THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

[The famous charge of the Light Brigade was made by English cavalry on the Russian troops in the battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854.]

HALF a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?

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Not tho' the soldier knew

Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them

Volley'd and thundered;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabers bare,
Flash'd as they turned in air,
Sab'ring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian

Reel'd from the saber stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.

Then they rode back, but not-
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them,

Volley'd and thunder'd;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

- ALFRED TENNYSON.

1. Read the poem through several times. See if you can tell why it has become so famous. 2. What is a soldier's first duty? Which stanza shows that these soldiers realized this? 3. Why does Tennyson repeat the word cannon so often in the third and fifth stanzas? 4. What other examples of this same kind can you find? 5. Which stanza do you like the best? Why? Read it aloud. 6. Commit the whole poem to memory.

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Capital Letters: Review. - Write from dictation and give reasons for the capital letters:

1. The Charge of the Light Brigade was written by Tennyson, an English poet. 2. King Alfred said, "While I have lived I have striven to live worthily." 3. Dear God, was that Thy answer from the horror round about? 4. Give me of your balm, O fir tree. 5. The stormy March is come at last.

Sentence Study: Kinds of Sentences.
1. The brigade rode into the valley.
2. Was there a man dismayed?

3. Lend a hand to him who needs it.

4. Sail on, O mighty ship, sail on!
5. Keep thy tongue from evil.

6. A key of silver can open an iron lock.

7. Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean
8. What doth the poor man's son inherit?

Which of these groups of words state a fact or declare something? Which ask questions? Which show strong feeling? Which command?

- roll!

Each of these groups, whether it asks, states, commands, or shows strong feeling, expresses a thought.

Learn the following definitions:

A sentence is a thought expressed in words.

A sentence that states a fact is called a declarative sentence.
A sentence that asks a question is called an interrogative

sentence.

A sentence that expresses strong feeling is called an exclamatory sentence.

A sentence that commands or entreats is called an imperative

sentence.

Sentence 1 is a declarative sentence. With what punctuation mark does it close?

Sentence 2 is an interrogative sentence. With what mark do interrogative sentences close?

Sentence 2 is an imperative sentence. Imperative sentences close with periods.

Sentence 4 is an exclamatory sentence. An exclamatory sentence closes with an exclamation point.

Written Exercise.-1. Write five interrogative sentences about the company of soldiers that made the famous charge referred to in The Charge of the Light Brigade. 2. Write five declarative sentences in answer to these. 3. Select three exclamatory sentences from the poem. 4. Write five imperative sentences.

Synonyms. Rewrite these sentences, substituting a synonym for the italicized words:

1. Was there a man dismayed? 2. When can their glory fade? 3. O the wild charge they made! 4. No stir in the air, no stir in the sea, the ship was still as she could be. 5. I love, oh, how I love to ride on the fierce, foaming, bursting tide.

Letters. 1. Copy the invitation and one of the replies. 2. Write a reply, either accepting or declining an invitation to a birthday party supposed to be given by one of your classmates.

Miss Lucy Austin requests the pleasure of Miss Ruth Turner's company at a Hallowe'en party on Monday, October thirty-first, at eight o'clock.

150 Lake Avenue, October twenty-fourth.

Miss Ruth Turner accepts with pleasure Miss Lucy Austin's kind invitation to the Hallowe'en party on Monday, October thirtyfirst, at eight o'clock.

275 Central Avenue, October twenty-fifth.

Or

Miss Ruth Turner regrets that she is unable to accept Miss Lucy Austin's kind invitation to the Hallowe'en party on Monday, October thirty-first, at eight o'clock.

275 Central Avenue, October twenty-fifth.