ciently familiar with to give some of their general characteristics? How many of the same books did Abraham Lincoln (p. 258) and Ruskin read early in life? SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL READINGS Read from the Bible: The Story of Creation; The Story of Abraham; The Story of David; The Story of Samson; The Story of Ruth; Daniel in the Lions' Den; The Description of the New Jerusalem (Revelation, xxi, xxii). Read from Pope's or Bryant's translation of Homer's Odyssey: Ulysses (Odysseus) and Calypso (Book v); The Lotus-Eaters and the Cyclops (Book ix); Æolus and Circe (Book x); The Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis (Book xii). II. Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. (Note the Biblical simplicity of his style.) Franklin's Autobiography (the first twenty-five pages). Ruskin's The King of the Golden River and Sesame and Lilies, Lecture (The part relating to Shakespeare.) SATAN JOHN MILTON John Milton (1608-1674) was born in London, England. He is, next to Shakespeare, the greatest English poet. This description of Satan is taken from the sublimest epic in the English language, Paradise Lost. Milton was totally blind at the time he produced this, so that he was obliged to dictate it to his daughters. It was a tremendous task, for the epic embraces twelve books. Milton has exerted great influence upon English poetry and prose. See also: Halleck's New English Literature, pp. 238-252, 255. Pattison's Milton. Raleigh's Milton. Macaulay's Essay on Milton. Masson's The Life of John Milton. [In the poem, Satan led a host of rebellious angels against God and was cast out of heaven. He then set up a kingdom in the "infernal world."] FAREWELL, happy fields, Where joy for ever dwells! Hail, horrors! hail, Infernal world!1 and thou, Receive thy new possessor profoundest hell, one who brings 5 A mind not to be changed by place or time. 1 Lower world. ΙΟ His spear, to equal which the tallest pine, ... he, above the rest In shape and gesture proudly eminent, STUDY HINTS Read this aloud until you can feel Milton's mastery of harmonious rhythm and understand the secret of his influence in English poetry. Do you agree with the poet in lines 6 and 7 that our happiness in large measure depends upon our way of looking at things? L. 21. "Thick as autumnal leaves," etc. is a very famous expression. Try to picture 1 The ship with which the admiral leads the fleet. "Ammiral" is the old spelling for admiral. the scene. Read aloud the lines that show the indomitable pride of Satan. What fine comparisons can you point out? What impression do you get of his great size? After studying this selection carefully, read it aloud again, then try to think what words will best describe the impression it leaves on you. SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL READINGS Lycidas. John Milton. On the Morning of Christ's Nativity. John Milton. Sonnet on His Blindness. John Milton. The Binding of the Strong. A. E. W. Mason. For the teacher to read to the class: Selections from Milton's L'Allegro, Comus, Il Penseroso, and Book I of Paradise Lost. OCT 16 1915 |