Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - Granville, Fishing Boats, John Philip Sousa - The Thunderer, Robert Louis Stevenson - My Shadow, John Milton - On Shakespeare

This week's painting by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot is another scene with water and reflections.  I like the lovely pastels in the water and the reflected white sails.This looks like a painting that could be done with pastels - perhaps on lavender paper with the paper peeking through.



Our March this week by John Phillip Sousa is The Thunderer played by the National Youth Band of Canada.  

Here  is an interesting article on music and its effects on us.

I remember my mother quoting My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson to me as a child.

My Shadow
BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,

And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.

He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;

I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

I'm finding John Milton's poetry challenging and a bit difficult to understand, how about you? Still somehow I feel that it is beautiful and worthy. 

On Shakespeare. 1630

BY JOHN MILTON

What needs my Shakespeare for his honoured bones,

The labor of an age in pilèd stones,

Or that his hallowed relics should be hid   

Under a star-ypointing pyramid?

Dear son of Memory, great heir of fame,

What need’st thou such weak witness of thy name?

Thou in our wonder and astonishment

Hast built thyself a live-long monument.

For whilst to th’ shame of slow-endeavouring art,   

Thy easy numbers flow, and that each heart   

Hath from the leaves of thy unvalued book

Those Delphic lines with deep impression took,   

Then thou, our fancy of itself bereaving,   

Dost make us marble with too much conceiving;

And so sepúlchred in such pomp dost lie,

That kings for such a tomb would wish to die.

Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot - The Boatman of Montefontaine and Souvenir de Mortefontaine, John Philip Sousa - King Cotton March, John Milton - How Soon Hath Time, and Robert Louis Stevenson - Foreign Lands

The following two paintings by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot  have the same setting - both with the wonderful serene lake in the background and fascinating tree shapes.  I think these two paintings will be fun to compare - what is alike and what is different.  I was drawn to the soft colors and peace of the first painting but I like the mother and children in the second and the warm colors.  This setting would be a fun one to try copying in watercolor.  The following is a link to a wikipedia article about these paintings: Wikipedia - Souvenir de Montefontaine

The Boatman of Montefontaine

Souvenir de Mortefontaine (Recollection of Mortefontaine)

Another of John Philip Sousa's wonderful marches - King Cotton March.

A longer biographical article on John Milton from the Poetry Foundation can be found here. (I didn't read this article in it's entirety myself, so don't assign it to your children without first checking it). 

 I've been reading John Milton: A Hero of Our Time.  It's challenging reading and I'm learning a lot but I'm wondering if a lot of the author's own beliefs color his thoughts and conclusions about Milton.  I need to read more of Milton's own writings myself.  Though I don't agree with all of Hawke's conclusions I admire John Milton for what I see of him "between the lines" and in the quotes in this book.   He loved reading and studying languages and classics and began writing poetry at a young age.  One thing that struck me is that he saw his own life as a chance to live out his message and though he was outspoken politically he lived authentically and was true to his own beliefs - he was a man of integrity.

How Soon Hath Time    

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on wtih full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,
That I to manhood am arrived so near,
And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th.
Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,
It shall be still in strictest measure even
To that same lot, however mean or high,
Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heaven;
All is, if I have grace to use it so,
As ever in my great Taskmaster's eye.

Our poem today by Robert Louis Stevenson
From Child's Garden of Verses

      Foreign Lands

Up into the cherry tree
Who should climb but little me?
I held the trunk with both my hands
And looked abroad in foreign lands.

I saw the next door garden lie,
Adorned with flowers, before my eye,
And many pleasant places more
That I had never seen before.

I saw the dimpling river pass
And be the sky's blue looking-glass;
The dusty roads go up and down
With people tramping in to town.

If I could find a higher tree
Farther and farther I should see,
To where the grown-up river slips
Into the sea among the ships,

To where the road on either hand
Lead onward into fairy land,
Where all the children dine at five,
And all the playthings come alive.

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot-Orpheus Leading Eurydice From the Underworld, John Philip Sousa - Semper Fidelis, Robert Louis Stevenson - Autumn Fires, and John Milton - Light

This painting by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot is based on a Greek Myth about two young lovers Orpheus and Eurydice.  You can read a brief account here.



John Philip Sousa's march, Semper Fidelis is the official march of the United States Marine Corps.  Listen here.

I thought you might enjoy a Fall poem by Robert Louis Stevenson 

Autumn Fires

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall! 




Today's poem by John Milton also includes a reference to the music of Orpheus or at least his lyre.  Makes me thankful that I can see, that the natural light God has given is a gift I enjoy, but more than that that the Celestial Light shines in my heart.

