A Summer Christmas and a Sonnet upon The S.S. "Ballaarat." By Douglas B. W. Sladen |
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| THE SEVEN FAIRIES. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
 | A Summer Christmas and a Sonnet upon The S.S. "Ballaarat." |  |
THE SEVEN FAIRIES.
I dreamed a dream of a lady fair,
A dream of a lady's birth.
There were six fairies assembled there
From the East and West and North,
A dream of a lady's birth.
There were six fairies assembled there
From the East and West and North,
All bidden to honour the christening
In hope of a fairy gift,
But when they answered the fair bidding
There was yet one fairy left.
In hope of a fairy gift,
But when they answered the fair bidding
There was yet one fairy left.
Oh! she lives down in the South, they said,
Oh, she lives down in the South,
Her face is fair and her cheeks are red,
But she hath a cruel mouth.
Oh, she lives down in the South,
Her face is fair and her cheeks are red,
But she hath a cruel mouth.
Oh! she lives down in the South, they said,
In the halls of ice and snow,
And a breath of her chilling home is shed
Wherever her footsteps go.
In the halls of ice and snow,
And a breath of her chilling home is shed
Wherever her footsteps go.
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Two fairies came from the golden East,
And wealth and affection brought,
They came from where jewels the costliest
Of Golconda's gems are wrought,
And wealth and affection brought,
They came from where jewels the costliest
Of Golconda's gems are wrought,
From where the sorrowing wife is fain
To share the funeral throne
With her dead lord rather than remain
In the lonely world alone.
To share the funeral throne
With her dead lord rather than remain
In the lonely world alone.
And two there came from the western lands,
With brightness of sunny France,
And Tuscan genius in their hands,
With its tinge of wild romance.
With brightness of sunny France,
And Tuscan genius in their hands,
With its tinge of wild romance.
And there were two from the sturdy North,
And their gifts were homely sense
And glowing health, with generous mirth
And freedom from false pretence.
And their gifts were homely sense
And glowing health, with generous mirth
And freedom from false pretence.
And lastly came Envy from the South,
To offer her offerings,
With her fair cheeks and her cruel mouth,
And a chill draught from her wings.
To offer her offerings,
With her fair cheeks and her cruel mouth,
And a chill draught from her wings.
But her cruel mouth was wreathed in smiles,
And soothly “I come,” she said,
“From the frozen bounds of Antarctic isles
My gift unbidden to add.
And soothly “I come,” she said,
“From the frozen bounds of Antarctic isles
My gift unbidden to add.
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“You gave her love and you gave her wealth
And brightness and genius,
You gave her wisdom and gave her health,
I give her the glorious,
And brightness and genius,
You gave her wisdom and gave her health,
I give her the glorious,
“The peerless crown of beauty to wear
Her lifelong upon her brow,
And ever in her right hand to bear
The grace to which all men bow.”
Her lifelong upon her brow,
And ever in her right hand to bear
The grace to which all men bow.”
And then she opened her draughty wings
And fled to the realm of ice,
Leaving the child with her offerings
Of rich and dainty device.
And fled to the realm of ice,
Leaving the child with her offerings
Of rich and dainty device.
And there rose a hum of glad relief
That Envy had come and gone
Without a word of anger or grief
For being the unasked one.
That Envy had come and gone
Without a word of anger or grief
For being the unasked one.
And a glow of transport through them thrilled
At Envy's glorious gift,
For Envy was vengeful when ill-willed,
And Envy's revenge was swift.
At Envy's glorious gift,
For Envy was vengeful when ill-willed,
And Envy's revenge was swift.
But amid the glow there came a chill,
And amid the hum a moan,
And her cold wings seemed to wave there still
Though she to her home had flown.
And amid the hum a moan,
And her cold wings seemed to wave there still
Though she to her home had flown.
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And e'en the good fays fell murmuring
That Envy had outgraced all
In the gift she brought without summoning
To the christening festival.
That Envy had outgraced all
In the gift she brought without summoning
To the christening festival.
II.
