FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204  
205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   >>   >|  
les rude,-- Men who their duties know, But know their rights, and, knowing, dare maintain, Prevent the long-aimed blow, And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain: These constitute a state; And sovereign Law, that state's collected will, O'er thrones and globes elate, Sits empress, crowning good, repressing ill. LXIX. THE BRAVE AT HOME. (256) Thomas Buchanan Read, 1822-1872, an American poet and painter, was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania. At the age of seventeen he entered a sculptor's studio in Cincinnati. Here he gained reputation as a painter of portraits. From this city he went to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and soon after to Florence, Italy. In the later years of his life, he divided his time between Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Rome. His complete poetical works fill three volumes. Several of his most stirring poems relate to the Revolutionary War, and to the late Civil War in America. Many of his poems are marked by vigor and a ringing power, while smoothness and delicacy distinguish others, no less. ### The maid who binds her warrior's sash, And, smiling, all her pain dissembles, The while beneath the drooping lash, One starry tear-drop hangs and trembles; Though Heaven alone records the tear, And fame shall never know her story, Her heart has shed a drop as dear As ever dewed the field of glory! The wife who girds her husband's sword, 'Mid little ones who weep and wonder, And bravely speaks the cheering word, What though her heart be rent asunder;-- Doomed nightly in her dreams to hear The bolts of war around him rattle,-- Has shed as sacred blood as e'er Was poured upon the field of battle! The mother who conceals her grief, While to her breast her son she presses, Then breathes a few brave words and brief, Kissing the patriot brow she blesses; With no one but her loving God, To know the pain that weighs upon her, Sheds holy blood as e'er the sod Received on Freedom's field of honor! NOTE.--The above selection is from the poem entitled "The Wagoner of the Alleghanies." LXX. SOUTH CAROLINA. (257) Robert Young Hayne, 1791-1840, was born in Colleton District, South Carolina, and studied and practiced law at Charleston. He was early elected to the State Legislature, and became Speaker of the House and Attorney-general of the state. He entered the Senate of the United States at the age of thirty-one. He was Governor of South
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204  
205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Cincinnati
 

entered

 

painter

 
Philadelphia
 
rattle
 
sacred
 

breast

 

poured

 

battle

 

mother


conceals
 
speaks
 

husband

 

asunder

 

Doomed

 

nightly

 

dreams

 

bravely

 

cheering

 

Colleton


District
 

Carolina

 

practiced

 
studied
 

CAROLINA

 
Robert
 
Charleston
 

Senate

 

general

 

United


States

 

Governor

 
thirty
 
Attorney
 

elected

 
Legislature
 

Speaker

 

Alleghanies

 

Wagoner

 

blesses


loving

 

patriot

 
Kissing
 

breathes

 
weighs
 
selection
 

entitled

 

Received

 
Freedom
 

presses