MaryLamb
ACreoleboyfromtheWestIndiesbrought,
TobeinEuropeanlearningtaught,
SomeyearsbeforetoWestminsterhewent,
ToaPreparatoryschoolwassent.
Whenfromhisartlesstalethemistressfound,
ThechildhadnotonefriendonEnglishground,
Sheev’nasifshehisownmotherwere,
MadethedarkIndianherparticularcare.
Oftonherfavourite’sfuturelotshethought;
Toknowthebentofhisyoungmindshesought,
Formuchthekindpreceptresswishedtofind,
Towhatprofessionhewasmostinclined,
Thatwherehisgeniusledtheymighthimtrain;
Fornature’skindlybentsheheldnotvain.
Butvainhereffortstoexplorehiswill;
Thefrequentquestionheevadedstill;
Tillonadayatlengthhetohercame,
Joysparklinginhiseyes; andsaid, thesame,
Tradehewouldbethoseboysofcolourwere,
Whodancedsohappyintheopenair.
Itwasatroopofchimney-sweepingboys,
Withwoodenmusicandobstreperousnoise,
Intarnish’dfineryandgrotesquearray,
WeredancinginthestreetsthefirstofMay.
.
1)Whatistherelationshipbetween “she”andtheCreoleboy?
2)Whatdo “mistress”and “preceptress”referto?
3)Whatarethecharacteristicsoftheladydescribedinthepoem?
4)Whatinfluencedoesthisladygivetotheboy?
5)Whatwerethecommonprofessionsforwomenwhenthepoemwaswritten?
.
ProperNames
Vienna 维也纳
Berlin 柏林
Shakespeare 莎士比亚
QueenVictoria 维多利亚女王
Notes
(1882-1941):ShewasanEnglishauthor, essayist, publisher, andwriterofshortstories, (1925), TotheLighthouse(1927) andOrlando(1928), andthebook-lengthessayARoomofOne’sOwn(1929).
