a contrast between these common people and this one man, for he is completely a gentleman, which in this context is a reference to being high-born rather than to showing courtesy alone. This is made evident by the use of the adverbial form of "imperial" to suggest how slim he was. The use of "crown" to refer to the top of his head also gives an imperial flavor to the man. The "people on the pavement" are linked as a unit by the repetition of the "p" sound in the phrase. Cory is differentiated from them with every line.
The second stanza continues differentiating the man from the crowd:
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good morning," and he glittered when he walked.
The repetition of "And he was always" links every line to the description in the first stanza and suggests that a litany of the man's qualities is being given. Word sounds are used in this stanza as well to link ideas--Cory "fluttered pulses" and he "glittered." The short "i" in "glittered" links with those in the phrase "imperially slim" from the first stanza. His gentlemanliness is evident here again as he speaks to each person, saying "Good morning" as he walks.
There is a certain degree of envy apparent in these lines, for the people on the pavement look up to this man who is so favored. This is made all the more explicit in the third stanza:
And he was rich, yes, richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
The conversational tone of the poem is enhanced by the first line as the speaker makes a statement--"he was rich"--then comments further in a heartfelt manner--"yes, richer than a king." This leads to the line that expresses the envy of the people most as they with they were in his place.
These first three stanza...