LIGHT
by: John Milton (1608-1674)

AIL holy light, ofspring of Heav'n first-born,

Or of th' Eternal Coeternal beam

May I express thee unblam'd? since God is light,

And never but in unapproachèd light

Dwelt from Eternitie, dwelt then in thee,

Bright effluence of bright essence increate.

Or hear'st thou rather pure Ethereal stream,

Whose Fountain who shall tell? before the Sun,

Before the Heavens thou wert, and at the voice

Of God, as with a Mantle didst invest

The rising world of waters dark and deep,

Won from the void and formless infinite.

Thee I re-visit now with bolder wing,

Escap't the Stygian Pool, though long detain'd

In that obscure sojourn, while in my flight

Through utter and through middle darkness borne

With other notes then to th' Orphean Lyre

I sung of Chaos and Eternal Night,

Taught by the heav'nly Muse to venture down

The dark descent, and up to reascend,

Though hard and rare: thee I revisit safe,

And feel thy sovran vital Lamp; but thou

Revisit'st not these eyes, that rowle in vain

To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn;

So thick a drop serene hath quencht thir Orbs,

Or dim suffusion veild. Yet not the more

Cease I to wander where the Muses haunt

Cleer Spring, or shadie Grove, or Sunnie Hill,

Smit with the love of sacred song; but chief

Thee Sion and the flowrie Brooks beneath

That wash thy hallowd feet, and warbling flow,

Nightly I visit: nor sometimes forget

Those other two equal'd with me in Fate,

So were I equal'd with them in renown.

Blind Thamyris and blind Mæonides,

And Tiresias and Phineus Prophets old.

Then feed on thoughts, that voluntarie move

Harmonious numbers; as the wakeful Bird

Sings darkling, and in shadiest Covert hid

Tunes her nocturnal Note. Thus with the Year

Seasons return, but not to me returns

Day, or the sweet approach of Ev'n or Morn,

Or sight of vernal bloom, or Summers Rose,

Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine;

But cloud in stead, and ever-during dark

Surrounds me, from the chearful waies of men

Cut off, and for the Book of knowledge fair

Presented with a Universal blanc

Of Natures works to mee expung'd and ras'd,

And wisdome at one entrance quite shut out.

So much the rather thou Celestial light

Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers

Irradiate, there plant eyes, all mist from thence

Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell

Of things invisible to mortal sight.

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - A Girl Reading, John Philip Sousa, John Philip Sousa - The Gladiator, John Milton - Pardise Lost, Robert Louis Stevenson - A Good Play

I'm not sure how this will come into your in-box, but it is the second post of this week, meant for next week as I won't have internet access to post then, so scroll down or look for the post before it for this week, then use this one next week.  Blessings, Patti

 Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot A Girl Reading

A Quote by Jean Baptiste-Camille Corot: "Beauty in art is truth bathed in an impression received from nature. I am struck upon seeing a certain place. While I strive for conscientious imitation, I yet never for an instant lose the emotion that has taken hold of me."

 John Philip Sousa - The Gladiator
 Played here by the Cypress High School Marching Band
or here by Kings Park Concert Band

John Milton
Paradise Lost is perhaps his most famous poem. Two short excerpts follow:

Book I Lines 1-16
Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing, Heavenly Muse, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That shepherd who first taught the chosen seed
In the  beginning how the heavens and earth
Rose out of Chaos: or, if Sion hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flowed
Fast by the oracle of God, I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme,...

 Book III, Lines 1-6
   Hail, holy Light, offspring of Heaven first-born!
Or of th' Eternal coeternal beam,
may I express thee unblamed? since God is light,
And never but in unapporached light
Dwelt from eternity, dwelt then in thee,
Bright effluence of bright essence increate!

Robert Louis Stevenson

A Good Play

We built a ship upon the stairs
All made of the back-bedroom chairs,
And filled it full of soft pillows
To go a-sailing on the billows.

We took a saw and several nails,
And water in the nursery pails;
And Tom said, "Let us also take
An apple and a slice of cake;"--
Which was enough for Tom and me
To go a-sailing on, till tea.

We sailed along for days and days,
And had the very best of plays;
But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot - Hagar in the Wilderness, John Philip Sousa - The Belle of Chicago, John Milton - Samson Agonistes, Robert Louis Stevenson - Bed in Summer

Our family plans to be on vacation this next week so I'll post two lessons today so you have one for next week as well.  

