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Summary
Summary
A poetic description of a famous English waterfall by the nineteenth-century writer who served as Englands poet laureate for thirty years.
Summary
A poetic description of a famous English waterfall by the nineteenth-century writer who served as England's poet laureate for thirty years.
Summary
A Suquamish Indian chief describes his people's respect and love for the earth, and concern for its destruction.
Author Notes
Robert Southey was born on August 12, 1774. In 1788, Southey entered the Westminster school at the expense of his uncle. One year after his admission to Westminster, the French Revolution began. Southey was fifteen years old at the time, and like many young people of his day, he passionately sympathized with the high ideals of the French cause.
During these years, Southey befriended both Charles W. W. Wynn and Grosvenor Charles Bedford. Bedford and Wynn began a publication in 1792, The Flagellant, which Southey later joined as writer and co-editor. He submitted an anonymous article on "Flogging," in which he claimed that the school's disciplinary practice of flogging students was satanic. Dr. Vincent, the headmaster at the school, viewed the essay not as the product of a boy's imagination, but as a direct attack on both the school and the British Constitution. Eventually, Southey came forward and offered his apology, but was nonetheless expelled from school. Southey was of course then refused admission at Christ Church and had to attend Balliol College at Oxford.
In order to escape life at Oxford and postpone making his decision to join the clergy, Southey took some time off from school in the autumn of 1793. Southey eventually left Oxford after his second term to be married. Shortly after leaving, he crossed paths with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with whom he formed a friendship which would mold his early life and continue until his later years.
In 1794, Southey, Coleridge, and several mutual friends came up with the idea of "Pantisocracy," or "equal rule of all." Their goal was to emigrate to America to practice Pantisocracy by forming a communal, utopian settlement where everyone would live in harmony and brotherhood. In order to raise money for this, Southey and Coleridge joined to write drama and political propaganda, and to write and deliver weekly lectures on politics and history. At this time, they co-wrote the drama entitled "The Fall of Robespierre," which was published by a radical printer at Cambridge under Coleridge's name. This same year Southey wrote Wat Tyler, based on the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. Unfortunately, Wat Tyler was not published, the scheme to emigrate to America to practice "Pantisocracy" never came to fruition, and his friendship with Coleridge became increasingly strained.
The relationship deteriorated further when Coleridge and his wife began having marital difficulties. Coleridge eventually left his wife and Southey was forced to support both families. Southey then accepted Charles Wynn's offer to set up an annuity for him if he would study law. Southey began to study law by day and write poetry and prose at night. He drifted entirely away from his legal studies and began to concentrate solely on his writing. Between 1796 and 1805 Southey wrote Joan of Arc: An Epic Poem, Thalaba the Destroyer, Madoc, and several volumes of shorter verse. He also wrote numerous ballads, made frequent contributions to The Monthly Magazine and published the popular Letters Written During a Short Residence in Spain and Portugal. After several years of estrangement from Coleridge, the two poets collaborated on the Devil's Walk in 1799.
Although Southey remained a champion of the poor and became an outspoken adversary of slavery, he began to cherish the maintenance of social order. After becoming an outspoken member of the Tory party, Southey's changing views led him to accept a position as Britain's Poet Laureate in 1813, a position that he held for 30 years. Twenty-three years after Wat Tyler was written, it suddenly resurfaced into a highly charged political atmosphere in which an older, more conservative Southey was at the forefront. Upon learning that Southey was the author, his adversaries, such as William Hazlitt and William Smith, seized upon the play as an example of his hypocrisy, while his friends, Wynn, Coleridge, and Wordsworth, defended him vehemently.
Despite the effects of Wat Tyler's appearance on Southey's reputation, it sold over 60,000 copies and was reprinted, making it one of his most well-read and commercially successful works. Southey eventually incorporated the play into his complete works in 1838. Although the reappearance of the poem forced Southey to confront the dissipation of his youthful ideals, it did not significantly affect his career as an esteemed poet and writer. Southey remained Poet Laureate of Britain for 30 years, and eventually died in 1843.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Robert Southey was born on August 12, 1774. In 1788, Southey entered the Westminster school at the expense of his uncle. One year after his admission to Westminster, the French Revolution began. Southey was fifteen years old at the time, and like many young people of his day, he passionately sympathized with the high ideals of the French cause.
