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 prov ince of Tuscany, the Apennines, the Tiber, Rome, Pisa, Sardinia, Elba (ancient Ilva) and Marseilles (ancient Massilia). Why was Lars Porsena engaged in war with Rome? Read the stanzas which tell of the gathering of the army. Read those which tell of the effect of this in Rome. The Janiculum was the highest of the seven hills of Rome. It stretches along the right or west bank of the river. On the east side is the Palatine, the oldest part of the city. Around this, in ancient times, there was a wall with three gates, the one near the bridge being the "River Gate." Draw a sketch of all this and indicate the position of "The Three." There were three ancient tribes in Rome. The companions of Horatius belonged to two of these, Spu'rius Lar'tius being a Ramnian and Hermin'ius a Titian. How does the common dangel level class distinctions? What do you think of Horatius when he answers neither Sextus nor Porsena? Note the difference between Sex tus and Lars Porsena. What were Horatius's rewards? Which do you think gave Horatius greater satisfaction? In how many different ways 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. A "the pale augurs" "the she-wolf's litter" e t 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. 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. RALPH WALDO EMERSON 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, 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 Bridge which Emerson has immortalized in his poem. Emerson has been called the Concord Sage. Irving found much of his literary materials in the local history of the region in and around New York. He wrote about nearby places and happenings. Among those who went still further into this new mode of writing NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE 1804-1864 was a quiet young man of Salem, Massachusetts Nathaniel Hawthorne. His ancestors were among the earliest Puritan settlers. Nathaniel, when a boy, had been crippled by an accident in playing ball. This led him to a secluded life and the companionship of books. He had a vivid imagination and was fond of inventing stories for the entertainment of his friends. He graduated from Bowdoin College in the class of 1825. When he began to think of a career it was quite natural that he should turn to literature, and that in looking about him for material he should follow the example of Irving and choose his materials from those stirring scenes of which he had an intimate, almost personal, knowledge. "The House of the Seven Gables" is a tale of the house in which he lived many years. And thus it came that we have in Nathaniel Hawthorne not only our first writer of pure romance, but one who is still our greatest in that field of literature. Hawthorne's personal appearance was in keeping with his gentle manners. He had a handsome face, with "the most wonderful eyes in the world," says one admirer. Another of his friends said: "His voice touched the ear like melody." He has been called America's Prose Poet; the Romancer without a Peer. LONGFELLOW Our next poet in point of time after Bryant, and our most popular poet, was a native of Maine and a graduate of Bowdoin HENRY WADSWORTH College in the same class with Hawthorne. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow comes of early New England ancestry, his mother being a daughter of General Wadsworth of the War of the Revolution. After his graduation from college he spent several years abroad and upon his return to America held 1807-1882 |