Goethe (g[^u]’ t[=e]).
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30
For Recitation:
Woodman, spare that tree!
Touch not a single bough!
In youth it sheltered me,
And I’ll protect it now.
’Twas my forefather’s hand
That placed it near his cot;
There, woodman, let it stand,
Thy ax shall harm it not!
That old familiar tree,
Whose glory and renown
Are spread o’er land and sea—
And wouldst thou hew it down?
Woodman, forbear thy stroke!
Cut not its earth-bound ties;
Oh! spare that aged oak,
Now towering to the skies.
When but an idle boy,
I sought its grateful shade;
In all their gushing joy
Here, too, my sisters played.
My mother kissed me here;
My father pressed my hand;—
Forgive this foolish tear,
But let that old oak stand.
My heartstrings round thee cling,
Close as thy bark, old friend!
Here shall the wild bird sing,
And still thy branches bend.
Old tree! the storm still brave!
And, Woodman, leave the spot!
While I’ve a hand to save,
Thy ax shall harm it not.
George P. Morris,
[Footnote 002: NOTE.—Many trees in
our country are landmarks, and are valued highly.
The early settlers were accustomed to plant trees and
dedicate them to liberty. One of these was planted
at Cambridge, Mass., and it was under the shade of
this venerable Elm that George Washington took command
of the Continental army, July 3rd, 1775.
There are other trees around whose trunks and under
whose boughs whole families of children passed much
of their childhood. When one of these falls or
is destroyed, it is like the death of some honored
citizen.
Judge Harris of Georgia, a scholar, and a gentleman
of extensive literary culture, regarded “Woodman,
Spare that Tree” as one of the truest lyrics
of the age. He never heard it sung or recited
without being deeply moved.]
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31
car’ goes em bar’ go im mor’ tal
ized prin’ ci ple col’ o nists rep re
sen ta’ tion de ri’ sion pa’ tri
ot ism Phil a del’ phi a
Shortly before the War of the Revolution broke out,
George III, King of England, claimed the right to
tax the people of this country, though he did not
permit them to take any part in framing the laws under
which they lived.
He placed a light tax on tea, just to teach Americans
that they could not escape taxation altogether.
But the colonists were fighting for a principle,—that
of no taxation without representation, and would not
buy the tea. In New York and Philadelphia the
people would not allow the vessels to land their cargoes.
