he adventure of Ulysses with the Cyclops,
in the ninth book of Homer's _Odyssey_.

64. Credo: Latin, I believe: the first word in the Latin version of
the Apostles' Creed, hence used for _creed_.

_THE COURTIN'_

This poem first appeared as "a short fragment of a pastoral," in the
introduction to the First Series of the _Biglow Papers_. It is said to
have been composed merely to fill a blank page, but its popularity was
so great that Lowell expanded it to twice its original length, and
finally printed it as a kind of introduction to the Second Series of
the _Biglow Papers_. It first appeared, however, in its expanded form
in a charitable publication, _Autograph Leaves of Our Country's
Authors_, reproduced in facsimile from the original manuscript.

"This bucolic idyl," says Stedman, "is without a counterpart; no
richer juice can be pressed from the wild grape of the Yankee soil."
Greenslet thinks that this poem is "perhaps the most nearly perfect of
his poems."

17. Crooknecks: Crookneck squashes.

19. Ole queen's-arm: The old musket brought from the Concord fight
in 1775.

32. To draw a straight furrow when plowing is regarded as evidence of
a skilful farmer.

36. All is: The truth is, "all there is about it."

37. Long o' her: Along of her, on account of her.

40. South slope: The slope of a hill facing south catches the spring
sunshine.

43. Ole Hunderd: Old Hundred is one of the most familiar of the old
hymn tunes.

58. Somewhat doubtful as to the sequel.

94. Bay o' Fundy: The Bay of Fundy is remarkable for its high and
violent tides, owing to the peculiar conformation of its banks.

96. Was cried: The "bans" were cried, the announcement of the
engagement in the church, according to the custom of that day.

_THE COMMEMORATION ODE_

The poem was dedicated "To the ever sweet and shining memory of the
ninety-three sons of Harvard College who have died for their country
in the war of nationality." The text of the poem is here given as
Lowell first published it in 1865. He afterward made a few verbal
changes, and added one new strophe after the eighth. There is a
special interest in studying the ode in the form in which it came
rushing from the poet's brain.

1-14. The deeds of the poet are weak and trivial compared with the
deeds of heroes. They live their high ideals and die for them. Yet the
gentle words of the poet may sometimes save unusual lives from that
oblivion to which a