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Page 2
Poetry has been defined as "impassioned expression in verse or metrical
form." All modern English poetry has metre, and much of it rhyme. By
metre is meant a regular recurrence of accented syllables among unaccented
syllables. "Evangeline" is written in what is called hexameter, having
six accents to the line. An accented syllable is followed by one or two
unaccented. A line must begin with an accented syllable, the last accent
but one be followed by two unaccented syllables, and the last by one.
Representing an accented syllable by O and an unaccented syllable by a -,
the first line of the poem would be as follows:
O - - O - - O - - O - - O - - O -
This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
"The measure lends itself easily to the lingering melancholy which
marks a greater part of the poem."
"In reading there should be a gentle labor of the former half of the
line and gentle acceleration of the latter half."--_Scudder_.
[Illustration: NOVA SCOTIA AND VICINITY.]
ACADIA AND THE ACADIANS.
Acadia, now known as Nova Scotia, was settled by the French in 1607. Many of
the colonists settled in the fertile region about the Bay of Minas, an arm
of the Bay of Fundy. One of these settlements was called Grand Pre, meaning
Great Meadow. The people were industrious and thrifty and they soon attained
a considerable prosperity.
During the early period of American History, France and England were almost
continually at war with one another, and in these wars the colonists were
concerned. At the close of what is known as Queen Anne's war, in 1713,
France ceded Acadia to the English, and it has since remained in their
possession. Some thirty-five years passed before an English settlement
was made at Halifax, the Acadians in the meantime remaining in undisturbed
possession of the country. Soon after the settlement of Halifax trouble
began between the rival colonists.
The Acadians were, as a whole, a quiet and peaceable people, content to till
their farms and let the mother countries settle any disputes. Some of them
were not thus minded and they succeeded in causing considerable trouble.
Frequent attacks were made upon Halifax by the Indians who were supposed to
have been aided and encouraged by the Acadians. The Acadians had refused
to take the oath of allegiance to the English and this caused them to be
regarded with suspicion and fear. They had sworn fidelity on the condition
that they should not be required to bear arms against the French, with
whom they naturally sympathized, being of the same blood and religion. They
persistently refused to go further and swear allegiance.
The English were not without blame since it must be admitted they had
covetous eyes upon the rich farms of the Acadians and an opportunity to take
possession of them would not be unwelcome.
[Illustration: Map of Annapolis and Kings Counties.]
The strife that had so long been going on between France and England to
determine which should rule in the New World was now at a critical point.
England's power seemed to be trembling in the balance. Her defeat meant
great disaster to the Colonies. Alarmed by Braddock's failure, the Colonists
determined something must be done to prevent the Acadians giving assistance
to the French. To send them to Canada would be to strengthen the enemy,
while to transport them to any one of the Colonies would be equally unwise
since they would there be a source of danger. It was finally decided to
scatter them among the different settlements. An order was issued requiring
all the males of Grand Pre and vicinity ten years old and upwards to
assemble in the church to hear a Proclamation of the King. Failure to attend
would result in a forfeiture of all property of the individual. On the
appointed day the men gathered in the church and heard the Mandate directing
that all their property, excepting household goods and money, should be
forfeited to the Crown and they with their families should be transported to
other lands. They were held prisoners until the time of sailing, the women
and the children gathering their belongings on the beach. The expected
transports failed to arrive on time and fear of trouble led the English
to hurry their prisoners aboard the few ships in the harbor. These were
so crowded nearly all the goods had to be left behind, and in the haste
of embarking many families, lovers and friends were parted, being carried
aboard different ships bound for different ports.
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