During these years, Southey befriended both Charles W. W. Wynn and Grosvenor Charles Bedford. Bedford and Wynn began a publication in 1792, The Flagellant, which Southey later joined as writer and co-editor. He submitted an anonymous article on "Flogging," in which he claimed that the school's disciplinary practice of flogging students was satanic. Dr. Vincent, the headmaster at the school, viewed the essay not as the product of a boy's imagination, but as a direct attack on both the school and the British Constitution. Eventually, Southey came forward and offered his apology, but was nonetheless expelled from school. Southey was of course then refused admission at Christ Church and had to attend Balliol College at Oxford.
In order to escape life at Oxford and postpone making his decision to join the clergy, Southey took some time off from school in the autumn of 1793. Southey eventually left Oxford after his second term to be married. Shortly after leaving, he crossed paths with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with whom he formed a friendship which would mold his early life and continue until his later years.
In 1794, Southey, Coleridge, and several mutual friends came up with the idea of "Pantisocracy," or "equal rule of all." Their goal was to emigrate to America to practice Pantisocracy by forming a communal, utopian settlement where everyone would live in harmony and brotherhood. In order to raise money for this, Southey and Coleridge joined to write drama and political propaganda, and to write and deliver weekly lectures on politics and history. At this time, they co-wrote the drama entitled "The Fall of Robespierre," which was published by a radical printer at Cambridge under Coleridge's name. This same year Southey wrote Wat Tyler, based on the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. Unfortunately, Wat Tyler was not published, the scheme to emigrate to America to practice "Pantisocracy" never came to fruition, and his friendship with Coleridge became increasingly strained.
The relationship deteriorated further when Coleridge and his wife began having marital difficulties. Coleridge eventually left his wife and Southey was forced to support both families. Southey then accepted Charles Wynn's offer to set up an annuity for him if he would study law. Southey began to study law by day and write poetry and prose at night. He drifted entirely away from his legal studies and began to concentrate solely on his writing. Between 1796 and 1805 Southey wrote Joan of Arc: An Epic Poem, Thalaba the Destroyer, Madoc, and several volumes of shorter verse. He also wrote numerous ballads, made frequent contributions to The Monthly Magazine and published the popular Letters Written During a Short Residence in Spain and Portugal. After several years of estrangement from Coleridge, the two poets collaborated on the Devil's Walk in 1799.
Although Southey remained a champion of the poor and became an outspoken adversary of slavery, he began to cherish the maintenance of social order. After becoming an outspoken member of the Tory party, Southey's changing views led him to accept a position as Britain's Poet Laureate in 1813, a position that he held for 30 years. Twenty-three years after Wat Tyler was written, it suddenly resurfaced into a highly charged political atmosphere in which an older, more conservative Southey was at the forefront. Upon learning that Southey was the author, his adversaries, such as William Hazlitt and William Smith, seized upon the play as an example of his hypocrisy, while his friends, Wynn, Coleridge, and Wordsworth, defended him vehemently.
Despite the effects of Wat Tyler's appearance on Southey's reputation, it sold over 60,000 copies and was reprinted, making it one of his most well-read and commercially successful works. Southey eventually incorporated the play into his complete works in 1838. Although the reappearance of the poem forced Southey to confront the dissipation of his youthful ideals, it did not significantly affect his career as an esteemed poet and writer. Southey remained Poet Laureate of Britain for 30 years, and eventually died in 1843.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (13)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-- A good poet overshadowed by great ones (his brother-in-law, Coleridge, and his neighbor, Wordsworth), Southey is remembered--if at all--for ``The Battle of Blenheim,'' over a century ahead of its time. Few realize that he introduced ``The Three Bears'' and wrote over 40 volumes of poetry and prose. Perhaps this volume will send editors and illustrators scurrying after his copyright-free stuff, because it is a jolly romp of a winner: it dances, it sings. The poem brings the cataract (waterfall) alive, moving from dactyl dimeter ``It runs through the reeds . . .,'' picking up speed in trimeter, ``And sounding and bounding and rounding . . .,'' and catapulting into tetrameter, ``And rushing and flushing and brushing and gushing . . .'' imitating its subject. Gerstein does sparkling cartoons in brilliant, frothy colors. When the rhyme and the cataract gather force and speed up, the characters tumble down vertical double-page spreads. Children will enjoy turning the book to follow the falls. Everyone should enjoy this; it's fun to read aloud, fun to look at, and teachers who are stuck with Poe and Vachel Lindsay when teaching onomatopoeia will find it a welcome relief. --Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
