Pictures from English literature . seized all hearts, and became instanta-neously popular : all the more that it surprised the world coming fromCowper. It was like the sunburst rifting a black cloud on an April day, orboreal lightning playing innocuously in a summer night. In our attempt to epitomise this pleasant tale, we feel how difficult a taskwe have undertaken ; so much of the humour and effect depends on the termof expression—the play of words. To manipulate it is like touching a peach—you are sure to rub off some of the delicate bloom in the process. Yet wemust try it. Let us introduce
Pictures from English literature . seized all hearts, and became instanta-neously popular : all the more that it surprised the world coming fromCowper. It was like the sunburst rifting a black cloud on an April day, orboreal lightning playing innocuously in a summer night. In our attempt to epitomise this pleasant tale, we feel how difficult a taskwe have undertaken ; so much of the humour and effect depends on the termof expression—the play of words. To manipulate it is like touching a peach—you are sure to rub off some of the delicate bloom in the process. Yet wemust try it. Let us introduce the hero in the words of the poet:— John Gilpin was a citizenOf credit and renown,A train-band captain eke was heOf famous London town. No doubt he must have been a citizen of estimation in his ward—acommon councilman, it may be—one who, when he had laid his ell-wandaside, would buckle on his sword for those martial exercises which took placeperiodically. Or the bold draper, having closed his shop, would haply repair to. Gilpin. 8i the civic board, on which was spread, it might be, one of his own fair linencloths, which were white as snow from the rollers of his friend Tom be a captain of the train-band of London was no small honour. Anancient institution it was, dating as far back, the chroniclers tell us, as thedays of King Stephen, and in all its glory in the time of the Stuarts ; andin 1614 the City had 12,000 trained bands, citizens perpetually in readiness,and excellently armed. In a curious document published in 1588, when thekingdom was making preparations against the Spanish Invasion, entitled Order for Marshalling the Citie of London, we read : The Citic shall bedivided into so many quarters as there is fifteen hundrcth men. In everyquarter shall be chosen one Collonell, a man there dwellinge, and a citizen ofHonestie, Reputation, and Wealth, elected by the Maior and Marshall, whoshall have under hym tenne Captaynes, all dwellers in that
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookpublisherlondon, booksubject
