If possible the story of Sir Galahad's search for the Grail in the
seventeenth book of Sir Thomas Malory's _Morte Darthur_ should be
read. It would be well also to read Longfellow's _King Robert of
Sicily_, which to some extent presents a likeness of motive and
treatment.




THE COMMEMORATION ODE


In April, 1865, the Civil War was ended and peace was declared. On
July 21 Harvard College held a solemn service in commemoration of her
ninety-three sons who had been killed in the war. Eight of these
fallen young heroes were of Lowell's own kindred. Personal grief thus
added intensity to the deep passion of his utterance upon this great
occasion. He was invited to give a poem, and the ode which he
presented proved to be the supreme event of the noble service. The
scene is thus described by Francis H. Underwood, who was in the
audience:

"The services took place in the open air, in the presence of a great
assembly. Prominent among the speakers were Major-General Meade, the
hero of Gettysburg, and Major-General Devens. The wounds of the war
were still fresh and bleeding, and the interest of the occasion was
deep and thrilling. The summer afternoon was drawing to its close when
the poet began the recital of the ode. No living audience could for
the first time follow with intelligent appreciation the delivery of
such a poem. To be sure, it had its obvious strong points and its