32. throes: agony

44. Compare this final thought with the solution in "To a Waterfowl."

THE SNOW-SHOWER

All the New England poets felt the charm of falling snow, and several
have written on the theme. In connection with this poem read Emerson's
"Snow-Storm" and Whittier's "The Frost Spirit." The best known of all is
Whittier's "Snow-Bound "; the first hundred and fifty lines may well be
read here.

9. living swarm: like a swarm of bees from the hidden chambers of the
hive.

12. prone: straight down.

17. snow-stars: what are the shapes of snowflakes

20. Milky way: the white path which seems to lead acre. The sky at
night and which is composed of millions of stars.

21. burlier: larger and stronger.

35. myriads: vast, indefinite number.

37. middle: as the cloud seems to be between us and the blue sky, so the
snowflakes before they fell occupied a middle position.

ROBERT of LINCOLN

"Robert of Lincoln" is the happiest, merriest poem written by Bryant. It
is characteristic of the man that it should deal with a nature topic. In
what ways does he secure the merriment?

Analyze each stanza as to structure. Does the punctuation help to
indicate the speaker?

Look up the Bobolink in the Bird Guide or some similar book. How much
actual information did Bryant have about the bird? Compare the amount of
bird-lore given here with that of Shelley's or Wordsworth's "To a
Skylark." Which is more poetic? Which interests you more?

THE POET

5. deem: consider. Compare with the use in the "Song of Marion's Men,"
1.21.

8. wreak: carry them out in your verse. The word usually has an angry
idea associated with it. The suggestion may be here of the frenzy of a
poet.

26. unaptly: not suitable to the occasion.

30. Only in a moment of great emotion (rapture) should the poet revise a
poem which was penned when his heart was on fire with the idea of the
poem.

38. limn: describe vividly.

54. By this test where would you place Bryant himself? Did he do what
he here advises? In what poems do you see evidences of such a method?
Compare your idea of him with Lowell's estimate in "A Fable for Critics,"
ll. 35-56.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

In connection with this poem the following stanza from "The Battle-Field"
seems very appropriate:

"Truth, crushed to Earth, shill rise again;
The eternal years of God are hers;
But Error, wou