This painting of Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot comes from the Biblical story recorded in Genesis 21.  You can read it at the following link (you can change it to KJV by scrolling on the "New Living Translation" if you prefer that) Genesis 21 NLT
 


Our march today by John Philip Sousa is titled "The Belle of Chicago" and is played here by a Cypress Springs High School Symphonic Band.  The Belle of Chicago

I've been thinking about some of you being new to poetry and feeling that John Milton may be a stretch for some of you especially if you have young children so I'd like to feature poems by one of my favorite children's poets, Robert Louis Stevenson, weekly along with John Milton's poems.  If you don't already own a copy of A Child's Garden of Verses, I highly recommend it.  There are many wonderful editions with a wide variety of art work.  We live in the North with its long summer days and short winter ones so I often quote this poem to my children:  

I couldn't resist this cute painting....

          Bed in Summer

In winter I get up at night   
And dress by yellow candle-light.   
In summer, quite the other way,   
I have to go to bed by day.   
   
I have to go to bed and see          
The birds still hopping on the tree,   
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet   
Still going past me in the street.   
   
And does it not seem hard to you,   
When all the sky is clear and blue,   
And I should like so much to play,   
To have to go to bed by day?

Our poem by John Milton today, "Samson Agonistes" is also based on a Biblical character, Sampson.  You can read about him in the book of Judges.

Oh, how comely it is, and how reviving
To the spirits of just men long oppressed,
When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might
To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppressor,
The brute and boisterous force of violent men,
Hardy and industrious to support
Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue
The righteous, and all such as honor truth!
He all their ammunition
And feats of war defeats,
With plain heroic magnitude of mind
And celestial vigor armed;
Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them useless, while
With winged expedition
Swift as the lightning glance he executes
His errand on the wicked, who, surprised,
Lose their defense, distracted and amazed.
  But patience is more oft the exercise
Of saint, the trial of their fortitude,
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all
That tyranny or fortune can inflict.
Either of these is in thy lot,
Samson, with might endued
Above the sons of men; but sight bereaved
May chance to number thee with those
Whom patience finally must crown.

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot - Basilica of Constantine in Rome, John Philip Sousa - The Liberty Bell, John Milton - Let Us With Gladsome Mind

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot painted this lovely painting of the Basilica of Constantine in Rome.  I like the shadows on the buildings, the fascinating shapes, the orange earthy tones against the blue sky and the reflective water. What stands out to you and to your children?  This might be an interesting picture to trace with its interesting shapes. 

Rome - the Basilica of Constantine

The Liberty Bell  by John Philip Sousa.  This would be a fun piece of music to play while you do your chores. :) 

This week's poem by John Milton is like a Psalm or a hymn with its wonderful repeated third and fourth lines - "For his mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure."

Let Us With Gladsome Mind

Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord, for he is kind;
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

He, with all commanding might,
Filled the new-made world with light;
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, every sure.

He the golden tressed sun
Caused all day his course to run;
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

The horned moon to shine by night,
'Mid her spangled sisters bright;
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

All things living he doth feed;
His full hand suppplies their need;
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord, for he is kind;
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, John Philip Sousa - The Stars and Stripes Forever, John Milton - On His Blindness

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot is our new artist for Fall.  He has a wonderfully broad variety of paintings.  You may want to use Google Images or the website below to look for his paintings and choose some for yourself or just enjoy the ones I feature. (Beware there are some nudes there.) 

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot Org. This site has 875 of his paintings as well as a biographical sketch. (there are nudes among the paintings if that bothers you just enjoy the paintings I choose).

Wikipedia - Jean Baptiste Camille Corot (The following quote is from this article)

"Corot was the leading painter of the Barbizon school of France in the mid-nineteenth century.  He is a pivotal figure in landscape painting.  His work simultaneously references the Neo-Classical tradition and anticipates the plein-air innovations of Impressionism.  Of him Claude Monet exclaimed 'There is only one master here--Corot.  We are nothing compared to him, nothing.  His contributions to figure painting are hardly less important;  Degas preferred his figures to his landscapes, and the classical figures of Picasso pay overt homage to Corot's influence."


This summer we attended an outdoor community band concert with our son and daughter-in-law and two of our grandchildren.  I really enjoyed the music and realized I haven't featured any march music yet, so we'll feature John Philip Sousa next who is an American composer known as "The March King".  Our first work will be his best known and our American national march.

The Stars and Stripes Forever 

Here  is wikipedia's article featuring John Philip Sousa.

Performing Arts Encyclopedia biographical sketch


  A painting of Sousa by Capolino


I'd like to feature a more advanced poet this season.  John Milton wrote beautiful but more advanced poems and if you are new to poetry study or have young children you may wish to go back to one of the poets previously featured.

John Milton - Wikipedia 

This site features quotes and a biographical sketch as well as some of his works.

The Milton-L is devoted to the life, literature and times of the poet John Milton. On this site you will find links to web resources, information about upcoming events, and information on recently published works of interest to Milton scholars and students.



         On His Blindness
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts: who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.