In France, abased and like a shrunken corse;



Amid the weakest weak, the lowest low,

From the highest fallen, stagnant off her source;



Condemned to hear the nations' hostile mirth;

See curtained heavens, and smell a sulphurous earth;



Which told how evermore shall tyrant Force

Beget the greater for its overthrow.



The song of Liberty in her hearing spoke

A foreign tongue; Earth's fluttering little lyre



Unlike, but like the raven's ravening croak.

Not till her breath of being could aspire



Anew, this loved and scourged of Angels found

Our common brotherhood in sight and sound:



When mellow rang the name Napoleon,

And dim aloft her young Angelical waved.



Between ethereal and gross to choose,

She swung; her soul desired, her senses craved.



They pricked her dreams, while oft her skies were dun

Behind o'ershadowing foemen: on a tide



They drew the nature having need of pride

Among her fellows for its vital dues:



He seen like some rare treasure-galleon,

Hull down, with masts against the Western hues.



FRANCE--DECEMBER 1870

I



We look for her that sunlike stood

Upon the forehead of our day,



An orb of nations, radiating food

For body and for mind alway.



Where is the Shape of glad array;

The nervous hands, the front of steel,



The clarion tongue? Where is the bold proud face?

We see a vacant place;



We hear an iron heel.

II



O she that made the brave appeal

For manhood when our time was dark,



And from our fetters drove the spark

Which was as lightning to reveal



New seasons, with the swifter play

Of pulses, and benigner day;



She that divinely shook the dead

From living man; that stretched ahead



Her resoluteforefinger straight,

And marched toward the gloomy gate



Of earth's Untried, gave note, and in

The good name of Humanity



Called forth the daring vision! she,

She likewise half corrupt of sin,



Angel and Wanton! can it be?

Her star has foundered in eclipse,



The shriek of madness on her lips;

Shreds of her, and no more, we see.



There is horribleconvulsion, smothered din,

As of one that in a grave-cloth struggles to be free.



III

Look not for spreading boughs



On the riven forest tree.

Look down where deep in blood and mire



Black thunder plants his feet and ploughs

The soil for ruin: that is France:



Still thrilling like a lyre,

Amazed to shivering discord from a fall



Sudden as that the lurid hosts recall

Who met in heaven the irreparable mischance.



O that is France!

• horizon [hə´raizən] n.地平线；范围；视野 (初中英语单词)


• sacred [´seikrid] a.神圣的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• criminal [´kriminəl] a.犯罪的 n.罪犯 (初中英语单词)


• generous [´dʒenərəs] a.慷慨的；丰盛的 (初中英语单词)


• terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)


• fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)


• traffic [´træfik] n.交通，运输 (初中英语单词)


• alliance [ə´laiəns] n.联盟；同盟 (初中英语单词)


• wisdom [´wizdəm] n.智慧，聪明，才智 (初中英语单词)


• learning [´lə:niŋ] n.学习；学问；知识 (初中英语单词)


• bloody [´blʌdi] a.(流)血的；血腥的 (初中英语单词)


• abundant [ə´bʌndənt] a.丰富的；充分的 (初中英语单词)


• worship [´wə:ʃip] n.&v.崇拜；敬仰 (初中英语单词)


• infant [´infənt] n.&a.婴(幼)儿 (初中英语单词)


• imperial [im´piəriəl] a.帝国的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• deadly [´dedli] a.致命的 ad.死一般地 (初中英语单词)


• disaster [di´zɑ:stə] n.灾难，不幸 (初中英语单词)


• supreme [su:´pri:m, sju:-] a.最高的，无上的 (初中英语单词)


• player [´pleiə] n.游戏的人；选手 (初中英语单词)


• vessel [´vesəl] n.容器；船；脉管 (初中英语单词)


• sprang [spræŋ] spring 的过去式 (初中英语单词)


• winged [´wiŋd] a.有翼的 (初中英语单词)


• structure [´strʌktʃə] n.结构，构造；组织 (初中英语单词)


• furious [´fjuəriəs] a.狂怒的；猛烈的 (初中英语单词)


• warrior [´wɔriə] n.勇士，战士 (初中英语单词)


• cannon [´kænən] n.大炮 (初中英语单词)


• sulphur [´sʌlfə] n.硫，硫磺 (初中英语单词)


• instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)


• furnace [´fə:nis] n.熔炉；火炉 (初中英语单词)


• quiver [´kwivə] v.抖动 n.颤动(声) (初中英语单词)


• haunted [´hɔ:tid] a.常出现鬼的，闹鬼的 (初中英语单词)


• hostile [´hɔstail] a.敌方的，敌意的 (初中英语单词)


• breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)


• western [´westən] a.西的；西方的 (初中英语单词)


• forehead [´fɔrid] n.额，前部 (初中英语单词)


• nervous [´nə:vəs] a.神经的；神经过敏的 (初中英语单词)


