LEARNING THE USE OF LIBERTY

Ariosto tells a pretty story of a fairy, who, by some mysterious law of her nature, was condemned to appear at certain seasons in the form of a foul and poisonous snake. Those who injured her during the period of her disguise were for5 ever excluded from participation in the blessings which she bestowed. But to those who, in spite of her loathsome aspect, pitied and protected her, she afterwards revealed herself in the beautiful and celestial form which was natural to her, accompanied their steps, granted all their wishes, filled 10 their houses with wealth, made them happy in love and victorious in war.

Such a spirit is Liberty. At times she takes the form of a hateful reptile. She grovels, she hisses, she stings. But woe to those who in disgust shall venture to crush her! And 15 happy are those who, having dared to receive her in her degraded and frightful shape, shall at length be rewarded by her in the time of her beauty and her glory!

There is only one cure for the evils which newly acquired freedom produces; and that cure is freedom. When a 20 prisoner first leaves his cell he cannot bear the light of day; he is unable to discriminate colors, or recognize faces. But the remedy is, not to remand him unto his dungeon, but to accustom him to the rays of the sun.

The blaze of truth and liberty may at first dazzle and be25 wilder nations which have become half blind in the house of

bondage. But let them gaze on, and they will soon be able to bear it. In a few years men learn to reason. The extreme violence of opinions subsides. Hostile theories correct each other. The scattered elements of truth cease to contend, and begin to coalesce. And at length a system of justice and 5

order is educed out of the chaos.

Many politicians of our time are in the habit of laying it down as a self-evident proposition, that no people ought to be free till they are fit to use their freedom. The maxim is worthy of the fool in the old story, who resolved not to go 10 into the water till he had learned to swim. If men are to wait for liberty till they become wise and good in slavery, they may indeed wait forever.

From MACAULAY'S Essay on Milton.

HELPS TO STUDY

Ariosto was a famous Italian poet. The story here referred to has been told in many forms in many places.

1. What is Ariosto's story? 2. To what does Macaulay apply it? 3. What does the application mean? How can Liberty take the form of a hostile reptile "? 4. How are the faults of newly acquired freedom to be remedied? 5. How is liberty likened to the light one

6.

sees on coming out of the dark?
evils that at first come from liberty?
you ever heard of or read of?

How do men learn to correct the

7. What abuses of liberty have

To be studied with the Glossary: Participation, loathsome, grovel, discriminate, remand, coalesce.

Phrases: house of bondage, violence of opinions, self-evident proposition.

THE BATTLEFIELD

Once this soft turf, this rivulet's sands,
Were trampled by a hurrying crowd,
And fiery hearts and armèd hands

Encountered in the battle-cloud.

Ah! never shall the land forget

How gushed the life-blood of her brave—
Gushed, warm with hope and courage yet,
Upon the soil they fought to save.

Now all is calm, and fresh, and still,
Alone the chirp of flitting bird,

And talk of children on the hill,

And bell of wandering kine are heard.

No solemn host goes trailing by

The black-mouthed gun and staggering wain; Men start not at the battle-cry.

Oh, be it never heard again!

Soon rested those who fought; but thou
Who minglest in the harder strife
For truths which men receive not now,

Thy warfare only ends with life.

A friendless warfare! lingering long
Through weary day and weary year.
A wild and many-weaponed throng

Hang on thy front, and flank, and rear.

Yet nerve thy spirit to the proof,

And blench not at thy chosen lot.

The timid good may stand aloof,

The sage may frown - yet faint thou not.

Nor heed the shaft too surely cast,

5

The foul and hissing bolt of scorn;

10

For with thy side shall dwell, at last,
The victory of endurance born.

Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again;
The eternal years of God are hers;
But error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshipers.

15

Another hand thy sword shall wield,
Another hand the standard wave,

Till from the trumpet's mouth is pealed
The blast of triumph o'er thy grave.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

HELPS TO STUDY

How

1. Contrast the past and the present scenes on the battlefield. many stanzas are given to each picture? 2. In the fifth stanza, who do you think is meant by "those "? Is it we, the readers of the poem? 3. What "harder strife " is the poet speaking of? 4. Can you think of any famous men or band of men who have struggled to establish some truth? 5. Who are meant by the "wild and many-weaponed throng "? 6. Which side will win the victory? 7. Commit the ninth stanza to memory. It is one of the bits that everybody is expected to know. Tell clearly what it means. 8. What will happen in the battle for the truth when we are gone? Will it cease, or go on? Read the answer to this in the poem. 9. Where, or in what, is the real battle of the world?

WHAT CONSTITUTES A STATE?

What constitutes a state?

Not high-raised battlement or labored mound,
Thick wall, or moated gate;

Not cities proud with spires and turrets crowned;
Not bays and broad-armed ports

Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride;
Not starred and spangled courts

Where low-born baseness wafts perfume to pride;
No. MEN! high-minded men

Men who their duties know,

But know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain;
Prevent the long-aimed blow,

And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain!

These constitute a state.

SIR WILLIAM JONES.