The banner of England's might,
The blood-red cross of the brave St. George,
That burns on a field of white!
It speaks of the deathless heroes 5
On fame's bright page inscrolled,
And bids great England ne'er forget
The glorious deeds of old!

O'er many a cloud of battle
The banner has floated wide; 10
It shone like a star o'er the valiant hearts
That dashed the Armada's pride!
For ever amid the thunders
The sailor could do or die,
While tongues of flame leaped forth below, 15
And the flag of St. George was high!

O ne'er may the flag beloved
Unfurl in a strife unblest,
But ever give strength to the righteous arm,
And hope to the hearts oppressed! 20
It says to the passing ages:
"Be brave if your cause be right,
Like the soldier saint whose cross of red
Still burns on your banner white!"

Great race, whose empire of splendour 25
Has dazzled the wondering world!
May the flag that floats o'er thy wide domains
Be long to all winds unfurled!
Three crosses in concord blended,
The banner of Britain's might! 30
But the central gem of the ensign fair
Is the cross of the dauntless Knight!

--_By permission of the publishers, Novello & Co._

PREPARATORY--Divide the poem into two parts, giving to
each part a descriptive title.

What feelings are aroused by this poem?

What lines in stanzas i and iv call up a mental picture
of the flag?

What three phrases in stanza i suggest the important
ideas to be associated with the flag? How does the voice
indicate the importance of these ideas? (Introduction,
p. 8.)

Of what phrases in stanza i is stanza ii only an
elaboration?

What wish is contained in stanza iii? What sentences
express it?

What additional idea does stanza iv add to this wish?

STAR, VALIANT, ARMADA, CENTRAL. Make a distinction in
the sound of the letter _a_ in these words, and
elsewhere in the poem. (Appendix A, 1.)

GEORGE, CROSS, FORGET, FORTH, CONCORD. What sound has
the letter _o_ in each word? (Appendix A, 1.)

Articulate with energy the final consonantal
combinations of all such words as: ENGLAND'S, BURNS,
SPEAKS, INSCROLLED, FLOATED, HEARTS, DASHED, LEAPED,
UNBLEST, STRENGTH,