KING HENRY V. AND THE HERMIT
OF DREUX.

(SOLEMN MANNER.)

The principal Rhetorical Figures are the Erotesis, the Synecdoche, and the Antithesis.

a He pass'd unquestioned thro' the camp,
Their heads the soldiers bent

In silent reverence, or begg'd
A blessing as he went ;
And so the hermit pass'd along
And reach'd the royal tent.

b King Henry lifted up his eyes,
Th' intruder to behold,

c With reverence he the hermit saw,
For the holy man was old;
His look was gentle as a saint's
And yet his eye was bold.

d"Repent thee, Henry, of the wrongs,
That thou hast done this land;
O King, repent in time, for know,
That judgment is at hand.

"I have pass'd forty years of peace,
Beside the river Blaise;

But what a weight of woe, hast thou
Laid on my latter days!

"I used to see along the stream,

The white sail, sailing down;
Famine, disease, and death, and thou
Destroy that wretched town.

a Slow utterance, with a respectful, reverential manner.

b The rate of utterance becomes rather increased, and the voice slightly elevated.

Veneration; this is expressed in a manner very similar to Modesty. d This Warning should be given throughout in a solemn and impressive manner with a hollow tone of voice.

"I used to hear the traveller's voice,

As here he pass'd along,

Or maiden as she loiter'd home,
Singing her evening song.

"No traveller's voice may now be heard,
In fear he hastens by,
But I have heard the village maid

In vain for succour cry.

"I used to see the youth row down,
And watch the dripping oar;
So pleasantly their viol's tone
Came soften'd to the shore.

"King Henry, many a blacken'd corpse
I now see floating down ;
Thou bloody man! repent in time,
And leave this leaguer'd town."

* " I shall go on," King Henry cried,
"And conquer this good land,

See'st thou not, Hermit, that the Lord
Hath given it to my hand?"

f The Hermit heard King Henry speak,
he look'd down;

And angry

His face was gentle, and for that

More solemn was his frown.

"What if no miracle from heaven
The murderer's arm control,

Think you, for that, the weight of blood
Lies lighter on his soul?

"Thou conqueror king! repent in time,
Or dread the coming woe;

For Henry thou hast heard the threat,
And soon shalt feel the blow."

h King Henry forced a careless smile,
As the hermit went his way,

i But Henry soon remember'd him, Upon his dying day.

SOUTHEY.

e Here is a transition from the deepest Solemnity to the boldest Daring.

f Moderately grave manner.

Resumes a most solemn and impressive manner.

h Gayness of Manner.

i Solemnity.

THE FIEND OF WAR.

(VEHEMENT MANNER.)

The principal Rhetorical Figures are the Prosopopeia and the Erotesis.

a Hark! heard ye not the voice of death
Deep thundering o'er the startled heath?
Hark! twas the Demon's shout of joy!
The Hosts are gathering to destroy:
The battle smoke ascends on high,
As if to veil the offended sky!
The War-fiend and her deadly train
Are trampling o'er the heaps of slain!
Hovering round her fiery car,

с

Thus they hail the power of war,
Myriads of men this day have died—
Dread Spirit, art thou satisfied?
See her car of flame appear
Girt with horrid shapes of fear!
d Murder with demoniac glance
Poising fierce the bloody lance!
f Famine wild with Gorgon head
Scowling on the recent dead;
Red-eyed Plunder counting o'er
A murder'd orphan's little store.

e

a Alarm; requiring an anxious and hurried manner, with a deep tone of voice and slow utterance. The first "hark" should be uttered sharply with the right hand extended and the eye fixed as in the attitude of listening. The second "hark" should be uttered somewhat louder than the first, with a considerable pause after it.

b The voice becomes more elevated, and the rate of utterance increased with a strong expression of Horror.

c Solemn manner with a firm tone of voice.

d Murder may have the expression of Rage.

e The fists should here be clenched, and the right hand extended as in

the act of throwing a spear.

f Famine is expressed by a haggard, wild look and manner.

At Plunder, the eyes should be fixed, and the hands as in the act of seizing on the object.

Hovering round the fiery car,
Thus they hail the fiend of war;
Myriads of men this day have died—
Dread Spirit, art thou satisfied?

h Rapine with ferocious air
Drags a maiden by the hair;
Sacrilege, with flaming torch,

Snatch'd from a burning church's porch;
Pestilence, whose sickly breath

Kills like the fabled tree of death;
On her pale brow a blazing star
Sheds its malignant rays afar.
Hovering round her fiery car,
Thus they hail the fiend of war;
Myriads of men this day have died—
Dread Spirit, art thou satisfied?

i Who are these that stalk behind,
Fearful forms of human kind,
* Countless myriads, hosts on hosts,
Grisly hordes of gloomy ghosts!
All who on this earth have died
Victims of despotic pride!

All who since the world began,
Have perish'd for the Moloch MAN!
Hovering round her fiery car,
Thus they hail the fiend of war,
Myriads of men this day have died-
Dread Spirit, art thou satisfied?

The Ferocious air of Rapine, the Diabolical look of Sacrilege, and the Ghastly appearance of Pestilence must be expressed while being described.

Anxious inquiry, approaching to Terror.-See Feur, page 55.

k Most solemn reply," Man" requiring a very forcible emphasis, with the falling Inflection.

E

A WINTER MORNING.

(DEEPLY PATHETIC MANNER.)

The principal Rhetorical Figure is the Ecphonesis.

a It was upon a winter's morn,

When snow flakes on the wind were borne,
The keen black frost had scarcely failed,
And sleet and rain by turns assailed-
I mark'd as where in warmth I stood,
b And the sight did almost freeze my blood,
A little infant on a stone,

Cold and shiv'ring sit alone.

The snow fell thick and fast, yet he
Did never speak, but piteously
Upon each passer with a sigh,
Bent his little tearful eye ;-

Yet of him notice none was taken,
He seemed to be by all forsaken,
As cold and shiv'ring on the stone,
The little sufferer sat alone.

He asked not aid-he looked for one
Who came not-who, alas! was gone
For ever from him ;-ne'er was he
Again that guilty one to see,

d Nor e'er again was that sweet boy
To warm his mother's heart with joy-
e For she, that morn, upon that stone,
Had left him there to sit alone.

a Narrative manner, with a mild, soft tone of voice. b This line should be given with an expression of Horror. e Piteous tone with a strong feeling of sympathy. d Tender, affectionate manner.

e Blaming.