THE desire of the reader of these poems should be to gain as

lively a sense as possible of the civilization, the manners,the customs,

and the ideals of Ancient Rome, and also to respond to the

thrilling style in which Macaulay made the events dramatic.  In

champion of patriotism and a revealer of the sturdy gifts of the

orator who speaks, impromptu, on a subject near his heart.The

the fiery sweep of Macaulay's popular measure,the excitement of

his narrative, and the brilliant picturesqueness of his allusions,

win the loyal admiration of young readers, and teach them many

truths of history and of literature.  It will be a comparatively

simple matter to lead students on from the metallic charm of

Macaulay's verse to the more genuinely melodious and imaginative

The arrangement of notes in this volume will be clear at a

glance.  Geographical names are treated briefly in foot-notes,

the aim being to suggest the district in which each town was,

and thus to state whether it was,or was not,near Rome.  Students

can find the exact location by referring to the map.  The notes

explanatory of the text do not contain comment upon purely

poetic values, for all suggestions in regard to the study and

appreciation of Macaulay's art have been grouped together

(page 106), in the belief that pupils will gain more literary in-sight

if they are made to study the poetry in unified fashion,

viewing the subject of poetics systematically.  If students devote

attentively of the style.  Noting how Macaulay brought a wealth

of figures and of concrete beauties to supplement the bare narrative,

and he will realize that every word gives such a challenge

to the imagination that he must read slowly enough to allow the

poet's art to cast its spell.

___________

The text of the lays is that of Lady Trevelyan's edition of

Macaulay's works.  Macaulay's learned introductions have been

omitted, for they occupy an amount of space out of proportion to

their value to the general reader.