Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard: And Other SelectionsAmerican Book Company, 1911 - 112 pages |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
allude Auburn Balder Bard beneath breast breathe called Cambridge Charles Townshend charms cheerful climes death Deserted Village Dryden e'en edition Edward Elegy English epithet Eton College eyes fate father friends Goddess golden Goldsmith Gray Gray's heart heaven holy orders Horace Walpole humor Julius Cæsar King labor learned letters Lissoy literary living luxury lyre Milton's Paradise Lost Muse nature Note the alliteration numbers o'er Odin Oliver Cromwell pain Paradise Lost Passions Peterhouse Pindar pleasure poem poet poetic poetry pride Progress of Poesy proud published Purple repose Richard rime round rustic sable Samuel Johnson says scene Scythia sense shade skies smile song sorrow soul stanza sweet Sweet Auburn Taliessin tear thee thou thought toil train trembling vale verse virtues voice Walpole Weave weep wings word writing wrote ΙΟ
Popular passages
Page 23 - To them his heart, his love, his griefs, were given, But all his serious thoughts had rest in heaven : As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm, Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head.
Page 20 - Amidst these humble bowers to lay me down; To husband out life's taper at the close, And keep the flame from wasting by repose. I still had hopes, for pride attends us still, Amidst the swains to show my book-learned skill, Around my fire an evening group to draw, And tell of all I felt and all I saw...
Page 26 - Yes ! let the rich deride, the proud disdain, These simple blessings of the lowly train, To me more dear, congenial to my heart, One native charm, than all the gloss of art...
Page 17 - Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease, Seats of my youth, when every sport could please, How often have I loitered o'er thy green, Where humble happiness endeared each scene...
Page 28 - Tumultuous grandeur crowds the blazing square, The rattling chariots clash, the torches glare. Sure scenes like these no troubles e'er annoy ! Sure these denote one universal joy ! Are these thy serious thoughts?
Page 17 - How often have I blest the coming day, When toil remitting lent its turn to play, And all the village train, from labour free, Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree, While many a pastime circled in the shade, The young contending as the old surveyed; And many a gambol frolicked o'er the ground, And sleights of art and feats of strength went round.
Page 20 - In all my wanderings round this world of care, In all my griefs - and God has given my share I still had hopes my latest hours to crown, Amidst these humble bowers to lay me down; To husband out life's taper at the close, And keep the flame from wasting by repose.
Page 23 - Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride, And e'en his failings leaned to virtue's side. But in his duty prompt at every call, He watched and wept, he prayed and felt for all ; And as a bird each fond endearment tries To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies, He tried each art, reproved each dull delay, Allured to brighter worlds and led the way.
Page 58 - Where'er the oak's thick branches stretch A broader browner shade, Where'er the rude and moss-grown beech O'er-canopies the glade, Beside some water's rushy brink With me the Muse shall sit, and think (At ease reclined in rustic state) How vain the ardor of the crowd, How low, how little are the proud, How indigent the great!
Page 23 - The reverend champion stood. At his control Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul ; Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise, And his last faltering accents whispered praise.