of mine!

352

Numerous poems have been written about the
futility of searching on earth for a place of
perfect happiness. The next poem, by Edgar
Allan Poe (1809-1849), seems to deal with this
subject. Some lines from Longfellow are good to
suggest its special message:

"No endeavor is in vain,
Its reward is in the doing,
And the rapture of pursuing
Is the prize the vanquished gain."

ELDORADO

EDGAR ALLAN POE

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old--
This knight so bold--
And o'er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow--
"Shadow," said he,
"Where can it be--
This land of Eldorado?"

"Over the mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow
Ride, boldly ride,"
The Shade replied,
"If you seek for Eldorado!"

353

Lord Byron (1788-1824) was the most popular
of English poets in his day. His fame
has since declined, although his fiery,
impetuous nature, expressing itself in
rapid verse of great rhetorical and satiric
power, still reaches kindred spirits. His
"Prisoner of Chillon" is often studied in
the upper grades. It is full of the passion
for freedom which was the dominating
idea in Byron's work as it was in his life.
He gave his life for this idea, striving to
help the Greeks gain their independence.
The poem which follows is from an early
work called _Hebrew Melodies_. We learn
from II Chronicles 32:21 that Sennacherib,
King of Assyria, having invaded
Judah, Hezekiah cried unto heaven, "And
the Lord sent an angel, which cut off the
mighty men of valor, and the leaders and
captains in the camp of the King of Assyria.
So he returned with shame of face to his
own land." Byron's title seems to indicate
that Sennacherib was himself destroyed.
The