UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO EXCELSIOR HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW Wit ^lustrations BOSTON: HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY. Ktterfiilie Press, 1880. COPYRIGHT, 1877. BY JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO. of Illustrations. ENGRAVED BY A. V. S. ANTHONY. " The shades of night were falling fast " . . A. R. WAUD. " A youth, who bore, raid snow and ice " . . W. HOMER. " His brow was sad ; his eye beneath Flashed like a falchion from its sheath " . . W. HOMER. " In happy homes he saw the light " . . . . T. MORAN. " ' Try not the Pass ! ' the old man said " . . A. R. WAUD. " The roaring torrent 's deep and wide " . . T. MORAN. "' O stay,' the maiden said " ...... W. HOMER. " Beware the pine-tree's withered branch " . J. McENTEE. " A voice replied far up the height " . . . . T. MORAN. " The pious Monks of St. Bernard " . . . . CHARLES KENDRICK. " A voice cried through the startled air " . . A. R. WAUD. Convent of St. Bernard ........ A. R. WAUD. " Lifeless, but beautiful he lay " ..... W. HOMER. Tail-Piece ............. A. V. S. ANTHONY. Vignette Alpine Flowers ....... F. T. MERRILL. EXCELSIOR. THE shades of night were falling fast, As through an Alpine village passed Excelsior. A youth, who bore, mid snow and ice, A banner with the strange device, Excelsior ! Excelsior. His brow was sad ; his eye beneath Flashed like a falchion from, its sheath, And like a silver clarion rung The accents of that unknown tonsrue, o Excelsior ! Excelsior. In happy homes he saw the light Of household fires gleam warm and bright. Above, the spectral glaciers shone, And from his lips escaped a groan, Excelsior ! Excelsior. " Try not the Pass ! " the old man said ; " Dark lowers the tempest overhead, Excelsior. The roaring torrent 's deep and wide ! " And loud that clarion voice replied, Excelsior ! Excelsior. " O stay," the maiden said, " and rest Thy weary head upon this breast ! " A tear stood in his bright blue eye, But still he answered, with a sigh, Excelsior ! Excelsior. " Beware the pine-tree's withered branch Beware the awful avalanche ! " Excelsior. This was the peasant's last Good-night, A voice replied far up the height, Excelsior ! Excelsior. At break of day, as heavenward The pious monks of Saint Bernard Uttered the oft-repeated prayer, Excelsior. A voice cried through the startled air, Excelsior! Excelsior. A traveller, by the faithful hound, Half-buried in the snow was found, Still grasping in his hand of ice That banner with the strange device, Excelsior ! Excelsior. There in the twilight cold and gray, Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay, Excelsior. And from the sky, serene and far, A voice fell, like a falling star, Excelsior ! 9 1 2 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 000 672 564 2 a CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY University of California, San Diego DATE DUE DEC 081973 -,ec < ' $& I . 1 . Cl 39 UCSD Libr.