Historical: On the evening of June 15, 1815, the Duchess of Richmond gave a ball at Brussels. Wellington's officers, at his request, were present, his purpose being to conceal the near approach of battle. Napoleon, the leader of the French army, was the military genius of the age; Wellington, the leader of the English forces, had, Tennyson tells us, "gained a hundred fights nor ever lost an English gun." These two great generals now met for the first time. The event was of supreme interest to all the world. The engagement that followed next day was fought at Quatre Bras; the great battle of Waterloo took place June 18th, Sunday. Read Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" for description of this night in Brussels. This is a great martial poem--the greatest inspired by this event. Note the movement of the poem. The revelry, the beauty and the chivalry, the music and the merry-making, the alarm, the hurrying to and fro, the gathering tears, the mounting in hot haste, the whispering with white lips, the Scotch music, the green leaves of Ardennes, the closing scene. Notes and Questions. Find Belgium's capital on your map; also Waterloo, twelve miles away. What does the first stanza tell? The second stanza? Note the differences between the fourth and fifth stanzas. The sixth stanza describes the Scottish martial music--What purpose does this stanza serve in the poem? Which lines do you like best? Why? Which is the most beautiful stanza? What words seem to be especially appropriate? Note the rhythm and the change in movement. "Cameron's Gathering"--The Cameron Highlander's call to arms. "Lochiel"--Donald Cameron of Lochiel was a famous highland chieftain. Read the poem "Lochiel's Warning." "Albyn"--name given poetically to northern Scotland, the Highland region. "Pibroch"--martial music upon the bagpipe. "Evan's, Donald's fame"--Evan Cameron (another Lochiel) and his grandson, Donald, were famous Highland chiefs. "Ardennes"--Arden, a forest on the Meuse river between Brussels and Waterloo, called Arden by Shakespeare in "As You Like It." "car"--a cart. Words and Phrases for Discussion. "voluptuous swell" "rising knell" "glowing hours" "opening roar" "terror dumb" "noon of night" "stirring memory" "revelry" "chivalry" "mustering squadron" "clattering car" "pouring forward" "impetuous speed" "unreturning brave" "rolling on the foe" "magnificently stern" "clansman" "inanimate" "verdure" "blent" * * * * * SONG OF THE GREEK BARD (From "Don Juan," Canto-III.) LORD BYRON The isles of Greece, the isles of Greece! Where burning Sappho loved and sung, Where grew the arts of war and peace, Where Delos rose and Phoebus sprung! Eternal summer gilds them yet, But all, except their sun, is set.