but the "smooth stress" swells into "larger volume" and "longer quantity" than mere joyousness demands. EXAMPLE. "Now glory to the Lord of Hosts, from whom all glories are! And glory to our sovereign liege, King Henry of Na varre! Now let there be the merry sound of music and of dance, Through thy cornfields green and sunny vines, O pleas ant land of France! And thou, Rochelle-our own Rochelle-proud city of the waters, Again let rapture light the eyes of all thy mourning daughters: As thou wert constant in our ills, be joyous in our joy, For cold and stiff and still are they who wrought thy walls annoy. Hurrah! hurrah! a single field hath turned the chance of war! Hurrah! hurrah! for Ivry and Henry of Navarre!" (From "The Battle of Ivry," by Macaulay.) The great knight, Sir Lancelot, is praising King Arthur in his wars against the heathen, in the presence of "the lily maid of Astolat," Elaine: "On the mount Of Badon I myself beheld the king For triumph in our mimic wars, the jousts— Yet, in this heathen war, the fire of God Fills him! I never saw his like! No greater leader.' There lives When he fell "While he uttered this, And all night long his face before her lived, XXX.-MIGNON'S SONG. 1. "Know'st thou the land where citron apples bloom, And oranges like gold in leafy gloom, A gentle wind from deep-blue heaven blows, 2. "Know'st thou the house, its porch with pillars tall? The rooms do glitter, glitters bright the hall, 'Tis there! 'tis there, my protector, thou with me must go! 3. "Know'st thou the hill, the bridge that hangs on cloud? The mules in mist grope o'er the torrent loud, In caves lie coiled the dragon's ancient brood, 'Tis there! 'tis there Our way runs. O my father, wilt thou go?" 4. Next morning, on looking for Mignon about the house, Wilhelm did not find her, but was informed that she had gone out early with Melina, who had risen betimes to receive the wardrobe and other apparatus of his theater. After the space of some hours, Wilhelm heard the sound of music before his door. At first he thought it was the harper come again to visit him; but he soon distinguished the tones of a cithern, and the voice which began to sing was Mignon's. Wilhelm opened the door; the child came in, and sang him the song we have just given above. 5. The music and general expression of it pleased our friend extremely, though he could not understand all the words. He made her once more repeat the stanzas, and explain them; he wrote them down, and translated them into his native language. But the originality of its turns he could imitate only from afar; its childlike innocence of expression vanished from it in the process of reducing its broken phraseology to uniformity, and combining its disjointed parts. The charm of the tune, moreover, was entirely incomparable. 6. She began every verse in a stately and solemn manner, as if she wished to draw attention toward something wonderful-as if she had something weighty to communicate. In the third line her tones became deeper and gloomier; the "Know'st thou it, then?" was uttered with |