vail: Was Sir Launfal's long quest entirely without
avail? Compare the last lines of Tennyson's _Holy Grail_, where Arthur
complains that his knights who went upon the Holy Quest have followed
"wandering fires, lost in the quagmire," and "leaving human wrongs to
right themselves."

320, 321. _Matthew_ xxvi, 26-28; _Mark_ xiv, 22-24.

322. Holy Supper: The Last Supper of Christ and his disciples, upon
which is instituted the communion service of the churches. The spirit
of the Holy Supper, the communion of true brotherhood, is realized
when the Christ-like spirit triumphs in the man. "Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it
unto me." (_Matthew_ xxv, 40.)

326. The original has "bestows" for "gives."

328. Swound: The antiquated form of _swoon_.

332, 333. Interpret the lines. Did the poet have in mind the spiritual
armor described in _Ephesians_ vi, 11-17?

336. Hangbird: The oriole, so called from its hanging nest; one of
Lowell's most beloved "garden acquaintances" at Elmwood. In a letter
he says: "They build a pendulous nest, and so flash in the sun that
our literal rustics call them fire hang-birds." See the description in
_Under the Willows_ beginning:

"My oriole, my glance of summer fire."

See also the charming prose description in _My Garden Acquaintance_.

338. Summer's long siege at last is o'er: The return to this figure
rounds out the story and serves to give unity to the plan of the poem.
The siege is successful, summer has conquered and entered the castle,
warming and lighting its cold, cheerless interior.

342, 343. Is Lowell expressing here his own convictions about ideal
democracy?

_THE SHEPHERD OF KING ADMETUS_

Apollo, the god of music, having given offense to Zeus, was condemned
to serve for the space of one year as a shepherd under Admetus, King
of Thessaly. This is one of the most charming of the myths of Apollo,
and has been often used by the poets. Remarking upon this poem, and
others of its period, Scudder says that it shows "how persistently in
Lowell's mind was present this aspect of the poet which makes him a
seer," a recognition of an "all-embracing, all-penetrating power which
through the poet transmutes nature into something finer and more
eternal, and gives him a vantage ground from which to perceive more
truly the realities of life." Compare with this poem _An Incident in a
Railroad Car_.

5. Lyre: According t