Parker's Second Reader Part 14

1. All the lessons in this book which you have thus far read have been in prose. I intend to give you some lessons in verse, or, as it is sometimes, but improperly called, poetry.

2. There is a great deal of difference between verse and poetry; but as this book is intended for those who are not quite old enough to understand all these differences, I shall not attempt at present to point them out to you.

3. But I wish you first to understand the difference, which you can see with your eye, between prose and verse. The lines of verse often end in what are called _rhymes_. Thus, if one line ends with the word _found_, the next line ends with a word which sounds very much like it, as _ground, round, bound, sound, hound, wound_.

4. These are called _rhymes_. Here are a few such lines.

IMPROVEMENT OF TIME.

"Defer not till to-morrow to be wise; To-morrow's sun to thee may never rise."

BEST USE OF MONEY.

"When wealth to virtuous hands is given, It blesses like the dew of Heaven; Like Heaven, it hears the orphan's cries, And wipes the tears from widow's eyes."

5. Sometimes the rhymes occur in alternate lines; that is, two lines come together which are not rhymes, and are followed by two lines to make rhymes to both, as follows:

"Let the sweet work of prayer and praise Employ our youngest breath; Thus we're prepared for longer days, Or fit for early death."

6. There are some kinds of verses that do not rhyme. These are called _blank_ verse. Here is an example of blank verse:

"Mark well, my child, he said; this little stream Shall teach thee charity. It is a source I never knew to fail: directed thus Be that soft stream, the fountain of thy heart.

For, oh! my much-loved child, I trust thy heart Has those affections that shall bless thyself; And, flowing softly like this little rill, Cheer all that droop. The good man did not err."

7. Now, there are several things that I wish you to notice in these lines. In the first place, if you will count the syllables, you will find that there are exactly ten syllables in each line; and it is always the case, that in verse it is necessary that there should be a certain number of syllables of a certain kind.

8. What that number is, I cannot now explain to you; but you will be able to understand from a book called a grammar, which you will probably study at some future time, if you do not study it now. It is contained in that part of grammar called Prosody.

9. The next thing I wish you to notice is, that every line of verse always begins with a capital letter.

10. And thirdly you will notice, that the lines of verse are more regular in their sound than lines of prose. They have a kind of musical sound about them, which you very rarely hear, except in verse.

11. And fourthly you will notice, that some of the words are shortened by leaving out a letter, and putting in its place a mark called an _apostrophe_, which looks just like a comma, only it is placed higher up in the line, as in the following line:

"Thus we're prepared for longer days."

12. In this line, if the words were written out at full length, with all their letters in them, the line would stand as follows:

"Thus we are prepared for longer days."

13. But this would destroy what is called the _measure_ of the line, by putting too many syllables into it; and therefore the words _we are_ are shortened, so as to be read as one syllable, and the line is to be read as follows:

"Thus weer prepared for longer days."

14. The next difference I shall point out to you between prose and verse, is that in verse the words are placed in a different order from what they would be in prose; as you will notice in the following lines:

"When all thy mercies, oh my G.o.d!

My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I'm lost In wonder, love and praise."

15. Now, if these lines were written in prose, the words would stand in the following order: "O my G.o.d! when my rising soul surveys all thy mercies, I'm transported with the view of them, and lost in wonder, love and praise."

16. And now that I have explained to you a few of the points in which verse differs from prose, I will only add, that when you read verse, you must not stop at the end of every line, unless there is a pause or mark there; and that you must avoid reading it as if you were singing it to a tune.

LESSON x.x.xII.

_G.o.d Present Everywhere._

1. Thou, Lord, by strictest search hast known My rising up and lying down; My secret thoughts are known to thee, Known long before conceived by me.

2. Surrounded by thy power I stand, On every side I find thy hand: O skill for human reach too high!

Too dazzling bright for mortal eye!

3. From thy all-seeing Spirit, Lord, What hiding-place does earth afford?

O where can I thy influence shun, Or whither from thy presence run?

4. If up to heaven I take my flight, 'Tis there thou dwell'st enthroned in light; If to the world unseen, my G.o.d, There also hast thou thine abode.

5. If I the morning's wings could gain, And fly beyond the western main; E'en there, in earth's remotest land, I still should find thy guiding hand.

6. Or, should I try to shun thy sight Beneath the sable wings of night; One glance from thee, one piercing ray, Would kindle darkness into day.

7. The veil of night is no disguise, No screen from thy all-searching eyes; Through midnight shades thou find'st thy way, As in the blazing noon, of day.

8. Thou know'st the texture of my heart, My reins, and every vital part: I'll praise thee, from whose hands I came A work of such a wondrous frame.

9. Let me acknowledge too, O G.o.d, That since this maze of life I trod, Thy thoughts of love to me surmount The power of numbers to recount.

10. Search, try, O G.o.d, my thoughts and heart, If mischief lurk in any part; Correct me where I go astray, And guide me in thy perfect way.

LESSON x.x.xIII.

_Devotion._

1. While thee I seek, protecting Power, Be my vain wishes stilled; And may this consecrated hour With better hopes be filled.

2. Thy love the power of thought stowed, To thee my thoughts would soar: Thy mercy o'er my life has flowed, That mercy I adore.