THE BROOK ALFRED TENNYSON NOTE TO THE PUPIL. Alfred Tennyson, the most popular poet of his time, was born in England in 1810. If you like poetry, you will read "Locksley Hall," "The May Queen," "The Talking Oak," many selections from "The Princess," and "Maud," with much pleasure. I COME from haunts of coot and hern, I make a sudden sally, And sparkle out among the fern, To bicker down a valley. By thirty hills I hurry down, Till last by Philip's farm I flow I chatter over stony ways, With many a curve my banks I fret, And many a fairy foreland set With willow weed and mallow. I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, I wind about, and in and out, And here and there a foamy flake With many a silvery waterbreak And draw them all along, and flow I steal by lawns and grassy plots, I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, I murmur under moon and stars I linger by my shingly bars; I loiter round my cresses; And out again I curve and flow For men may come and men may go, THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN ROBERT BROWNING NOTE TO THE PUPIL. Robert Browning was born in England in 1812, and died in 1889. He has written but little that you would care for now. He is not a popular poet like Longfellow, and probably the number of his admirers will always be comparatively small. You would enjoy "How We Carried the Good News from Ghent to Aix." H AMELIN town's in Brunswick By famous Hanover city; The river Weser, deep and wide, To see the townsfolk suffer so From vermin, was a pity. Rats! They fought the dogs, and killed the cats, And ate the cheeses out of the vats, And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles, Spilt open the kegs of salted sprats, Made nests inside men's Sunday hats, And even spoiled the women's chats, At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking: "'Tis clear," cried they, "our Mayor's a noddy; And as for our Corporation, shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ermine For dolts that can't or won't determine Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!" An hour they sat in counsel, At length the Mayor broke silence: It's easy to bid one rack one's brain, K I've scratched it so, and all in vain. Nor brighter was his eye, nor moister, Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!" "Come in!" cried the Mayor, looking bigger: His queer long coat from heel to head Had walked this way from his painted tombstone!" |