The courtship of Miles Standish Author:Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: by Parkman. There has been no such accession to our knowledge of Plymouth affairs since The CourtsJiip of Miles Standish was written, and the historical question... more »s involved in it are the trifles of antiquarianism, but the popular conception of life in the Old Colony, in the early years, may be said to follow, in some measure, upon this poem, though in writing it Mr. Longfellow played variations upon a familiar theme rather than composed a new melody. Those who are curious to note the superficial discrepancies between the narrative contained in this poem and that which has been sifted by scholars from contemporaneous documents, will find suggestions in the notes which are appended to this volume, and which relate chiefly to the historic basis of the poem. MILES STANDISH IN the Old Colony Days, in Plymouth the land of the Pilgrims, To and fro in a room of his simple and primitive dwelling, Clad in doublet and hose, and boots of Cordovan leather, Strode, with a martial air, Miles Standish the Puritan Captain. Buried in thought he seemed, with his hands behind him, and pausing Ever and anon to behold his glittering weapons of warfare, Hanging in shining array along the walls of the chamber, — Cutlass and corselet of steel, and his trusty sword of Damascus, Curved at the point and inscribed with its mystical Arabic sentence, While underneath, in a corner, were fowling- piece, musket, and matchlock. Short of stature he was, but strongly built and athletic, Broad in the shoulders, deep-chested, with muscles and sinews of iron ; Brown as a nut was his face, but his russet beard was already Flaked with patches of snow, as hedges sometimes in November. Near him was seated John Alden, his friend and household companion, Writing with diligent...« less