• vacant [´veikənt] a.空虚的，无表情的 (初中英语单词)


• lightning [´laitniŋ] n.闪电 a.突然的 (初中英语单词)


• likewise [´laikwaiz] ad.同样地；也，又 (初中英语单词)


• shriek [ʃri:k] v.&n.尖叫(声) (初中英语单词)


• horrible [´hɔrəbəl] a.可怕的；恐怖的 (初中英语单词)


• thunder [´θʌndə] n.雷 vi.打雷 vt.吼出 (初中英语单词)


• distrust [dis´trʌst] n.&vt.不信任，怀疑 (高中英语单词)


• tyrant [´taiərənt] n.暴君；霸主；专制君主 (高中英语单词)


• initiative [i´niʃiətiv] n.主动权；首创精神 (高中英语单词)


• perilous [´periləs] a.危险的；冒险的 (高中英语单词)


• throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)


• suicide [´su:isaid, ´sju:-] n.&a.自杀(者)(的) (高中英语单词)


• vengeance [´vendʒəns] n.报复，复仇 (高中英语单词)


• chivalry [´ʃivəlri] n.侠义；骑士团 (高中英语单词)


• decade [´dekeid] n.十年(间) (高中英语单词)


• ultimate [´ʌltimit] a.最终的 n.终极；顶点 (高中英语单词)


• mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)


• stricken [´strikən] strike的过去分词 (高中英语单词)


• innumerable [i´nju:mərəbəl] a.无数的，数不清的 (高中英语单词)


• celestial [si´lestiəl] a.天空的，天的 (高中英语单词)


• alternate [ɔ:l´tə:nit, ´ɔ:ltə:neit] a.交替的 v.轮流 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• brotherhood [´brʌðəhud] n.兄弟情谊；兄弟关系 (高中英语单词)


• mellow [´meləu] a.芳醇的 v.(使)成熟 (高中英语单词)


• manhood [´mænhud] n.人格；男子气概 (高中英语单词)


• gloomy [´glu:mi] a.昏暗的；忧郁的 (高中英语单词)


• corrupt [kə´rʌpt] a.腐败的 v.败坏；贿赂 (高中英语单词)


• madness [´mædnis] n.疯狂；狂热 (高中英语单词)


• ominous [´ɔminəs] a.不祥的；预示的 (英语四级单词)


• catastrophe [kə´tæstrəfi] n.大灾难；(悲剧)结局 (英语四级单词)


• resolute [´rezəlu:t] a.坚决的；不屈不挠的 (英语四级单词)


• policy [´pɔlisi] n.政策；权谋；保险单 (英语四级单词)


• radiance [´reidjəns] n.发光；光彩；辐射 (英语四级单词)


• luminous [´lu:minəs] a.发光的；明晰的 (英语四级单词)


• rational [´ræʃənəl] a.(有)理性的；合理的 (英语四级单词)


• whereof [weər´ɔv] ad.关于什么；关于那事 (英语四级单词)


• martial [´mɑ:ʃəl] a.战争的；象军人的 (英语四级单词)


• trapper [´træpə] n.夹兽者 (英语四级单词)


• starry [´stɑ:ri] a.星光照耀的，闪亮的 (英语四级单词)


• nought [nɔ:t] n.=naught (英语四级单词)


• tropic [´trɔpik] n.热带地区；回归线 (英语四级单词)


• assailant [ə´seilənt] n.攻击者 (英语四级单词)


• evermore [,evə´mɔ:] ad.永远，始终 (英语四级单词)


• daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)


• abandoned [ə´bændənd] a.被抛弃的；无约束的 (英语六级单词)


• deluge [´delju:dʒ] n.大洪水 vt.泛滥 (英语六级单词)


• credulity [kri´dju:liti] n.轻信 (英语六级单词)


• sickle [´sikəl] n.镰刀 (英语六级单词)


• barter [´bɑ:tə] v.交换(货物) n.互换品 (英语六级单词)


• despot [´despɔt] n.暴君，专制者 (英语六级单词)


• gambler [´gæmblə] n.赌徒 (英语六级单词)


• ferment [fə´ment] n.&v.发酵；激动 (英语六级单词)


• foreseen [fɔ:´si:n] foresee的过去分词 (英语六级单词)


• panther [´pænθə] n.豹；美洲狮 (英语六级单词)


• lullaby [´lʌləbai] n.催眠曲，摇篮曲 (英语六级单词)


• lordly [´lɔ:dli] a.高贵的；高傲的 (英语六级单词)


• stagnant [´stægnənt] a.停滞的；萧条的 (英语六级单词)


• ethereal [i´θiəriəl] a.飘渺的；稀薄的 (英语六级单词)


• forefinger [´fɔ:,fiŋgə] n.食指 (英语六级单词)


• convulsion [kən´vʌlʃən] n.震动；骚动；灾变 (英语六级单词)


• discord [´diskɔ:d] n.不一致；不和谐 (英语六级单词)