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BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION.
the flower-bed which she modelled in his image, and bizarre enough is the contrast he makes with the prettiness and favor of the little girl's gamesome idea, and the dainty expression she gave it in the poem "Hector in the Garden":
"With my rake I smoothed his brow,
Both his cheeks I weeded through,
********
"Eyes of gentianellas azure,
Staring, winking at the skies:
Nose of gilly-flowers and box;
Scented grasses put for locks,
Which a little breeze at pleasure
Set a-waving round his eyes:
Both his cheeks I weeded through,
********
"Eyes of gentianellas azure,
Staring, winking at the skies:
Nose of gilly-flowers and box;
Scented grasses put for locks,
Which a little breeze at pleasure
Set a-waving round his eyes:
"Brazen helm of daffodillies
With a glitter toward the light;
Purple violets for the mouth,
Breathing perfumes west and south;
And a sword of flashing lilies,
Holden ready for the fight.
********
"And who knows (I sometimes wondered)
If the disembodied soul
Of old Hector, once of Troy,
Might not take a dreary joy
Here to enter—if it thundered,
Rolling up the thunder roll?
********
"Who could know? I sometimes started
At a motion or a sound.
Did his mouth speak—naming Troy,
With an ὁτοτοτοτῖ?
Did the pulse of the Strong-hearted
Make the daisies tremble round?"
With a glitter toward the light;
Purple violets for the mouth,
Breathing perfumes west and south;
And a sword of flashing lilies,
Holden ready for the fight.
********
"And who knows (I sometimes wondered)
If the disembodied soul
Of old Hector, once of Troy,
Might not take a dreary joy
Here to enter—if it thundered,
Rolling up the thunder roll?
********
"Who could know? I sometimes started
At a motion or a sound.
Did his mouth speak—naming Troy,
With an ὁτοτοτοτῖ?
Did the pulse of the Strong-hearted
Make the daisies tremble round?"
From the phase of fantasy into the moulds of verse were poured all warm and true the real wan-
