the inhabitants had left them to seek more comfortable
homes across the ocean.

[4.] Decay, _i.e._ deteriorate, lose their high moral character.
Although this is not the inevitable consequence of great wealth, it is
certainly one of its dangers.

[5.] A breath can make them. Breath was used by older writers in the
sense of words. The poet's meaning is, that kings can easily make new
lords by conferring titles upon their favorites. This was a common
practice in former times. Now, in England, titles are usually given as
a reward for distinguished merit, as in the case of Alfred Lord
Tennyson, the famous poet.

[6.] Ere England's griefs began. The student of history finds that
there never was such a time. Although there are serious evils in all
civilized countries to-day, especially in the condition of the poorest
people in large cities, the workingman is, on the whole, far better off
than he was hundreds of years ago, or even at the beginning of the
nineteenth century.

[7.] To husband out, to use or manage with economy. The _out_ is
superfluous in prose.

[8.] An hare. _An_ was formerly used before words beginning with _h_,
even when that letter was sounded, and also before words beginning with
a vowel.

[9.] Pants to, eagerly longs for.

[10.] No surly porter, etc. While the poet was exaggerating when he
said this, nevertheless it is true that the feeling of responsibility
for poor and the unfortunate was less widespread among the well-to-do
in his day than it is now.

[11.] The village preacher's, etc. There is no doubt that the poet was
thinking of his own father when he drew the sketch that follows--one of
the most charming character sketches in English literature. To find
its like in poetry one must go back to Chaucer's picture of the "poor
parson" in the _Prologue to the Canterbury Tales_. Goldsmith's
"village preacher" first appeared in the _Vicar of Wakefield_, in that
delightful character, Parson Primrose.

[12.] Passing, surpassingly.

[13.] Unpracticed he, etc. Clergymen have in some instances changed
their creeds to gain favor with those in authority.

[14.] His pity gave, etc., _i.e._ he gave from warm human sympathy
rather than from a religious, and perhaps a colder, sentiment.

[15.] Fled the struggling soul. _Fled_ is sometimes used transitively
by older writers.

[16.] Awful form. Notice how effective _awful_ is when properly used.

[17.] Cypher, do sums in arithmetic;