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The Retreat by Henry Vaughan Text

By Golam Mortuja

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The Retreat – Henry Vaughan 

Happy those early days! when I

Shined in my angel infancy.

Before I understood this place

Appointed for my second race,

Or taught my soul to fancy aught

But a white, celestial thought;

When yet I had not walked above

A mile or two from my first love,

And looking back, at that short space,

Could see a glimpse of His bright face;

When on some gilded cloud or flower

My gazing soul would dwell an hour,

And in those weaker glories spy

Some shadows of eternity;

Before I taught my tongue to wound

My conscience with a sinful sound,

Or had the black art to dispense

A several sin to every sense,

But felt through all this fleshly dress

Bright shoots of everlastingness.

       O, how I long to travel back,

And tread again that ancient track!

That I might once more reach that plain

Where first I left my glorious train,

From whence th’ enlightened spirit sees

That shady city of palm trees.

But, ah! my soul with too much stay

Is drunk, and staggers in the way.

Some men a forward motion love;

But I by backward steps would move,

And when this dust falls to the urn,

In that state I came, return.

Word-notes

shined (v. p. of ‘shine) : made glimmer, polished

angel (adj.) : with a kind, gentle and very good quality 

infancy (n.) : babyhood, state or period of being an infant, early childhood

appointed (v. p. of ‘appoint’) : nominated; designated

race (n.) : heritage

fancy (v.) : imagine

aught (archaic pron.) : anything

celestial (adj.) : of or pertaining to heaven; heavenly; divine

glimpse (n.) : brief view, glance

gilded (adj.) : covered with a thin layer of gold colour, having the deep slightly brownish color of gold 

gazing (participle adj.) : looking fixedly, staring 

dwell (v.) : live in 

weaker (adj. in comparative degree) : more feeble, weak, frail 

glories (n. pl. of ‘glory’) : fames, honors 

spy (v.) : observe or examine secretly 

eternity (n.) : timelessness, infinity; time after death

wound (v.) : injure; offend

conscience (n.) : sense of right and wrong, sense of moral decision

sinful (adj.) : immoral, wicked, ungodly, full of or marked by sin

dispense (v.) : distribute, give out, hand out

several (adj.) : few

fleshly (adj.) : full of flesh; meaty

shoots (n. pl. of ‘shoot’) : sprouts

everlastingness (n.) : eternalness, perpetualness, ceaselessness

tread (v.) : step, walk

ancient (adj.) : very old, antique, archaic

track (n.) : lane, path 

plain (n.) : an area of level or flat ground

glorious (adj.) : magnificent, dazzling, full of glory

whence (old-fashioned adv.) : (from) where

th’ (old English Article) : the

enlightened (participle adj.) : knowledgeable, well-educated, broad-minded

spirit (n.) : soul

shady (adj.) : covered in shadow, protected from light

palm (n.) : a type of tree that grows in tropical areas

staggers (v.) : walks unsteadily 

forward (adj.) : toward the point

backward (adj.) : toward the back point 

dust (n.) : dirt, soil

urn (n.) : jar for ashes; decorative vase

state (n.) : condition

Golam Mortuja

Hello! I'm Golam Mortuja is here to share with you my own creative English study materials from pre-primary level to master's and higher English competitive level for your betterment in English language and literature. So, stay updated.

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