4. Explain: Alma Mater, posterity, allurement,

voluntary, servile, penury, subsistence.

THE RISING OF '76

BY THOMAS BUCHANAN READ

Read this selection entirely through before stopping to inquire the meaning of puzzling passages. Then re-read it for the references not previously clear to you. A final reading should enable you to get the fullness of the author's meaning. On your first reading you should be able to determine generally when the events took place, where, and what happened.

Out of the North the wild news came, Far flashing on its wings of flame, Swift as the boreal light that flies At midnight through the startled skies. And there was tumult in the air, 5 The fife's shrill note, the drum's loud beat And through the wide land everywhere The answering tread of hurrying feet; While the first oath of Freedom's gun Came on the blast of Lexington; 10 And Concord, roused, no longer tame, Forgot her old baptismal name, Made bare her patriot arm of power, And swelled the discord of the hour.

Within its shade of elm and oak 15 The church of Berkeley Manor stood; There Sunday found the rural folk, And some esteemed of gentle blood. In vain their feet with loitering tread Passed mid the graves where rank is naught; All could not read the lesson taught In that republic of the dead.

How sweet the hour of Sabbath talk, The vale with peace and sunshine full, 5 Where all the happy people walk, Decked in their homespun flax and wool! Where youth's gay hats with blossoms bloom, And every maid, with simple art, Wears on her breast, like her own heart, 10 A bud whose depths are all perfume; While every garment's gentle stir Is breathing rose and lavender.

The pastor came: his snowy locks Hallowed his brow of thought and care; 15 And calmly, as shepherds lead their flocks, He led into the house of prayer. The pastor rose; the prayer was strong; The psalm was warrior David's song; The text, a few short words of might,— 20 "The Lord of hosts shall arm the right!"

He spoke of wrongs too long endured, Of sacred rights to be secured; Then from his patriot tongue of flame The startling words for Freedom came. 25 The stirring sentences he spake Compelled the heart to glow or quake, And rising on his theme's broad wing, And grasping in his nervous hand The imaginary battle brand, In face of death he dared to fling Defiance to a tyrant king. 5

Even as he spoke, his frame, renewed In eloquence of attitude, Rose, as it seemed, a shoulder higher; Then swept his kindling glance of fire From startled pew to breathless choir; 10 When suddenly his mantle wide His hands impatient flung aside, And lo! he met their wondering eyes Complete in all a warrior's guise.

A moment there was awful pause,— 15 When Berkeley cried, "Cease, traitor! Cease! God's temple is the house of peace!" The other shouted, "Nay, not so, When God is with our righteous cause; His holiest places then are ours, 20 His temples are our forts and towers That frown upon the tyrant foe; In this, the dawn of Freedom's day, There is a time to fight and pray!"

And now before the open door— 25 The warrior priest had ordered so— The enlisting trumpet's sudden roar Rang through the chapel, o'er and o'er, Its long reverberating blow, So loud and clear, it seemed the ear Of dusty death must wake and hear; And there the startling drum and fife Fired the living with fiercer life.

While overhead, with wild increase, 5 Forgetting its ancient toll of peace, The great bell swung as ne'er before. It seemed as it would never cease; And every word its ardor flung From off its jubilant iron tongue 10 Was, "War! War! War!"

"Who dares?"—this was the patriot's cry, As striding from the desk he came,— "Come out with me, in Freedom's name, For her to live, for her to die?" 15 A hundred hands flung up reply, A hundred voices answered, "I."

1. Explain the following references in the first stanza: "the North"; "wild news"; "boreal light"; "first oath of Freedom's gun"; "Concord . . . forgot her old baptismal name."

2. Where does this story begin? What is the purpose of the first stanza? Where is the scene laid? What is the date of the action? Who was Berkeley? What occurs?

3. What other dramatic Revolutionary War episodes do you know? Name three other Revolutionary War poems.