alled _crested_? Where was it? Why was it there? Why does the poet say
it _frowned_ on high?

[358-23] Who was a ranger? What did he do? Do you see any reason for his
being green-garbed?

[358-24] What is meant by _baiting_? Who tore the dogs? Why did he tear
them? What made the monster fall?

[358-25] Wassail (_wossil_): the liquor in which they drank their
toasts, and which signified the good cheer of Christmastime.

[358-26] Moves about; that is, the liquor in good brown bowls was
merrily passed along the table from hand to hand.

[358-27] What was near the sirloin? How many kinds of meat were there on
the table? Is anything mentioned besides meat? Do you suppose they had
other things to eat? Did they have bread and vegetables?

[359-28] In the _mumming_ or acting of these maskers could be seen
traces of the ancient mystic plays in which religious lessons were given
in plays that were acted with the approval of the church.

[359-29] Did the maskers have rich costumes? What did they wear over
their faces? How did they conceal their clothing?

[359-30] Does the poet think that rich maskers would enjoy their
pleasure as much as the old-fashioned Christmas merrymakers?

ELEGY

WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD

_By_ THOMAS GRAY

NOTE.--A mournful song written to express grief at the loss of some
friend or relative, and at the same time to praise the dead person,
is known as an elegy. Sometimes the word has a wider meaning, and
includes a poem which expresses the same ideas but applies them to
a class of people rather than to an individual. Such a poem is not
so personal, and for that very reason it will be appreciated by a
larger number of readers. Gray's _Elegy_ is of the latter class--is
perhaps the one great poem of that class; for in all probability
more people have loved it and found in its gentle sadness, its
exquisite phraseology and its musical lines more genuine charm than
in any similar poem in the language.

To one who already loves it, any comments on the poem may at first
thought seem like desecration, but, on the other hand, there is so
much more in the _Elegy_ than appears at first glance that it is
worth while to read it in the light of another's eyes. Not a few
persons find some enjoyment in reading, but fall far short of the
highest pleasure because of their failure really to comprehend the
me