From a Copley Print, copyrighted by Curtis and Cameron
THE MUSES ACCLAIM GENIUS AS THE MESSENGER OF LIGHT.
From the painting by Puvis de Chavannes in the Boston Public Library.

EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES,
QUESTIONS, AND BIOGRAPHICAL

SKETCHES

BY

A. B. DE MILLE

SIMMONS COLLEGE, BOSTON
Secretary of the New England Association of

Teachers of English

ALLYN AND BACON

BOSTON

NEW YORK

CHICAGO
SAN FRANCISCO

ATLANTA

FOREWORD

drawn upon.

The object of this book is to provide a collection of representative American poems for boys and girls. It is planned to meet the requirements of the College Entrance Board and also to be of service for the general student. The selections range from the work of Freneau, our first poet of national importance, through the significant verse of the past century down to the present time. All the great poets are fully represented; writers of less note receive due consideration; while the interesting field of Southern literature is freely

In the case of recent poetry the choice has been limited to certain examples which seemed most clearly to indicate the principal modern tendencies.

For a school anthology the simplest arrangement is the best. Authors are therefore placed in chronological order, although for obvious reasons there is an occasional exception to the rule. The Introduction is divided into three parts: first, suggestions for the study of poetry; second, a brief historical outline of the development of poetry in America; and third, a practical discussion of oral work. The Notes, which are informative rather than critical, include short biographical sketches of the various authors. Questions on the text, instead of being grouped separately at the end of the volume, are incorporated with the notes on the respective poems. A full Index provides a means of ready reference.

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