The years fled onwards within my dream,
And with them Desirée grew
Into a form that might well beseem
The Fairy queen of the dew,
And with them Desirée grew
Into a form that might well beseem
The Fairy queen of the dew,
Loving and sensible, healthy, bright,
With clear intelligent eye
Reflecting the intellect's inward light,
Reared in all the luxury
With clear intelligent eye
Reflecting the intellect's inward light,
Reared in all the luxury
Which wealth could pay for and art supply,
And with every wish fulfilled,
That kindly forethought could satisfy,
Almost as soon as 'twas willed.
And with every wish fulfilled,
That kindly forethought could satisfy,
Almost as soon as 'twas willed.
But even the mates of her childish hours
Had always begrudged her less
Her wealth and health and mind's rare powers,
Her wisdom and happiness,
Had always begrudged her less
Her wealth and health and mind's rare powers,
Her wisdom and happiness,
Than the crown of beauty that Envy set
Upon her brow as a gift,
Which seemed in sooth as though it had yet
Some taint of the giver left.
Upon her brow as a gift,
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Some taint of the giver left.
III.
The years flew onwards within my dream,
Once more Desirée I saw,
A woman such as might well beseem
Apelles' pencil to draw;
Once more Desirée I saw,
A woman such as might well beseem
Apelles' pencil to draw;
Bright as the morning, glowing with health,
Warm-hearted tho' worldly wise,
With each allurement added that wealth
And art and love could devise,
Warm-hearted tho' worldly wise,
With each allurement added that wealth
And art and love could devise,
With a face as beautiful as the day,
And a body fairy light,
And upon her a winning grace alway
That conquered man's love at sight,
And a body fairy light,
And upon her a winning grace alway
That conquered man's love at sight,
With genius stamped upon the brow
And speaking out from her eye,
A queen of love to whom all should bow
In homage reverently.
And speaking out from her eye,
A queen of love to whom all should bow
In homage reverently.
IV.
One day, but no longer in my dream,
Came there one his suit to plead,
Wealthy and held in high esteem,
Of an ancient house the head.
Came there one his suit to plead,
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Of an ancient house the head.
He cared not for wealth, for his own was great,
He cared not for happy ways,
He cared not for wisdom, nor sought a mate
For the love which sweetens days.
He cared not for happy ways,
He cared not for wisdom, nor sought a mate
For the love which sweetens days.
He loved not the light of genius,
Or the glowing cheek of health,
And her spirit high and generous
He valued no more than wealth.
Or the glowing cheek of health,
And her spirit high and generous
He valued no more than wealth.
But her peerless beauty grew on him,
And he hated each arm that stole
In dance or jest round her body slim
From the depths of his grim soul.
And he hated each arm that stole
In dance or jest round her body slim
From the depths of his grim soul.
And when he asked her to be his wife,
And spoke of his wealth and state,
And the gorgeous trappings of his life,
And his halls of ancient date,
And spoke of his wealth and state,
And the gorgeous trappings of his life,
And his halls of ancient date,
Her mother was dazzled and bade her yield,
As many a mother before
Has betrayed a child who on foughten field
Would have held her own in war.
As many a mother before
Has betrayed a child who on foughten field
Would have held her own in war.
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She yielded. Envy triumphed again
With her insidious gift,
And on the marriage followed amain
With feet relentless and swift.
With her insidious gift,
And on the marriage followed amain
With feet relentless and swift.
And when any glance or word addressed
To his graceful, gifted wife,
A blast of envy would pierce his breast
Like the cutting of a knife.
To his graceful, gifted wife,
A blast of envy would pierce his breast
Like the cutting of a knife.
But he was not the husband for her,
With her ready sympathy
And fanciful active character
And warmth of heart and eye.
With her ready sympathy
And fanciful active character
And warmth of heart and eye.
For she could not but see, with her clear sense,
How base and poor was the clay
To which she had vowed obedience
Upon her marriage day,
How base and poor was the clay
To which she had vowed obedience
Upon her marriage day,
And she could not dissemble her delight
When men, with the power of brain
And pride of life that were hers by right,
To linger by her were fain.
When men, with the power of brain
And pride of life that were hers by right,
To linger by her were fain.
