THE COURTIN'
This poem first appeared as "a short fragment of a pastoral," in the introduction to the First Series of the Biglow Papers. It is said to have been composed merely to fill a blank page, but its popularity was so great that Lowell expanded it to twice its original length, and finally printed it as a kind of introduction to the Second Series of the Biglow Papers. It first appeared, however, in its expanded form in a charitable publication, Autograph Leaves of Our Country's Authors, reproduced in facsimile from the original manuscript.
"This bucolic idyl," says Stedman, "is without a counterpart; no richer juice can be pressed from the wild grape of the Yankee soil." Greenslet thinks that this poem is "perhaps the most nearly perfect of his poems."
17. Crooknecks: Crookneck squashes.
19. Ole queen's-arm: The old musket brought from the Concord fight in 1775.
32. To draw a straight furrow when plowing is regarded as evidence of a skilful farmer.
36. All is: The truth is, "all there is about it."
37. Long o' her: Along of her, on account of her.
40. South slope: The slope of a hill facing south catches the spring sunshine.
43. Ole Hunderd: Old Hundred is one of the most familiar of the old hymn tunes.