A famous waterfall in the British countryside takes on a life of its own in this rousing poem. Southey, former Poet Laureate of England, indulges his children by elaborately answering one of their favorite questions--``How does the water come down at Lodore?''--in vivid verse. The sound and motion of water spring forth from the pages as the river runs ``spouting and frisking'' and ``whizzing and hissing'' down the mountain. Gerstein's ( The New Creatures ; The Mountains of Tibet ) fanciful paintings are appropriately dominated by blue tones and frequent aqueous splashes of white paint. And in a whimsical design departure, Gerstein transforms several spreads to create the maximum vertical space, allowing characters and words to tumble along in a seemingly endless cascade. Although the kinetic artwork adds drama and interest, at points Southey's poem rattles on like a rhyming thesaurus. However, this title is a treasure for those fond of urbane wordplay. Even curious Anglophiles--older, perhaps, than the book's intended audience--may find this their cup of tea. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Lively use of descriptive rhyming words highlights the nineteenth-century English poet laureate's poem about a famous waterfall. The tongue-tickling poem, a delight to read, is matched by humorous, fresh illustrations. For reading aloud to an audience old enough to be familiar with the words. From HORN BOOK 1992, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Oddly enough, Mordecai Gerstein's lovely, comical edition of this onomatopoeic poem--in which a poet laureate describes one of Britain's waterfalls to his children--came out just last fall. Catrow, a political cartoonist, brings a different style to his witty illustrations--his caricatured figures (who also careen down the falls with the poet's cascading verse) are depicted in more precise detail, contrasting with his idyllic impressionistic backgrounds. With humor that is broader and less gentle than Gerstein's, the flavor here is different enough to make an interesting contrast. Both books are worthy of purchase; if a choice must be made, Gerstein's art is more imaginative and more skillful and coherent as illustration. (Poetry/Picture book. 5+)
Booklist Review
Ages 4-8. Joining a poem from the English romantic period with the artwork of a contemporary artist results in a delightful verbal and visual journey. Southey, named England's poet laureate in 1813, wrote the verse, and Gerstein has created illustrations that perfectly match the lively imagery. As the poet describes to his children the course of a cataract (waterfall) from source to finish, the family takes the journey as well. From the quiet beginning through the tumultuous descent to the abrupt end, the continuous rhyming patterns of the lengthy verse take on a momentum that propels the reader-listener along. During part of the descent, the book changes to a vertical orientation that emphasizes the length of the waterfall and adds a dimension of fun. The water seems to almost jump off the page at times, and the period dress of the family complements the verse. Unfamiliar words are included in a short glossary, and a brief note at the beginning explains the source of the term laureate. (Reviewed Nov. 15, 1991)0803710259Karen Hutt
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-- A good poet overshadowed by great ones (his brother-in-law, Coleridge, and his neighbor, Wordsworth), Southey is remembered--if at all--for ``The Battle of Blenheim,'' over a century ahead of its time. Few realize that he introduced ``The Three Bears'' and wrote over 40 volumes of poetry and prose. Perhaps this volume will send editors and illustrators scurrying after his copyright-free stuff, because it is a jolly romp of a winner: it dances, it sings. The poem brings the cataract (waterfall) alive, moving from dactyl dimeter ``It runs through the reeds . . .,'' picking up speed in trimeter, ``And sounding and bounding and rounding . . .,'' and catapulting into tetrameter, ``And rushing and flushing and brushing and gushing . . .'' imitating its subject. Gerstein does sparkling cartoons in brilliant, frothy colors. When the rhyme and the cataract gather force and speed up, the characters tumble down vertical double-page spreads. Children will enjoy turning the book to follow the falls. Everyone should enjoy this; it's fun to read aloud, fun to look at, and teachers who are stuck with Poe and Vachel Lindsay when teaching onomatopoeia will find it a welcome relief. --Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
