Journeys through Bookland : a new and original plan for reading applied to the world's best literature for children . ristmas in Old Time 359 And carols roard with blithesome din; • If unmelodious was the song, It was a hearty note, and strong. Who lists may in their mumming see Traces of ancient mystery;-^ White shirts supplied the masquerade, And smutted cheeks the visors made;—^^ But, O! what maskers, richly dight, Can boast of bosoms, half so light I^^ England was merry England, when Old Christmas brought his sports again. Twas Christmas broachd the mightiest ale; Twas Christmas told the m
Journeys through Bookland : a new and original plan for reading applied to the world's best literature for children . ristmas in Old Time 359 And carols roard with blithesome din; • If unmelodious was the song, It was a hearty note, and strong. Who lists may in their mumming see Traces of ancient mystery;-^ White shirts supplied the masquerade, And smutted cheeks the visors made;—^^ But, O! what maskers, richly dight, Can boast of bosoms, half so light I^^ England was merry England, when Old Christmas brought his sports again. Twas Christmas broachd the mightiest ale; Twas Christmas told the merriest tale; A Christmas gambol oft could cheer The poor mans heart through half the year. 28. In the mumming or acting of these maskers could be seentraces of the ancient mystic plays in which religious lessons weregiven in plays that were acted with the approval of the church. 29. Did the maskers have rich costumes? What did they wearover their faces? How did they conceal their clothing? 30. Does the poet think that rich maskers would enjoy theirpleasure as much as the old-fashioned Christmas merrymakers?. ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARDBy Thomas Gray Note.—A mournful song written to express grief atthe loss of some friend or relative, and at the same timeto praise the dead person, is known as an elegy. Some-times the word has a wider meaning, and includes a poemwhich expresses the same ideas but applies them to a classof people rather than to an individual. Such a poem isnot so personal, and for that very reason it will be appre-ciated by a larger number of readers. Grays Elegy is ofthe latter class—is perhaps the one great poem of thatclass; for in all probability more people have loved it andfound in its gentle sadness, its exquisite phraseology andits musical lines more genuine charm than in any similarpoem in the language. To one who already loves it, any comments on the poemmay at first thought seem like desecration, but, on theother hand, there is so muc
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