"Are we, then, wholly fallen? Can it be That thou, North wind, that from thy mountains bringest Their spirit to our plains, and thou, blue sea, Who on our rocks thy wreaths of freedom flingest, As on an altar,--can it be that ye Have wasted inspiration on dead ears, Dulled with the too familiar clank of chains?" At the end of this poem Lowell gives his view of "fallen and traitor lives." He speaks of the "boundless future" of our country-- "Ours if we be strong; Or if we shrink, better remount our ships And, fleeing God's express design, trace back The hero-freighted Mayflower's prophet-track To Europe entering her blood-red eclipse." While reading _Sir Launfal_ the fact must be kept in mind that Lowell was at the time of writing the poem filled with the spirit of freedom and reform, and was writing fiery articles in prose for the _Anti-Slavery Standard_, expressing his bitter indignation at the indifference and lukewarmness of the Northern people on the subject of slavery. 17. Druid wood: The Druids were the aged priests of the Celts, who performed their religious ceremonies in the forests, especially among oaks, which were peculiarly sacred to them. Hence the venerable woods, like the aged priests, offer their benediction. Every power of nature, the winds, the mountain, the wood, the sea, has a symbolic meaning which we should be able to interpret for our inspiration and uplifting. Read Bryant's _A Forest Hymn_. 18. Benedicite: An invocation of blessing. Imperative form of the Latin _benedicere_, to bless. Longfellow speaks of the power of songs that-- "Come like the benediction That follows after prayer." 19-20. Compare these lines with the ninth strophe of Wordsworth's _Ode_. The "inspiring sea" is Wordsworth's "immortal sea." Both poets rejoice that some of the impulses and ideals of youth are kept alive in old age. 21. Earth gets its price, etc.: Notice the special meaning given to _Earth_ here, in contrast with _heaven_ in line 29. Here again the thought is suggested by Wordsworth's _Ode_, sixth strophe: "Earth fills our lap with pleasures of her own." 23. Shrives: The priest shrives one when he hears confession and grants absolution. 25. Devil's booth: Expand this metaphor and unfold its application to every-day life. 27. Cap and bells: The conventional dress of the court fool, or jester, of the Middle Ages, and, after him, of the stage clown, consisted of the "fool's cap" and suit of motley, ornamented with little tinkling bells. 28. Bubbles we buy, etc.: This line, as first published, had "earn" for "buy." 31. This line read originally: "There is no price set," etc. The next line began with "And."