And she so hungered for sympathy
And appreciative praise,
That perhaps there was too much light in her eye,
And too much warmth in her ways,
And appreciative praise,
That perhaps there was too much light in her eye,
And too much warmth in her ways,
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When she heard what she to hear was fain
From one whose body and mind
Seemed by nature for the praise of men
And love of women designed.
From one whose body and mind
Seemed by nature for the praise of men
And love of women designed.
V.
At last to her husband's Hall by chance
Came a poet and wanderer,
Rich with the learning of old Romance,
And a sailer round our sphere.
Came a poet and wanderer,
Rich with the learning of old Romance,
And a sailer round our sphere.
He spoke of the balmy western isles
Stretched off the Morocco coast,
And the wondrous glacier-scooped defiles
That are aye the Switzer's boast.
Stretched off the Morocco coast,
And the wondrous glacier-scooped defiles
That are aye the Switzer's boast.
He spoke of the forests of Brazil,
And of Canadian woods
When autumn tints are on plain and hill,
And of mighty falls and floods.
And of Canadian woods
When autumn tints are on plain and hill,
And of mighty falls and floods.
He spoke of spice archipelagos
And palm-clustered coral reefs,
Round which the smiling Pacific flows,
And stupendous Austral cliffs,
And palm-clustered coral reefs,
Round which the smiling Pacific flows,
And stupendous Austral cliffs,
Of the feudal castles of Norman France.
The cities of Languedoc,
Of the Vega's green luxuriance,
And Granada's haunted rock,
The cities of Languedoc,
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And Granada's haunted rock,
Of the fallen monuments of pride
Set up by the Romans' hand,
Of the grand old town at Arno's side,
And the burgs of Vaterland,
Set up by the Romans' hand,
Of the grand old town at Arno's side,
And the burgs of Vaterland,
Of the deathless marbles of antique Greece,
And the Tajs of Hindustan,
And Egypt's monolith masterpiece,
And stone-marvels Mexican,
And the Tajs of Hindustan,
And Egypt's monolith masterpiece,
And stone-marvels Mexican,
And the gracefullest women of earth,
The daughters of proud Castile,
Queen slaves of Circassian birth,
And Greeks with the old profile.
The daughters of proud Castile,
Queen slaves of Circassian birth,
And Greeks with the old profile.
And he whispered that none were so fair
As she with the grace we so prize,
With the wave of her glittering hair,
And the gleam of her glorious eyes.
As she with the grace we so prize,
With the wave of her glittering hair,
And the gleam of her glorious eyes.
He told her legends of old Romance
In fable and history,
Of Mary Queen of Scotland and France,
And Frances of Rimini,
In fable and history,
Of Mary Queen of Scotland and France,
And Frances of Rimini,
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Of Guinevere, Grissel and Elaine,
And the Ysoldes fair and dark,
Sir Tristram's gentle wife-chatelaine,
And his love, the wife of Marc,
And the Ysoldes fair and dark,
Sir Tristram's gentle wife-chatelaine,
And his love, the wife of Marc,
Of Dido the Carthaginian,
Who for her passion died,
And of the mighty Athenian
And his Ionian bride,
Who for her passion died,
And of the mighty Athenian
And his Ionian bride,
Of Frithjof and Ingebjorg the queen,
Of Brynhild and sad Gudrun,
And Sigurd and the last battle scene
In the palace of the Hun,
Of Brynhild and sad Gudrun,
And Sigurd and the last battle scene
In the palace of the Hun,
Of Henry and fair frail Rosamond,
And fair chaste Eleanor
Who sucked the venom from Edward's wound,
Though she should die therefore.
And fair chaste Eleanor
Who sucked the venom from Edward's wound,
Though she should die therefore.
And he whispered that none were so fair
As she with the grace we so prize,
With the wave of her glittering hair,
And the gleam of her glorious eyes.
As she with the grace we so prize,
With the wave of her glittering hair,
And the gleam of her glorious eyes.
He was goodly enough for her love,
Had brain enough for her brain,
And it seemed as if Heaven above
Had meant them for one, not twain.
Had brain enough for her brain,
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Had meant them for one, not twain.
And with hearts they joined but not with hands,
Although his indeed were free,
For hers were linked in the fetter-bands
Of a marriage slavery.
