Those pleasures are not pleasures that trouble the quiet and tranquillity of thy life.
Jeremy Taylor
Author.-John Keats (1795-1821)， an English poet trained as a surgeon. Among his longer poems are Endymion， Lamia， Hyperion， and The Eve of St. Agnes， but his chief fame lies in such shorter poems as La Belle Dame sans Merci， Ode to a Grecian Urn， and his sonnets.
General.-Here is a sonnet. What is a sonnet？ How do the rhymes go？ Which is the summer insect and which the winter one？ What is your own idea of the "poetry of earth "？ What creatures or things reveal it to you most fully？
Lesson 69
DAMOCLES
Dionysius， the tyrant of Sicily， was far from being happy， though he had great riches， and all the pleasures which wealth could procure. Damocles， one of his flatterers， told him that no monarch had ever been greater or happier than Dionysius. "Hast thou a mind， " said the king， "to taste this happiness， and to know what that is of which thou hast so high an idea？"Damocles with joy accepted the offer.
The king ordered that a royal banquet should be prepared，and a gilded sofa placed for him. There were sideboards loaded with gold and silver plate of immense value. Fragrant ointments， flowers， and perfumes were added to the feast， and the table was loaded with choice delicacies of every kind. Damocles， over-elated with pleasure， fancied himself amongst superior beings.
But， in the midst of all this happiness， as he lay indulging himself in state， he saw let down from the ceiling， just over his head， a large， bright sword hung by a single hair. This sight put an end to his joy.
The pomp of his attendance， the glitter of the carved plate， and the delicacy of the viands cease to afford him any pleasure. He dreads to stretch forth his hand to the table. He throws off the garland of roses. He hastens to move from so dangerousa situation， and earnestly begs the king to restore him to his former humble condition， having no desire to enjoy any longer a happiness so terrible.
By this device， Dionysius showed to Damocles how wretched he was in the midst of all the treasures and all the honours which royalty could bestow.
From the Latin of Cicero
Author.-Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.) was a Roman orator and statesman， noted for his speeches， his letters， and his philosophical and political works.
General.-What did the suspended sword represent？ Does it hangover each one of us？ What gives us courage to put aside all fear of the sword？ Accent Damocles on the " Dam " and "eles， " and Dionysius on the "ny. " What other king rebuked flatterers？ In what way？ Cicero may be pronounced sǐs"-er-ō or kǐk"-er-ō.
Lesson 70
THE TIDE RIVER
Clear and cool， clear and cool，
By laughing shallow and dreaming pool； Cool and clear， cool and clear，By shining shingle and foaming weir； Under the crag where the ouzel sings，And the ivied wall where the church-bell rings；Undefiled for the undefiled，
Play by me， bathe in me， mother and child.
Dank and foul， dank and foul，
By the smoky town in its murky cowl； Foul and dank， foul and dank，By wharf， and sewer， and slimy bank； Darker and darker the farther I go， Baser and baser the richer I grow；Who dare sport with the sin-defiled？
Shrink from me， turn from me， mother and child.
Strong and free， strong and free，
The flood-gates are open， away to the sea； Free and strong， free and strong， Cleansing my streams as I hurry alongTo the golden sands， and the leaping bar， And the taintless tide that awaits me afar， As I lose myself in the infinite main，Like a soul that has sinned and is pardoned again；Undefiled for the undefiled，
Play with me， bathe in me， mother and child.
Charles Kingsley
Drawings by John Rowell
Author.-Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) was an English clergyman and novelist. His chief works are Alton Locke， Yeast， Hypatia， Westward Ho！， Two Years Ago， and The Water Babies.
General.-Source， course， outlet-innocence， sin， pardon； what comparison is here made？ Do you think it"s a good one？ Visualize， say， the Yarra. For what does " the infinite main " stand？ The "ouzel " is the European blackbird， one of the thrushes. Note the significant things in the stanzas-the ouzel and the church-bell； the sewer and the slimy bank； the taintless tide and the infinite main. Which lines suggest the rate at which the stream is moving？ What other poems about streams and rivers do you know？ Make a list.
Lesson 71
THE CASTLED CRAG OF DRACHENFELS
The castled crag of Drachenfels
Frowns o"er the wide and winding Rhine， Whose breast of waters broadly swellsBetween the banks which bear the vine； And hills all rich with blossomed trees，And fields which promise corn and wine，
And scattered cities crowning these， Whose far white walls along them shine，Have strewed a scene， which I should see With double joy wert thou with me ！
And peasant girls， with deep-blue eyes，
And hands which offer early flowers，
Walk smiling o"er this paradise； Above， the frequent feudal towersThrough green leaves lift their walls of grey； And many a rock which steeply lowers，And noble arch in proud decay，
Look o"er this vale of vintage bowers； But one thing want these banks of Rhine-Thy gentle hand to clasp in mine ！
I send the lilies given to me；
Though long before thy hand they touch， I know that they must withered be，But yet reject them not as such； For I have cherished them as dear，Because they yet may meet thine eye， And guide thy soul to mine even here，When thou behold"st them drooping nigh， And know"st them gathered by the Rhine， And offered from my heart to thine！
The river nobly foams and flows-
The charm of this enchanted ground- And all its thousand turns discloseSome fresher beauty varying round；
The haughtiest breast its wish might bound Through life to dwell delighted here；Nor could on earth a spot be found To Nature and to me so dear，Could thy dear eyes in following mine Still sweeten more these banks of Rhine.
Lord Byron
