Earth has not any thing to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!
Word-notes
- majesty: Grandeur or dignity, especially of impressive beauty or scale.
- garment: A piece of clothing; here, used metaphorically to describe how the city seems to wear the beauty of the morning like clothing.
- dull: Lacking interest or excitement; here, used to describe someone who lacks appreciation for the beauty described.
- domes: Rounded roof or ceiling, typically forming a vaulted ceiling over a circular space.
- glittering: Shining with a bright, shimmering light.
- splendour: Magnificent and splendid appearance or display; grandeur.
- calm: Peaceful and tranquil; free from disturbance or turmoil.
- glideth: An archaic form of “glides,” meaning to move smoothly and effortlessly.
- mighty: Possessing great strength or power; here, used to describe the city’s significant influence or importance.
- lying still: Remaining quiet or motionless; not moving or active.
Prose
Semester I
- An Astrologer’s Day – R K Narayan
- The Swami and Mother- Worship – Sister Nivedita
- Amarnath – Sister Nivedita
Semester II
- The Garden Party- Katherine Mansfield
- Alias Jimmy Valentine- o’ Henry
- Of Studies – Francis Bacon
- Nobel Lecture – Mother Teresa
Verse
Semester I
- Composed Upon Westminster Bridge- William Wordsworth
- The Bangle Sellers – Sarojini Naidu
- The Second Coming – W B Yeats
Semester II
Rapid Reader
Semester I
Semester II