Although his indeed were free,
For hers were linked in the fetter-bands
Of a marriage slavery.
Yet Envy seemed to sleep for a while,
As if to entice them on
With a subtle cruelty and guile
For a deeper fall anon.
As if to entice them on
With a subtle cruelty and guile
For a deeper fall anon.
And her lord so jealous heretofore
Seemed to doze in apathy,
While she was carried out more and more
On to the enchanted sea
Seemed to doze in apathy,
While she was carried out more and more
On to the enchanted sea
Of love for an object worthy of love,
Of love that would elevate,
If Fancy only were free to rove
In her original state.
Of love that would elevate,
If Fancy only were free to rove
In her original state.
And Envy slept until they should come
Into their fool's paradise
Of the intercourse which lights a home
With pure and rational joys.
Into their fool's paradise
Of the intercourse which lights a home
With pure and rational joys.
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And then she awoke and struck her dart
So deeply into the side
Of the jealous husband, that his heart
Was choked with the surging tide
Of passion and hatred, which did start,
And without one word he died.
So deeply into the side
Of the jealous husband, that his heart
Was choked with the surging tide
Of passion and hatred, which did start,
And without one word he died.
VI.
Alas for Desirée, wooed and won
By the husband now of her choice,
For Envy's spite still made her its own,
And held her as in a vice.
By the husband now of her choice,
For Envy's spite still made her its own,
And held her as in a vice.
For her tyrant's swift mysterious death
And her speedy union
Aroused Report's calumnious breath,
And estranged friends one by one.
And her speedy union
Aroused Report's calumnious breath,
And estranged friends one by one.
Alas for Desirée, though she had wealth
And brightness and genius,
And mellow wisdom and glowing health,
Though she had the glorious,
And brightness and genius,
And mellow wisdom and glowing health,
Though she had the glorious,
The peerless crown of beauty to wear
Her lifelong upon her brow,
And ever in her right hand to bear
The grace to which all men bow,
Her lifelong upon her brow,
And ever in her right hand to bear
The grace to which all men bow,
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Though she had the husband whom she chose,
Though her hands at length were free
From the fetter-bands so cruelly close
Of her marriage slavery,
Though her hands at length were free
From the fetter-bands so cruelly close
Of her marriage slavery,
She could not live in the land of her love,
The land of her broad estates,
But ever away from home must rove
Impelled by pitiless fates.
The land of her broad estates,
But ever away from home must rove
Impelled by pitiless fates.
And so they came to a far-off isle
On the lone Pacific's breast,
And here they live in repose awhile,
Even Envy letting them rest.
On the lone Pacific's breast,
And here they live in repose awhile,
Even Envy letting them rest.
And here this beautiful English dame
And brilliant Englishman,
With their broad estates and ancient name
Unsullied by real stain,
And brilliant Englishman,
With their broad estates and ancient name
Unsullied by real stain,
Live in soft exile, and never see
The face of their countrymen,
Save when a schooner from Sydney quay
Sails down with their stores, and then
Only some mariner rough and free
Who finds them beyond his ken—
The face of their countrymen,
Save when a schooner from Sydney quay
Sails down with their stores, and then
Only some mariner rough and free
Who finds them beyond his ken—
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This delicate dame in soft attire,
With wondrous beauty of face,
And white wise forehead and glance of fire,
And unforgettable grace,
With wondrous beauty of face,
And white wise forehead and glance of fire,
And unforgettable grace,
This lordly man of wealth without bound,
And rich in knowledge and worth,
Thus living as one might say beyond
The uttermost end of earth.
And rich in knowledge and worth,
Thus living as one might say beyond
The uttermost end of earth.
Adieu, Desirée, living thus far,
A kind of enchanted queen
To mariners when they cross the bar
Of your harbour coraline!
A kind of enchanted queen
To mariners when they cross the bar
Of your harbour coraline!
Mayhap it may prove a magic isle
Where Envy shall not prevail
To banish your pleasure with her guile
And peace with her icy gale.
Where Envy shall not prevail
To banish your pleasure with her guile
And peace with her icy gale.
| A Summer Christmas and a Sonnet upon The S.S. "Ballaarat." | |