Old Stony Phiz. Yes, Ernest, it is my doom. You must add my name to the illustrious three, and record another failure of your hopes. For in shame and sadness do I speak it, Ernest — I am not worthy to be typified by yonder benign and majestic image. 65. "And why?" asked Ernest. He pointed to the volume. "Are not those thoughts divine?" 66. “They have a strain of the Divinity," replied the poet. "You can hear in them the far-off echo of a heavenly song. But my life, dear Ernest, has not corresponded with my thought. I have had grand dreams, but they have been only dreams, because I have lived and that, too, by my own choice — among poor and mean realities. Sometimes even shall I dare to say it! I lack faith in the grandeur, the beauty, and the goodness which my own works are said to have made more evident in nature and in human life. Why, then, pure seeker of the good and true, shouldst thou hope to find me in yonder image of the divine?" 67. The poet spoke sadly, and his eyes were dim with tears. So, likewise, were those of Ernest. 68. At the hour of sunset, as had long been his frequent custom, Ernest was to discourse to an assemblage of the neighboring inhabitants in the open air. He and the poet, arm in arm, still talking together as they went along, proceeded to the spot. It was a small nook among the hills, with a gray precipice behind, the stern front of which was relieved by the pleasant foliage of many creeping plants, that made a tapestry for the naked rock, by hanging their fes toons from all its rugged angles. At a small elevation above the ground, set in a rich framework of verdure, there appeared a niche, spacious enough to admit a human figure, with freedom for such gestures as spontaneously accompany earnest thought and genuine emotion. Into this natural pulpit Ernest ascended, and threw a look of familiar kindness around upon his audience. They stood, or sat, or reclined upon the grass, as seemed good to each, with the departing sunshine falling obliquely over them, and mingling its subdued cheerfulness with the solemnity of a grove of ancient trees, beneath and amid the boughs of which the golden rays were constrained to pass. In another direction was seen the Great Stone Face, with the same cheer, combined with the same solemnity, in its benignant aspect. 69. Ernest began to speak, giving to the people of what was in his heart and mind. His words had power, because they accorded with his thoughts; and his thoughts had reality and depth, because they harmonized with the life which he had always lived. It was not mere breath that this preacher uttered; they were the words of life, because a life of good deeds and holy love was melted into them. Pearls, pure and rich, had been dissolved into this precious draught. The poet, as he listened, felt that the being and character of Ernest were a nobler strain of poetry than he had ever written. His eyes glistening with tears, he gazed reverently at the venerable man, and said within himself that never was there an aspect so worthy of a prophet and a sage as that mild, sweet, thoughtful countenance, with the glory of white hair diffused about it. At a distance, but distinctly to be seen, high up in the golden light of the setting sun, appeared the Great Stone Face, with hoary mists around it, like the white hairs around the brow of Ernest. Its look of grand beneficence seemed to embrace the world. 70. At that moment, in sympathy with a thought which he was about to utter, the face of Ernest assumed a grandeur of expression, so imbued with benevolence that the poet, by an irresistible impulse, threw his arms aloft and shouted: 71. "Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face!" 72. Then all the people looked, and saw that what the deep-sighted poet said was true. The prophecy was fulfilled. But Ernest, having finished what he had to say, took the poet's arm, and walked slowly homeward, still hoping that some wiser and better man than himself would by and by appear, bearing a resemblance to the GREAT STONE FACE. - Nathaniel Hawthorne. EXERCISES PARAGRAPHS 1-12 Words and expressions for study: embossed, spacious, congregated, human cunning, phenomenon, majestic playfulness, perpendicular, Titan, precipice, discern, ponderous, chaotic ruin, original divinity, intact, benign aspect, purport, ardor, veneration, confiding simplicity. 1. What does the first paragraph tell of Ernest? 2. How many classes of people lived in the valley? To how many classes does the Great Stone Face seem to appeal? 3. Just what features has the author mentioned in order to bring the face clearly to mind? 4. Explain “It was an education only to look at it.” 5. How did the people of the valley feel toward the Great Stone Face? 6. What was the old prophecy? 7. What is shown of Ernest in paragraph 11? 8. How could the Great Stone Face become a teacher to Ernest? 9. Explain "And thus the love, which was meant for all, became his peculiar portion." PARAGRAPHS 13-21 Words and expressions for study: migrated, inscrutable, faculty, mountainous accumulation, tribute, effulgence, commodity, sterling metal, similitude, edifice, enchantment, touch of transmutation, semblance, harbingers, beneficence, physiognomy, perplexed, wrinkled shrewdness, benign lips. 10. What rumor now spread through the valley? 11. What qualities had Mr. Gathergold shown in his struggle for wealth? 12. Describe the mansion built for Mr. Gathergold. 13. How did all this impress Ernest? 14. How does the description of Gathergold, in paragraph 17, compare with the description of the Great Stone Face? 15. Why did the people shout "The very image of the Great Stone Face"? 16. Why was Ernest "perplexed"? 17. What is shown of Gathergold in the incident of the beggars? 18. Why did the people still "bellow," "He is the very image of the Great Stone Face?" 19. What did the Great Stone Face now seem to say to Ernest? PARAGRAPHS 22-32 Words and expressions for study: remarkable, meditate, indulging, sentiment, sympathies, communed, marvelous, human counterpart, consigned, decease, natural curiosity, illustrious, veteran, turmoil, clangor, aid-de-camp, sylvan banquet, ruthlessly, unobtrusive, reverberating, inscrutable, wisdom, glittering epaulets, diffused. 20. How did the people of the valley regard Ernest? 21. How had the Great Stone Face become a teacher to him? 22. Why did the people now see no resemblance between Gathergold and the Great Stone Face? 23. What made them now feel that Blood-and-Thunder was the man of prophecy? 24. Why does the Rev. Dr. Battle-blast beseech the blessing in such a "loud voice"? 25. Describe the scene of the festival. 26. Why does Ernest no longer doubt that the man of prophecy has come? 27. What strong contrast impressed itself upon Ernest as the warrior stood speaking? 28. What conclusion did he draw? 29. What consoled him in his disappointment? PARAGRAPHS 33-46 Words and expressions for study: tranquilly, imperceptible, imbibed, involuntarily, manifestations, wrought, inevitably, truculent physiognomy, benign visage, auditors, illuminated fog, potentates, cavalcade, buoyantly, contagious, barouche, emulation, sublimity, etherealized, ponderous granite substance, melancholy, despondent, vociferous, grandeur. 30. What changes were gradually taking place in Ernest? What special signs of power did he show? 31. Just what kind of man was Old Stony Phiz? 32. Why was he so called? 33. Why did he return to the valley at this time? 34. What is shown of Ernest in that he went forth with the crowd "as buoyantly as ever"? 35. What honors were paid the returning statesman? 36. What shows the degree of enthusiasm awakened by his return? 38. What, to Ernest, did the face of the gifted statesman lack? PARAGRAPHS 47-72 Words and expressions for study: reverend wrinkles, inscriptions, graved, philanthropist, characterized, celestial, handiwork, sordid, spawned, contemptuous bitterness, imbibed, accorded, pavilion, typified, niche, spontaneously, benignant aspect, grand beneficence, imbued, irresistible impulse. 41. What further changes had taken place in Ernest? 42. Where did Ernest get "ideas unlike those of other men"? |