“Primeval,” prī-mē´val. Belonging to the first ages, primitive.
“Drū´ids.” Ministers of religion among the Celts in Gaul, Britain, and
Germany. They were both priests and judges among the people, and were
divided into three classes—prophets, priests, and bards.
“Harper.” A player on the harp.
“Grand Pré,” gran prā.
“Basin of Minas,” mee´näs. A bay on the western coast of Nova Scotia,
opening into the Bay of Fundy.
“Normandy.” A former province of France, lying in the northwest of the
country. It takes its name from the Northmen, who settled it in the
tenth century. The sixth duke of Normandy was William, the conqueror of
England.
“Dormer-windows.” Literally the window of a sleeping apartment,
belonging to a room in an inclined roof, the frame being placed
vertically on the rafters.
“Kir´tles.” An upper garment—a loose jacket.
“Angelus,” an´ge-lus. A prayer to the Virgin, beginning with the word
“angelus.” Pious Catholics recite the prayer three times a day at the
sound of the angelus bell. This custom has recently been beautifully
represented in a picture called the “Angelus.” Two peasants at their
toil hearing the bell in the distance stand with uncovered bowed heads
while “_Angelus Domini nunciavit Mariæ_,” etc., (the angel of the Lord
announced to Mary) is repeated.
“Bellefontaine,” bĕl-fŏn´tĕn.
“Hyssop,” hĭs´sup. An aromatic perennial plant, a native of Europe.
“Mĭs´sal.” The Roman Catholic mass book.
“Pent-house.” (Pent is derived from the Latin word _pendere_, to hang.)
The whole word signifies a sloping shed, or, as we ordinarily call it,
a “lean-to.”
“Wain.” From the Anglo-Saxon. A wagon.
“Seraglio,” se-răl´yo. The palace of the Turkish sultan, inhabited by
his officers and wives. Because the latter live there the word is often
used in the sense of harem.
“Mutation.” Change.
“Gabriel Lajeunesse,” la-jeu-ness.
“Felician,” fe-lĭsh´an.
“Plain-song.” A chant in which the tones are of the same length, and
the compass rarely beyond an octave.
“Wondrous stone.” The swallow is said to give sight to her young by
bringing to her nest a certain stone.
“St. Eu´lalie.” A virgin martyr. When only twelve years of age the
young girl left home during the persecution of Diocletian, and in the
presence of the judge threw down the idols he had set up. She was
tortured to death in 308.
“Summer of all Saints.” The season which Longfellow so beautifully
describes here is better known as the Indian Summer. All Saints’ Day is
the 1st of November, and as, ordinarily, our Indian Summer comes about
that time, the origin of the name is obvious.
“Sheen.” Brightness.
“Plane tree.” An Oriental tree much esteemed for its size and beauty.
It is of the same genus as our buttonwood, or button tree.
“Bur-gun´di-an.” From Burgundy, an ancient province of France lying
along the Saône and Rhône rivers.
“Gaspereau,” gas´pā-ro.
“Mandate.” An official command.
“Lou´is-bûrg.” Captured by the English in 1745.
“Beau Sejour,” bō sā-jour.
“Glēbe.” Turf, soil; derived from the Latin word _gleba_, which
signifies soil.
“Réné Lablanc,” rā-nā lă-blang.
“Supernal.” Belonging to a higher sphere; celestial.
“Loup-garou,” lou-ga-rou. The French for bugbear.
“Letiche,” la-tish´.
“Irascible,” ī-răs´ci-ble. Out of temper.
“Embrasure,” em-brā´zhur. An embrace.
“Curfew,” kŭr´fū. The ringing of a bell as a signal to extinguish the
fires. [See Longfellow’s poem, “Curfew.”]
“Tous les bourgeois de Chartres.” All the citizens of Chartres.
“Le Carillon de Dunkerque.” The chime of Dunkirk.
“Im=´=pre-cā´tions.” Curses.
“Mien,” meen. Manner, carriage.
“Tocsin,” tŏc´sin. Alarm bell, derived from the verb _toquer_, to
strike, and _sein_, or _seint_, a bell.
“Ave Maria, ä´ve ma-rï´a. Hail, Mary; the first words of the prayer to
the Virgin used by Roman Catholics.
“Emblazoned,” em-blā´zned. Decorated.
“Ambrosial,” am-brō´zhal. Delicious.
“Refluent.” Flowing back.
“Kelp.” Sea weed which is reduced to powder and is used in making
glass; the name is also applied to the sea weed from which kelp is made.
“Leaguer,” leeg´er. A camp of a besieging army.
“Bĕn-e-dic´i-te.” A prayer signifying praise, blessing.
“Titan-like.” The Titans with the Cyclops and Centimanes
(hundred-handed), were giants and the first inhabitants of the earth.
Strictly the hundred hands belong to the brothers of the Titans, the
Centimanes.