Biographical and Historical: Thomas Babington Macaulay (18001859) was an English historian and essayist. "Horatius" is taken from his collection of poems called "Lays of Ancient Rome." The story of the overthrow of the last Roman King and of the brave deeds of Horatius in time of war, is told in prose on pages 254-8. This war between Rome and Etruria furnishes the setting for the poem, which is a fine presentment of courage and patriotism. Etruria of ancient times nearly corresponded, in extent, to modern Tuscany, a province in Italy. Twelve powerful cities in Etruria united and formed "The Confederation of Etruria." Macaulay mentions many of these in the poem, thereby adding vividness to the story. "Lucumo'' (lu'cumo) was the title applied to the chief who ruled over each of the "twelve fair cities" and "Lars" was an Etruscan title meaning lord. Porsena (por'sena) was king of the Etruscan town of Clusium (klö’shium), modern Chiusi. The poem shows how the chiefs responded to his call for aid. Notes and Questions On a map of Italy find the province of Tuscany, the Apennines, the Tiber, Rome, Pisa, Sardinia, Elba (ancient Ilva) and Marseilles (ancient Massilia).` Why was Lars Porsena engaged Read the stanzas which tell of the Words and Phrases "the great house of Tarquin" "trysting day" "tale of men' "'I wis'' There were three ancient tribes Titian. How does the common danger when he answers neither Sex- Note the difference between Sex- What were Horatius's rewards? the memory of Horatius and his deed preserved? Compare the patriotism of Horatius and that of Brutus, told in the prose story preceding the poem. for Discussion the Fathers of the City' "the rock Tarpeian" the pale augurs'' "the she-wolf's litter" PART III GREAT AMERICAN AUTHORS BIOGRAPHIES Boston had long been the center of such publishing as was done in colonial times, but with the growth of Philadelphia shortly before the Revolution, newspapers and magazines also began to appear there. About that time, too, Philadelphia became the home of a Boston lad who, almost penniless, came to try his fortunes in the Quaker City and later to honor it as her greatest citizen. The interesting story of Franklin's life is best learned from his own "Autobiography," a selection from which is given in the BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1706-1790 following pages. Like several others of our great American authors, Franklin was an editor. He was also a practical printer; but he achieved such great things in other fields that the world has been accustomed to think of him as Franklin the statesman or the scientist, rather than as Franklin the printer or the editor. Every schoolboy knows of his famous kite experiment, by which he proved that lightning and electricity are one and the same thing. He turned this discovery to practical use in the invention of the lightning-rod. He was the inventor of the "Franklin stove" and many other useful devices, all of which he refused to patent, wishing humanity to have the free and full benefit of them. He drew up the first plan for the union of the colonies. His name appears as a signer of all of those great national documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, and the Constitution of the United States. THE NEW YORK GROUP Manhattan Island and the picturesque region about it, with its commanding position at the entrance to a great inland waterway, was from the first a prize for which the nations from across the sea had contended. Such a mingling of diverse people must give rise to interesting experiences, and when some WASHINGTON IRVING 1783-1859 one appears who can put the story of those events into an attractive form, then we begin to have real literature. But we had to wait until this prince among story-tellers had grown to manhood and given his sketches of this region to the world before we could claim at last to have a work of real American literature. Irving is best known as a humorist and a charming storyteller, but he has also written some serious and tender works. His life of Washington was a tribute of loving reverence to the great American after whom he was named. As a boy, Irving was of a rather mischievous turn, a trait which perhaps helped to make him the first "American Humorist." Indeed, it has been said that "before Irving there was no laughter in the land." He is called the Father of American Literature, the Gentle Humorist. WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT Imagine yourself in New York city the latter part of the last century. If you were walking up Broadway almost any morning, your attention would be attracted to a venerable looking man, with heavy, flowing, snowwhite hair and beard, whom you would be quite likely to meet swinging along at a vigorous pace. Even though not a New Yorker, you would not need to be told that this man is our first American poet, with whose verses you are already familiar; and you would probably know, too, that he is also editor of the Evening Post and that, although now past eighty, he is on his way to his office, walking from his home some two miles away, as he has done daily, rain or shine, for over half a century. Bryant grew up in the picturesque hill country of western Massachusetts. From infancy he showed remarkable powers of mind. He could read by the time he was two years old, wrote verses at nine, and when scarcely eighteen wrote his most noted poem, "Thanatopsis." In manner, Bryant was kindly and courteous. He had a wonderful memory and it is said he could repeat "by heart" every poem he had written. RALPH WALDO EMERSON THE BOSTON GROUP During the middle and latter part of the nineteenth century Boston became the center of a remarkable group of scholars and writers, several of whom are represented in the following pages. The oldest of these, Emerson, was born in the city, not far from Franklin's birthplace. His ancestors had been clergymen for many generations. His father dying when Waldo was but eight years old, his mother "took boarders" and the boy had to do his share towards supporting the family, by running errands, driving the neighbors' cows to pasture across the Commons, and helping his mother with her work. He earned his way through Harvard College by doing janitor service, waiting on tables, acting as errand boy for the president, and by such other "odd jobs" as he could find. In a series of contests he won two prizes for essays, and one of thirty dollars for declamation. This he carried to his mother "to buy a new shawl." Emerson was tall and slender of stature, with eyes of the "strongest and brightest blue." In manner he was calm and kindly. His "Rules for Reading" are worthy to be considered in this day of many books: "Never read a book that is not a year old, Never read any but famed books." The "Old Manse" of Hawthorne's romance was once the home of the Emersons, and it was from the windows of an upper room in it that Emerson's grandmother watched the battle of Concord |