IV. Now, see'st thou aught in this lone scene 70 Can tell of that which late hath been ?A stranger might reply, "The bare extent of stubble-plain On these broad spots of trampled ground, 80 And where the earth seems scorch'd by flame, V. So deem'st thou so each mortal deems, Than that which peasant's scythe demands, With bayonet, blade, and spear. 90 No vulgar crop was theirs to reap, Fell thick as ripen'd grain; 79. Teniers.-A famous Dutch painter of village scenes. 82. Kerchief'd.-An Adjective in the form of a Participle, formed from a Substantive. See Merchant of Venice, Act III. Scene 2, guiled shore. Note. The word kerchief, derived from couvre chef, means originally a head covering, a derivation which is entirely forgotten, when we make such compounds as pocket handkerchief. 82. Regarding the position of the Predicate toiled before the Subject, see Cowper, Task, 1. 16. 87. Scythe is the Object of demands. 88. Sterner.The Comparative has reference to such words as "than those of peasants," which are easily supplied from the context. 95 Piled high as autumn shocks, there lay VI. Ay, look again-that line, so black 105 110 And close beside the harden'd mud Still shows where, fetlock-deep in blood, These spots of excavation tell The pestilential fumes declare, VII. Far other harvest-home and feast, 115 Than claims the boor from scythe released, On these scorch'd fields were known! 120 Death hover'd o'er the maddening rout, A summons of his own. Through rolling smoke the Demon's eye Distinguish every tone, 111. Fumes.-See Milton's Paradise Lost, v. 6, note. 115. See 82, 150, 218, 241, 247, 268, 289, 338. 125 That fill'd the chorus of the fray- 130 And the last sob of life's decay, 135 When breath was all but flown. VIII. Feast on, stern foe of mortal life, The deadly tug of war at length And cease when these are past. Vain hope that morn's o'erclouded sun And through the war-smoke, volumed high, Though now he stoops to night. Still down the slope they drew, The charge of columns pausèd not, Of skill and force was proved that day, IX. 155 Pale Brussels! then what thoughts were thine, When ceaseless from the distant line Continued thunders came ! 160 Each burgher held his breath, to hear Of rapine and of flame. What ghastly sights were thine to meet, The blood-drops laid thy dust like rain ! While maddening in his eager mood, X. "On! On!" was still his stern exclaim; 180 My steel-clad cuirassiers, advance! Loud answer'd their acclaiming shout, 161. What ghastly sights were thine to meet.-An uncommon mode of expression for "What ghastly sights was it thy fate to meet." Compare line 441. 187. This line seems to imply, that Napoleon was a coward-an ungenerous and unjust insinuation. But HE, his country's sword and shield, In action prompt, in sentence brief- XI. 195 On came the whirlwind-like the last On came the whirlwind-steel-gleams broke 200 Three hundred cannon-mouths roar'd loud, Beneath their fire, in full career, In one dark torrent broad and strong, 210 Forth harbinger'd by fierce acclaim, That, from the shroud of smoke and flame, XII. But on the British heart were lost 215. The order of the words here is very unusual, even in poetry; the Subject being the Relat. Pronoun, is placed after the The Object and before the Predicate. |