hundered lore."

15. Prophecies: Prophecy is not only prediction, but also any
inspired discourse or teaching. Compare the following lines from the
poem _Freedom_, written the same year:

"Are we, then, wholly fallen? Can it be
That thou, North wind, that from thy mountains bringest
Their spirit to our plains, and thou, blue sea,
Who on our rocks thy wreaths of freedom flingest,
As on an altar,--can it be that ye
Have wasted inspiration on dead ears,
Dulled with the too familiar clank of chains?"

At the end of this poem Lowell gives his view of "fallen and traitor
lives." He speaks of the "boundless future" of our country--

"Ours if we be strong;
Or if we shrink, better remount our ships
And, fleeing God's express design, trace back
The hero-freighted Mayflower's prophet-track
To Europe entering her blood-red eclipse."

While reading _Sir Launfal_ the fact must be kept in mind that Lowell
was at the time of writing the poem filled with the spirit of freedom
and reform, and was writing fiery articles in prose for the
_Anti-Slavery Standard_, expressing his bitter indignation at the
indifference and lukewarmness of the Northern people on the subject of
slavery.

17. Druid wood: The Druids were the aged priests of the Celts, who
performed their religious ceremonies in the forests, especially among
oaks, which were peculiarly sacred to them. Hence the venerable woods,
like the aged priests, offer their benediction. Every power of nature,
the winds, the mountain, the wood, the sea, has a symbolic meaning
which we should be able to interpret for our inspiration and
uplifting. Read Bryant's _A Forest Hymn_.

18. Benedicite: An invocation of blessing. Imperative form of the
Latin _benedicere_, to bless. Longfellow speaks of the power of songs
that--

"Come like the benediction
That follows after prayer."

19-20. Compare these lines with the ninth strophe of Wordsworth's
_Ode_. The "inspiring sea" is Wordsworth's "immortal sea." Both poets
rejoice that some of the impulses and ideals of youth are kept alive
in old age.

21. Earth gets its price, etc.: Notice the special meaning given to
_Earth_ here, in contrast with _heaven_ in line 29. Here again the
thought is suggested by Wordsworth's _Ode_, sixth strophe:

"Earth fills our lap with pleasures of her own."

23. Shrives: The priest shrives one when he hears con