A famous waterfall in the British countryside takes on a life of its own in this rousing poem. Southey, former Poet Laureate of England, indulges his children by elaborately answering one of their favorite questions--``How does the water come down at Lodore?''--in vivid verse. The sound and motion of water spring forth from the pages as the river runs ``spouting and frisking'' and ``whizzing and hissing'' down the mountain. Gerstein's ( The New Creatures ; The Mountains of Tibet ) fanciful paintings are appropriately dominated by blue tones and frequent aqueous splashes of white paint. And in a whimsical design departure, Gerstein transforms several spreads to create the maximum vertical space, allowing characters and words to tumble along in a seemingly endless cascade. Although the kinetic artwork adds drama and interest, at points Southey's poem rattles on like a rhyming thesaurus. However, this title is a treasure for those fond of urbane wordplay. Even curious Anglophiles--older, perhaps, than the book's intended audience--may find this their cup of tea. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Lively use of descriptive rhyming words highlights the nineteenth-century English poet laureate's poem about a famous waterfall. The tongue-tickling poem, a delight to read, is matched by humorous, fresh illustrations. For reading aloud to an audience old enough to be familiar with the words. From HORN BOOK 1992, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Oddly enough, Mordecai Gerstein's lovely, comical edition of this onomatopoeic poem--in which a poet laureate describes one of Britain's waterfalls to his children--came out just last fall. Catrow, a political cartoonist, brings a different style to his witty illustrations--his caricatured figures (who also careen down the falls with the poet's cascading verse) are depicted in more precise detail, contrasting with his idyllic impressionistic backgrounds. With humor that is broader and less gentle than Gerstein's, the flavor here is different enough to make an interesting contrast. Both books are worthy of purchase; if a choice must be made, Gerstein's art is more imaginative and more skillful and coherent as illustration. (Poetry/Picture book. 5+)
Booklist Review
Ages 4-8. Joining a poem from the English romantic period with the artwork of a contemporary artist results in a delightful verbal and visual journey. Southey, named England's poet laureate in 1813, wrote the verse, and Gerstein has created illustrations that perfectly match the lively imagery. As the poet describes to his children the course of a cataract (waterfall) from source to finish, the family takes the journey as well. From the quiet beginning through the tumultuous descent to the abrupt end, the continuous rhyming patterns of the lengthy verse take on a momentum that propels the reader-listener along. During part of the descent, the book changes to a vertical orientation that emphasizes the length of the waterfall and adds a dimension of fun. The water seems to almost jump off the page at times, and the period dress of the family complements the verse. Unfamiliar words are included in a short glossary, and a brief note at the beginning explains the source of the term laureate. (Reviewed Nov. 15, 1991)0803710259Karen Hutt
School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-5-- Chief Sealth (called ``Seattle'' by Jeffers) may not, in fact, be the historical source of the speech commonly attributed to him, and abridged and adapted here. But the message it conveys has never been more pointed, poignant, and powerful. Jeffers's popular pen-and-color style means that the illustrations are romantic and attractive. Alas, her entire stock of characters appears to have come from Sioux Central Casting, complete with Plains ponies and tipis (and one incongruous birchbark canoe lifted from the Algonquians). The beautiful and important words of the text (``The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth. . . All things are connected like the blood that unites us.'') are not well served by images that ignore the rich diversity of Amerindian cultures (even Sealth's own Northwest people) in favor of cigar-store redskins in feathers and fringe. Where Jeffers's book is used, it should be supplemented with others more sensitive to Native American heritage. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Though the text bears little resemblance to Chief Seattle's original speech - having been rewritten to be a testimony to the supposed belief of Native Americans in the unity of man and nature - it rings as warning and prophecy in modern ears and is resonant with far-seeing wisdom. Jeffers's delicate yet strong illustrations offer a combination of sadness and hope. Potent and timely. From HORN BOOK 1991, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Ages 5-9. "How can you buy the sky? Chief Seattle began. / How can you own the rain and the wind? / My mother told me, / Every part of this earth is sacred to our people." As Jeffers notes in her afterword, the words that inspired the book were spoken or written (time has clouded their origins) in the mid-1800s by the leader of the Northwest Indian Nation, in response to the U.S. government's persistent attempts to buy land from his people. Jeffers presents the land of North America and its people (Indians, then; today modern, ecologically aware Americans) in a continuum. While she doesn't shy away from showing the United States' poor stewardship of the land, her primary message is one of hope, but some readers (native Americans among them) may find her visual message--that the wise Indians of the past are passing the torch of enlightenment to responsible non-Indians today--unrealistic, to say the least. Artistically, however, the book is impressive. In large, double-page spreads, the illustrator interprets the text with reverence. Detailed, crosshatched drawings in colored inks and washes create a series of striking, panoramic scenes. Providing as it does a philosophical and historical basis to the present-day ecological movement, this might be a good choice to read aloud on Earth Day. ~--Carolyn Phelan